Interview with Virginia Gilbert, June 22, 2021

Partial Transcript: I'm Peggy Walton and I served in Peace Corps in Ukraine and then as a Response Volunteer there, also. Today is June 22, 2021. And I'm interviewing Patricia [ed. note: Virginia] Gilbert who served in South Korea from 1971 to 1973.

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert was completing a Master's of Fine Arts degree from the Iowa Writers' Workshop in Iowa City. Gilbert attended a Peace Corps screening meeting in Chicago which included a visit with some Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to a Korean restaurant. Following the weekend meeting in Chicago, Gilbert was invited to serve in South Korea.

Keywords: Chicago (Ill.); Cultural differences; Food; Invitations; Iowa City (Iowa); Iowa Writers' Workshop; Master's degrees; Masters of Fine Arts (MFA); Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Traveling

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.)--1970-1980; Peace Corps (U.S.)--Korea (South); Universities and colleges

Partial Transcript: Uh, we went to, uh, Vermont and, uh, uh, had training, uh, in conjunction with the School for International, uh, International Training.

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert's pre-service training started in Vermont at the School for International Training followed by 2 weeks in Quebec City.

Keywords: Cultural training; French (Language); Practice teaching; Quebec City (Canada); School for International Training; Traveling; Vermont

Subjects: International travel; Language and languages; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Um, well, what interested you in Peace Corps? Why did you think this was something you wanted to do?

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert was curious, altruistic, and interested in travel. A comment by a high school teacher made Gilbert consider how seemingly disparate things can actually be related.

Keywords: Altruism; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); High schools; Interests

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); China; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Teachers; Travel; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: How did your family and your, uh, friends react to your decision?

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert's family was lukewarm to her joining the Peace Corps as they placed more importance on earning money, which Gilbert did later when she had a lucrative teaching job in Iran. Gilbert does not regret serving in the Peace Corps. Gilbert's friends were supportive. In high school, Gilbert had had contact with foreign exchange students and while growing up had had contact with other people who had traveled widely.

Keywords: Childhood; Dangerous; Dangers; Interests; Questions; Study abroad; Support; Traveling

Subjects: Emotions; Evacuation; Families.; Finance; International travel; Iran; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Uh, let's see here. Um, so the pre-service was in Vermont, and tell me a little bit about what you learned.

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert became lifelong friends with one of the Korean language instructors. There was some disagreement among the training staff concerning Gilbert's strengths as a trainee.

Keywords: Activities; Cultural differences; Cultural training; Food; Friends; Holidays; Inoculations; Korean (Language); Language training; Master's degrees; Peace Corps staff; Quebec City (Canada); Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Support; Vaccinations; Vermont

Subjects: Health; Interpersonal relations; Language and languages; Parents; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Teachers; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Do you remember what some of your first initial reactions were to, uh--when you got to Korea?

Segment Synopsis: Once in Korea, the Volunteers stayed with host families for 2 weeks before being sent to their work sites. Gilbert describes her host family and her home stay. Because of her childhood experiences, Gilbert wasn't too shocked by the living conditions.

Keywords: Acculturation; Adjustment; Host family; Living conditions

Subjects: Childhood; Culture; International travel; Korea (South); Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: If we want to jump ahead a little bit, u-u-until when, um, we find out our real assignments, and, um, and when, uh, my, uh, principal, uh, and my co-teacher came to pick me up in Seoul.

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert was assigned to a girls' middle school and high school in the city of Jecheon. Her school principal and co-teacher came to Seoul to pick her up. The school had about 1,400 students. Previously, Gilbert had had some experience working with Head Start students.

Keywords: Chungcheonbuk-do (Korea, South); Co-teachers; Cultural differences; Jecheon (Korea, South); Pre-service training; Seoul (Korea, South); Traveling

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: What were some of the, uh, challenges of, of working there?

Segment Synopsis: Initially, Gilbert felt that the Koreans tried to involve her in too many activities. For example, Gilbert was asked to play her guitar in all the classrooms. Gilbert had 2 other Volunteers who were assigned to the same city. Gilbert's co-teacher would often take her and the other local Volunteer teacher out for meals. Gilbert got along well with her co-teacher and site mates.

Keywords: Co-teachers; Community involvement; Excited; Jecheon (Korea, South); Seoul (Korea, South); Site mates

Subjects: Emotions; Interpersonal relations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Would you describe a typical day for me? You know, in school?

Segment Synopsis: Initially, Gilbert lived right across the street from the school. The students wore uniforms. The day began with a morning outdoor assembly. When entering the school, people changed from shoes to slippers. Gilbert would try to assist the other English teachers, possibly with other techniques or correct pronunciation.

Keywords: Clothes; Friends; Pronunciation; Second Goal; Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL); Techniques

Subjects: Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteer workers in education; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: And what kind of curricular supplies, curriculum supplies did you have? How large were your classes? How receptive were the girls?

Segment Synopsis: Peace Corps had provided each Volunteer with a stockpile of books. Gilbert used some of these books in her classes. One of Gilbert's first tasks was to work with a middle school and a high school student entered into the provincial speech contest, a task she did her second year, too.

