Interview with Trisha Pitts, June 5, 2021

Partial Transcript: Alright. Good morning. This is Natalie Cropper and I'm speaking with a fellow Volunteer from Armenia I, Trisha Pitts.

Segment Synopsis: Pitts was a member of the first cohort sent to Armenia. Pitts was assigned to Gyumri in the small business development program. Pitts had been working as a Certified Public Accountant but wanted to do more to help people. With the breakup of the Soviet Union, Pitts was interested in the transition from a command economy to a market economy. When she applied to the Peace Corps, Pitts was 47 years old, divorced, and had both kids in college. Pitts' children supported her decision to apply.

Keywords: Altruism; Applying; Changes; Children; Colorado; Family; Gyumri (Armenia); History; Jobs; Kids; Mid-career; Motivation; Older volunteers; Support; Traveling

Subjects: International travel; Peace Corps (U.S.)--1990-2000; Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Soviet Union; Turkey; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Tell us a little bit about the process.

Segment Synopsis: Pitts had indicated an interest in serving in Russia but, because of a processing delay, was given a choice of Armenia or Fiji.

Keywords: Applications; Applying; Choices; Interests; Questions; Telephone calls; Waiting periods

Subjects: Armenia; Fiji; Mental health; Peace Corps (U.S.); Russia; Soviet Union; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What was it like when you got to D.C. and met your co-Volunteers or trainees?

Segment Synopsis: Following a series of shots administered during staging, Pitts felt sick through most of pre-service training.

Keywords: Changes; Health issues; Illness; Improvements; Inoculations; Medicine; Peace Corps staff; Pre-service training; Sickness; Swearing in; Vaccinations

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

Partial Transcript: Do you remember that? We had that long layover in Paris.

Segment Synopsis: Pitts' cohort had a layover in Paris. The cohort next landed in Russia and was left on the plane for 14 hours because Yerevan was snowed in.

Keywords: Paris (France); Traveling; Waiting periods; Weather; Yerevan (Armenia)

Subjects: Air travel; Armenia; International travel; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Russia; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Alright. So, now we've got you into Yerevan.

Segment Synopsis: After a few days at a hotel in Yerevan, the 38 trainees were placed with host families. Pitts describes her host family. Pitts recalls the frigid weather at the time. Pitts admits that at her work site she used English much of the time, especially in dealings with the World Bank. Pitts says that the technical training in the small enterprise development program did not prepare her for some of the actual work she did at her work site.

Keywords: Armenian (Language); Conversations; Cultural training; English (Language); Fluency; Host families; Language skills; Language training; Orientation; Technical training; Unprepared; Weather; World Bank; Yerevan (Armenia)

Subjects: Armenia; Finance; Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Non-governmental organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Small business; Small business--Finance; Small business--Management; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What was it like, whatever you recall, fr--moving from Yerevan up to Gyumri?

Segment Synopsis: There had been little advance preparation in Armenia by Peace Corps before the arrival of the trainees. Pitts was one of 3 Volunteers assigned to Gyumri. The Volunteers discovered that there was a new mayor in Gyumri who was not too welcoming to them. Finding appropriate housing was a challenge. Finally, the Volunteers were housed in a government guesthouse which Pitts describes. After a couple of months, the other 2 Volunteers returned to the U.S. Pitts describes the harsh living conditions of the local people. Consequently, Pitts says that as an American woman living alone, she was worried for her own safety. In 1988, the Gyumri area experienced a tremendous earthquake which killed tens of thousands of people and caused massive destruction. Reconstruction was slowed by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the cessation of gas imports from Georgia.

Keywords: Amenities; Americans; Changes; Deaths; Earthquakes; Gyumri (Armenia); History; Jobs; Leaving; Living alone; Living arrangements; Living conditions; Local people; Locals; Politics and government; Preparation; Safety; Site mates; Spitak (Armenia)

Subjects: Armenia; Emotions; Georgia; Lifestyles; Natural disasters; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Soviet Union; Voluntarism; Volunteers; World politics

Partial Transcript: How did you maintain your spirit?

Segment Synopsis: After Pitts' site mates terminated, another American aid worker arrived and was housed in the same facility as Pitts. Upon arrival at her work site, Pitts began work immediately on feasibility studies of factories related to a time-consuming World Bank project. Pitts was assisted by 2 accountants from the American University of Armenia. Pitts also developed a close working relationship with her interpreter and his wife. Pitts also enjoyed teaching an economics-focused class at the local school which taught English.

Keywords: Activities; American University of Armenia; Education programs; Friends; Impact; Lonely; Perspectives; Social interactions; Support; Teachers; Teaching; World Bank

Subjects: Armenia; Finance; Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Non-governmental organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Universities and colleges; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Um, tell us a little bit about what support you received from Peace Corps while you were out in the field. How often did you come to town, if at all?

Segment Synopsis: A couple fellow Volunteers visited Pitts in Gyumri but no Armenia Peace Corps staff member ever visited her. Pitts traveled to Yerevan about once a month to attend Peace Corps meetings, to see other Volunteers, and to view movies at the American embassy.

Keywords: Activities; Family; Gyumri (Armenia); Lack of communication; News; Peace Corps staff; Site visits; Telephone calls; Traveling; Yerevan (Armenia)

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

Partial Transcript: I'm interested to hear your reflections on that period of your life when you thought, "I'm here to be a Volunteer." What did you gain from that experience?

