Interview with Catherine Anadu, August 19, 2020

Partial Transcript: Hello. Today is August 19, 2020.

Segment Synopsis: Catherine Anadu is introduced. She talks about her career in the oil and gas industry and her decision to join the Peace Corps mid-career. She talks about her awareness of Peace Corps from an early age due to marketing and advertisements.

Keywords: Awareness; Commercials; Generational; High schools; Joining; Marketing; Mid-career; Oil and gas industry; Volunteering; Young people

Subjects: Careers; Childhood; Occupations.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Professions; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Uh, what did, uh, what did your, uh, friends and family think about you going off to another country mid-career?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about the lack of support she received from her family and friends regarding her decision to join Peace Corps, especially since she was mid-career.

Keywords: Awareness; Conflicts; Family; Friends; Mid-career; People of color; Reactions; Regrets; Russia; Ukraine; Unsupportive; Wars

Subjects: Careers; Families.; Occupations.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Professions; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: And did you choose Ukraine or, uh, were you just open to going anywhere?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about her expectations before being assigned to her post in Ukraine.

Keywords: Assignments; Choices; Community Economic Development (CED); Expectations; Kiev (Ukraine); Kyiv (Ukraine); Posts

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So you were well-traveled before this.

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about the diversity of age and experience within her Peace Corps cohort.

Keywords: Ages; Diversity; Diversity in the Peace Corps; Experience; Group 51; Travel experience

Subjects: Older people; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Anything, um, interesting or, uh, unusual about your application process to Peace Corps?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about receiving her Peace Corps invitation and an alternate offer to her Ukraine post: an offer to teach in Thailand.

Keywords: Alternatives; Applications; Choices; Invitations; Offers; Teaching English as a foreign language; Thailand

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Oh, uh, did you have any kind of orientation in the States before you got on the plane to go to Ukraine?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about her orientation in Washington, D.C. and forming her support circle. This circle was meant to hold her accountable when she wanted to quit, but she says everyone in her circle encouraged her to come home.

Keywords: Accountability; Commitments; Leaving; Orientation; Quitting; Staging; Support; Support circles; Support systems; Washington, D.C.

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: So, um, you, uh--traveling wasn't anything new to you but had you, had you been to a, a former Soviet country before?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about her first impressions of Ukraine. She talks about being stared at due to being a person of color. People tried to take photographs with her without her permission. She talks about how Peace Corps staff reacted when she told them about her negative experiences. She talks about how she was treated when people assumed she was from Africa versus when they learned she was an American.

Keywords: Africa; Africans; Americans; Anomalies; Attitudes; Behavior; Black people; Counterparts; Dismissive; Diversity; First impressions; Former Soviet countries; Outsiders; Peace Corps staff; People of color; Photographs; Rudeness; Salesperson; Selfies; Stares; Students; Treatment

Subjects: Acculturation.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Culture shock; Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Language and culture.; Language and languages.; Minorities.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Race discrimination; Race relations; Racism; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So where did you do your training?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about her training in Chernihiv, Ukraine, which had been a Peace Corps training center for so long that the local people had become used to the experience. She talks about the politics of speaking Ukrainian versus Russian.

Keywords: Chernihiv (Ukraine); Community; Host families; Host family; Language training; Mormons; Politics; Population; Russian (Language); Saturated; Training centers; Ukrainian (Language)

Subjects: Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Language and culture.; Language and languages.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So tell me, tell me a little bit about your host family and their, their, uh, living situation.

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about the architecture and attitudes toward communal spaces in Ukraine. She talks about her host family and her relationship with them. She talks about how one of her greatest accomplishments was teaching her host family's two sons to not make a mess in the bathroom. She talks more about people's attitudes toward her as an American and as a person of color.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Ages; America; Americans; Architecture; Attitudes; Bathrooms; Black people; Boys; Challenges; Children; Cultural exchange; English (Language); Host families; Host family; Internet; Living conditions; Negative; Neighbors; People of color; Racial slurs; Soviet mentality; Spies; Technology; Toilet seats; Treatment; Urban

Subjects: Acculturation.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Language and languages.; Minorities.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Race discrimination; Race relations; Racism; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Walk me through a, a typical training day.

Segment Synopsis: Anadu describes her daily activities during training, including language and cultural training.

Keywords: Breakfast; Daily routines; Intense; Language coaches; Language training; Pre-service training; Training; Ukrainian (Language)

Subjects: Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Language and culture.; Language and languages.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So after training then where were you posted?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about the town she was assigned to: Vinnytsia, Ukraine. She describes her roommate and their close relationship, and visiting her roommate's family in a nearby village. She talks about how her age may have impacted her relationships.

Keywords: Accepting; Ages; Assignments; Awards; Comfortable; Friendships; Host families; Host family; Older people; Parents; Population; Posts; Relationships; Roommates; Social life; Socializing; Vinnytsia (Ukraine)

Subjects: Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: And, uh, tell me about your job there.

Segment Synopsis: Anadu describes her work with a community foundation, as well as creating an association of community foundations in order to make accomplishing their goals easier. She talks about Vinnytsia as a city and how she joined the mayor's taskforce in order to help the city diversify and improve its image in order to increase tourism. She talks about the lessons she learned regarding the customs of doing business in Ukraine.

