On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 10:12 PM,
<JonKeetonDC@aol.com> wrote:
To: CS Jee, YK Kim, Suzanna Somstag, HD Choi From: Jon Keeton
Re: Oral Interviews
On these wonderful reunion trips, we are missing an opportunity to capture the experiences by our inability so far to interview the participants. The main reason is that there simply is not time in the busy schedule.
Friends of Korea has plans to establish an archives on Peace Corps Korea, for which oral interviews are very important.
Last July I made some attempt but it was not successful.
Below is an email from HD Choi, who is a wonderful friend of Peace Corps. His daughter did a project while in a US high school to interview Koreans who had relatives in North Korea. It was a powerful book. Now that she is in Seoul, Mr. Choi and I have discussed the idea of his daughter and other high school friends doing interviews. It would be a valuable learning experience, and I am sure they would do a good job.
Again the problem is finding the time. They have proposed doing some interviews during the special events, but I am afraid this would be distracting. As high school students, they do not have free time during the day.
Are there other times that work? I do like the idea of young Koreans learning about their country at an earlier time and the impact Korea had on the US volunteers. We also should begin interviewing Koreans who were associated with Peace Corps in the past.
Mr. Jee, Ms. Kim and Suzanna, please think about possible times and communicate with Mr. Choi on your thoughts.
Thanks, Jon
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Dear "Tireless Supporter" -- and we know you are.
Good ideas require both enthusiasm and detailed planning. I take no offense when people say that I am FOK's "cheerleader" but that others must implement the ideas I often generate. This view applies to the Peace Corps/Korea archives idea. No Peace Corps program to my knowledge has developed an archives of its history within the host country. It is most appropriate that Korea be first due to the fine memories many have of Peace Corps and your country's interest in its long history. Peace Corps' fifteen years is a brief chapter in that history but it gives insight to the country's development and people to people friendships.
Many young Koreans have no idea that their country was even poor at one time. Photographs former volunteers show them actually cause shock over the conditions only forty years ago.
The idea of the archives is now gaining support. Volunteers are beginning to gather photos, old documents, and the "ephemera" of the era. Time is getting urgent for as volunteers face retirement, much could be thrown away by them or their heirs. Today I will hang in my room here the first Peace Corps "chonsei" lease, an arrangement no one in Peace Corps headquarters could comprehend.
There are many documents but the most important things to capture are the memories in the heads and hearts of the volunteers and the Koreans who knew them. Each time I visit Korea I learn that another of the Korean "pioneers" of Peace Corps has died.
In July FOK gave me an advance to begin the first oral interviews. We could not arrange tuem. The logistics of such an effort will require much attention.
I like the idea of involving young Koreans of talent. As with the fine book your daughter worked on, they have so much to learn.
Mr. Choi, I do need to spend more time talking with people who are more expert on oral histories to see what advice they offer, but let this email begin the formal discussion with you on your very encouraging interest. Scheduling the time; developing the questions/approach; considering how and where the results will be retained -- are just a few of the questions. I will write you again very soon.
Thank you for your exciting approach to a valuable effort.
Best regards,
Jon
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