Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-025-024
Tom Wagner joined the Peace Corps after witnessing John F. Kennedy deliver his address at the University of Michigan. Wagner trained in Hawaii. After arriving in Malaysia, Wagner found that his assignment, soil surveying in rural towns, was not the job for which he trained. He was given the task of checking the soil in the jungle for agriculture, surveying the area, and correlating his findings with all parts of the country. He describes the many aspects of living in the jungle and of meeting and sharing with hunter-gathers. He spoke of how the jungle came alive at night. His job required extensive paper work, which kept him in touch with his colleagues. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, September 3, 2004. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).