Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Victor Cox can be contacted at vicdcoxacoxdnet
Country of Service: Brasil
Training Group: Uni. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Cities you served in: Camapua, Pedropolis
Arrival Year: 1964
Departure Year: 1966
Work Description:
Community development and health care/education were my training categories, and I pretty much worked in them. Besides serving with a Brasilian crew in a Mato Gross state health post as a "sanitation helper" I also drew health education posters and helped to start a Mothers Club that sponsored a monthly Kids' Day of health-related games, goodies and snacks. These ladies and some health post staff were good with the children, who also competed to see who could win a prize for bringing the most dead flies to Kids' Day. In addition to helping with post vaccination campaigns and privy construction duties, I also recruited a group of young Brasilians to help me get a mimeographed local newspaper going. When I left, we had more than 100 subscribers, a few advertisers, and the staff had chosen a new editor in chief. The paper lasted another two years.
Other Countries you served in, Training Group Name Arrival Year, Departure Year, Work Description:
NA
Bring us up to date on your life after the peace corps:
I helped train a University of Texas group of new volunteers, then returned to California to get an M.A. in journalism from UCLA. Shortly after that I was drafted and served in Germany. Returning to CA I worked on staff for daily newspapers and a magazine in Los Angeles, freelanced science and travel articles, then moved back to my home town of Santa Barbara with my wife to start a family. We now live in Goleta, outside of SB, have a fine daughter who graduated with a BA in psychology from UCLA and is planning on grad school. I have worked at UC Santa Barbara for the past 11 years, producing a modest newspaper for faculty and staff. My life does seem to have had a circular bent.
Any thoughts you have now looking back on peace corps days?:
My feelings about the value of the experience for me have only deepened over the years. I know Peace Corps is not for everyone, and many do return home before their first year in the field, but it was great for me and I look forward to doing it again after I retire.
Anyone you are looking for or would like to hear from?:
Would enjoy getting caught up with any Brasileiro RPCVs, especially the old Brasil 12 (Milwaukee) trainees.
Any message for returned volunteers?:
If you settle in the tri-county area of California (Ventura-Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo) you can contact an active RPCV group at www.sbpca.org.
Originally posted: February 21, 2007