Keywords: Amenities; Assignments; Association of community foundations; Attitudes; Charitable organizations; Cities; City; Colleagues; Community Economic Development; Community foundations; Counterparts; Diversity; Entrepreneurship; Ethnicity; Experiences; Focus; Goals; Government; Grants; Identity; Jobs; Lessons learned; Mayor's taskforce; Mentality; Needs assessments; Patience; Personal relationships; Rural; Scope; Teammates; Tourism; Urban; Villages; Vinnytsia (Ukraine); Work

Subjects: Careers; Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Occupations.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Professions; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Well, it sounds like you fit in pretty well there and made a lot of, a lot of friends.

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about her friendships in Vinnytsia and having a drink named after her in a bar. She talks more about attitudes towards Americans versus Africans in Ukraine and how America was looked upon positively.

Keywords: Africans; Americans; Anniversaries; Attitudes; Bars; Drinks; Friends; New York; Partnerships; Relationships; Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV); Social life; Socializing; Ukrainian (Language); Ukrainians

Subjects: Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Language and culture.; Language and languages.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: While you were there--so you were there for the whole 27 months.

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about traveling throughout Ukraine during her service, as well as trips to other countries, including Spain, Egypt, and Romania.

Keywords: Egypt; Romania; Spain; Trains; Vacations

Subjects: Culture.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: And, and ta--talking to your other, uh--your peers there--other volunteers, do you think most of them had the same kind of positive experience that you did?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about the data collected regarding Peace Corps volunteers' opinions about their service. She talks about some of her favorite things about working and living in Ukraine, focusing on her relationships.

Keywords: Annual Volunteer Survey; Careers; Cohorts; Data; Experiences; Favorite things; Friendships; International development; Negative; People of color; Personal connections; Reflection; Relationships; Roommates; Skills; Transition process

Subjects: Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Well, you, you, you mentioned, uh--you said you were struggling with Peace Corps.

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about some of the issues she encountered with Peace Corps, specifically mentioning some of their training techniques, the attitudes of some of the volunteers, and her disappointment in their handling of issues of racism.

Keywords: Age; Attitudes; Awareness; Black Lives Matter (BLM); Disappointment; Elite; George Floyd; Goals; Issues; Maturity; Professionalism; Purpose; Responses; Statements; Struggles; Training

Subjects: African Americans--Social conditions.; Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Minorities.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Race discrimination; Race relations; Racism; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So, um, anything else you want to talk about?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about her career with the federal government since her return from Peace Corps.

Keywords: Department of the Interior; Federal government; Jobs; Noncompetitive Eligibility (NCE); Public service

Subjects: Careers; Occupations.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Professions

Partial Transcript: And, um, so when it was time to, to leave Ukraine did you consider extending or did you have a chance to extend?

Segment Synopsis: Anadu discusses her reasons for not extending her Peace Corps service despite being asked. She talks about passing on her project to the next volunteer. She talks about whether it was difficult to leave Ukraine.

Keywords: Commitments; Continuation; Decisions; Employees; Expectations; Extension; Handoff; Kiev (Ukraine); Kyiv (Ukraine); Leaving; Opportunity; Peace Corps staff; Projects; Relationships; Returning; Sustainability; Technology

Subjects: Careers; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Occupations.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Professions; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So, um, now you--well you mentioned this taking a federal job as something you wouldn't have done p--had--if you hadn't been a Peace Corps volunteer.

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about how her life and mindset have been affected by her Peace Corps experiences. She talks about the lifelong friendships she formed with local Ukrainians as well as her fellow Peace Corps volunteers. She talks about meeting older Peace Corps volunteers who served decades prior.

Keywords: Age; Anniversaries; Attitudes; Changes; Friends; Friendships; Funding; Impact; Jobs; Lifelong friends; Marching; National Peace Corps Association; Older people; Politicians; Relationships; Social life; Socializing; Type-A personality; Ukrainian volunteers; Unexpected; Visiting; Work culture

Subjects: Careers; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Occupations.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ukraine; Professions; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: You said you were one of seven black people out of seventy in your cohort.

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks more about her disappointment of the way Peace Corps has handled issues of racism as well as their lack of effort to recruit more volunteers of color.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (BLM); Diversity; Hatch Act; Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs); Issues; Peace Corps Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (DISP); People of color; Politics; Problems; Recruiting; Recruitment; Saturation

Subjects: African Americans--Social conditions.; Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Interpersonal relations and culture; Minorities.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Race discrimination; Race relations; Racism; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Now that you're back, uh, and you, uh, may run into somebody that tells you that they're thinking about joining Peace Corps...

Segment Synopsis: Anadu talks about speaking to groups about her Peace Corps service. She talks about what advice she would give to people who are considering joining Peace Corps. She talks about her interest in being part of this oral history project. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Advice; Black people; Choices; Decisions; Goldman Sachs; Mid-career; Opportunities; Oral history projects; People of color; Potential Peace Corps volunteers; Presentations; Reasons; Recruitment; Recruits; Speeches; Third Goal; Ukraine

Subjects: Careers; Culture.; Intercultural communication.; Interpersonal communication and culture; Occupations.; Peace Corps (U.S.); Professions; Travel; Voluntarism.; Volunteers