Interview with Marya Nowakowski, September 15, 2020

Interview Summary

Marya Nowkowski grew up in the outdoors of Eastern Washington State. She graduated with an interdisciplinary degree in environmental studies from Evergreen State College and received a master’s degree from Washington State University in plant ecology. She then worked for the Forest Service. She had a number of professors who were RPCVs and saw ads in a forestry journal on the Peace Corps. Marya was 30 when she joined the Peace Corps with her spouse. Pre-service Training was critical in introducing her to tropical forestry. She was assigned to an NGO, Pastoral Social, affiliated with the Catholic church in Las Matas de Farfan. Her counterpart was eager and energetic, working six days a week. They worked with farmers and trained farmer leaders to sustain their work of reforestation, soil conservation, and creating a revenue stream. She was able to get farmers certification in using forest products to generate an income.

Interview Keyword

Oregon Evergreen State College Environmental Studies Dominican Republic (Country of service) 1987-1990 (Date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Agriculture Washington State University Plant ecology Forest Service Tropical forestry Soil conservation Las Mata de Farfan (Assignment site) Catholic Church Counterparts Farmer leaders Gender Certification Tree species: Galena, Yucaina, Tamarine Forestry Sector Diversity in the Peace Corps

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Dominican Republic Acculturation Communication and culture Culture shock Culture Intercultural communication Interpersonal communication and culture Interpersonal relations and culture Language and culture Language and languages Volunteers Travel Voluntarism Volunteer workers in horticulture

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