Returned Peace Corps Volunteer John Uminski can be contacted at uminskijalink75dorg
Country of Service: Senegal
Training Group: TEFL Francophone West Africa, 1968
Cities you served in: Dakar, Diogo
Arrival Year: 1968, 1971
Departure Year: 1970, 1972
Work Description:
TEFL Training, Ecole Normale Superieure,
Transfer to Animation Rurale, trained in Pout, posted to Diogo until 1970. Spent 13 mo. in Congo Kinshasa. Returned Nov 1971 to May 1972.Fell in love. Screwed that up.
Other Countries you served in, Training Group Name Arrival Year, Departure Year, Work Description:
Congo, Kinshasa. Oct. 1970 to Nov. 1971.
Assigned to Mbandaka, Equateur Province with World Health Organization Smallpox Eradication Program as surveillance team chief.
Bring us up to date on your life after the peace corps:
Returned to US May 15, 1972 (the day George Wallace was shot).
Trip around US with two friends.
Lived in PA 72-73. Returned home town Buffalo NY 73-75.
Fell in love 75-77. Screwed that up, came to Jesus.
Married 1979. Moved to Arizona 1982. Worked in construction. Started teaching trade in vocational school 1984-92. Taught ESL to mexicanitos 92-96. Learned Spanish. Taught Spanish 96-2004. Retired, moved to Maine. Bought grandiose house. Teaching Spanish at middle school level.
Any thoughts you have now looking back on peace corps days?:
I wish I had been mature enough to appreciate the opportunity and the people I got to know.
Anyone you are looking for or would like to hear from?:
The friends from Pout and Thies.
That guy Dominic from Kolda who was my "double".
Anyone from that time in Senegal.
Any message for returned volunteers?:
"Beydjin dou djeuk sakh bop."
The horn does not grow before the head.
Originally posted: April 21, 2007
