Interview with Deborah S. "Debbie" Manget, October 22, 2020

Partial Transcript: This is Evelyn Ganzglass.

Segment Synopsis: Manget talks about her decision to go into the Peace Corps. She talks about working for a private corporation and wanting to do something meaningful. She talks about growing up in North Carolina and Georgia. Manget talks about looking for a spiritual sign that she should join Peace Corps. She talks about the application process and finding an opportunity in St. Lucia.

Keywords: Application process; Choices; Colombia; Interviews; Language skills; Peace Corps recruiters; Placement; Regional conflict; Saint Lucia; Teaching

Subjects: Colombia; Education, Higher; Language and languages; Occupations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--St. Lucia; St. Lucia; Teaching

Partial Transcript: And where was your training?

Segment Synopsis: Manget talks about training in Barbados with volunteers for the Eastern Caribbean. She talks about cultural training. Manget talks about her host mother and learning to cook Caribbean food.

Keywords: Assignments; Culture; Education programs; Food culture; Host mothers; Illness; Local languages; Practice teaching; Saint Lucia; Tourism

Subjects: Culture; Families; Food habits; Health; Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Occupations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--St. Lucia; St. Lucia; Teaching

Partial Transcript: So, after training, where were you then placed?

Segment Synopsis: Manget talks about life in St. Lucia. She talks about her house and neighbors. She talks about the school where she taught home economics to junior secondary school students. Manget talks about working with other teachers at her school.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Co-teachers; Cultural exchange; Food culture; Friends; Houses; Middle schools; Saint Lucia; Teaching

Subjects: Culture; Food habits; Friendship; Intercultural communication; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--St. Lucia; Schools; St. Lucia; Teachers; Teaching

Partial Transcript: But there is one incident I'd like to tell you about, having to do with my teaching.

Segment Synopsis: Manget talks about an incident of a complaint against her at her school. She talks about living in a community. She talks about attitudes toward women. Manget talks about Peace Corps training.

Keywords: Acceptance; Community; Dancing; Friends; Living situation; Mindsets; Role of women; Saint Lucia; Social interactions; Treatment of women

Subjects: Communication and culture; Friendship; Interpersonal relations; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--St. Lucia; Schools; Teachers; Teaching

Partial Transcript: Okay. So your, your teaching went well and you--did you do that for two years?

Segment Synopsis: Manget talks about her tour of service. She talks about the lack of teacher training classes for St. Lucia teachers. Manget talks about the social unrest that occurred after St. Lucia became independent from Britain. She talks about being evacuated by Peace Corps because of the dangerous situation in the country.

Keywords: Close of service; Dangerous; Evacuations; Independence; Politics; Post-colonial; Riots; Safety; Saint Lucia; Teacher training

Subjects: Evacuation; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--St. Lucia; Race relations; Schools; St. Lucia; Teachers; Teaching; World politics

Partial Transcript: What was it like coming back?

Segment Synopsis: Manget talks about the hard readjustment to life at home in the U.S. She talks about how her Peace Corps experience affected her worldview. Manget talks about her influence on her students. She talks about relatives who visited her in St. Lucia and friends from St. Lucia who visited the United States. Manget talks about going back to St. Lucia and staying in touch with friends.

Keywords: Coming home; Cultural differences; Difficult; Friends; Impact; Influences; Parents; Readjustment; Saint Lucia; Third Goal

Subjects: Careers; Friendship; Interpersonal relations; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--St. Lucia; Race relations; St. Lucia; Student activities; Teachers; Teaching

Partial Transcript: Oh, that's, that’s great. And, and I guess, the third goal of Peace Corps is to bring your experience back to the United States.

Segment Synopsis: Manget talks about getting a degree in library science and about her presentations at libraries describing the culture of St. Lucia. She talks about the Museum of the Peace Corps Experience where she is team leader for collections.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Career paths; Culture; History; Saint Lucia

Subjects: Careers; Communication and culture; Information collection and exchange; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--St. Lucia; St. Lucia; Teachers; Teaching