I have decided to join the peace corp as soon I graduate, but am unsure about the particulars, is there anything you all can offer me in the way of advice, perhaps personal experience etc which you might relate.
It would certainly be helpful in the choosing my destination, I am planning on teaching a science based class perhaps in one of the old soviet republics, in any case what do you all think?
What's up with the Peace Corps?
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InfiniteNature
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What's up with the Peace Corps?
"In Germany, they first came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the homosexuals and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a homosexual. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a protestant. Then they came for me--but by that time there was no one left to speak up."
Pastor Martin Neimoller
Infinity is a fathomless gulf, into which all things vanish.
Marcus Aurelius (121-180) Roman Emperor and Philosopher
To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.
Frodo has failed, Bush has the ring.
Pastor Martin Neimoller
Infinity is a fathomless gulf, into which all things vanish.
Marcus Aurelius (121-180) Roman Emperor and Philosopher
To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.
Frodo has failed, Bush has the ring.
My wife was in the Peace Corps for two years in Sierra Leon. You mentioned that you wanted to go to a particular area and she did as well. But when she did her tour of duty (mid 80's), you did not get to make that choice. You were assigned where they needed you.
Being in the Peace Corp was a life changing experience for my wife, but not an easy one. She made many sacrifices in order to accomplish what she did, one of them being her health. She contracted a number of diseases, including malaria, and some of these continue to negatively impact her to this day. Another thing she speaks about is how aggressive the Peace Corp was about the difficulty of maintaining a relationship. I am unclear about the specifics of this, but single people were encourage either to break off their relationships or to consider not going. As it turns out, her relationship at that time did not survive the Peace Corp experience, so that is something to consider if you are currently involved with someone.
She also had to confront the fact that the Peace Corp, for all its good intentions, has a mixed impact on the culture it serves. For example, sex between male Peace Corp volunteers and the native population was quite common. This was problematic on many levels. Just like antibiotics are helpful in confronting an infection but also disrupt friendly bacteria in the GI tract, so the Peace Corp can foster dependencies, introduce cultural introjects, and have other unintended negative consequences. She tells me that her ideals took a pretty hard hit after the two years she spent in Africa.
One of the positive things she talks about concerning her Peace Corp experience is meeting other people who had similar ideals. Some of these have become life-long friends. She also has a completely different ("more enlightened" she says
) view of American culture and politics since being in the Peace Corp. She is often very critical of American foreign policy and can see the bigger picture in a much more realistic and pragmatic way.
Overall, I think she benefited from her experience, but it is certainly not something to consider lightly. I would talk to as many people who have done this as possible.
I hope this was helpful to you...
Being in the Peace Corp was a life changing experience for my wife, but not an easy one. She made many sacrifices in order to accomplish what she did, one of them being her health. She contracted a number of diseases, including malaria, and some of these continue to negatively impact her to this day. Another thing she speaks about is how aggressive the Peace Corp was about the difficulty of maintaining a relationship. I am unclear about the specifics of this, but single people were encourage either to break off their relationships or to consider not going. As it turns out, her relationship at that time did not survive the Peace Corp experience, so that is something to consider if you are currently involved with someone.
She also had to confront the fact that the Peace Corp, for all its good intentions, has a mixed impact on the culture it serves. For example, sex between male Peace Corp volunteers and the native population was quite common. This was problematic on many levels. Just like antibiotics are helpful in confronting an infection but also disrupt friendly bacteria in the GI tract, so the Peace Corp can foster dependencies, introduce cultural introjects, and have other unintended negative consequences. She tells me that her ideals took a pretty hard hit after the two years she spent in Africa.
One of the positive things she talks about concerning her Peace Corp experience is meeting other people who had similar ideals. Some of these have become life-long friends. She also has a completely different ("more enlightened" she says
) view of American culture and politics since being in the Peace Corp. She is often very critical of American foreign policy and can see the bigger picture in a much more realistic and pragmatic way. Overall, I think she benefited from her experience, but it is certainly not something to consider lightly. I would talk to as many people who have done this as possible.
I hope this was helpful to you...
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Many are cold; few are frozen.
Absence is to love what wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.
Many are cold; few are frozen.
Absence is to love what wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.