Interview with Ted Dieffenbacher, March 22, 2021

Partial Transcript: Today is March 22, 2021. This is Randolph Adams who served in the Dominican Republic from 1966 to 1969. I am interviewing Ted Dieffenbacher who was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines from July 1967 to July 1969. Ted worked in the education/TEFL sector.

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio and attended Wittenberg University. Dieffenbacher majored in English and education. However, Dieffenbacher didn't want to start teaching right after college. As a college senior, Dieffenbacher applied to the Peace Corps and entered pre-service training in Hawaii the summer after his graduation. Dieffenbacher grew up hearing others around him speaking Finnish.

Keywords: Advantages; Applications; Applying; Ashtabula (Ohio); Expectations; Finnish (Language); Hawaii; Ilocano (Language); Influences; Peace Corps recruiters; Plans; Springfield (Ohio); Teaching English as a foreign language; Undergraduate education; Waiting periods; Wittenberg University

Subjects: College majors; Finland; Italy; Language and languages; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--1960-1970; Peace Corps (U.S.)--Philippines; Voluntarism; Volunteer workers in education; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: And you said the, the application process was fairly short. Um, when you got notification, what was your reaction?

Segment Synopsis: Initially, Dieffenbacher was invited by Peace Corps to serve in Malaysia. Several weeks later, Dieffenbacher was asked to serve in the Philippines, instead. Dieffenbacher was fine with both invitations as he was ignorant of both places. Dieffenbacher's parents and older sisters respected his independence.

Keywords: Altruism; Decisions; Independence; Siblings

Subjects: Malaysia; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What was the time between, uh, your acceptance and actually, uh, going to training?

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher had a couple months between being posted and leaving from Cleveland for pre-service training at Pepeekeo, Hawaii. Dieffenbacher describes the living conditions during pre-service training. Technical training included practice teaching with the local Filipino immigrant population.

Keywords: Challenges; Cultural differences; Cultural training; Ferdinand Marcos; Hawaii; Hawaii Island (Hawaii); Hopkins International Airport (Ohio); Ilocano (Language); Language training; Living conditions; Local people; Locals; Luzon (Philippines); Pepeekeo (Hawaii); Practice teaching; Rural areas; San Francisco (Calif.); Technical training; Traveling

Subjects: Emigration and immigration; Immigrants; Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Were there issues with, uh, safety? Security?

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher was assigned to Santiago, a town of 50,000 people. Dieffenbacher never felt threatened there. Dieffenbacher describes the town.

Keywords: Cagayan Valley (Philippines); Diversity; Ilocano (Language); Luzon (Philippines); National languages; Population; Safety; Santiago, Isabela (Philippines); Tagalog (Language)

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

Partial Transcript: When we first arrived in Manila, I, I'll always remember, I, I stepped off--down the gang--down the stairway of the airplane onto the tarmac and all I--and I could literally see the heat. I mean, it was just ripples of heat coming off of the tarmac.

Segment Synopsis: When first getting off the plane in Manila, Dieffenbacher recalls being struck by the heat. Dieffenbacher also found the airport chaotic. Dieffenbacher spent two weeks in Dagupan with a Volunteer from an earlier cohort and watched her teach. When Dieffenbacher arrived in Santiago, arrangements had already been made for him to stay with a family. Dieffenbacher describes his host family and living situation.

Keywords: Age ranges; Amenities; Arrangements; Cohorts; Dagupan (Philippines); Host family; Living situation; Manila (Philippines); Santiago (Philippines); Traveling; Weather

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

Partial Transcript: What, what would be a typical day be for you?

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher would eat breakfast and walk to the elementary school. The school day began by the flag outside with the singing of the national anthem. Sometimes there were also announcements or a dance performance at the opening ceremony. Dieffenbacher was assigned to work with several different co-teachers each term. Dieffenbacher also held occasional workshops for teachers. As Tagalog was starting to be used as the language of instruction, Dieffenbacher wondered why he was there promoting the spread of English. Dieffenbacher comments on the common use of rote learning by the local teachers. Dieffenbacher spent a full day at the school from about 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM.

Keywords: Activities; Advantages; Changes; Co-teachers; History; Hollywood (Calif.); Site mates; Tagalog (Language); Teacher training; Teaching English as a foreign language; Uncertainty

Subjects: Language and languages; Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Spain; Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Another Volunteer and I, we, we, uh, noticed that there was a--it was sort of a basketball court, a big cement slab out behind the school.

Segment Synopsis: After school, Dieffenbacher started a basketball team for the students. This led to other, rural schools forming their own teams and the creation of a league. Accordingly, some students from Santiago traveled out of town for the first time and other pupils came into town to compete. After the Volunteers left Santiago, a friend, who was a banker, expanded the basketball activity to a larger recreational program.

Keywords: Activities; Changes; Extracurricular activities; Friends; Recreation; Rural areas; Santiago (Philippines); Sustainability; Teaching English as a foreign language; Traveling

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

Partial Transcript: Uh, what about relationships that you had in, in, uh, in your site?

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher's host family introduced him to their visitors, some of whom befriended him. In addition, some of Dieffenbacher's male co-teachers included him in their social activities.

Keywords: Co-teachers; Host family; Parties; Socializing

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

Partial Transcript: And your leisure time?

Segment Synopsis: The Volunteers in the Cagayan Valley formed a basketball team and played against other teams. Dieffenbacher would often meet with friends and his two site mates at a bar and have a party.

