peace corps. what's it about?

[chequita guevara]

Most people have a great time.

[Q Classic]

Most people have a great time.

i will have to say i agree with you in that the castration story fits under the "negative" column...

i dunno... i was sorta hoping for something along the lines of helping with it, but...

[Japher]

i dunno... i was sorta hoping for something along the lines of helping with it, but

I am sure there are some people around where you live that you can help, and probably a lot better since you know the area and the people in it.

[Q Classic]

i suppose. but the problem with it right now is this: i'm young, still in college, and lacking experience. a lot of the jobs are going to older engineers who had previously lost their jobs due to the economic downturn; they have experience.

naturally, they're getting the jobs.

besides, with the way i feel about freedom of information and all, i figure it would be good to bring the light of the internet to those corners where they still are largely untouched by it...

[Whoha]

Che were they forcing sterilization? providing incentives such that people would go in and do it, and then feel crappy about it later, or what?

[chequita guevara]

You have to consider I only have one side of the story, Domatilla's. One needs to remember that peasants to to be simple folk, and regard people in the PC as authority figures. So a recommendation by them tends to carry a lot of weight, not in the normal suggestion area.

In Puerto Rico, it was generally doctors and husbands who made the decisions for sterilization, not the women. The women could have said no, but in a traditional male dominated society, they really didn't have the idea that they could say no.

[Q Classic]

and dr. strangelove's story is... man. i'm less certain about this now.

[chequita guevara]

Americacorps. There are plenty of 3rd world areas in the U.S. that need help.

[Snowflake]

I have a coworker whose son and his wife is doing it. Also a teacher in Tiger's daycare center just came back from it I think. I could ask her about it.

This is one thing that I wouldn't mind doing. The living conditions would be much much worse but I wouldn't mind that. And it would be an eye opening experience for yourself in addtion to being able to really help other people.

[Barinthus]

I visited my dearest friend in Kenya who was serving out a term for Peace Corps. I lived with her for 90 days and helped out at the school she was teaching. She was in the education so I suppose it's not as sensitive as birth control and so on. I had an awesome time myself and I still want to serve a term myself.

However Peace Corps is not for wussies. Most of the time you will be isolated surrounded by a culture so different from American culture it's like being on some other planet. For instance, the Luo people (the tribe whom I lived among) have no concept of personal privacy the West have. After a while it can really get to you unless you learn to adapt.

There's a great book on Peace Corps and it's very easy to read. It took me an hour to go through it. I'll find the title later on for you. Very informative too.

Not many people can stick with finishing up their terms. Normally there are three major waves of people just quitting. The first would be during the first month when some people's romantic ideals get shattered when they get to actually see what they're getting themselves into.

The second wave would be around 6 months later when the stress of being isolated in a culture so alien to them is really getting to them and they just can't handle it.

The third wave would be after one year when people start to become disillusioned or wondering what the heck they are doing there while they could be back in the States finishing up a masters or being with a boy/girlfriend.

I'd say about 20% to 30% actually finish their terms. So if you have completed a term successfully, you (and potential employers) know that you are capable of adapting to difficult situations and can stick with your goals no matter what. That's very attractive. Also like someone (Oerdin?) said, it can get help you to get into a competitive graduate school. Many grad schools will even give you credit for time spent in Peace Corps. Also you will get preferred status should you wish to work for the government. Foreign Service would definitely love to have you working for them.

There is already a strong network of RPCV (returned peace corps volunteers) who will be more than help you out with schools and jobs just because you are a fellow RPCV. Especially in the government but it's everywhere, really. Ever since I came back from Kenya, I keep on bumping into RPCVs, they are literally everywhere in various positions.

There are other benefits more intangible than those already mentioned. There's personal growth and a completely new persceptive on the world beyond the comfortable borders of the States.

I would recommend the experience but be aware it's not exactly a safe job. There are risks involved, both from Mother Nature and the locals.

Oh by the way, if possible, enter Peace Corps as a married couple. Many PCV (peace corps volunteers) will agree with me I'm sure when I say you are better off serving Peace Corps when you have your spouse at your side. This way you would not be completely alone, you would be living with your spouse (Married PCVs are more likely to finish up their terms) and also you both would have the advantages of being able to pool together two stripends which translates into more buying power.

One more thing before I shut up - that tidbit about filling out reports to send to CIA or whatever, perhaps it was once true but not anymore. No PCVs I know had to do this.

[Dr Strangelove]

My brother had a greaqt time while he was there. He didn't have to work very hard because the teachers tended to under-attend his classes. He was pretty much by himself, and rarely had to account to anyone, so he got a generous amount of time to see India. Based in Bihar, a city in Bengal, he traveled from coast to coast and even visited parts of southern India.

For the more liberal amongst you gunja was easily available. So also were girls, and, er...... even little kids would come up and proposition for themselves...... if you're into that sort of thing.

[Dis]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Americorps is safer. After I heard a Bolivian woman recount her story about how she and the other villagers castrated two PeaceCorp workers I vowed never to join the PC.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Q Cubed
and dr. strangelove's story is... man. i'm less certain about this now.

It's a terrible story.

But you can meet that kind of woman anywhere. You are more likely to meet that kind of women in the U.S.

[Barinthus]

As promised, here's the book...

So You Want to Join the Peace Corps: What to know before you go

Written by Dillon Banerjee.

Highly recommended for those who are interested in or is considering Peace Corps but would like more information independent from the organization itself.

[asleepathewheel]

I really really wanted to join after college. But I met my love and went to law school instead. I didn't want to lose my love over the 2 years abroad.

still...