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Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2020-016
Kathleen MacLeod served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from June 1964 to June 1966 as an English teacher in the TEFL program (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Her group was the fourth one to serve in Iran. After spending a year in Mexico during college, she had expected to be sent to a Spanish speaking country. Training was conducted at the University of Michigan English Language Institute and included the Farsi language and Iranian history. MacLeod initially worked in Tehran teaching English to public health engineers, and at the UNESCO School of Social Work. After a few months, she requested a reassignment to an area with more locals. In Gorgan, MacLeod taught at a girls' high school. She lived with a local midwife and sometimes accompanied the midwife when she delivered babies in nearby villages. MacLeod has maintained lasting friendships with her Iranian friends and other volunteers after her service. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 17, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2020-013
Skip Auld served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from 1973 to 1974 as an English teacher in a TEFL program (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). He was interested in serving in South Asia, but readily accepted the invitation to Iran. His in-country training included intensive language instruction and teaching techniques. Auld was assigned to teach English at a boys' high school in the town of Mahallat, where he was the only westerner. There had been Peace Corps volunteer couples at the school previously, but he was the first single volunteer. Auld found the local residents to be very fond of Americans, and was frequently invited to their homes for dinner. He was unable to complete his full tour due to medical issues. The interview also includes a discussion of Auld's continuing engagement with the RPCV Iran community. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 29, 2019. 1 digital audio file.