1970: Ronald Barbur served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in India in Batalagundu, Coonoor beginning in 1970



Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Ronald Barbur can be contacted at rbart1agmaildcom

Country of Service: India

Training Group: 101

Cities you served in: Batalagundu, Coonoor

Arrival Year: 1970

Departure Year: 1972

Work Description:

TESL, Health & Education, Poultry Unit

Other Countries you served in, Training Group Name Arrival Year, Departure Year, Work Description:

None

Bring us up to date on your life after the peace corps:

After I finished in 1972 I worked for Sony in Tokyo teaching ESL. I came back to Oregon and enrolled in a photography program at OSU followed by visit with my fiancee Shirley in Kingston upon Thames for 3 months. Came back and got my BA in Art. I was married in 1976 and immediately headed for Iran to teach ESL, only the Shah was deposed and I returned to Portland with a bride and no money. I then worked at Union Oil as a dockman unloading ships. After two years of mind numbing labor, I enrolled in Ohio States Photography and Cinema Program and received a masters in 1980. Say this commentary is getting boring. I'll shorten it. Had two kids, a mortgage, and 23 years in the Portland School district. Taught art, english, and esl at various times and finally ceramics. I have been having a walkabout, as the aborigines say, for most of my life, covering central and south america, asia, australia, and various european countries. I retired in 2003. My kids are in their twenties, I've been happily married to Shirley (the girl I met in Coonoor, India back in 1971) for 32 years. Shirl and I returned to India in 2004 after 32 years and saw tremendous changes, especially in terms of communications and of course the internet( which didn't exist there in 1970)

Any thoughts you have now looking back on peace corps days?:

India has had a big influence in my life in small ways. I'm married to a girl who was born in India and speaks Malayalam fluently. We have close friends that we frequently correspond with and help. Although many of the people who we grew to love there have died, we have new generations of their kids that we have reconnected with. So I would say my initial adventure has been an ongoing connection.
I would also say India was a good place to go a little bit crazy in. The isolation and cultural differences caused the necessary madness one needs in growing up.

Anyone you are looking for or would like to hear from?:

Ray Coletta and Stu Blackburn, Denis Viri, Lois, Sue, Pam, and anyone from India 101

Any message for returned volunteers?:

I'm not real big on reunions, however I think we experienced a special gift, not only in our training together, but in our two years in India and I would like to know what some of you in our group make of this marathon we call life after 38 years. So write.

Originally posted: April 5, 2008

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