A little Venting
August 24th, 2006 by JessPon.Well let me say, nobody knows this yet, but I still have yet to tell my dad about the Peace Corps. He is going to FLIP out and give me a big lecture about how I’m making the worse decision on my life, blah, blah, blah anyone else experience this?
What my dad wants is for me to accept the offer I have from the government (I was offered a position with the government after graduation, it’s a 50K position, which is real good money in Oklahoma).
Honestly I had my own lapse where I thought I SHOULD accept the position. I mean it will pay my grad school, I’d have GREAT benefits and in a few years I would be eligible for an international job so travel would still be an option.
But, it’s still not the Peace Corps.
While an overseas job would be a dream, I still think I really want the Peace Corps Experience.
The Peace Corps is a journey I think nothing can compare to.
September 1st, 2006 at 10:13 am
You are absolutely making the right decision. I know when I joined, my mom was like “you are going to die.” I didn’t, and I had an amazing experience. Good luck!
September 5th, 2006 at 11:10 am
Tel me about your Peace Corps experience, when did you go? Where did you go? What did you do? What was it like? Did you join after college, or after a career? Anything you have to tell, I am very interested to learn more…
September 9th, 2006 at 10:53 am
I started the process right after I graduated college, deciding that’s what I wanted to do once I graduated. I finally was sent to Guyana, South America after almost 2 years of paperwork and waiting. I left for Guyana early June of 2003.
Peace Corps is an administrative mess, from beginning to end. The program, or at least my experience with it, was messy. I had nothing to do with the project they said I would be working on, I had no idea how many people were going until I got to staging in Miami, I didn’t have a lot of contact info to give friends and family, so it was kind of odd. I knew next to nothing of what I’d be doing.
But that was ok. I was in it because it would be difficult and different, and it definitely was. I ended up in the capitol city of Georgetown working with the World Wildlife Fund doing IT and Communications related work. On the side I did a number of secondary projects, everything from web design to eco-conservation outreach. I loved it.
I came back in July of 2005. I miss Peace Corps tremendously and talk about it constantly. I moved to Washington, DC when I came back and a number of people I served with came as well. There is a strong community here for returned volunteers. Peace Corps was amazing.
October 15th, 2006 at 4:57 pm
YAY!! Thank you for sharing that. Everything I hear about experience people had keeps my Peace Corps passion burning while I wait for my inviation.
2 years?? What was happening with your paper work?
Well, it make my 3 month wait seem much shorter, thanks.
October 22nd, 2006 at 2:26 pm
I returned from the peace corps a few a little more than a year ago and I just want you to know that it has been nothing but good for my career. It brings you great problem solving skills and it is great for a resume’ and application to graduate school. Furthermore, tell your dad that it was ranked 38th in the 50 best places to start a career, by business week magazine (http://bwnt.businessweek.com/bplc/2006/index.asp). It helped me get a great job and get back to graduate school.
March 4th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
My parents did not udnerstand why I would spend two years of my life in a developing nations.
Wel I talked to each of them separatly about it, and low and be hold it work. My mom was still and is worried, but my dad i very excited..he already is planning his vacation time at work as to when he can visit me. Explain that you will have heath/dental benfits. Its great international work experience (a must now days!) and you get the federal non eligablity for one year after your service.
I amheading out to south-central asia in june.