Keywords: Cagayan Valley (Philippines); Friends; Leisure activities; Site mates; Social life

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

Partial Transcript: What role did Peace Corps staff play in your, in your service?

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher reports that the regional Peace Corps staff supervisor would visit about once every 6 months. Dieffenbacher was given wide latitude by the staff. Occasionally, Dieffenbacher traveled to Manila for medical reasons.

Keywords: Baguio (Philippines); Independence; Manila (Philippines); Site visits; Traveling

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

Partial Transcript: So, your living arrangements didn't change over two years...

Segment Synopsis: His first year in-country, when he was not teaching, Dieffenbacher traveled to Davao for 6 weeks and worked with a recreation program. During his second summer break, Dieffenbacher was involved in teaching a clinic close to Santiago for several hundred Filipino instructors of English.

Keywords: Cotabato City (Philippines); Dangerous; Dangers; Davao (Philippines); Isolation; Mindanao (Philippines); Recreation; Safety; Santiago (Philippines); Teacher training; Traveling

Subjects: Malaysia; Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Religion; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: In, in looking back at your service, um, what do you think was your most difficult challenge?

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher's greatest challenge was reconciling teaching English with the possibility of it being neo-colonial. Dieffenbacher notes that as a teacher, one is never sure what impact he or she is having on the students.

Keywords: Expectations; Impact; Post-colonial; Students; Sustainability; Uncertainty

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What about, maybe, a memorable moment?

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher recalls the marriage of one of his site mates with one of Dieffenbacher's co-teachers. Dieffenbacher was the best man.

Keywords: Changes; Co-teachers; Contact; Hawaii; Marriage; Site mates; Socializing; St. Louis (Mo.)

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

Partial Transcript: What about any regrets?

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher wishes that he had been a better teacher. As a new teacher, Dieffenbacher felt unprepared to advise more experienced teachers.

Keywords: Differences; Teacher training; Undergraduate education; Unprepared

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: I'd like to ask you now a little about, uh, lessons learned in three particular areas.

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher came to appreciate the Filipino cultural emphasis on maintaining good personal relationships as opposed to the American emphasis on trying to reach one's goal more directly. Dieffenbacher's Volunteer service increased his interest in other cultures. After returning to the U.S., Dieffenbacher earned a master's degree in international affairs and married a diplomat. Subsequently, Dieffenbacher lived overseas and worked in education for a total of 27 years in 8 different countries.

Keywords: Acclimation; Career paths; College majors; Cultural differences; Marriage; Master's degrees; Traveling; Vaccinations

Subjects: Acculturation; International travel; Interpersonal relations; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Second area is, is "What did you learn about, uh, the development process?"

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher says that it's good that the Peace Corps Volunteers are offering help. The danger is that the outsiders might assume that they have all the answers. Dieffenbacher contends that answers to problems are best sought with an awareness of the local culture. Local people should be part of the development process.

Keywords: Assumptions; Awareness; First Goal; Local people; Locals; Outsiders

Subjects: Mozambique; Non-governmental organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: And, and the last part of that question is, uh, the role of cultural influence in, in development.

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher comments that American methods cannot be necessarily be expected to succeed overseas without some modification. Dieffenbacher cites the pros and cons of introducing the production of miracle rice in the Philippines.

Keywords: Adjustment; Advantages; Changes; Foods; Problems; Understanding

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

Partial Transcript: Uh, I know you talked a lot about, um, your fellow Volunteers and you meeting with your other teachers and other friends at, uh, cafes or bars...

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher reports that his local contacts were very interested about the U.S.

Keywords: Cultural differences; Questions; Second Goal

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

Partial Transcript: How did, how did your Peace Corps experience, uh, influence your, your future after you left?

Segment Synopsis: When Dieffenbacher first returned to the U.S., his future plans were uncertain. Eventually, Dieffenbacher got a master's degree in counseling. Subsequently, because of his continuing interest in going overseas, Dieffenbacher enrolled in Ohio University and earned a master's degree in international affairs. Dieffenbacher unsuccessfully applied for jobs as a foreign student advisor. Dieffenbacher eventually became director of the international office at Boston University.

Keywords: Applications; Applying; Ashtabula (Ohio); Boston (Mass.); Boston University; Buses; California; Career paths; Decisions; Interviews; Jobs; New York University; Ohio; Ohio University; Re-entry; Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Tiffin (Ohio); Toronto (Canada); Traveling

Subjects: Canada; College majors; College students--Employment; Finance; International travel; Lake Erie; Master's degrees; Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Southeast Asia; Universities and colleges; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Through the years, have you been able to maintain contact with the Philippines?

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher returned to the Philippines 10 years after he had left and visited his host family. Dieffenbacher returned to the Philippines again in 2008. Dieffenbacher also met members of his host family in 2014 after the family had moved to California. Dieffenbacher is a member of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida. Dieffenbacher has served as a mentor in various local programs.

Keywords: Activities; California; Community service; Coral Gables (Fla.); Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19); Deaths; Difficult; Everglades (Fla.); Florida; Friends; High schools; Host family; Kids; Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Returning; Traveling

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Emigration and immigration; Immigrants; International travel; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Philippines; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Well, Peace Corps was, um, it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.

Segment Synopsis: Dieffenbacher found his Peace Corps service transformational.

Keywords: Career paths; Changes; Personal growth; Perspectives

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