Interview with William "Bill" Saphir, February 9, 2021

Partial Transcript: Okay. Today is February 9, 2021. My name is Jay Sztuk. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Fiji, 1974 through '76. And today, I'm, uh, interviewing William Saphir who was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand, 1967 through 1970 in the health program doing, uh, malaria education.

Segment Synopsis: Saphir grew up in south Chicago and attended the University of Wisconsin from 1962-1967. Saphir was well aware of Kennedy's 1961 speech about the Peace Corps and grew up in a social activist atmosphere.

Keywords: Awareness; Chicago (Ill.); Hyde Park (Ill.); John F. Kennedy; Malaria; Motivation; University of Chicago; University of Wisconsin

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--1960-1970; Peace Corps (U.S.)--Thailand; Universities and colleges; Voluntarism; Volunteer workers in health services; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: In the spring of '67, I was, uh, you know, applying for jobs. Uh, I was looking to go into O.C.S. if that was a possibility. O.C.S. is officer training--officer candidate school for the service, uh, because there was a strong likelihood I was going to get drafted. And, uh, I also applied to the Peace Corps.

Segment Synopsis: When he was close to college graduation, Saphir considered various options and applied to the Peace Corps. After graduation, Saphir had a summer job doing construction. After he had been working a couple of weeks, Saphir got an invitation to attend Peace Corps pre-service training which was starting in a month in Hilo, Hawaii. The program was in Thailand doing malaria eradication. Saphir was interested in the field of healthcare and in visiting Hawaii.

Keywords: Altruism; Applying; Arlington (Va.); Changes; Hawaii; Healthcare; Hilo (Hawaii); Interests; Jobs; Malaria; Military drafts; Pre-service training; Transition periods; Traveling; Uncertainty

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Thailand; Voluntarism; Volunteers; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: I'll jump right into training?

Segment Synopsis: Saphir reports that his pre-service training was very helpful and complete. Pre-service training started in Hawaii and then progressed to six weeks of technical training in the Philippines. Saphir's group, all male, started with 30 trainees and ended with 21 members. Saphir describes some of the training exercises designed to build self-confidence. Saphir experienced culture shock upon arriving in the Philippines. Saphir's group was housed together in a compound in Manila and received malaria eradication training designed by the World Health Organization at a nearby university. Saphir was in the 21st cohort sent to Thailand. Saphir has been able to maintain contact with the others in his cohort and with other Volunteers he met during pre-service training and in Thailand.

Keywords: Cohorts; Contact; Cultural training; De-selection; Emails; Expectations; Hawaii; Hawaii Island (Hawaii); Hilo (Hawaii); Korat (Thailand); Language training; Malaria; Manila (Philippines); Preparation; Self-confidence; Special occasions; Technical training; Thai (Language); Traveling; Waipio Valley (Hawaii)

Subjects: Acculturation; Culture shock; Emotions; International travel; Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Non-governmental organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Thailand; United Nations; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: How did you feel? Do you remember how you felt, uh, when you landed there in the country? What your impression was?

Segment Synopsis: After landing in Bangkok at midnight, the high humidity was immediately obvious. The Peace Corps country director met the flight and greeted each Volunteer by name. The Volunteers had several days to adjust before being sent to their work sites. Saphir found the entire experience exhilarating.

Keywords: Acclimation; Adjustment; Bangkok (Thailand); Bing Crosby; Bob Hope; Excited; Hawaii; Peace Corps directors

Subjects: Acculturation; Emotions; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Where was your assignment?

Segment Synopsis: Saphir was assigned to Korat which had a population of about 100,000 people. As it was a major city, about six Volunteers from other cohorts were already assigned to Korat. There was also an American airbase and encampment in Korat. Saphir wore a Thai government uniform to help differentiate himself from the American soldiers. Saphir says that the Thais' attitude towards Americans was positive.

Keywords: Activities; Americans; Attitudes; Clothing; Cohorts; Korat (Thailand); Malaria; Population; Site mates; Site visits; Teacher training; Teaching English as a foreign language

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Thailand; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: It was extremely, uh, structured, very well structured.

Segment Synopsis: Because the malaria eradication program was well-structured, everyone involved knew what to expect. The Volunteers' role was to work at the state level to ensure that the guidelines were being followed.

Keywords: Expectations; Malaria; Villages

Subjects: Health; Non-governmental organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Thailand; United Nations; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Every day, I went to the office, uh, the malaria office. And--'cause that's where the operations were run out of.

