Interview with Justin Fugle, November 22, 2021
Project: Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Justin Fugle served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Maria Auxiliadora, Paraguay from 1995-97. Having just graduated from George Washington University in international development, he served as a small business consultant in a Spanish and Guarani-speaking agricultural community. Language immersion in Areguá made him conversationally functional within 6 weeks and able to enjoy the terere social custom at his eventual post following 12 weeks of training. He gradually understood the cotton farmers’ subsistence economics, controlled by government price fixing, and helped nudge them into a “viable alternative,” soybeans, sold at international rates on a futures market. This helped educate the farmers to think in terms of economics. Within 20 years, successful development had phased out Peace Corps in the area. Justin continued his international development work worldwide through Plan International using the PC model advocating for local planning, implementation, and funding. He now advises on policy including USAID legislation. In 2021, he also participated in the 60th anniversary Peace Corps conference.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
Peace Corps (U.S.) Paraguay (country of service) 1995-1997 (term of service) Small Business Agriculture Consultant (PC job) Maria Auxiliadora (Town of Job Post) Asunción (capital city) Bujante (Pushing forward) Syracuse University (undergraduate school) George Washington University (Graduate school) Guarani (Indigenous language) Benin Miami (Training) Areguá (home stay town) Immersion (language training) Terere (social custom) Maté (Plant) Yerba maté (Plant) Wompa (Cowhorn) Bomba (Straw) Dia de San Juan (festival) War of Triple Alliance (Uruguay, Bolivia, Brazil vs. Paraguay) Rutherford B. Hayes (U.S. President) Chipa/Chipa Wazu (cassava flour) RASCAS (Rotating and Accumulating Savings and Credit Association) Government monopoly Fixed prices Cooperatives Cotton Soybeans Silkworms Plan International Power Africa Pat WandInterview Rights
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Fugle, Justin Interview by John Croes. 22 Nov. 2021. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Fugle, J. (2021, November 22). Interview by J. Croes. Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Fugle, Justin, interview by John Croes. November 22, 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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