Interview with James "JR" Skelton, October 27, 2020

Interview Summary

James "JR" Skelton served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1962-1964. Although the program was supposed to be in community development, he ended up teaching English. He talks about his four-month language and Outward Bound training in Puerto Rico. He says that the community development program was generally conceived and hastily organized by Peace Corps and the Ecuadorians. Nobody knew what to do and the local population resented outsiders telling them what to do. After three Ecuadorian aid workers were murdered, having been accused by a local priest of being Communists, the volunteers were pulled out of villages to larger towns and assigned to teach English without any teacher training. He taught in a private girl’s academy and a community center. He talks about social life and says that he and seven other volunteers married Ecuadorians. He says that subsequent groups were better organized and prepared. He ends with reflections on Peace Corps’ impact on his life.

Interview Keyword

Ecuador (Country of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Community Development 1962-1964 (Date of service) Early Peace Corps administration John F. Kennedy Kennedy assassination Communism Volunteer training Marriage Impact on his life Walabala (Ecuador) John Smith (Country director) Lilo Linke (Writer) Azogues (Ecuador) Cuenca (Ecuador) Gualaceo (Ecuador) Historical context Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Education

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ecuador Ecuador 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 Teaching

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