Only stayed for a short time...4 months! My foot was in a cast for most of the 4 months I was there, since I broke it during "carnival" time doing the Samba in Lavras! Finally decided to return to the US for proper medical treatment. But that wasn't the end of my PC career...after my foot healed, went to Malaysia and did my 2 years of Peace Corps service there.
Cuiabá Electrical Engineering CEMAT Sept 64 - Aug 67
San Diego, CA
It was really tough leaving Brazil and returning to the United States in 1968, as I missed the Brazilians, fellow PC Volunteers, and the priorities of life as we knew it for 2 years. But move along I did. I am married and have 4 grown children, am a counselor by profession and work at a City College in Chicago (where I daily learn something new from my students from 138 countries), and have been lucky to have returned to Brazil 5 times, once to Bela Vista and the Pantanal. (Who would have known we were sitting on one of the most important ecological sites in the world?!) I have no doubt that my time in Brazil shaped my path and helped me to become who I am.
It is good to read about our time in Brazil. I was sorry to read that some of our members have died. For about 20 years I have served as a United Methodist pastor. Guess where my first church was located....Wakefield! Small world!
Overall, Peace Corps was very rewarding and a great enhancement to my on-going liberal arts education. Training at ASU was very beneficial, as was supervision by ASU staff in Brazil.
Returned to Pocone in 1986 for a visit, and located several local co-workers.
Got a library degree (MLS) in 1974 and have worked as a public library administrator in Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, Washington and California. Currently semi-retired, working off and on as a interim library administrator.
I can still speak Portuguese, but I frequently mix in Spanish and Italian.
Most of us went to the state of Mato Grosso. I also spent time in Rio de Janeiro (state of Guanabara and then spent almost a year in a small town in the state of Rio called Papucaia.
I served in Poxoreo Mato Grosso. My wife Julita and son Davis are both natives of Poxoreo. I return to Brasil yearly. I would enjoy hearing from others who served in my group.
