Interview with Roger Weiss, April 13, 2021

Interview Summary

Roger Weiss served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1964 to 1966. Prior to Peace Corps, Weiss was a student at Western Washington State College in Bellingham (now Western Washington University) where he studied fisheries and ecology. He worked during the summers for Alaska and Washington State Fisheries. He applied to Peace Corps in his junior year and received an invitation the summer he graduated. Peace Corps training started in Manhattan, Kansas and was completed in Puerto Rico. His original assignment was in Barahona in the Southwestern part of the Dominican Republic. He was there for only five months when a violent, months-long coup attempt resulted in the evacuation of Volunteers for five weeks. Prior to evacuation, Weiss and other Volunteers helped the Red Cross by delivering food and medical supplies. After returning to the Dominican Republic, Weiss was assigned to La Vega to complete a school construction project.

Interview Keyword

Dominican Republic (Country of service) 1964-1966 (Date of service) Kansas Peace Corps training Revolutions Rebels Juan Bosch Red Cross Puerto Rico Evacuation School construction Agriculture Western Washington University Fisheries

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Dominican Republic Dominican Republic 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

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