Segment Synopsis: Pitts gained first-hand knowledge of another culture. Unlike Americans, Pitts notes that many Armenians are multi-lingual. Pitts also made new friends.

Keywords: Cultural exchange; Expectations; Personal growth

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

Partial Transcript: But tell me a little bit about your travels around the region.

Segment Synopsis: When Pitts' daughter came for a visit, they traveled to Greece and Turkey. Pitts made various trips in-country related to her work and to socialize with other Volunteers.

Keywords: Family; Interpersonal relations; Socializing; Support; Transportation; Traveling; Yerevan (Armenia)

Subjects: Armenia; Greece; International travel; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Turkey; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: So, here was this factory director who was our driver.

Segment Synopsis: Pitts describes the mission of the World Bank project that she worked on. Pitts examined the factories' ledgers but admits her limited knowledge of Armenian and of industrial production. Another Volunteer, who was assigned to Vanadzor, gave the team technical assistance. With the switch from a command economy to a market economy, new local considerations were procurement of raw materials and marketing of the finished products. The report of Pitts' team was accepted by the World Bank. Of the approximately 8 factories which Pitts' team evaluated, 3 were eventually approved for reconstruction funding from the World Bank.

Keywords: Changes; Clothing; Cooperation; Fluency; Funding; Gyumri (Armenia); Language skills; Support; Vanadzor (Armenia); Weather; Yerevan (Armenia)

Subjects: Armenia; Finance; Manners and customs; Non-governmental organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Tell me a little bit about when your children came to visit you. What were their reactions?

Segment Synopsis: While Pitts was in Armenia, her daughter came to visit. Later, Pitts was in Georgia for 2 years and had other visitors then. Pitts' daughter came for 3 months one summer and bonded with Pitts' English students. However, Pitts was worried about her daughter being kidnapped and being forced into marriage, which was a local tradition in Gyumri. Pitts' daughter later served as a Volunteer in Honduras.

Keywords: Anxiety; Conversations; Gender roles; Gyumri (Armenia); Impact; Influences; Marriage; Parties; Safety; Treatment of women

Subjects: Armenia; Emotions; Georgia; Honduras; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Can I tell you about the small business program because--

Segment Synopsis: The Trickle Up Program provided a total of $1,000 to assist 10 small businesses in Armenia. Pitts explains the Trickle Up Program and how she helped people in Gyumri apply for and earn this money. Pitts started a class for them in how to start and run a business. Pitts describes the types of products these businesses produced. After her Peace Corps service, Pitts went to Georgia for 2 years and worked for World Vision International where she, in part, replicated the Trickle Up model.

Keywords: Applications; Applying; Clothing; Education programs; Empowerment; Encouragement; Funding; Gyumri (Armenia); Jobs; Local people; Locals; Misconceptions; Paperwork; Returning; Sustainability; World Vision International

Subjects: Africa; Armenia; Charities; Georgia; Non-governmental organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Small business--Accounting; Small business--Developing countries; Small business--Finance; Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Tell me about your end of service and close of service and what that was like when you went back to America.

Segment Synopsis: When Pitts returned to the U.S., she had to get treatment for scarring of her lungs. Pitts experienced culture shock from all the food in the grocery stores and the warmth inside the buildings. When giving a talk at a local high school in Kansas, Pitts found the students uninterested in world events.

Keywords: Adaptation; Attitudes; Close of Service; Coming home; Differences; Doctors; Family; Gyumri (Armenia); High schools; Invitations; Junction City (Kan.); Older Americans; Peace Corps-related medical issues; Returning; Speaking; Students; Third Goal; Traveling; Yerevan (Armenia)

Subjects: Acculturation; Armenia; Culture shock; Health; International travel; Lifestyles; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: I want to talk about, if there are any because I know with distance everything looks great, do you have any regrets? Were there any things you would do differently?

Segment Synopsis: Pitts regrets not becoming more fluent in the native language. Pitts is appreciative of the opportunity to have served in the Peace Corps and the friendships which resulted. After her Peace Corps service, Pitts became responsible for World Vision International programs in Georgia and Armenia. Pitts describes these programs and some of the problems involved. She says these programs have become very successful.

Keywords: Acceptance; Accomplishments; Accountability; Career paths; Changes; Charities; Cultural differences; Decisions; Fluency; Friends; Funding; Grants; Impact; Improvements; Language skills; Mindsets; Non-governmental organizations; Problems; Relationships; World Vision International

Subjects: Armenia; Georgia; Intercultural communication; Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: When I was up in Gyumri, I had an abscessed tooth.

Segment Synopsis: While in Gyumri, Pitts had a dental problem. Peace Corps arranged for a dental appointment for her in Yerevan and Pitts feared the worst in terms of treatment. Fortunately, things turned out well and the Peace Corps received the bill for $25.

Keywords: Dental care; Fears; Gyumri (Armenia); Health issues; Peace Corps office; Scared; Stress (Psychology); Techniques; Traveling; Yerevan (Armenia)

Subjects: Armenia; Dental care; Emotions; Finance; Health; Medical technology; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Armenia; Voluntarism; Volunteers