INSTITUTE OF INTER-AMERICAN AFFAIRS COLLECTION Elvera L. Williams, married to James D. Williams, discusses her foreign living experiences with the IIAA as a wife, mother, and as a woman in the 1940's and '50's. In Brazil and the Amazon Valley: living conditions, language problems, the Brazilian people, electricity, shopping, weather and climate, housing and housekeeping, marketing, insects and rodents, and recreation. In Mexico: culture shock, housekeeping and marketing, children, Mexicans, climate, and trips around the country. In Guatemala: climate, children's reactions, cultural differences, marketing, Indians, earthquakes, religion, and entertainment. At Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: weather, schools, children, language, water supplies and shortages, trips around Brazil, and departing for the U.S. At Cincinnati, Ohio: readjustment to U.S. society and weather. She discusses life before going overseas: growing up in Iowa, farm and family, education, beauty school and business, marriage, moving to Washing-ton, D.C., and preparing for life overseas.

93 pp. Interview by Vivian Cox, 1988 Donated by the Oral History Research Office, Columbia University, New York. RESTRICTED: May be read but not quoted, cited or reproduced.