Interview with Dorothy Andrake, June 4, 2021

Partial Transcript: --Joyce Jenkins. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cambodia, 2011 to 2013. Today, I'm talking to Dorothy Andrake who served in Morocco, uh, 1973 to 1976 in the health sector.

Segment Synopsis: Several years after Andrake had returned from Morocco, she spent the summer of 1979 in Washington, D.C. working for the Cambodia Crisis Center. In high school, Andrake was inspired by John F. Kennedy. In college, Andrake had a boyfriend who had recently been a Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger. Together with him, Andrake met many of his former fellow Volunteers and was intrigued by their experiences. Andrake wanted to emulate them.

Keywords: French (Language); Friends; High schools; Influences; John F. Kennedy; Local languages; Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Socializing; Traveling

Subjects: Cambodia; Language and languages; Morocco; Nepal; Niger; Peace Corps (U.S.)--1970-1980; Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco; Volunteer workers in community health services; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: So, I did apply for the Peace Corps and, um, received an invitation to go to Morocco.

Segment Synopsis: Andrake's family and friends were supportive, if wary, of her joining the Peace Corps. Growing up, Andrake heard stories from older relatives who had immigrated to the U.S. from Eastern Europe and Lebanon and this developed her interest in other cultures.

Keywords: Applications; Family; Food; Friends; Influences; Invitations; Support

Subjects: Eastern Europe; Emigration and immigration; Families.; Immigrants; Lebanon; Morocco; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.)

Partial Transcript: Well, tell me about your application process. How difficult was it? How long did it take?

Segment Synopsis: Andrake had an orientation in Philadelphia a month before her departure date. It included an interview with the Peace Corps staff as the final step in the application process.

Keywords: Acceptance; Applications; Applying; Orientation; Peace Corps interviews; Philadelphia (Pa.); Telephone calls

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Travel

Partial Transcript: We all went over in the same plane.

Segment Synopsis: There were about 30 trainees in Andrake's cohort. They were mostly recent college graduates and came from various parts of the U.S. The group included 2 married couples and several African Americans. The group was evenly divided between females and males.

Keywords: African Americans; Age ranges; Black Americans; California; Diversity in the Peace Corps; Indiana; Michigan; New Jersey; Ohio

Subjects: Emotions; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco

Partial Transcript: Uh, we took off from, um, from New York.

Segment Synopsis: Andrake's cohort flew from New York City to Rabat. Upon arrival, Andrake felt as if she had traveled into the past because of the veiled women and donkey carts. The cohort was taken to a school in Meknes which had dormitories available as it was summer.

Keywords: Adaptation; Clothing; First impressions; Meknes (Morocco); New York City (N.Y.); Rabat (Morocco); Transportation; Traveling

Subjects: Acculturation; Cultural shock; International travel; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco

Partial Transcript: Okay, tell me about training.

Segment Synopsis: Andrake was very favorably impressed with their pre-service training and the instructors.

Keywords: Anxiety; Arabic (Language); Clothing; Conversations; Cultural training; Customs; Food; Holidays; Language training; Sahara; Socializing; Tangier (Morocco); Traveling

Subjects: Acculturation; Emotions; Language and languages; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco

Partial Transcript: So, did you feel that Peace Corps was well-established in the country, well-accepted in the country?

Segment Synopsis: Peace Corps was known in the high schools in Morocco because of the English teaching program. This program had the largest number of Volunteers in-country.

Keywords: High schools; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching English as a foreign language

Subjects: Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco

Partial Transcript: Well, let's talk about your technical training then, in-country.

Segment Synopsis: Andrake's program was health and physical education. Andrake felt she already had a good foundation in these matters since her degree was in health education and physical education. As part of pre-service training, the trainees played basketball and soccer, which Andrake thought was excessive given the hot temperatures.

Keywords: College majors; Criticism; Pre-service training; Undergraduate education; Weather

Subjects: Acculturation; Health; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco

Partial Transcript: Where did you end up being assigned on permanent basis?

Segment Synopsis: Andrake and two other Volunteers in her cohort were assigned to Marrakesh and decided to room together. Andrake describes their search for and location of the house and relates finding out later that the neighbors thought that the residence was haunted by spirits. Andrake describes shopping in the neighborhood for essentials and getting to know the community. Andrake's work site was a girls' high school.

Keywords: Acceptance; Amenities; Attitudes; Changes; Children; High schools; Housing; Living conditions; Local people; Locals; Marrakesh (Morocco); Problems; Roommates; Site mates

Subjects: Acculturation; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco

Partial Transcript: Describe a typical day at work for you at this place.

Segment Synopsis: Peace Corps provided money for an Arabic language tutor who would help Andrake with her daily lesson plans. Andrake was the first Volunteer assigned to the school and found the principal very progressive and supportive. Andrake's students were excited to have an American teacher. Andrake's health lessons included sanitation, disease prevention, and human anatomy. For physical education, Andrake's students did calisthenics, yoga, and built human pyramids.

Keywords: Arabic (Language); Attitudes; Excited; Illness; Marrakesh (Morocco); Questions; Sickness; Support

Subjects: Acculturation; Emotions; Health; Language and languages; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco; Student activities; Teachers; Teaching; Tutors and tutoring

Partial Transcript: Also, I told her--asked her, if I could have a day off. And this is like months, 6 months or so in, because we wanted to go to the Sahara to see the Sahara.

Segment Synopsis: Andrake's principal agreed to give her a day off to visit the Sahara but insisted that she be met there by the principal's husband who was commander of a defense brigade on the border. Arrangements were made and Andrake had a memorable trip.

Keywords: Arrangements; Questions; Sahara; Traveling

Subjects: Algeria; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Mauritania; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco

Partial Transcript: Well, there were these two, uh, women who were British and they were working at the Cheshire Foundation.

