Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2019-026
Ben Bryan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea from 1979 to 1981 on a health education project. He also served in Fiji from 1981 to 1984. His initial technical training was conducted in Louisiana, followed by further technical, cultural, and language training in Korea with a homestay with a local family. Bryan's health education project focused on Hansen's disease (leprosy) and he was stationed at a health clinic in Jinju. Because the Peace Corps program in Korea was being phased out, he was unable to extend his service there, but accepted a similar health education posting in Fiji. He went through training again before being posted to Suva where he produced visual medical aids and served as a driver for the hospital. The interview includes a discussion of Bryan's motivations for joining the Peace Corps, his recruitment and training, his work and life in both countries, and his post service experience. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 7, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).