Interview with Katherine Spalt "Kathie" Miller, January 29, 2021
Project: Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Katherine “Kathie” Spalt Miller was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1962-1964 as an education volunteer and in Afghanistan from 1966-1968 as an ESL teacher. She was among the 60+ volunteers in the second group to serve in Ghana. She taught English, French, and general science at a secondary boarding school for girls and lived on the grounds with another Peace Corps volunteer. The majority of her time was spent with her students and fellow teachers. She formed a lasting friendship with the family of one of her students and has compiled a book of 50 years of letters from the student with background information to put the letters in context. The title is "Letters from Susie: Growing up Ghanaian 1962-2015." After marrying, she rejoined Peace Corps with her husband, and, after 3 months of training in Texas, went to Afghanistan where she taught ESL at a technical secondary school and at the Faculty of Agriculture at Kabul University. They traveled throughout Afghanistan and Asia. Upon returning home, she continued to teach ESL until she retired.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
Ghana (Country of service) Afghanistan (Country of service) 1962-1964 (Date of service) 1966-1968 (Date of service) Secondary school teachers ESL teachers Living situations Servants Family Friendships Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Education Volunteer workers in educationInterview LC Subject
Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ghana Ghana Peace Corps (U.S.)--Afghanistan Afghanistan 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 Teachers TeachingInterview Rights
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Miller, Katherine Spalt Interview by Candice D. Wiggum. 29 Jan. 2021. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Miller, K.S. (2021, January 29). Interview by C. D. Wiggum. Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Miller, Katherine Spalt, interview by Candice D. Wiggum. January 29, 2021, Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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