Interview with Carmen Andrews, November 6, 2023

Interview Summary

Carmen Andrews served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1991-1993, in the Health Education program. She was inspired to join PC by her parents – who considered PC service themselves in the late 1960’s. Training was conducted in Santo Domingo, and focused on language, culture, and technical training for health education. She was placed in Arroyo Caño, in the province of San Juan de la Maguana. Carmen taught a health class to a group of men and women, and taught English to young people. She assisted her community with a latrine project and a water purification project. A year and a half into her service she married a Dominican gentleman and went on to have two children. Today, Carmen is a Spanish teacher and often talks with her students about her experiences in the Dominican Republic. She states that she can’t imagine her life without having served in the Peace Corps. The interview discusses training, family and friends- both in the states and in the DR, her service and lessons learned while serving.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (U.S.) Dominican Republic (country of service) 1991- 1993 (Date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Health United States – Seattle, Wyoming, Las Vegas Dominican Republic Peace Corps (U.S.) – 1960-1970- Parents Spanish (Language) philosophy of life parents couples and Peace Corps service YMCA application process placement time Equatorial Guinea, Africa offers of service turned down Philippines evacuated hold on placement staging- Miami, Florida nervous excitement positive experience Peace Corps (U.S.) training Dominican family tour of government facilities Joaquín Balaguer language classes solar stoves latrines dance culture earthquake relationships with other volunteers Arroyo Caño coffee farmers river bridge host family starving salami plantains green bananas rice and beans deaths and funerals friendly people projects- health encuesta baby weight water latrines starving farmers land owners taught- health taught English water purification living conditions relationship building rented house electric bill neighbors dog cat cattle meat milk workday leisure pharmacy Peace Corps Volunteers facial expressions friends distance from other volunteers Peace Corps staff Santo Domingo dating married Peace Corps – related medical issues- diarrhea Peace Corps – related medical issues – Amoebic Dysentery extension of service return to DR Wyoming University of Wyoming Spanish major Spanish teacher students communication- fax phones diplomatic pouch grandmothers death voting challenges main accomplishments clean water memorable moments regrets food co-op main lessons teaching relationship building trust commonalities third goals value of Peace Corps service.

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