Interview with Chris Lacher, February 13, 2021

Partial Transcript: Today is February 4, 2021. This is Randolph Adams who served in the Dominican Republic from 1966 to 1969. And I'm interviewing Chris Lacher who was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras from January 1995 to April 1997. Chris worked in the health sector in water and sanitation.

Segment Synopsis: Before he went to college, Lacher's family moved an average of every 2 years. When he was in sixth grade, Lacher's father was in graduate school in Boston and Lacher found himself, for the first time, in a class with many international students. While growing up, Lacher would spend summers in Cleveland with his grandparents. Lacher attended John Carroll University in Cleveland and spent summers working in Miami where his parents were residing. During one of his summer jobs at a bank, Lacher's supervisor was a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Lacher found his Peace Corps stories fascinating.

Keywords: Boston (Mass.); Changes; Cleveland (Ohio); Family; Holidays; Impact; Influences; Internships; Jobs; John Carroll University; Miami (Fla.); Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Siblings; Stereotypical American; Third Goal; Traveling

Subjects: Health; Jobs; Peace Corps (U.S.)--1990-2000; Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Schools; Universities and colleges

Partial Transcript: Uh, in terms of, uh, your application process, did you apply while you were in college or when, when did you start that? When did you decide to apply?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher applied to Peace Corps during his senior year at university. The recruiter was very helpful. As a result, Lacher took a 6-week Spanish immersion course in Mexico to strengthen his application. Lacher also engaged in volunteer work in the local schools and became more civically involved. Lacher was minoring in business and majoring in communications. Lacher's application took about 9 months. Lacher's family supported him throughout the application period. Lacher did not know of any others who were applying to Peace Corps at the same time. Following graduation, Lacher had a job with the Chamber of Commerce in Miami but was anxious about his future.

Keywords: Anxiety; Applications; Applying; College majors; Commitments; Family; Jobs; Language training; Miami (Fla.); Peace Corps recruiters; Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Spanish (Language); Support; Traveling; Uncertainty; Undergraduate education; Waiting periods

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

Partial Transcript: So when you got the invitation for Honduras, what was your reaction?

Segment Synopsis: The Peace Corps recruiter gave Lacher a choice between 2 programs in Latin America. One started in January and the other in March. The recruiter was coy about any other details. Lacher chose January, which turned out to be a water sanitation project in Honduras. Lacher was thrilled to be going to Latin America and started researching Honduras. Lacher was attracted to the project because the need for clean water was real and the construction of a suitable delivery system was a tangible outcome.

Keywords: Choices; Peace Corps recruiters; Research

Subjects: Emotions; Health; Honduras; Latin America; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: You said you didn't know much about Honduras. So, were there other preparations you undertook and--before you left? Or in preparation for leaving?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher got his personal affairs in order. Lacher also had time to visit friends. Lacher continued to research Honduras, including reading materials provided or suggested by Peace Corps, which he found useful.

Keywords: Arrangements; Friends; Research

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

Partial Transcript: Let's move to your pre-service training.

Segment Synopsis: Lacher's group had a staging in Miami and then flew to Tegucigalpa. Lacher's cohort had about 20 trainees in the general health program and an equal number specifically in water sanitation. Trainees lived with host families in a town close to the capital. Lacher enjoyed his host family particularly as they had had other trainees before. Lacher's group included engineers, who were more concerned with planning the water systems, and technicians, who were more involved with community organization and physical construction. Lacher found the construction aspect of the job to be relatively straightforward. Lacher found it more challenging to gain the trust of the community and to see to the group to maintain the system.

Keywords: Challenges; Cohorts; Cultural training; Host family; Language training; Miami (Fla.); Orientation; Staging; Struggles; Technical training; Tegucigalpa (Honduras); Training centers; Traveling

Subjects: International travel; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Voluntarism; Volunteer workers in community health services; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Uh, the last aspect I'd ask about is the safety and security component of training.

Segment Synopsis: Lessons on safety and security were part of the cultural training. There were also lessons on health issues including AIDS. In retrospect, Lacher feels his pre-service training was very good.

Keywords: Drinking; Poverty; Pre-service training; Reputations; Risks

Subjects: AIDS (Disease); Health; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Where was your site and who was your, um, sort of host agency that you're working with?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher's organization was SANAA (Servicio Autónomo Nacional de Acueductos y Alcantarillados), the state-run water and sewage utility, which received support from U.S.A.I.D. Lacher was based out of an office in Comayagua. Lacher's assignment was to continue the work started by a preceding Volunteer who was based at a neighboring site, Rio Negro, and was about to return to the U.S. Lacher's pre-service training had included a site visit to meet this other Volunteer. On a day trip, Lacher's SANAA supervisor introduced him to the local organization contact who helped Lacher with housing in the community of 200 families. Lacher took all his meals with the extended family of his local contact, although Lacher eventually had his own residence. Lacher describes his community and living situation. The local contact helped Lacher integrate into the community.

Keywords: Amenities; Close of Service; Comayagua (Honduras); Contact; Food; Funding; Leaving; Living alone; Living conditions; Pre-service training; Returning; Rio Blanco (Honduras); Rio Negro (Honduras); Rural areas; Servicio Autónomo Nacional de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (SANAA); Site visits; Socializing; Stipends; Tegucigalpa (Honduras); Uncertainty

Subjects: Acculturation; Finance; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; United States. Agency for International Development; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Um, at what stage were they at when you first arrived? You said you worked in 3 communities?

