“How was the last 2 years of

your life?”

Shauna Ayres

Bridget Hochwalt

Elizabeth Orlan

Hannah Pettus

Ashley Phillips

GROUP

Qualitative Research MethodsApril 19, 2016

Significance & Rationale:

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 2

1. How does the Peace Corps experience affect the identity of returned volunteers?

2. How does the Peace Corps experience affect relationshipsof returned volunteers?

3. How do Peace Corps volunteers describe their transition back to the U.S. after service?

Research Questions:

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 3

MethodsRecruitment:

Flyers

Facebook

Emails to RPCVs for referrals

Screener survey

Sampling approach

Interviewed people who fit the recruitment criteria

Purposive/quota sample

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 4

Sample Characteristics

Return Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs)

Attending UNC-CH

Returned within 6 Years

23 years of age

3 males, 7 females

Southeast Asia, Central America, Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 5

Analytical Process

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 6

Immersion

♀♀

♂

♀♀♂♂

♀

♀ ♀

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 7

Immersion

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Introduction Methods Results Discussion 8

LowImmersion

♀ sexual harassmentImmersion

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 9

success with community projects

Immersion

Medium Immersion

♀Introduction Methods Results Discussion 10

Immersion ♀

High Immersion

going to church white female

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 11

Changing Relationships

“I feel like I’d like to return but I don’t know how, a lot of times. Umm my students…there’s a handful of them who stay very connected via Facebook ….Umm they’re very attached to social media I get to see pictures of them, I’ve seen many of their successes which has been nice. Many of them went on to like teacher college or nursing college umm some have families now. and I love seeing their pictures. So Facebook has been some what of a window, but I also feel that I know certain students are probably still struggling, and there isn’t anyone there for them so…."

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 12

Changing Relationships (continued)

Before

“...it’s just nice to have someone who kind of knows what you’re going through,

you know? You can talk about it and things.”

After

“...we had that same shared experience that we were going through, and now we’re allgoing through different things… it’s still a

really great friendship (right) but there is, it’s very different, very different."

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 13

Transition“People...Peace Corps, they're always kind of like, ‘Oooh what do I do with the

transition and the culture shock?’ and all that is bullshit. Like, ya need to worry about getting money. Like, we come back, we'll have no job. Nobody had a job

when they came out of Peace Corps. Nobody. And they're all worried about like, ‘Ooh what's the food gonna taste like?’ Dumb stuff...Like, you'll be fine. Your body will not

forget what an apple tastes like. Your bank account will forget what it's...you know...what it's like to have money in it.”

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 14

Transition

“And, um, or, like, getting in the shower the first time. I remember that, that getting me… It was, I almost couldn’t run it ‘cause it just

made me feel so, like, gave me so much anxiety to see all that water coming out. Um…. Yeah, I’d say it didn’t start feeling more normal

until, like, a year probably back.”

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 15

Transition

“Seeing what people were, thought were important was really strange. Went on a trip with some friends and there was like five of us in the car

and everyone was staring at their new iPhone and I never…(laughs) never played on an iPhone before didn’t know how it worked yet

everyone was looking at it instead of talking and I was like what the fuck is going on? What could you possibly be looking at?” (laughs)

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 16

Transition

“I distinctly remember, first day back […] my parents pick me up from the airport, and they’re like, we’re going to go to the grocery store

‘cus you need some things […] and I like could not handle it, I could not handle it, there were too many options, I was starting to get

headache, there’s just too much stimulation everywhere. My parents were like “you’re like a caveman.”

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 17

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 18

Summary Model

Limitations

• Lack of experience doing qualitative research

• Underrepresented male population

• Limited thematic saturation

• Need for deeper investigation

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 19

Implications

• Need for PC as an institution to provide more support for RPCVs in the transition home.

• Share diverse experiences with PC recruits

Introduction Methods Results Discussion 20

• Be sensitive to the experiences of RPCVs

All done