Interview with Violet Esipila, June 15, 2020

Partial Transcript: Okay. Today is June 15, 2020.

Segment Synopsis: Esipila talks about her Peace Corps assignment. She talks about her experience working in an orphanage in Kenya with her parents. She talks about her decision to join the Peace Corps.

Keywords: Assignments; Family; Friends; Kenya; Motivation; Ukraine

Subjects: Childhood; Families; Friendships; International travel; Kenya; Peace Corps (U.S.); Schools; Ukraine; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What were you doing the year before you joined Peace Corps?

Segment Synopsis: Esipila talks about working at a telecommunications company in the United States. She talks about the application process for Peace Corps. Esipila talks about being assigned to Ukraine. She talks about her parents' reactions to her decision to join Peace Corps.

Keywords: Application process; Assignments; Emotions; Medical clearance; Parents; Ukraine

Subjects: Emotions; Occupations; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Ukraine; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So how long was it bef--after you got the invitation before you actually left?

Segment Synopsis: Esipila talks about the emotional stress of leaving. She talks about the challenges of learning a new language. Esipila talks about her host families in Ukraine.

Keywords: Assignments; Challenges; Counterparts; Daily routines; Emotions; Host mothers; Languages; Training; Ukraine

Subjects: Emotions; Families; Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Stress (Psychology); Ukraine; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Did you have any special challenges when you first got there, or even after you were there longer, because you were African American?

Segment Synopsis: Esipila talks about being African American in Ukraine. She talks about the curiosity of her students and people in the village. Esipila talks about teaching English. She talks about what she accomplished.

Keywords: Accomplishments; African Americans; Attitudes; Black Americans; Daily routines; Diversity in the Peace Corps; Host family; Teaching English as a foreign language; Ukraine; Villages

Subjects: Intercultural communication; Interpersonal relations; Manners and customs; Minorities; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Race relations; Schools; Teaching; Ukraine; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What was your life there outside of work like?

Segment Synopsis: Esipila talks about connections with students and other volunteers outside of work. She talks about the Peace Corps office. Esipila talks about helping her host family with gardening and about getting repairs for her iPad.

Keywords: Activities; Community; Extracurricular activities; Friends; Holidays; Host family; Living situation; Peace Corps office; Ukraine

Subjects: Culture; Families; Friendship; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Student activities; Ukraine; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So, you were there for two years and decided to extend or, or did you come home and then go back as a Response Volunteer?

Segment Synopsis: Esipila talks about her third year of service, working for an NGO on HIV prevention. She talks about health projects. She talks about how she learned about COVID-19. Esipila talks about the order to evacuate. She talks about leaving by train and going to a hotel.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Application process; Close of service; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Emotions; Evacuation; HIV; Train; Ukraine

Subjects: AIDS (Disease); COVID-19 (Disease); Community health services; Emotions; Evacuation; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Ukraine; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Alright, so you get, you get to the hotel and other volunteers are there, I assume, or arriving.

Segment Synopsis: Esipila talks about waiting in Kiev to depart by plane. She talks about meeting other volunteers. She talks about getting plane tickets.

Keywords: Airlines; Anxiety; Challenges; Coming home; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Evacuations; Kiev (Ukraine); Kyiv (Ukraine); Leaving; Peace Corps staff; Travel; Ukraine

Subjects: Air travel; COVID-19 (Disease); Emotions; Evacuation; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Ukraine; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So you get on the plane, you fly home, you get off the plane, you're supposed to quarantine for fourteen days.

Segment Synopsis: Esipila talks about her impressions of the U.S. upon arriving home. She talks about her quarantine at her parents' house. Esipila talks about her continued connection to Peace Corps and Ukraine. She talks about the importance of Peace Corps. She talks about looking for a job.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Coming home; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Diversity; Emotions; Future plans; Parents; Quarantines; Ukraine

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Careers; Evacuation; Interpersonal relations; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Race relations; Ukraine; Voluntarism; Volunteers