Keywords: Books; Changes; Friends; High schools; Illinois; Jobs; Peace Corps (U.S.)--Korea (South); Prejudice; Problems; Self-confidence; Speaking; Support; Traveling

Subjects: Culture shock; Extensions; International travel; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Teachers; Teaching; Tutors and tutoring; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Um, how large were your classes?

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert had classes with around 65 students each. The students were responsible for cleaning the school. Heating in the winter was provided by a potbelly stove in the center of the classroom. The school was off during January, the coldest month, and August, the hottest month. The final examinations in the last year of middle school and high school were extremely competitive as students vied to matriculate to the best school possible. Naturally, this put pressure on their teachers, as well.

Keywords: Class sizes; Examinations; Exams; High schools; Schedules; Seoul (Korea, South); Weather

Subjects: Korea (South); Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Stress (Psychology); Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: David McDonald decided he was going to buy a "han bok." Now, "han bok" is a--means basically the clothing of the Han people.

Segment Synopsis: Following the lead of a site mate, a traditional Korean costume was made for Gilbert. Gilbert was also studying a traditional Korean musical instrument and had to perform, in costume, at the school. Gilbert was also included on school field trips.

Keywords: Changes; Chungcheonbuk-do (Korea, South); Clothing; Co-teachers; Learning; Los Angeles (Calif.); Los Angeles County Museum; Pronunciation; Site mates

Subjects: Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Tell me about where you lived.

Segment Synopsis: For about the first 6 months at her assignment, Gilbert lived with a local family in a traditional house across the street from the school. Gilbert moved, apparently because the family's maid was unhappy with the extra work caused by Gilbert's residence. Accordingly, Gilbert moved in with another student's family which was farther from the school. Once, when returning from a break in Seoul, Gilbert found out that the father in the second host family had died. This cemented Gilbert's plan to move again. Overall, Gilbert feels she had good relations with all three host families with which she lived.

Keywords: Changes; Co-teachers; Cultural exchange; Deaths; Friends; History; Host families; Host fathers; Jecheon (Korea, South); Living arrangements; Living conditions; Marriage; Plans; Relationships; School systems; Seoul (Korea, South); Students; Traveling

Subjects: Interpersonal relations; Japan; Korea; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: You spoke a little bit about going to Seoul, uh, for leisure time. What else did you do when you were, uh, off duty, so to speak?

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert had several memorable experiences hiking and visiting Buddhist monasteries in-country. Gilbert also took a vacation to Southeast Asia and Japan. Besides traveling, Gilbert wrote poetry and had several of her poems published in anthologies at that time. [Gilbert is a professional writer. To date, she has published one book, two chapbooks with writings included in numerous anthologies.]

Keywords: Books; Co-teachers; Cultural differences; Examinations; Exams; Fluency; Gyeongju (Korea, South); History; Language skills; Mail; Recreation; Traveling

Subjects: International travel; Iran; Japan; Manners and customs; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Southeast Asia; Voluntarism; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Um, what do you think your main accomplishments were?

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert hopes to have made a positive contribution at her school with her students and colleagues. Because of domestic unrest in 1983, Peace Corps was asked to leave South Korea. However, the South Korean government has also publicly thanked the Peace Corps for its contributions and has sponsored returned trips for former Volunteers. Gilbert has returned to South Korea twice since the end of her service. Gilbert believes that Peace Corps health and education programs in South Korea have had an enduring impact. Gilbert notes that the South Korean consulate in Atlanta has hosted events for Volunteers who served in South Korea together with Korean War veterans. During the coronavirus pandemic, numerous Returned Volunteers from South Korea received a box of mostly health-related survival supplies from the Korea Foundation.

Keywords: Atlanta (Ga.); Changes; Contributions; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Deaths; Education programs; Friends; History; Impact; Korea Foundation; Korean War; News; Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Returning; Second Goal; Seoul (Korea, South); Students; Traveling; Veterans

Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Canada; Health; International travel; Iran; Japan; Korea (North); Nonprofit organizations; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Korea (South); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Teachers; Teaching; Voluntarism; Volunteers; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: Um, what would you say that you learned about yourself?

Segment Synopsis: Gilbert feels that she learned to be more tolerant when things didn't go as expected. Gilbert gives several personal examples of, when traveling abroad, how being polite and knowing some of the local language were very useful. Serving in the Peace Corps has made Gilbert more flexible. Gilbert hopes that Volunteers demonstrate positive aspects of Americans.

Keywords: Americans; Assignments; Attitudes; Belongings; Birmingham (Ala.); Buses; Chinese (Language); Co-teachers; Criticism; Farsi (Language); Flexibility; Foreigners; Friends; J. William Fulbright; Language skills; Peace Corps staff; Privilege; Ruhollah Khomeini; Second Goal; Siblings; Social interactions; Students; Tourism; Tourists; Traveling; Venice (Italy); Wayne Hays

Subjects: Childhood; China; Emotions; Evacuation; International travel; Interpersonal relations; Iran; Korea (South); Language and languages; Mediterranean Sea; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--South Korea; South Korea; Student activities; Voluntarism; Volunteers