Interview with Marco Moreno, November 11, 2020

Interview Summary

Marco Moreno served as a Peace Corps volunteer in an education program in Samoa from October 6, 2019 until March 18, 2020 when all volunteers worldwide were evacuated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Marco discusses Peace Corps training and teaching English literacy skills to children in grades 4-6, drawing special attention to the farewell they gave him when he had to leave. As a Mexican American and cultural anthropologist, Marco talks about the importance of learning from other cultures as well how economic and social conditions faced by people of color, or non-majority Americans, makes it difficult, but not impossible, for them to join the Peace Corps and go overseas for 27 months. He discusses the support he received from another Latino volunteer in service and the Peace Corps community upon his return. He also discusses his involvement in Many Faces, an RPCV effort to capture the experiences of non-majority volunteers.

Interview Keyword

Samoa (Country of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Education 2019-2020 (Date of service) Savai’i (Samoa) Diversity in the Peace Corps Barriers to minority participation in Peace Corps Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Evacuated Peace Corps Volunteer (EPCV) #covid19

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Samoa Samoa COVID-19 (Disease) Acculturation Communication and culture Culture Culture shock Intercultural communication Interpersonal communication and culture Interpersonal relations Interpersonal relations and culture Language and culture Language and languages Lifestyles Manners and customs Voluntarism Volunteers Minorities Race relations

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Interview Usage

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