My son is entering a Peace Corp Masters International program, it involves masters degree course work and two years in the Peace Corp. I’d love to hear about your Peace Corps experiences, good and bad. Thanks!
I was going to post a link (Peace Corps tragedy in Tanzania this week) but decided against it. I am sure it must be very nerve-wracking to have your son go off to a less developed country where everyday life can be more dangerous. I hope he has a very safe and rewarding experience.
My S1’s college roommate did a stint in Panama and had a very good experience.
My daughter is a current PCV who has lived in Peru for the past 20 months; she also is a part of the Masters International program and will return to school in January for her final semester. It has been an amazing experience for her with much personal growth along the way. Her patience has been tested, her self-confidence has grown exponentially, and I am envious of her problem-solving skills. Furthermore, her perception of what is a problem has shifted. She doesn’t sweat the small stuff. She has learned to do with much less materially and more fully appreciates the value of relationships. We were able to visit her at her site this past winter; observing her capability in a foreign setting did much to allay most concerns that I had kept to myself. Feel free to pm me if you have specific questions.
Madison85, thank you for your good wishes! I looked up the incident you referred to in Tanzania, yes, indeed it was a great tragedy. However, I don’t think a less developed country is inherently more dangerous than here, unless you’re in an area of armed conflict and I understand (fingers crossed) that the Peace Corps assiduously avoids those areas. Unfortunately, tragic accidents can happen anywhere, that’s enough to keep every parent awake at night.
hoosiermom, wonderful information! Your daughter’s experience is exactly the outcome I’m hoping for for my son. I’m less concerned for his physical safety and more anxious that the experience will be positive and transformative. Thanks so much, I probably will pm as the time gets nearer and the questions more specific.
Friends DD had a great experience in Madagascar, and sons friend also got so much from his time in Africa , tho I have to look up the country.
My DD is a returned PCV. She had a fabulous experience in Reanda as an education volunteer in a very rural village. To be honest, I never worried about her we’ll bring or safety while she was there.
I sent you a PM.
My daughter did Masters International and was stationed in Georgia. She lived in one house with no indoor toilet and one house with no shower. There was no central heat or a/c or fans in either. I was never worried about her safety and the Peace Corps doctors took excellent care of a couple of volunteers who has some health issues while there. After finishing her masters, she moved to Turkey and has been there three years. One of her first roommates in Turkey hated it and left after a couple of week. DD said she had a toilet and she had heat so life was great. No more water bottles freezing in her bedroom like she had in Georgia.
D has two friends who were recently evacuated/program cancelled in Guinea due to Ebola. One was just starting service and went to another country. The other who had been in about a year chose to end service.
H and I met in PC in Botswana (southern Africa) in the mid 80’s. Overall it was a good, but very intense, experience. An experience I’m glad I had, but not sure if I would recommend to my own kids. Full of ups and downs. Mental toughness is a great asset. I think the biggest change is that communication is much easier now since many volunteers have cell phones and internet access.
Fwiw
http://fpcv.org/fallen-pcvs/ is a list of volunteers who died in service. I was able to find the 3 people from my region who died back then–from rabies/murder/suicide. (The murder of this particular volunteer made a lasting impact on me, even now.) A lot of deaths were from motor vehicle accidents, which can happen anywhere. However, most PCVs are not allowed to drive because the driving conditions do tend to be a lot more dangerous.
The experience depends so much on the country and the assignment within the country. I was teaching English at a junior high, and my job and living situation were fairly easy compared to some jobs/places. Bad things: I was hospitalized for a few days with dysentery. And I got bit by a dog (everyone got rabies shots in training, but I had to get more shots). And I was harassed by men (common for female volunteers. . .) Good things–many, many amazing, unusual, beautiful, memorable experiences. So many stories. . . ( I recall being reprimanded for telling outdated PC stories on CC in the past, so I will say no more!) Best wishes to your son!
When our daughter received her placement a little over two years ago I found it reassuring that it was in a country that was never in the news. Well, during her stay there has been an influx of refugees from a neighboring country because of ethnic and sectarian violence as well as incursions by terrorists from another neighboring country. Because of the second she had to be reposted. However, she never felt unsafe during that first posting and was sad for all of the friends she left behind. Her health has been good (knock on wood-she has six months left), but she knows two volunteers who had to be medevaced out of the country because of intractable intestinal illnesses. Both, however, returned to service. Professionally, she has grown so much and has quantifiable accomplishments to her credit. She has begun applying for post-PC jobs and emailed me one position she is interested in which requires at least one year
of living in a developing country and proficiency in her Peace Corps language. She is “leaning in” every chance she gets, whether by public speaking, writing, representing her country in a regional training, or sitting on a committee. She knows other volunteers who’ve accomplished as much or more than she has as well as those who’ve been frustrated in their work. She attributes a lot of her success to having great local partners. I think the personal attributes that have served her best are an outgoing, generally optimistic (without being Polllyanaish) personality.
Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences. What you’ve said reenforces what I’ve read elsewhere: volunteers’ outcomes can vary greatly depending on the placement, the good will of the locals, and ultimately, the volunteer. Luck also plays a large role. I’m struck by the majority of you that have related positive overall experiences, even after difficult situations have arisen. I personally would never have been able to undertake such a difficult task, but have great admiration for those of you who have, or have children who have. The fact that my own kid is embarking on this journey has me feeling a vast array of competing emotions, but I’m not telling him that.
Go visit his country halfway through his service. We went to Rwanda to see our PCV, and it was a terrific experience. Like others have said…so much variation. My kid was in a very rural village that embraced her as a member of their community. With cell phones and internet, she is able to keep in touch with them still. She says…a piece of her heart will always be there.
My son (recent grad) is leaving for Rwanda Peace Corps tomorrow (hello thumper1 ! ). A bit of a basket case right now on the inside, but happy face on the outside. He decided against Master’s International for some reason but has already been accepted to some top Global Health Masters Programs. The Universities are letting him defer for 2 years. I am holding on for the roller coaster ride of the next 2+ years. We have been to Rwanda when he was 15 to hike with the Gorillas - but a whole different type of experience than that awaits him. Thumper1- I may contact you for info and words of wisdom and reason.
Oh and I love hearing the good Peace Corps stories right now and bury my head in the sand when I see the bad!
Absolutely. My DD is living with us right now. I’m sure if I pass on any questions, she would be glad to answer. What kind of volunteer is he (education, I would guess).
Once he is in country, he gets a price break on the gorillas! He will likely go again. My kid went several times.
The hardest part is the language training, but Peace Corps does an excellent job with this. The local facilitators are awesome! Kinyarwanda is a tough language but my kid got it…and the people in her village really helped her…a lot.
Please feel free to PM me!
tennismom, oh my gosh, tomorrow, wow! Good luck to your son and to you, I’m so happy that you and thumper1 have connected.