Anyone with 1sthand experience on Peace Corps?

Brodo Faggins

So I just graduated college, and as I've been wanting to do for a while, the option of joining the Peace Corps is sitting at the back of mind, beckoning to me. I want to go overseas and teach English (or anything, really), or help people in any way that I can. I'm not some bleeding-heart hippie (despite the school I went to), but I just can't help but feel like I really need to get out of the US for a few years and find out what the world is like firsthand.

Does anyone have any firsthand experience or know someone who's done this and what their experiences were like?

LavaKnight

Don't expect to start right away if you get accepted. Every one of my friends who have done it have gone through months if not a year or more of tests and waiting before you actually get "deployed."

I think it's worth doing, and I wanted to do it for a while, but expect to go through a long process, so don't put your life on hold for it right away.

Brodo Faggins

What do these tests consist of? I'm a film student, so I don't have any technical background that would help in, say, digging a well or something like that.

Reckless

The application process runs for about a year, and it's very competitive right now as lots of people are trying to escape economic woes. Don't worry about your educational background. The PC has lots of different programs and will likely be able to find something you're qualified for. The commitment is 27 months, which includes 3 months of training and language, then two years of service.

If you're really interested, get in touch with your regional recruiter. For a good place to get a feel for what daily life in the Corps is really like, check out this website.

http://www.peacecorpsjournals.com/

Sevorak

My friend is currently in Kenya with the Peace Corps. He has a blog about what he's doing and his experiences here.

TaGuelle

If teaching English is your goal, Korea is a bottomless pit of job offers for ESL teachers. There so determined to improve the English abilities of their students, they are willing to hire people like you and me. I'm actually moving to Seoul in August to teach in the public school system.

You would teach either at a private language school or at public schools in Korea, conversation normally.

Typically there is a 1800-2000 dollar a month salary with housing in an apartment provided and round trip airfare. There are other perks and details, but that is the jist.

PM me if you want more detailed information.

Brodo Faggins

I'm Korean-American, and I'm fluent in Korean. I have a feeling that'd get me a leg up?

The thing is, I just want to stay out of non-3rd world countries for a while and see what the world is like (ie no backpacking across Europe or whatever). I do have a responsibility for paying off my student loans and helping out my family, so while the teaching in Korea option is viable, I'd have to think hard about it.

hellobuddy

Im a bit confused. You want to be in the peace corps and help people I assume. But you want to stay out of 3rd world countries. AND you dont want to go to Europe?

It kinda sounds like you...um would be most comfortable just staying where you are

Turner

deleted.

Reckless

If you join the PC, one of the perks is deferment of federal student loans. Plus, not that this is really a huge chunk of change, but you get about $6000 after completion of your 27 months to pay off loans, place a down payment on an apartment, what-have-you.

If you really just want to see the developing world, however, the PC may not be exactly right for you. There are plenty of service learning programs out there with shorter commitments and more travel. You usually don't get to do a lot of wandering away from your station in the Corps. ESOL programs might be a good idea. A friend of mine is doing one through Cornell and spending the summer teaching English in Rwanda. I am quite jealous.

Brodo Faggins

ESOL? That's basically teaching english overseas? I'll look into that, but since I'm now a graduate, I'm guessing I won't have the same resources that currently enrolled students have?

lifeincognito

My house mate from this past year at college applied and go in to the Peace Corps. To help you understand the application process, aside from the various medical records they require they ask you a lot of personal questions. For example, my house mate was vegan, they asked him why he became vegan, and if required would he begin eating meet again. They asked about the health of his family in the sense of are they likely to die or fall ill while you will be abroad and/or how will they deal with you being mostly out of reach for three years. They also asked about the seriousness of his current relationship and his sexual habits, to alert him to prospect of not being able to fulfill his needs while serving. As others have stated, he was offered a post for January 2010 and he started the application in the Fall of 2008 the wait list is long and selectivity is at an all time high.

My best friend's girlfriend served three years in Africa, I forget which country, but she became fluent in french and met numerous out Peace Corps. volunteers during her tenure. She enjoyed it and always talks about it in a positive light, heck she even has a Peace Corps. bumper sticker. However, I did work with a friend in high school who said that his brother was all alone in village just doing odd jobs to help out the local people. While I myself am unsure about how they currently hand out assignments, it might be wise to see if they still place some volunteers completely alone or have a way of organizing volunteers into groups around areas that need help to provide a support structure for each other.

Another little bit of something I learned from living with 8 or so people who spent months in 3rd world countries: Being an American, regardless of gender or race, gives you a power over everyone around you. While I can only speak for the stories of my friends, they all cautioned that it was quite eerie to be treated on a higher level than everyone around them despite being in their respective countries trying to help and absorb culture. All of them had wonderful experiences on the whole and I hope the same befalls you.

DodgeBlan

lifeincognito wrote: »

Another little bit of something I learned from living with 8 or so people who spent months in 3rd world countries: Being an American, regardless of gender or race, gives you a power over everyone around you. While I can only speak for the stories of my friends, they all cautioned that it was quite eerie to be treated on a higher level than everyone around them despite being in their respective countries trying to help and absorb culture. All of them had wonderful experiences on the whole and I hope the same befalls you.

I really think this is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off. People are flattered that someone from a group of people that don't usually show interest in their culture is getting involved...

but 'a power over everyone around you?' That's ridiculous. People will be nicer to you than you are used to but thats just a part of the hospitality of less isolating cultures. DISCLAIMER: I've never been to Africa.

And I couldn't reccomend doing some sort of Peace Corps type thing highly enough. I did 3 months volunteering in Vietnam and it was an amazing experience.