The only guide that tells potential Peace Corps volunteers what to expect, through firsthand advice from recent volunteers. Containing the latest information and resources on Peace Corps programs, this is an essential reference for anyone contemplating the toughest job they'll ever love.
DILLON BANERJEE served as an agroforestry volunteer in the Peace Corps from 1994 to 1996 in Belo, Cameroon. He currently works as a U.S. diplomat in Lisbon, Portugal, where he is the director of the American Embassy's International Trade program.
THE AUTHOR SCOOP
Read any good books lately?
I was on a roll a while back with books like Blindness, Bel Canto, Life of Pi, Perfume, and The Road. I just started The Friends of the Earth by T.C. Boyle and am hopeful.
What was the hardest thing about writing a book?
Having it edited. After laboring for endless hours over the manuscript, my initial reaction to recommended changes was usually denial. Nothing could be changed because it was so obviously perfect. Between my wife and the top-notch editors at Ten Speed, however, I came to accept that too many cooks can't spoil the broth when it comes to polishing a book manuscript. Revisions usually translate to improvements.
What's the first concert you ever attended?
Tenth grade, Siouxsie and the Banshees at Warner Theater in Washington, DC. I had my black jeans, black sneakers, and black concert-T on, but felt like a preppie as I watched grown men in ballroom gowns scaling the stage speakers and jumping into the crowd below.
Know any good jokes?
My five-year-old son loves to tell this knock-knock joke:
Knock knock
Who's there?
Nobody.
Nobody who?
…(silence)…
Don't know why, but it still kind of cracks me up.
What's the farthest you've ever traveled?
My second assignment in the Foreign Service was to Moscow, Russia, where I served as a Commercial Officer at the Embassy for two years. About halfway through my tour, I was asked to lead a business delegation to the capital city in Siberia – Novosibirsk. Russia is an enormous country with 11 time zones; it's shorter to fly from Moscow to Boston than Moscow to Vladivostok (in the far east). My flight to Novosibirsk carried me over vast expanses of nothingness, and when I landed, I spammed friends and family in the States with SMS's just to tell them that I was in Siberia. In truth, Novosibirsk is a nice town with over a million people, replete with a metro system, opera house, cafes, university, and a huge manmade lake (the Ob Sea). Still, it felt way off the beaten path.
Contents
Acknowledgments i
Peace Corps Acronyms x
Preface 1
I. Pre-Application Jitters
1. What is the application process like? How long does it take? 4
2. Am I qualified to join the Peace Corps? 9
3. What if I'm married and we both want to join? 11
4. Can I serve in the Peace Corps with my boyfriend or girlfriend? 13
5. What will my Peace Corps experience be like if I'm an "older" volunteer? 14
6. What will my Peace Corps experience be like if I'm gay? 16
7. What will my Peace Corps experience be like if I'm a minority? 18
8. Will the two years go by quickly or slowly? 20
9. Will I be lonely? 22
10. What will I miss the most? 24
II. How to Pack for a Two-Year Trip
11. What should I bring? 26
12. Can I really pack only eighty pounds to take with me? 30
13. What kinds of games and toys should I bring? 32
14. How many books should I bring? 33
15. What about the water? Will I need a purifier? 34
16. Can I bring my pet overseas with me? 36
III. Peace Corps Training—Learning the Ropes
17. What is training like? 38
18. How hard will it be to learn the language? What language(s) will I learn? 41
19. Will I have enough technical training to do my job? 43
IV. Managing Your Money
20. How will I get paid? Where will I keep my money? 46
21. Will I have enough money? Should I bring extra money with me? 48
V. Living Like the Locals
22. Will I live in a mud hut? Will I have electricity or running water? 52
23. How will I wash my clothes? Do my dishes? Clean my house? 55
24. What is the food like? 57
25. What if I'm a vegetarian? 58
26. Can I buy or adopt a pet overseas? 60
27. How will my neighbors and colleagues view me? 61
28. How will I travel around my work area? 63
VI. Common Medical and Safety Concerns
29. Will I get sick? 66
30. Will I get worms? 68
31. Will I lose weight? Gain weight? 70
32. What medical services will be available to me? 71
33. What if I become too sick to reach help? 74
34. What if I get pregnant or impregnate someone while I'm in the Peace Corps? 75
35. Is AIDS a big concern for Peace Corps volunteers? 77
36. What if there is a crisis and I have to be evacuated from my post? 79
37. Do local police and government officials harass volunteers? 80
38. Is sexual harassment a problem for female volunteers? 81
VII. Staying in Touch with Home
39. How will I receive mail in the Peace Corps? 84
40. Will people be able to send me things through the embassy's diplomatic mail pouch? 88
41. Can I get magazine subscriptions sent to me? 89
42. Will I be able to call the States? 90
VIII. Peace Corps Gadgets and Technology
43. Will I have access to the Internet? 94
44. Should I bring my laptop? 96
45. Will I be able to use a cell phone in the field? 98
46. Should I bring a digital camera? GPS unit? MP3 player? 100
47. Do I need a shortwave radio? 102
IX. The Social Scene
48. How close will I live to another volunteer? 104
49. How often will I see other volunteers? 106
50. What is the drug and alcohol situation like? 108
51. What is the dating scene like in the Peace Corps? 110
52. What happens if I want to marry a host country national? 112
X. The Toughest Job You'll Ever Love?
53. What is the work schedule like? 114
54. How much supervision is there for volunteers in the field? 115
55. Will I work with other international development agencies while I'm overseas? 117
56. Is the Peace Corps effective as a development agency? 119
57. What are some common criticisms of the Peace Corps? 121
XI. Rules to Live By—Peace Corps Policy
58. Will I be able to have friends and family visit from the States? 124
59. How often do volunteers quit before their two years are over? 126
60. What is the procedure for quitting early? 129
61. Can I get kicked out of the Peace Corps? 131
62. How many volunteers extend their service beyond the first two years? 133
63. Will I be overseas for the whole two years or can I come home in between? 135
64. Can I transfer programs if I don't like what I'm doing? 136
65. Can I transfer countries if I don't like where I am? 138
66. Will I have access to embassy, commissary, and American Club services? 139
XII. Traveling Like a Pro
67. Will I have the opportunity to travel much during my two years as a volunteer? 142
68. Can I travel to other countries after my Peace Corps service is over? 144
69. Will I be issued a diplomatic passport? 146
XIII. Post–Peace Corps
70. How hard is readjusting to life back in the States? 148
71. Does the Peace Corps look good on a resume? Will it help me get into graduate school? 151
72. What is "noncompetitive eligibility" and what can it do for me? 153
73. Can I bring my Peace Corps pet back to the States with me? 154
74. Would you go back and do the Peace Corps all over again? 155
Appendices
A. Peace Corps General Facts 158
B. Peace Corps Country Map 159
C. Peace Corps Programs Overview 160
D. Medical Information for Applicants 163
E. Peace Corps Master's International Program 166
F. Peace Corps Regional Offices 169
G. Peace Corps Information Online 171
H. Vegetarian Questionnaire 173
I. Romantic Involvement Worksheet 175
J. Joining Peace Corps as a Couple 176
K. Volunteering at Age 50+ 177
Index 179
About the Author 182