Interview with Dean W. Jefferson, September 11, 2021

Interview Summary

Dean Jefferson served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in an agricultural program in El Salvador from 1974-76 and in Costa Rica from 1976-77 working as a lab assistant at the University of Costa Rica’s seed and grain research laboratory. He discusses being recruited for El Salvador from his agricultural college fraternity in Wisconsin. There, he worked on an irrigation and land reform project and on a demonstration farm. He discusses training in Costa Rica, visiting Costa Rica with a fellow volunteer while in El Salvador and meeting his future wife. He talks about returning to Costa Rica many times with his wife and family. He says Peace Corps helps people understand that we’re all alike regardless of the country we call home. He discusses participation in the Madison WI RPCV group, interpreting for Mariel Boat Lift refugees and creating a blog from his letters home, journal entries and photographs.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (US) El Salvador (Country of Service) Agriculture (Peace Corps program) 1974-76 (years of service) Costa Rica (Country of Service) Agriculture (Peace Corps program) 1976-77 (years of service) Francisco Rodriquez (Director of agriculture program in El Salvador) Pastures and Forages (name of El Salvador agricultural program) Atiocoyo and San Isidro, where he surveyed farmers (sites of irrigation and land reform project) El Maizal (name of demonstration farm near Metalio) political context in El Salvador third goal activities. https://dwjefferson.blogspot.com (internet address of his blog).

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Interview Usage

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