Segment Synopsis: Every day, Saphir reported to the malaria office. Saphir describes the office and the operations that occurred there. Saphir was the only foreigner working there. Saphir made friends both at work and around his neighborhood. Saphir paid someone to wash his clothes and clean his house, and would chat with them and their neighbors.

Keywords: Conversations; Foreigners; Friends; Malaria; Socializing

Subjects: Health; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: I, I, I had a house. Uh, it had two rooms in it, upstairs and downstairs.

Segment Synopsis: Saphir briefly describes his housing and neighborhood. Saphir talked with his neighbors in Thai as they didn't know much English.

Keywords: Conversations; English (Language); Living alone; Socializing; Thai (Language)

Subjects: Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: I was proficient enough to, to get by.

Segment Synopsis: Every year, the Volunteers' language fluency was tested. Among the members of his cohort, Saphir tested as average.

Keywords: Cohorts; Examinations; Exams; Language skills

Subjects: Language and languages; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Accepted me pretty quickly. Uh, um, I was non-threatening.

Segment Synopsis: Saphir found the neighborhood people welcoming towards him.

Keywords: Attitudes; Local people; Locals

Subjects: Acculturation; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So did your job take you out, out of town? Did you get to go out in the country and see a lot of the area?

Segment Synopsis: Saphir says that part of the malaria program Volunteers' purpose was to set an example for their counterparts to do more field work. Saphir was out in the field at least once a week. Each house in each village was supposed to be visited once a month by a local worker for inspection and to collect blood samples, if necessary. Twice a year, the houses were supposed to be sprayed. Part of Saphir's job was to make sure this was being done. Once a month, Saphir submitted a report to the ministry in Bangkok and to the Peace Corps.

Keywords: Bangkok (Thailand); Counterparts; Healthcare infrastructure; Paperwork; Plans; Rural areas

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Thailand; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: S, so, I would go to night clubs and things. So, so I'd be associating with some Americans then.

Segment Synopsis: For Volunteers assigned to urban areas, Saphir recommends limiting contact with other Americans and to socialize and learn more with the local people. However, Saphir comments that he and his site mates met occasionally and discussed their problems, which was helpful.

Keywords: Americans; Contact; Conversations; Counterparts; Learning; Local people; Locals; Problems; Site mates; Site visits; Social life

Subjects: Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So, did you start to develop some really close friendships there with the, that people in the neighborhood that, that lasted?

Segment Synopsis: For several years after his service, Saphir maintained correspondence with people he met at his work site and in the Philippines. Saphir sent them subscriptions to various magazines.

Keywords: Friends; Letters; Mail; New York City (N.Y.); Second Goal; Telephone calls

Subjects: Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What are some of the most memorable experiences when you were working there?

Segment Synopsis: One of Saphir's colleagues from the lab asked him to be the official photographer for her wedding. There was a Buddhist wedding ceremony in the bride's hometown, Korat, and in the groom's rural hometown. Saphir was the only foreigner in attendance and got to travel to a new place. In another case, Saphir made a field investigation to Pak Chong District which was adjacent to a malarial hot spot in the next state. The blood sample results from Pak Chong District were alarming, which Saphir noted in his reports to the Peace Corps and the Ministry of Health. Subsequently, Saphir was called in to a meeting with the Minister of Health and others and ended up taking a helicopter tour to the area with an official from USAID, one of the malaria eradication program sponsors. In conclusion, more attention was focused on the problem in this region.

Keywords: Bangkok (Thailand); Borders; Cohorts; Counterparts; Disease transmission; Excited; Foreigners; Korat (Thailand); Malaria; Marriage; Mid-service training; Pak Chong District (Thailand); Pak Thong Chai District (Thailand); Paperwork; Plans; Problems; Rural areas; Special occasions; Telephone calls; Traveling; Villages

Subjects: Emotions; Health; Interpersonal relations; Manners and customs; Non-governmental organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Religion; United Nations; United States. Agency for International Development; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So, the legacy I left was, was, was I got this whole area under, uh--paid attention to. And, they sent a lot of resources to, uh, uh, resolve it, so. And that's one reason I extended. I extended for a year.

Segment Synopsis: Because he found his work gratifying, Saphir extended for a third year. Saphir felt comfortable with his situation and continued with the same work.

Keywords: Accomplishments

Subjects: Emotions; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: After three years, it must be getting very hard to leave.

