Interview with Sarah Strozeski, October 25, 2021

Interview Summary

Sarah was interested in the Peace Corps since she was 16. Her town had little diversity. She had studied French and traveled to Europe in High School. Sarah has a degree in criminology from North Carolina State. She was invited to Rwanda to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL). Not having taught before, she would have liked more teacher training. Sarah was assigned to a school in Kibondo, a small rural village. She taught 12 hours a week at various grade levels. Some of her students were older than she was, as they continued their schooling while farming. Sarah also took her teachers to Peace Corps Training events. It was difficult to talk about sensitive topics because of the genocide. However, as the first Volunteer in her site school she prepared the ground for subsequent Volunteers. She took vacations within Rwanda and on a Mediterranean cruise. Rwanda, 2014 – 2016, TEFL

Interview Keyword

Grand Rapids Michigan French Europe North Carolina State criminology tutor departure preparation Pre-Service Training Rwamagana host family Language Kinyarwanda TEFL practicum culture experiential Rwanda Kigali Kibondo boarding school, dairy cooperative primary secondary fees communication skills breakfast weekends teachers respect vacation self-doubt first Volunteer motorcycle culture gender roles genocide religion secondary projects Volunteers of color worldview peer bonding

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