Developing Volunteers

The Peace Corps experience is development.  Volunteers develop a host nation, the host nation develops itself, and, in reciprocity, the host nation develops the volunteers.

Orientation

Peace Corps Mission

Promotional materials summarizing the service opportunities in countries partnered with the Peace Corps. Created by Sargent Shriver, the first director of the Peace Corps.

This Peace Corps brochure sells the purpose and strengths of the Peace Corps to potential volunteers.  It emphasizes the export of American culture and values “commitment to freedom, pride in your country and its best traditions and what it stands for” as being essential to the development of other countries. This brochure claims that Peace Corps Volunteers, as arbiters of American culture, have the unique ability to bring development to partner nations.

Host Nation Self-Identification

Materials promoting tourism in Uganda

These brochures from the Gail Wadsworth collection show Uganda as a tourism destination for Westerners.  They reflect a naturally beautiful nation rich in tradition and art, and one prepared to cater to vacationers’ needs.  Hotels Limited appeals to Winston Churchill’s stamp of approval, and relays his opinion that “Uganda is a fairy-tale.” Such brochures inform the Peace Corps Volunteers’ early opinion of their new country.

First Impressions

An letter home from Volunteer Debby Prigal shortly after she arrived in Ghana.

In this letter home, Debby Prigal tells her family of her first impressions of Ghana. Once on the ground she could begin to compare her surroundings to her preconceived notions. Ghana was not quite as she expected. She reports, “Things are not as badly organized as I might have thought; the markets are well stocked (there’s tons of soap, for example) but there’s no telling what things will be like in six months.”

Getting to Work

Teaching the USA

Gail Wadsworth's letter to her family asking for materials she can use to teach students about the United States.

Gail Wadsworth writes home asking a family friend for magazines, photographs, and advertisements. She had expected a language barrier between her and her students, but quickly found that there was also a cultural barrier.  Her early lesson plans taught American culture along with the English language.  She explains, “When one girl told me that a beaver was a bird, I realized how crucial visual aids are going to be.”

Success Story

Letter from Debby Prigal to her parents in which she discusses her classroom successes.

After training, Peace Corps Volunteers accept their permanent assignments. These assignments require specialized workers and might help to develop any number of institutions, for example; public works and infrastructure, medical care, and education. Here, Debby Prigal tells her family of the success she had as a teacher. “9 out of 12 of my students passed their ‘A’ level math. The national average is 30%.”

Sense of Nation

Nationalism

Letters from Gail Wadsworth to her family about increasing nationalism in Uganda.

These letters from the Gail Wadsworth collection explain the increasing nationalism in Uganda. As the Peace Corps and other foreign aid worked to develop post-colonial world, the post-colonial world worked to develop itself. One describes the new dress code, which went into effect during her service to preserve Ugandan culture. The other describes one man leaving Uganda for his native Somalia after his brothers were murdered.

Coup

A letter from Prigal to her family about the coup in Ghana (She actually wrote the letter in 1982.)

While serving in Ghana, Debby Prigal experienced a coup d’état.  The government had functioned poorly throughout her stay and in the winter of 1981, the military took over. In this letter home, she tells her family that she is all right. However, she notes, “At this point the borders are closed but when they open up I’ll try to get a letter through.”

Globalism

Cultural Appreciation

Gail Wadsworth's letter to her family about the coming-of-age ceremony.

In the beginning of her service, Gail Wadsworth tried to bring American culture to Uganda. At the end, the reverse is true.  She writes in one Christmas letter, “It is difficult to convey much if anything about a country in writing; after 3 years I shall probably be able to say almost nothing.”  Yet, she tries; in another letter, she describes for her family a Ugandan coming-of-age ceremony.

Global Citizen

Debby Prigal's letter to her parents detailing her travel plans for after her service.

The Peace Corps creates global citizens. Living in another country for years broadens the mind to new culture and alternative ways of being, thinking, and doing. This letter written at the end of her service shows Debby Prigal’s intentions to visit her friends in London, “and then travel, perhaps to Greece.”  She was one of many Volunteers and returned Volunteers with the impulse to see more of the world before coming home.

2018 Original Exhibition

Chloe Eastwood

Transfer to StoryMaps

Emily Messner

An letter home from Volunteer Debby Prigal shortly after she arrived in Ghana.

A letter from Prigal to her family about the coup in Ghana (She actually wrote the letter in 1982.)

Debby Prigal's letter to her parents detailing her travel plans for after her service.