Interview with Jerome J. Nelson, December 9, 2020

Interview Summary

Jerome Nelson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the indigenous Kalinago Territory in Dominica from 2006-2008. Peace Corps is central to his life. His father met and married his mother while serving as a PCV in Costa Rica and Nelson met his wife, a fellow PCV, during his service. Because of Peace Corps, he also became much closer with the Costa Rican part of his family and he maintains close ties with his training host family in St. Lucia. He discusses problems getting medical clearance to join and be placed in the Peace Corps and the benefits and frustrations of having to create meaningful work for yourself as a community economic development volunteer. He also talks about his involvement with Special Olympics before and during Peace Corps service and the broadening experience of having lived in another culture.

Interview Keyword

Dominica (Country of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Community Economic Development 2006-2008 (Date of service) Medical issues Special Olympics

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Dominica Dominica International travel Eastern Caribbean Volunteer workers in community development Language and languages Costa Rica St. Lucia Interpersonal relations and culture Volunteers

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.