Interview with Douglass Teschner, September 22, 2021

Interview Summary

Abstract: Douglass Teschner During college, Teschner took a course on the Peace Corps and that was the start of his life-long engagement with the agency. His pre-service training was held in Minnesota and Rabat where learning French predominated. There was also a two-week crash course in Arabic at the Tangier Legation. Teschner lived in the Sale medina and worked in Rabat for the Ministry of Water and Forests, inventorying forests to determine the amount of potential lumber in the cork and cedar forests, and then writing reports conveying this data. To collect the data, he took extended trips into the field with associates that took him into remote villages in the Middle Atlas Mountains. In his free time, Teschner hiked in the Atlas Mountains. His main accomplishments were the inventories that he conducted for the Ministry as the Peace Corps emphasis at that time was on professional accomplishments. Despite some “dark” days, he returned to the US a “new person:” more resilient and with a broader world view than he had previously and embracing giving people the dignity and respect that they deserve. Many years later, he also served as a Peace Corps country director.

Interview Keyword

Course Minnesota Rabat, Morocco Arabic Tangier Legation Ministry of Water and Forests Inventory forests Cedar and cork Atlas Mountains Resilience Country Director

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