Interview with Tara Leitzell Morton, January 15, 2021

Interview Summary

Tara Leitzell Morton served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in a nonprofit development program in Jordan from 2001-2002. She talks about her group being sworn in the day after the 9/11 attacks, PCVs leaving early because they felt unsafe in the political climate, and the group’s evacuation just prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. She talks very positively about living and working in a research base with Jordanians and foreign experts developing sustainable economic development strategies for Bedouins, running an IT center in As-Safawi, and her desire to stay a third year. She talks about her cross-cultural experiences, especially related to the role of women in society; people’s misconceptions of American life because of what they saw on TV; and that non-Caucasian PCVs weren’t considered "true Americans." She talks about her desire to serve and concludes with a call for mandatory national service to broaden American’s domestic and international cross-cultural exposure.

Interview Keyword

Jordan (Country of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Nonprofit Development 2001-2002 (Date of service) 9/11/2001 Role of women Cross-cultural exchange National service Iraq War September 11, 2001

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Jordan Jordan 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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