Interview with Carleen Yocum, January 1, 1970

Interview Summary

Carleen Yocum served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica from 1981-1983. Stationed in a village in the mountains outside of the village of San Isidro, she worked with Costa Rican colleagues in the forestry division of the Ministry of Agriculture. Yocum started a small nursery to support reforestation efforts and quickly branched out to cultivate citrus trees. Riding her newly acquired horse, Roble Colorado, she traveled to outlying villages with trees in her saddlebags, sometimes even hauling along a movie projector and 16mm films. Extending her assignment, she moved to the region of Guanacaste in the northern part of the country, where she continued her forestry work and expanded their nursery to include avocado trees. Her Peace Corps experience propelled Yocum into a highly successful career with the U.S. Forest Service, where much of her work centered on international projects in Latin America.

Interview Keyword

Costa Rica (Country of service) 1981-1983 (Date of service) Environment Spanish (Language) Forestry Nursery development Forest Service

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Costa Rica Costa Rica 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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Interview Usage

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