If you already know what Peace Corps is or if you understand the logic behind why someone would choose to throw the deuces and head to Panama for 2 years after college, you probably don't need to read this. If you think I'm crazy, you can read on. (I mean, I still might be a LIL bit crazy, just saying.)
These are the questions that people in my family ask me ALL. THE. TIME. So now I'm gonna put all the answers in one place.
1) Ain't you goin' somewhere? Where you goin'?
Panama
2) When you leavin'?
February 19th, 2013
3) How long you gon' be over there?
2 years
4) That's a long time, ain't it?
Well, I guess. Doesn't seem that long to me. (What I mean is, 2 years to try and get something done in the development world is really not that long.)
5) What you gon' be doin' over there?
Teaching English. (follow-up: You teachin' people who don't speak English? Yes. You teachin' kids? Yes.)
That's the Cliff-Notes version. Teaching English is what's called my 'primary assignment,' aka, what I've technically been invited by the Peace Corps to do as a volunteer. I'll be teaching in a school, but I'm only required to do so part-time. The idea is that I'll also take on side projects, maybe give conferences or teach literacy to adults after school or create afterschool programs for kids--you never really know until you're placed in site.
6) How much do they pay you?
Ok, here's the good question. This is the question that bothers me the most. In the minds of my family, if I'm not going to grad school or something, I'm supposed to be working a well-paying job. (I'm in a first-generation college grad type situation.) Spoiler alert: Nobody does Peace Corps for the money. I went through a year-plus long application process with essays, recommendations, two interviews, medical checks, blood tests, dental exams, legal checks, and finally got placed and invited to Panama (jackpot!) and I am mad excited about it. (That's another question people ask me: Well, are you excited? Duh. I've wanted to do this since my freshman year of college.) If it helps you to rationalize it, think of Peace Corps as my grad school. I'm not doing Peace Corps JUST as a stepping stone to a career, but it does fit really well into my idea of what I want to do with the rest of my life. I'd like to either go into international development work or go into the US Foreign Service--both of which make sense for someone coming out of the Peace Corps. BUT my pet peeve is when my mom goes "Oh, but it'll probably look good on a resume." You can't discount two years of my life as simply 'looking good on a resume'! It's too much to sacrifice just to have something to talk about in a job interview.
Oh, but to answer the question, technically I'm a 'Volunteer.' Peace Corps does pay for my flight to and from Panama at the beginning and end of my service, and they pay my living expenses, cover me medically for the duration of my service, give me a living stipend, and give me a readjustment allowance when I come back to the States. I won't be living like a queen (that's not the idea), but I won't be starving, don't worry!
7) Do you get vacation time? Will you get to come home?
Yes, I get vacation time (see the links below). If want to fly home in the middle of my service, though, I'll have to pay for my own plane ticket. I can have visitors. Ebony's coming to visit me. (Yay!)
8) A question that NOBODY EVER ASKS ME: What is the Peace Corps?
Nobody ever asks me this. . .I don't know why, because I'm sure most people in my family had not heard of the Peace Corps before I said I was entering PC. Well, to answer the UNASKED question, Peace Corps is an international development organization founded by President Kennedy in the 60s. Peace Corps sends volunteers on 2 year assignments to various countries around the world to. . . .teach, build latrines, promote public health initiatives, develop businesses, do IT work. . .a buncha things.
I'm posting a link below to the Peace Corps website and to some of the Peace Corps FAQs and explanation of benefits, blah, blah, blah. If you still think I'm crazy, that's cool, I'm just throwing up my hands on this one, but if you want to find out more, click away. Still have questions? Ask in the comments.
--Aja
Peace Corps Website
Family and Friends (page on PC Website)
They kinda pump up bein a PC volunteer, like I'm altruistic or something. . .ignore that part.
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