<p>Sometimes dangerous political unrest or other dangerous conditions exist for a while before the PC makes the decision to withdraw its volunteers. One of my young neighbors was evacuated from a country about a year into her 2 year commitment. So were all of the other PC volunteers. The reasons given for the withdrawal officially are vague, to say the least. There wasn’t some sudden, newsworthy event that caused the evacuation. (And it’s not Bolivia and it wasn’t that long ago.)</p>
<p>OK, no more 20+yo PC stories from me (though I love to tell them :))</p>
<p>Thought the PC decisions to leave sites was based in large part, at least, on the State Department’s recommendations and safety risks to individuals. Politics aside, safety should be a priority.</p>
<p><a href=“404 - Page Not Found”>404 - Page Not Found;
<p>***ETA - One of DS’s EWB trips was rescheduled because of a transportation strike in the local area.</p>
<p><a href=“http://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/policies/volsafety2010.pdf[/url]”>http://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/policies/volsafety2010.pdf</a></p>
<p>This cannot be right. 69% of female volunteers were crime victims?</p>
<p><a href=“http://pcwiki.peacecorpsconnect.org/images/OIGSARC.pdf[/url]”>http://pcwiki.peacecorpsconnect.org/images/OIGSARC.pdf</a></p>
<p>looks like crime happens in every country</p>
<p>No, it indicates that of the Peace Corps volunteers who were crime victims, 69% were female (31% were male).</p>
<p>My own organization jokes that we go only to countries on the state department’s warning list. So far: Honduras, Afghanistan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Uganda, Haiti, DRC-Congo, and South Sudan.</p>
<p>My son is a senior in college, Political Science Major/Humanitarian Minor. He’s HOT on joining the Peace Corp. Although I would be very proud, I’m afraid he is also using this as a 'back up plan", not knowing what else to do that would suit him. He hates the idea of sitting behind the desk, has done humanitarian trips, not afraid of hard manual work, and is very interested in “international cultural relations” for lack of a better term. Should I encourage this? Is there other options that aren’t a 27 month commitment? Does the PC really open doors afterwards?</p>
<p>The Peace Corps is a great thing to have on your resume. Yes, it opens some doors. The PC has relationships with some grad programs that give preferential admission and sometimes funding. PCVs have to be independent, self starters, and able to perform in less than ideal circumstances (they are in developing countries). </p>
<p>Our daughter completed her 27 months in the Peace Corps and we are mighty proud that she did this for that time. She and her friends, and the many other returned PC volunteers we know say it is a positive life changing experience.</p>
<p>almostgrad – it’s commendable that he wants to make the commitment and it sounds like Peace Corps would meet all his goals, but maybe he should have a discussion with the career office at his school and see if there are any jobs that could combine his passions without the 27 month time commitment. I just heard of a friend’s son young working for “Clean Edison” [CleanEdison</a> | Green Courses & Clean Energy Training Live & Online](<a href=“http://www.cleanedison.com%5DCleanEdison”>http://www.cleanedison.com). It seems to lead to career options, which involves work in the field. </p>
<p>I know it doesn’t have the international aspect that he likes, but maybe there are other job ideas that would appeal to him?</p>
<p>Take a look at this page:<a href=“http://www.peacecorps.gov/learn/whyvol/profben/[/url]”>http://www.peacecorps.gov/learn/whyvol/profben/</a></p>
<p>My daughter begins her Peace Corps service in September. She’s talked to a number of former Peace Corps volunteers, including a favorite professor, the sister of a close friend, people she was referred to by her interviewer, and people she met at a get together/lecture given by a PC volunteer on leave. She’s heard that the transition/career support given by PC is excellent, provided that you are proactive about taking advantage of it. From what she has said about the people she has met the PC network is very strong and extends across generations.</p>
<p>I would also suggest that your son get his application going ASAP. It takes about a year from the initial application to an appointment…and the process is comprehensive, lengthy, and competitive.</p>
<p>Good luck to him!</p>
<p>Thank you for your responses. The Peace Corp is certainly an admirable path, he just needs to know what the options are, and if he understands what 27 months will be like if he chooses to pursue it. He definitely needs to talk to his professors, I have no connections in the field.</p>
<p>There are certain risks in joining PC， as long as your son or my daughter is aware of the risks, its their decision. I don’t interfere her decision, she is an adult.</p>
