Interview with Blanche Grade Griffin, February 19, 2021
Project: Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Blanche Grade Griffin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967 in the Education Program. Griffin was inspired to volunteer by a former Peace Corps trainer she met in graduate school while studying Educational Psychology. Language and culture training for her group, Malaysia 13, was conducted at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, with an additional two weeks of student teaching in Hilo, Hawaii. Griffin’s assignment was at a primary school in Bandau Halt, a train stop near the town of Membakut, south of Kota Kinabalu (formerly Jesselton), in the state of Sabah. Blanche taught English to students up to 16 years of age, and incorporated English songs into her lessons. The interview discusses training, living conditions in a small Malaysian community, experiences teaching, and relationships with students and their families. She also discusses travel throughout Asia during school breaks and after completion of service. Griffin remains in contact with fellow Malaysia RPCVs, and organized a reunion in New Mexico.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
Malaysia (Country of service) 1965-1967 (Date of service) Malaysia 13 (Training group) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Education Northern Illinois University (Training site) DeKalb, Illinois (Training site) Hilo, Hawaii (Training site) Peace Corps (U.S.)--1960-1970 Malay (Language) Sabah, Malaysia Jesselton, Malaysia Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia Bandau Halt (Assignment site) Membakut, MalaysiaInterview LC Subject
Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Malaysia Malaysia Acculturation Communication and culture Culture Culture shock Intercultural communication Interpersonal communication and culture Interpersonal relations Interpersonal relations and culture Language and culture Language and languages Lifestyles Manners and customs Voluntarism VolunteersInterview Rights
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Griffin, Blanche Grade Interview by Julius Sztuk. 19 Feb. 2021. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Griffin, B.G. (2021, February 19). Interview by J. Sztuk. Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Griffin, Blanche Grade, interview by Julius Sztuk. February 19, 2021, Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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