Interview with Katheryne "K.T." Kramer, May 25, 2022

Interview Summary

Katheryne “K.T.” Kramer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkmenistan, from October 2007 to December 2009, as a Community Health Education volunteer. K.T.’s introduction to Peace Corps came through her father, a Venezuela and Honduras RPCV, and her mother, a U.N. Somalia volunteer. Her parents continued to work internationally, and she spent many years in Africa while growing up. K.T. applied to Peace Corps while at Boston College, and was selected to serve in Turkmenistan with training cohort T-16. Training in Turkmen language and culture was conducted in the village of Yalkym, outside of Ashgabat, where PCVs lived with host families. K.T. was assigned to a birthing center in the village of Nyyazow, providing maternal and child health education. She lived with a host family for her entire tour. Outside of work, K.T. engaged in local social activities such as “guesting” (visiting friends), and attending weddings. She traveled extensively through the country, and went camping with fellow PCVs to Merv, and the Darvaza gas crater (Gates of Hell). K.T. discusses her experiences living and working in Turkmenistan, and the impact of Peace Corps service on her life.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Health Community health education Peace Corps family Yalkym Merv Darvaza gas crater Central Asian Republics Turkic states Global development Sexual and reproductive health Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) Nyyazow (Turkmenistan) Silk Road

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Turkmenistan Ashkhabad (Turkmenistan) Volunteers Turkmen language. Boston University Childbirth

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Interview Usage

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