MAKING THEM LIKE US PB

by Fritz Fischer

Ill-defined jobs, entrenched bureaucrats, and resentful hosts were just a few of the difficulties facing Peace Corps volunteers in the early days. On the other hand, life as a volunteer was sometimes more comfortable than expected. Prepared to dig ditches or build houses, more than half served as English teachers or worked in offices. Trained for a spartan existence, many volunteers found themselves living in well-appointed homes and even employing servants. These experiences often left volunteers with a less idealistic perception of how cultures interact.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

237 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 1998

Reviews

[Catherine Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some unclear citation practices throughout with a slight over reliance on anecdotes and generalizations, but nonetheless a fascinating and engaging read about the first decade of the Peace Corps and the ideological, generational, and cultural divides between early volunteers, administrations, and host countries

[Ashok Shenolikar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book gives several anecdotes about the Peace Corps volunteers. I thought they were one sided. It appears as if the author only wanted to look for the failures and highlight them. One does not get a positive impression of the initiative. I doubt the Peace Corps was/is as the author has depicted.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm curious about Frtiz's research methods but it was fascinating to read about the good, bad and ugly of the first group of Peace Corps volunteers and the challenges that they faced both within the institution and their host countries....many of which continue today.