Interview with Al Merkel, June 22, 2021

Interview Summary

Al Merkel served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras from 1975 to 1977. Merkel was finishing college when he applied for the Peace Corps. He went to college after military service and was interested in going overseas. Merkel’s degree is in forestry and he was sent to La Mosquitia region in the Department of Gracias a Dios after in-service training. The forests were nationalized and organized into districts. The location could only be reached by a five-day boat trip or weekly flight. Since he was older than the other volunteers, the staff sent him to this remote area. Part of Merkel’s assignment was developing a management plan for the forests of the area. He also developed and implemented a protection plan for combating the extensive forest fires in the region. He developed a forest nursery and planted out about 100,000 pine trees each year.

Interview Keyword

Honduras (Country of service) 1975-1977 (Date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Forestry Peace Corps (U.S.)--1970-1980 Spanish (Language) La Mosquitia (Honduras) Gracias a Dios (Honduras)

Interview LC Subject

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