Segment Synopsis: Saphir found leaving to be bittersweet. Saphir felt ready for a change. After leaving Korat, Saphir was in Bangkok for a week.

Keywords: Bangkok (Thailand); Korat (Thailand)

Subjects: Emotions; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: How did you feel like that, um, Peace Corps had changed, changed you up to that point?

Segment Synopsis: After serving in the Peace Corps, Saphir felt more self-sufficient and had a better grasp of his own identity and what he wanted to do with his life. Previously, Saphir had felt conflicted, in part, because of family pressure to become a doctor, like his father.

Keywords: Applications; Applying; Career paths; Doctors; Family; Healthcare; Hyde Park (Ill.); Identity; Illinois; Jobs; Letters; Personal growth; Rural areas; South Shore (Ill.); Traveling; Undergraduate education; Vienna (Austria); Wisconsin

Subjects: Families.; Germany; New England; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So, when I came back, I, I did have a pl--I did not necessarily have a plan.

Segment Synopsis: About four months after he had returned to the U.S., Saphir saw a listing for a program at the University of Chicago to train as a social psychological specialist. Saphir was accepted into this 2-year program and continued to live at home.

Keywords: Applying; Home; Hyde Park (Ill.); Plans; Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Transition periods; Uncertainty; University of Chicago

Subjects: Education, Higher; Peace Corps (U.S.); Thailand; Universities and colleges; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: When I got my degree and started looking around for, for jobs, uh, the Chicago Public School system wasn't ready for that yet.

Segment Synopsis: After finishing the program, Saphir eventually got a job in healthcare working in various laboratories. Eventually, Saphir obtained an MBA with the idea of becoming a hospital administrator. However, Saphir ended up working in logistics. As a Volunteer, Saphir had learned to be flexible and to be comfortable with change.

Keywords: Applying; Changes; Chicago (Ill.); Flexibility; Healthcare; Hospitals; Jobs; Master's degrees; Plans; Questions; School systems

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Research; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Not work overseas. No. Uh, traveled overseas. Went to Europe couple times.

Segment Synopsis: Saphir has visited Europe, China, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. Because he had served in Thailand, Saphir felt more comfortable than others in the China tour group. Saphir notes that Americans going overseas are often unprepared to deal with cultural differences.

Keywords: Americans; Cultural differences; Cultural training; Expectations; Tourism; Tourists; Unprepared; Yangtze River (People's Republic of China)

Subjects: Acculturation; Australia; Canada; Central America; China; Europe; International travel; Manners and customs; Mexico; Peace Corps (U.S.); Thailand; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Well, you, you've mentioned going to a couple of Peace Corps events, anniversary events and so forth.

Segment Synopsis: Starting in 2005, Saphir got involved with a group of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who were trying to establish a Museum of the Peace Corps Experience. This affiliation still continues.

Keywords: Emails; Museum of the Peace Corps Experience; Oregon; Portland (Or.); Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

Subjects: Interpersonal relations; Non-governmental organizations; Nonprofit organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: But it started to, uh, change in the late '50s, early '60s.

Segment Synopsis: From 1967-1970, while Saphir was away in the Peace Corps, his family's South Shore neighborhood went from being mostly white to mostly African American. Saphir became active in the neighborhood to try and preserve the commercial services available in the community and its social cohesiveness. People skills which Saphir had developed while in the Peace Corps were helpful.

Keywords: African Americans; Black Americans; Changes; Home; Hyde Park (Ill.); Legal paperwork; Lower middle class; Middle class; Mothers; Problems; Redlining; Siblings; Skills; South Shore (Ill.); White flight

Subjects: African Americans--Social conditions; Emigration and immigration; Finance; Integration; Interpersonal relations; Minorities; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: I, I came into Thailand in the fall of '67 and, and left in the summer of '70.

Segment Synopsis: By coincidence, a high school friend of Saphir's was in the U.S. Army doing health work in the Philippines during part of the time Saphir was a Volunteer there.

Keywords: Cultural differences; Friends; High schools; Korat (Thailand); Scared

Subjects: Emotions; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Thailand; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: I remember I talked to you about Bing Crosby. Uh, and, I was able to see Bob Hope.

Segment Synopsis: Saphir was able to attend a performance by Bob Hope at Korat as Saphir had access to the U.S. military base there.

Keywords: Americans; Bing Crosby; Bob Hope; Entertainment; Korat (Thailand); Leisure time; Privilege

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Recreation; Voluntarism; Volunteers