<p>Art lovers…there are risks living in large cities, driving a car every day, swimming in the ocean, and any number of other things. When our daughter got her Peace Corps appointment to Rwanda, I told her that if fear of their past was making her think of saying no…she should be prepared to live in our small protective town forever. There are risks everywhere…my kid said the benefits far outweighed any risks.</p>
<p>I am not afraid of the risks as much as being concerned that the PC is really for him. It’s hardly the same as going abroad, no traveling and only 1 day off a month???</p>
<p>No traveling? And only one day off a month? Seriously?</p>
<p>Our daughter went on several very nice trips while in the Peace Corps both in and out of her country. In addition, she did a six week trip post Peace Corps. She had enough time off to enjoy herself, visit other PCVs in nearby villages and have guests in her town. To be honest, she was “at home” far less than when living here in the U.S. in addition to her travels in country and out herself, when we went to visit, it was a school break and she was given permission to meet us in South Africa.</p>
<p>The PC volunteers get vacation time plus personal days per month. This varies by country and assignment. The education volunteers followed the school schedule. The health and agriculture volunteers did not follow the school schedule. </p>
<p>In addition, our daughter served on several Peace Corps special projects that required her being in the country capital at least once a month.</p>
<p>My daughter also loved staying in her village where she had some wonderful friends. She attended church each week and was very friendly with the church staff who welcomed her. </p>
<p>The countries where Peace Corps has volunteers are rich with new and exciting things to see and learn about…and my kid said 27 months was NOT enough time to do everything in HER country which is about the size of Delaware.</p>
<p>It’s hardly the same as going abroad, no traveling and only 1 day off a month??? >></p>
<p>Who told you this?</p>
<p>DD took several trips during her assignment, as well as travel to the regular get togethers the office set up for the in-country volunteers. As Thumper said, they get personal days and vacation time. She met a vice president, a secretary of state and several other VIPs while serving. She came home for two weeks after 18 months of service and traveled for more than a month after finishing her service, in addition to spending 3 weeks in Greece with an undergrad professor who was there with a student group one summer. Travel was not the thing she was deprived of by any means.</p>
<p>Sorry for not responded more promptly. Thank you for the information, my limited reading of the PC web site made me think he wouldn’t be able to move from his post, and I was so concerned that he wouldn’t be happy living like that. He would backpack around the world if he thought he could. How do they have access to money? I would imagine he would be in a place where there was no bank? Do you wire money as needed?</p>
<p>NO…you do not wire money to Peace Corps Volunteers. They are given a living stipend by the Peace Corps each month that covers their costs to live like the locals. In my daughter’s case, she got a stipend that covered food, her housekeeper (which was considered standard in her village for her…and which also helped a villager and the local economy), in country travel (they do need to get around). My kiddos school paid for her rent, and she had no utilities…but these would be included in the stipend if the PCV was going to be paying for them.</p>
<p>My kid also got a “location” allowance just before moving to her site to purchase things she would need at her village home (furniture, kerosene stove, short wave radio, for example).</p>
<p>Our kiddo did take some money with her which was locked in the Peace Corps safe at the Peace Corps compound in country…along with her credit card.</p>
<p>My kid said the stipend was more than enough to cover her living costs. Remember, they are living like a villager in the village, not like an American on vacation!</p>
<p>We visited our kid midway through her service and did leave a couple hundred dollars more with her. We also had a relative visit her the last year of service, and that relative took a new credit card (long story…but it was needed), as well as some more cash. This money was used for DD’s post PC trip but DD said she really had enough money saved for the trip without our contributions. PC gives the equivalent of a plane ticket home, plus a relocation stipend at the end of service.</p>
<p>Your kiddo will learn to live within his means…it’s not hard to do! It won’t be lavish, but it will be fine.</p>
<p>I am more worried about the living conditions than money issues. Such as portable water, electricity, deceases, health care, security, crime prevention…etc. I am sure PC will take care the living expenses, where the other elements are very dicey in remote areas of Central Africa, in countries like Guinea, CA Republic, Gabon and Congo.</p>