Segment Synopsis: The plans for Lacher's project had already been completed and the materials had been ordered. Accordingly, it was left for Lacher to help see to the installation and maintenance of the system using local, mostly volunteer labor. The project was finished in Lacher's first year of service. For his second year, Lacher was moved to another site where he had some responsibility for designing the water system.

Keywords: Changes; Community involvement; Cooperation; Improvements; Plans; Supplies; Traveling

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

Partial Transcript: What's a typical day like then for you? Is there such a thing?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher's typical week started with a community meeting of the men at the primary school following church service. The work for the week would be laid out. It would be determined what was to be done each day and who was responsible for it. Sometimes there were delays because of weather or shortage of materials. Most of Lacher's time was spent interacting with the community to build and maintain support for the project. When interest in the project waned, Lacher found that discussions with the women led to increased participation by the men.

Keywords: Adjustment; Community involvement; Conversations; Problems; Support; Waiting periods; Weather; Women

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

Partial Transcript: In your second year, did--you actually had to physically move to another town or did you work from your first place?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher met a representative from a nonprofit organization called Medico. Together, they proposed another water project near Siguatepeque which SANAA approved. So, after the completion of his first project, Lacher moved to Siguatepeque, where SANAA also had an office. Two other Volunteers in a small business program were already assigned to the town so Lacher roomed with them. Since Lacher was living in a town of over 20,000 people, there were many more conveniences available.

Keywords: Funding; Living conditions; Roommates; Servicio Autónomo Nacional de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (SANAA); Siguatepeque (Honduras); Site mates; Towns; Traveling

Subjects: Finance; Nonprofit organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What, what would you consider, uh, things that you enjoyed the most about your, your living conditions in, in both sites?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher's first site had a beautiful mountain location and a small, welcoming, rural community. Lacher got to know almost everyone and came to respect the people's hard work. Lacher's second site had more conveniences but less feeling of community. Lacher developed more friendships at his first site and still has some indirect contact with people there.

Keywords: Community; Differences; Letters; Relationships; Rural areas

Subjects: Families; Friendship; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What about vacation time? Were you able to do any travel?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher came back to the U.S. twice and went to Guatemala for a week with another Volunteer. Every few weeks, Lacher would take a few days' break and visit other Volunteers in-country or travel to the capital. Lacher's parents and younger brother came once to visit from Miami which is 2 hours away by air. The 4 of them then flew to Costa Rica for Christmas.

Keywords: Coming home; Distance; Family; Holidays; Miami (Fla.); Returning; Site visits; Special occasions; Tegucigalpa (Honduras); Traveling

Subjects: Costa Rica; Guatemala; International travel; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Um, were you visited much by, by staff or--(clears throat)--pretty much on your own?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher was visited by Peace Corps staff members a couple times at each site, which Lacher appreciated. During his first year, Lacher had visits every couple of weeks from a SANAA representative and Lacher would visit the SANAA office when he was in Tegucigalpa. In Siguatepeque, Lacher was in the SANAA office almost daily.

Keywords: Communication; Contact; Peace Corps staff; Servicio Autónomo Nacional de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (SANAA); Siguatepeque (Honduras); Site visits; Tegucigalpa (Honduras)

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

Partial Transcript: What would you consider, uh, your main accomplishments of your Volunteer service?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher gets satisfaction from having helped to bring potable water and healthier living conditions to the people of his communities. About 4 years after the end of his service, Lacher returned to visit Honduras. Part of the water system in his first assigned community had been destroyed 3 years earlier by Hurricane Mitch. But it had been completely re-built, which gave Lacher pride.

Keywords: Cyclone damage; Impact; Questions; Sustainability; Traveling; Uncertainty; Weather

Subjects: Emotions; Health; Honduras; Hurricanes; International travel; Natural disasters; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What about, um, lessons learned?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher learned to question his biases. Lacher learned the importance of listening to learn others' perspectives.

Keywords: Learning; Perspectives; Questions; Resilience; Third Goal

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

Partial Transcript: Um, in terms of, uh, your experience, did it influence your future in any way? What are you currently doing?

Segment Synopsis: Lacher has a career in insurance. Lacher feels that his Peace Corps service affected his way of thinking. Lacher values the feeling of community and teamwork while recognizing the existence of diversity. Lacher realizes the importance of listening to understand others' perspectives. Lacher notes the parallel feeling of collaboration at his present work place and that of his Honduran work sites. Lacher has mostly lost contact with people he knew in Honduras. Lacher tries to be active with the local Returned Peace Corps Volunteers group.

Keywords: Activities; Assumptions; Community; Conversations; Diversity; Family; Funding; Hartford (Conn.); Identity; Influences; Mentality; Misconceptions; Resilience; Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

Subjects: Careers; Emigration and immigration; Honduras; Immigrants; Interpersonal relations; Lifestyles; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: You know, I, I can't say enough about the, the impact it had on me personally. Um, I hope it had an impact on the people I worked with. I, I like to think it did.

Segment Synopsis: While serving in the Peace Corps, Lacher learned the most about himself. Lacher hopes that the Peace Corps continues as its mission is still important. People should continue to build bridges to others and overcome biases. Lacher points out that there are still basic needs, for example in health, that the Peace Corps can help to address. Lacher points out that one of the goals of Peace Corps is to learn about others and, therefore, Volunteers should not assume the position of a "savior."

Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Learning; Personal growth; Third Goal

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Evacuation; Health; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Honduras; Voluntarism; Volunteers