Before and After Peace Corps
from Joe Campbell
(submitted October 22, 2019)
"I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in May or June 1971 with a typical degree for upper middle class white kid – sociology. I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do in my life as I was very content smoking dope, chasing girls and listening to music. On the day I graduated, I returned to my parents house in Denver and two invitations awaited me: my induction notice and an invitation to do three days of suitability/psychology review for the Peace Corps in San Jose, California. It was a very easy choice to make. There were over 300 people in San Jose, all being considered for Micronesia and about 150 got on the plane to for training. We had been told to pack for two years. Lots of people dropped out because it was believed they need too much external stimulation to survive on an island. I knew it was better than the Army. They picked several people from Colorado and Maine because they thought we were used to being isolated during blizzards. I still wonder if they making that up. I asked why I had been picked for Micronesia, they said because Oceania was my second choice and it was really hard to get to Kenya. I guess I had been forced to read too much Margaret Mead in college. I was deemed sufficiently dull to not need the simulation but was needy enough to go to Saipan and not the more isolate islands. This was fine with me as long as there was beer on the island.
We landed in Hilo in the middle of the night and were shepherded into school buses. The Marianas group was sent to Pepeekeo, the others stayed in Hilo also segregated by island group. The were ab out 40 of us destined to the NMI, a couple for Agrighan, a guy to Tinian and another to Rota. The was a young family whose head was destined to do outdoor engine mechanics education. The rest of us were teacher trainers, mostly concentrating on Math and Science. I still have the blue book from training if anyone is interested. We did language and cross cultural training in Pepeekeo and education training in Honumu about 10 miles further up the coast. Maria Mafna and Louie Tenorio were among our trainers. There was also a beautiful Carolinian woman name Florence and a couple name Olipai. We spent about six hours a day in class. We were forbidden to drive; but were encouraged to hitchhike. My parents refused to send me any money so it was moot anyway. I think were there for eight weeks. We were not encouraged to stay in Pepeekeo during weekends, so we went to Hilo on Friday night spend most the 8 bucks we were given on beer and then hitchhiking to beach with our army blankets and prepared box lunches. I remember drinking a lot of beer with Louie. I was assigned to Chalan Kanoa Elementary School to teach a new science curriculum to 4th and 5th graders. I often think training was the highlight of my Peace Corps experience. Beach and beer!! And girls also. Much better than Viet Nam.
I am going to skip to part four or five now. I am retired from Lockheed Martin in upper management doing business development (lots and lots big (billion dollar) and small proposals to government) In fact, this is the most I have written in many years. In my 30 years with LM, I only met one other RPCV. I guess most did mot ending up working for a merchant of death!"
We landed in Hilo in the middle of the night and were shepherded into school buses. The Marianas group was sent to Pepeekeo, the others stayed in Hilo also segregated by island group. The were ab out 40 of us destined to the NMI, a couple for Agrighan, a guy to Tinian and another to Rota. The was a young family whose head was destined to do outdoor engine mechanics education. The rest of us were teacher trainers, mostly concentrating on Math and Science. I still have the blue book from training if anyone is interested. We did language and cross cultural training in Pepeekeo and education training in Honumu about 10 miles further up the coast. Maria Mafna and Louie Tenorio were among our trainers. There was also a beautiful Carolinian woman name Florence and a couple name Olipai. We spent about six hours a day in class. We were forbidden to drive; but were encouraged to hitchhike. My parents refused to send me any money so it was moot anyway. I think were there for eight weeks. We were not encouraged to stay in Pepeekeo during weekends, so we went to Hilo on Friday night spend most the 8 bucks we were given on beer and then hitchhiking to beach with our army blankets and prepared box lunches. I remember drinking a lot of beer with Louie. I was assigned to Chalan Kanoa Elementary School to teach a new science curriculum to 4th and 5th graders. I often think training was the highlight of my Peace Corps experience. Beach and beer!! And girls also. Much better than Viet Nam.
I am going to skip to part four or five now. I am retired from Lockheed Martin in upper management doing business development (lots and lots big (billion dollar) and small proposals to government) In fact, this is the most I have written in many years. In my 30 years with LM, I only met one other RPCV. I guess most did mot ending up working for a merchant of death!"