PC: The Basics

I'm pretty bored tonight and don't really want to start my reading for tomorrow, so I thought I would inform those of you who are reading this (is anyone reading this?) about the basics on volunteering in the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps was first proposed by John F. Kennedy in October of 1960, when he was running against Nixon. The organization was established the following March and authorized by Congress that September. Since then, more than 190,000 people have volunteered in 139 different countries in various sectors, including Health & HIV/AIDS, Education, Agriculture, Business, Youth, Community Development, and IT. Today volunteers serve in nearly 75 countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

Each volunteer must commit himself (or herself) to 27 months of service abroad. While they have the option to leave whenever they want, of course, PC doesn't want this to happen. Therefore, the application process is so extensive and detailed in order to weed out those that cannot make that kind of commitment and those that might not be physically, mentally, or emotionally prepared or able to live under extreme conditions. The whole application process usually takes six to nine months for the average person. PC accepts applications on a rolling basis, as they are constantly sending more volunteers out every month of the year.

When volunteers first arrive in country, they are actually called "trainees" until they complete about three months of, you guessed it, training. During this time, trainees learn the various cultural, safety, language, and vocational training needed to thrive in their new environment, while living with a host family. Once they complete training, they can officially call themselves "volunteers," and each is given their own assignment. This is when the volunteers break away from each other for the first time and where they will live for the next two years. They either live on their own or with another host family, but they are usually a good distance from other volunteers. They are paired with a host-country counterpart who is there to aid them in their transition and their work. The job of a volunteer is so unique that it is impossible to say exactly what anyone will end up doing, but each volunteer is given a primary goal and often begin several secondary projects on their own. The locations often vary dramatically, some have modern conveniences such as running water, electricity, phones, and Internet, but others do not. Some live in urban areas, while others are needed in the rural countryside.

During those two years, volunteers much gain fluency in another language (or two) and become a functioning member of their community. All basic living expenses are covered by PC, including airfare to and from their host country, rent, food, and anything else one might need. For each month that a PCV works, he is given two vacation days, which adds up to about a month and a half. Volunteers often travel together within their country and to neighboring nations. Some travel alone, and some even make a trip back to their American homes. PC also encourages friends and family to visit their volunteers anytime after their first six months of service, which my family says they definitely want to do. Once you finish your service, you return "home" with a life-changing experience, a great resume booster, and a couple thousand dollars of tax-payer money to do with as you please.

That's basically the Peace Corps in a nutshell (if that is even possible). Because this description doesn't even crack the shell, so to speak, you will just have to keep reading on to learn more. But I hope this helps clarify some things for everyone. If I think of anything else major that I forgot, I'll be sure to add it. Well, I guess I better get that reading done soon.