Segment Synopsis: Andrake met two British nurses who were operating a house for children with disabilities, sponsored by the Cheshire Foundation. The nurses asked if Peace Corps Volunteers could take over their function when they left. Peace Corps agreed to do so and, after a year at the high school, Andrake transferred to this new assignment along with two other Volunteers who were in the English teaching program. Andrake was replaced at the high school by a new, in-coming Volunteer.

Keywords: Arabic (Language); Changes; Cohorts; French (Language); Funding; Leaving; Marrakesh (Morocco); Peace Corps directors; Polio; The Cheshire Homes for the Sick

Subjects: Charities; Health; Lifestyles; Non-governmental organizations; Non-profit organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco; People with disabilities; Teachers; Teaching; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So, what was your task, exactly, with these boys?

Segment Synopsis: There were about 25 boys at the Cheshire Home. Andrake describes the operation of the Cheshire Home. Andrake introduced art into the school curriculum. Andrake, with help from a local doctor, was able to arrange for corrective surgery in Casablanca for about 6 of the younger boys. Andrake was able to arrange for 2 of the boys to attend the local music academy. Andrake and others were able to get the government to make an exception so that people with disabilities could be accepted into an official training program to make braces for others. Consequently, several of the boys from the Cheshire Home, who had received corrective surgery, were able to enter this program.

Keywords: Arabic (Language); Budgets; Casablanca (Morocco); Changes; Cohorts; Distance; Education programs; Empowerment; Examinations; Exams; French (Language); Funding; Healthcare; Jobs; Language skills; Marrakesh (Morocco); Preparation; Rabat (Morocco); Site visits; Support; Teaching English as a foreign language; Traveling

Subjects: Doctors; Health; Language and languages; Lifestyles; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco; People with disabilities; Student activities; Teaching; Travel; Tutors and tutoring; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: I was going to ask you if you did anything, you know, a secondary project?

Segment Synopsis: Andrake was informed about another house for five girls with disabilities. Andrake agreed to go there and teach an art class one hour a week.

Keywords: Art classes; Arts; Children with disabilities; Secondary projects

Subjects: Health; Lifestyles; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco; Teachers; Teaching

Partial Transcript: Oh, and I met Princess Margaret.

Segment Synopsis: As the Cheshire Homes are run by a British foundation, Princess Margaret visited Andrake's work site.

Keywords: Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon; Special occasions

Subjects: Finance; Lifestyles; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco

Partial Transcript: So, did you, um, opt to stay a third year?

Segment Synopsis: Andrake chose to extend for a third year. Then when she returned to the U.S., another Volunteer was assigned to take her place. Initially, some of the neighborhood boys would throw rocks at Andrake and her roommates and call them foul names. However, as it became known that they were working to help the children with disabilities, this harassment stopped. All the female Volunteers were taught to dress respectfully, unlike many foreign tourists. Mail to and from the U.S. took a month to be delivered. To make a phone call in-country, one had to go to the post office. To get her living allowance, Andrake needed to stand in a long line at the post office and men would cut to the front of the line, to which Andrake would object.

Keywords: Attitudes; Changes; Clothing; Communication; Cultural differences; Difficult; Extensions; Foreigners; Gender discrimination; Harassment; Letters; Local people; Locals; Marrakesh (Morocco); Peace Corps directors; Problems; Telephone calls; Tourism; Tourists

Subjects: Acculturation; Intercultural communication; Interpersonal relations; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco; Social norms; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: And, my sister, actually, came over.

Segment Synopsis: Andrake's younger sister came for a 3-week visit and was welcomed by the neighbors. Andrake took her to visit the Sahara.

Keywords: Coming home; Local people; Locals; London (England); Siblings; Traveling

Subjects: International travel; Interpersonal relations; Lifestyles; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco

Partial Transcript: Were, were you able to travel to other areas?

Segment Synopsis: By the end of her second year in-country, Andrake's Arabic level tested at the near fluent level. After her second year, Andrake and another Volunteer took a crowded taxi across Algeria to Tunisia. During the summers, the boys from the Cheshire Home were moved to a facility in Agadir for a month. The boys were happy because, in the ocean, they had much more freedom of movement.

Keywords: Agadir (Morocco); Arabic (Language); Excited; Fluency; Language Proficiency Index; Language skills; News; Politics and government; Rabat (Morocco); Richard M. Nixon; Taxis; Translation

Subjects: Acculturation; Algeria; Emotions; Intercultural communication; International travel; Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco; Tunisia; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Well, you know, if you can step back and reflect on your experience in Peace Corps, how do you think it affected you and your growth as an individual?

Segment Synopsis: The preparation, responsibilities, and challenges of Peace Corps service provided an excellent foundation for Andrake's following career. After returning to the U.S., Andrake worked at Peace Corps headquarters for three years. Most of Andrake's subsequent jobs were with organizations with a humanitarian mission. Andrake was comfortable and able to build positive relationships with people from different backgrounds because of her Peace Corps experience.

Keywords: Adaptation; Altruism; Career paths; Differences; Federal Emergency Management Agency; Impact; James Brady; Jobs; Peace Corps staff; Personal growth; Relationships; Second Goal; Third Goal; Traveling; West Virginia

Subjects: Acculturation; Intercultural communication; Interpersonal relations; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco; People with disabilities

Partial Transcript: Well, advice for people who want to join Peace Corps today?

Segment Synopsis: Andrake recommends that new Volunteers focus on finding solutions to their new challenges and not be concerned so much with personal conveniences that might be lacking on-site.

Keywords: Attitudes; Challenges; Differences; Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

Subjects: Acculturation; Lifestyles; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Morocco