UGA journalism professor John English was a member of the first group to travel to Malaysia in the first year of the Peace Corps. From 1962 to 1964, he taught English in Borneo.
UGA journalism professor John English was a member of the first group to travel to Malaysia in the first year of the Peace Corps. From 1962 to 1964, he taught English in Borneo.
English arrived with visions and concerns about the famous circus character, "The Wild Man of Borneo," who was a headhunter. While English was there, he learned to sit in peaceful silence. He built a swing set for the village kids, and also founded a Boy Scout troop with donated uniforms. He replaced his stereotypes with long hikes and personal discovery. Today, he still feels like an adopted citizen.
"I grew up in Oklahoma—but I really grew up in Borneo," says English. "It was the first time I was self-sufficient and it was the first time I learned that I actually had expertise and could make a real, long-term difference in people's lives.
"My time there absolutely changed my life. It gave me the desire to see the world and be a part of a global society. I honestly would not trade my Peace Corps experience for anything."