Interview with John Soileau, April 25, 2023

Interview Summary

After retiring, John Soileau and his wife Tommie considered opportunities that would let them serve others and have adventures. They decided on the PC and were assigned to Ukraine, 1995-1997. Training included: the challenge of learning Ukrainian; TEFL practicums; and cultural training that focused on Ukrainian history, including the devastation Russians and Nazis imposed on Ukrainians. Berdichev, their permanent post, had been a large Jewish center. John said the few Jews that survived the holocaust had “to learn to be Jews again” after the breakup of the USSR. The Soileaus were the only Americans living in Berdichev. John taught English in after-school enrichment classes. Tommie taught the Ukrainian elementary curriculum in a nearby school. Their secondary projects included developing an English teaching guide for elementary students, and supporting a center for invalid students. John said one cannot be “retiring” in PC —one must take the initiative to interact with others.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (U.S.) Ukraine (Country of service) 1995-1997 (Date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Education Ukraine Germany Austria Czech Republic Hungary Poland Egypt Russia Peace Corps (U.S.)--1990-2000 English Ukrainian Russia WWII

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