Interview with Gentian "Genti" Leka, July 30, 2020

Partial Transcript: Hi. This is Candice Wiggum.

Segment Synopsis: Leka talks about the Peace Corps training program that he manages in Albania and Montenegro. He talks about monitoring the COVID-19 situation in Italy and world-wide, as well as preparing for the evacuation of Peace Corps volunteers. He talks about the concern for the growing number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Italy and the early evacuation in Albania and Montenegro. He talks about relocating volunteers from Montenegro into Albania due to the possibility of borders closing.

Keywords: 2020; Borders closing; Cases of COVID-19; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Evacuation; Greece; Italy; Management; North Macedonia; Pandemics; Peace Corps; Support system; Training

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Albania; Travel.

Partial Transcript: Now were the, were the trainees in villages scattered through Montenegro? Were they in two or three villages?

Segment Synopsis: Leka talks about the distribution of Peace Corps trainees in Montenegro and moving them to Albania. He talks about having to adjust the schedule because the school they used for training was shutdown. He talks about communicating with Peace Corps volunteers and creating an emergency committee. He talks about the committee monitoring the data in order to make decisions and prioritizing safety. He talks about the first wave of buses that were sent to collect the volunteers and trainees and informing the host families.

Keywords: 2020; Cohort; Communication; Connection; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Culture; Evacuation; Host families; Host family; Language; Pandemic; Peace Corps; Pretoria; Safety; Trainees; Training; Villages; Volunteers

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Language and culture.; Language and languages.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Albania; Travel.; Voluntarism

Partial Transcript: So initiating later, later the day of the 13th and the continuing, uh, early morning of the 14th, we had 108 volunteers and trainees all consolidated in the--in Tirana.

Segment Synopsis: Leka talks about the timeline for consolidating the volunteers and taking them to the airport. He talks about how close most trainees were to being sworn in, and the first year volunteers. He describes the make-up of different groups and where they were located within the countries. He talks about the emotional experience of swearing in some of the trainees for Montenegro and Albania in March of 2020. He talks about arranging for everyone to be evacuated to the United States two days after the ceremony.

Keywords: Airport; Albania; Ceremony; Close of service; Cohorts; Communication; Connection; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Distribution; Emotional; Emotions; Evacuation; Logistics; Montenegro; Peace Corps; Pledge of service; Safety; Swearing in; Trainees; Volunteers

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Albania; Travel.

Partial Transcript: And you got everybody out before the order came down from Peace Corps Central from Washington D.C. to evacuate all of the countries?

Segment Synopsis: Leka talks about how quickly they had to not only evacuate their trainees and volunteers, but also help those in Kosovo. He talks about mentally processing being without the volunteers and the relationships they were building in the different countries. He talks about planning for the volunteers to come back and making sure that it is safe for them to return. He talks about how eager the different countries, organizations, and host families are to have the volunteers back eventually. He talks about how important relationship building is for the volunteers and trainees and potential re-entry after COVID-19.

Keywords: 2020; Albania; Borders closing; Changes; Coming back; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Decisions; Evacuation; Flights; Health; Host families; Host family; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Pandemic; Peace Corps; Re-entry; Relationship building; Relationships; Trainees; Volunteers

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Albania; Travel.

Partial Transcript: What kind of mitigation measures have you been talking about?

Segment Synopsis: Leka talks about the changes required due to COVID-19 so that volunteers and trainees can safely work in the countries. He talks about what the "new normal" may look like and the placement of volunteers within the countries. He talks about making sure that the host families do not have any potential issues with hosting a volunteer. He talks about the process of living with a host family for 6 months. He talks about his current tasks of communicating with staff, volunteers, and trainees as well as phasing facilities back in.

Keywords: 2020; Adaptation; Changes; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Evacuation; Food; Health; Host families; Hygiene; Internet; Logistics; Mitigation measures; Pandemic; Peace Corps; Protocols; Re-entry; Social distancing; Transportation

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Albania; Travel.

Partial Transcript: So in terms of staff, we do maintain a regular staff meeting every week.

Segment Synopsis: Leka talks about what Peace Corps staff are doing and planning for the upcoming year. He talks about having to adapt many of their services online. He talks about the school system in Albania and the lack of guidance. He talks about expecting a sudden change and how volunteers are needed more than ever.

Keywords: 2020; Communication; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Current tasks; Distance learning; Earthquake; Education; Goals; Learning; Meeting; New normal; Online communication; Pandemic; Peace Corps; Reform; School; Tasks; Teaching

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Albania

Partial Transcript: What changes, besides mitigation, do you see going forward of, of what skills will be needed? You know, just all those kinds of things?

Segment Synopsis: Leka talks about how COVID-19 has forced changes in integrating and teaching volunteers. He talks about the different skills in health and technology that the volunteers can provide. He talks about "café culture" and other traditions within Albania that have had to change. He talks about how the understanding of privacy and personal space is new to collectivist cultures like those in Albania. He talks about the COVID-19 incidence and death rates in surrounding countries and some of the mitigation measures being implemented.

Keywords: 2020; Adapting; Adjusting; Albania; Cafe culture; Changes; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Culture; Education system; Greece; Hugging; Italy; Masks; Montenegro; Online learning; Pandemic; Peace Corps; Precautions; Social distancing; Social norms; Traditions; Trainees; Volunteers

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Culture.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Albania; Voluntarism.

Partial Transcript: Well this has been very interesting Genti.

Segment Synopsis: Leka talks about Peace Corps' commitment to keep future volunteers safe during COVID-19. He talks about the number of trainees and volunteers who wish to be reinstated.

Keywords: 2020; Close of service; Commitment; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); New normal; Pandemic; Peace Corps; Resources; Returning; Safety; Volunteers

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Albania