has anyone here ever joined the Peace Corps?

[Blue_Tires]

I've been thinking of making some big changes in my life, and I've been thinking about joining....I've been reading the expose in the Dayton Daily News about some of the dangers to volunteers (including an apothetic, indifferent bureaucracy), and I saw the NBC Dateline piece about the volunteer that got murdered...Anyone here have pros or cons or other advice??

thanks in advance

[Blue_Tires]

1. ttt n/t

[Left_Winger]

2. I tried once but was turned down

The reason given to me was this:

Q: "What experience(s) have you had in multi-cultural environments?"
My answer: "The US military and the SC public school system." (I was and still am a teacher.)

The interviewer stated (quite arrogantly) that the Peace Corps did not think that former military people made good representatives of the US. This angered me slightly as they did not even give me the opportunity to demonstrate who I was a person and how my experiences would be useful. The fact that I have spent quite a lot of time in developing countries and making do without running water, electricity and such accounted for nothing (these are things about which Peace Corps volunteers are informed and asked if they could endure). They just seemed to have a prejudiced image of people who had served in the military. BTW, not everyone in the military, or who has served, is a RW nutcase. In case you are wondering "why did you serve?" I was raised with the belief that everyone owed something to their country, so I joined the Marines for the GI Bill, to see if I were strong enough to make it and to give something to my country.

I served back in the '70s and when Carter was President my unit was assigned to a Filipino village to construct a town hall (well, a multi-purpose building) in a remote part of Luzon for two weeks. We also dug a well and installed a pump system for clean drinking water. The Peace Corps did not want to hear any of this. During this assignment my unit lived in the village alongside the people we were helping, something very similar to what Peace Corps volunteers do; still, it accounted for nothing.

That interview left me with the impression that the people who interviewed me were very sanctimonious and prejudiced. Oh well, such is life. I continue to be a SC public school teacher and will retire in a few years. I guess I can be content that I have given most of my life giving back to my community and trying to help others.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. I am really sorry to hear that they turned you down for that reason.

That's very unfortunate and illogical to boot.

[Left_Winger]

4. Thank you for your understanding

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. You know, you do have a lot to offer a program like that, Maybe someone

other than the peace corps would take you? (I am thinking missionaries or some other charitable group.)

[Left_Winger]

6. After retirement...

I was thinking of trying to find work (even as a volunteer) with an organization which works with the location and removal of land mines. Once again, a skill I learned in the Marines.

On edit: I belong to Veterans for Peace and have also given much thought to volunteering with their efforts in Vietnam.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Sounds like a good plan. I hope you find the right place to be of the

most help you can. :hug:

[Left_Winger]

9. Once again, thank you for your support

:hi:

[Blue_Tires]

13. very sad

sorry to see you were put through this

[Left_Winger]

15. Maybe it was just the people I encountered

I'm sure there are many good people in the Peace Corps.

[MountainLaurel]

17. One semi-legitimate reason

They might have had: The issue of CIA operatives (who generally have a miliary background) joining NGOs like the Peace Corps to spy on the native populace and to try to foment unrest in furtherance of U.S. policy. The entire Peace Corps mission is destroyed if the native government cannot trust nonprofits working within their borders.

As an example, consider U.S. activities in "charities" in 1950s Vietnam.

[tallahasseedem]

7. One of my close friends was in it...

went to Palau for about a year, said it was the best experience of her life. She is now a social worker.

[WCGreen]

10. Someone must have.......

There are a lot of people in there aren't there?

[JimmyJazz]

11. Taverner was in the Peace Corps.

He's the only DUer I can name, but I'm sure there are others.

[LynneSin]

12. I still have an application almost filled but not submitted

And when our group relocated to Newark there's a billboard for Peace Corp everytime I drive home from work I see it.

The only thing that is holding me back now - who would take care of Abbott & Evita (my cats)

[JohnnyBoots]

14. Just did a year with AmeriCorps if you have any

questions there. As for Peacecore I have no Idea. Whatever you decide , good luck.

[Blue_Tires]

16. ttt one last time