Interview with Kathleen Corey, August 29, 2022

Interview Summary

Liberia, 1975-1979, Education, PCVL, Trainer Kathleen Corey was raised in Tacoma, Washington. In high school, she was an Ambassador for the People-to-People program visiting 11 European countries. She graduated from the University of Washington in English and Art. Corey was assigned to teach English in Liberia at the Zorzor Central High School. Her biggest challenge was maintaining classroom control. She created a book to teach English focused on African themes and stories substituting for the traditional U.S. and British language materials. Corey describes life in Zorzor: a leper colony, hospital, and foods and the workings of the school: teacher attitudes, student “love letters,” and discipline. She described internal tribal friction. Corey moved in her third year to a Teacher Training College. She related stories of the sexual harassment and assault of girl students and of her own incident and that of other female Volunteers. Corey loved her Peace Corps experience believing fully in its mission!

Interview Keyword

Liberia education PCVL, trainer Tacoma, Washington family University of Washington JFK People-to-People program President Eisenhower ambassador Hungry danger London Paris Socolo town center volunteer work teaching RPCV Ethiopia Zorzor Central High School students classes missionaries national test U.S. curriculum tough discipline malaria book colonization America-Liberian Peace Corps staff teacher training college Pre-Service Training Lorma language Kpelle language customs motorcycle Robert Field Training Center Lorma saying leper colony hospital venereal disease health class foods Zorzor village description Volunteer deaths loving letters heavy set school friends PCV help war Voinjama seat of county government Bluffer boys killings Teacher Training College girls education girl assaults President Tober Christine Norman coming home anger SIT graduate school refugee work hardships sexual assault Peace Corps money buss Raffia straw bed driver ants global citizens

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