Peace Corps?

[Oxilon]

Anybody here on Redszone been a member of the Peace Corps?

I only ask because I'm seriously considering entering it. I just graduated from college with a BBA in Accounting and I really haven't sniffed any jobs. Additionally, I kind of came to the resolution in my senior year that I really don't want to be an accountant for the rest of my life. Instead, I'm thinking about looking at going to graduate school for public policy or foreign policy or entering law school. However, in the mean time, I'm considering the Peace Corps and was wondering if anybody had any stories. And on a side note, does anybody know if religion plays a significant role while being in the Peace Corps?

[Yachtzee]

Anybody here on Redszone been a member of the Peace Corps?

I only ask because I'm seriously considering entering it. I just graduated from college with a BBA in Accounting and I really haven't sniffed any jobs. Additionally, I kind of came to the resolution in my senior year that I really don't want to be an accountant for the rest of my life. Instead, I'm thinking about looking at going to graduate school for public policy or foreign policy or entering law school. However, in the mean time, I'm considering the Peace Corps and was wondering if anybody had any stories. And on a side note, does anybody know if religion plays a significant role while being in the Peace Corps?

I was never in the Peace Corps, but I've known people who have done it. I don't know if religion is involved, but I don't think so. Those I know who've done it weren't known to be particularly religions. It's a bit different than if you were to work as part of a mission through a church.

I would say that one thing you should really do if you do decide to join is to seriously bone up on the local customs and culture of the area you are going to beforehand and make sure you pay close attention to those customs while there. A friend of my wife's was sent to a Central Asian country with very strict customs regarding the interaction of men and women. She was put up in the home of a family which held those customs very dear. Without thinking about it or even asking the family, she invited a male corps volunteer over to sleep on her floor when he missed the last bus to the town where he was staying. As unmarried men and women were strictly prohibited from sharing a room, this greatly upset the family and caused them shame in their community. Needless to say, my wife's friend was sent home shortly thereafter.

[SunDeck]

The Peace Corps is not religious- it's the US government. I've had three friends do it and all of them felt it was worth it.

[Hoosier Red]

A friend of my wife's did it after he got his MBA, his assignment was in St. Marks working out micro lending for some of the locals.

He loved it. And not only because he was in the Caribean.

[BillDoran]

I pursued the Peace Corps before ultimately deciding on grad school myself. After talking with a great deal of returnees, my understanding is that it will be what you make of it.

Most returnees say they were shocked to find out how little structure they had in their assignment and that they were left to make of it what they could.

Two stories I was told included a fellow being taught the wrong African dialect only to find out once he had been sent to his site. Another female was to teach local youths on computer only to discover there were no computers in the community. In both cases the volunteer eventually persevered and had enjoyable experiences.

Ultimately, I think it's an incredibly attractive opportunity to experience another culture, but I don't think it's for just any type of person. I believe if you're easily deterred than perhaps it's not for you. But entering with an understanding that you will be challenged regularly and that you are solely responsible for your experience can make for a life affirming experience. I, personally, plan to consider it again in the near future.

[oneupper]

A friend of my wife's did it after he got his MBA, his assignment was in St. Marks working out micro lending for some of the locals.

He loved it. And not only because he was in the Caribean.

Where is St Marks? I know the Caribbean pretty well. Never heard of that one.

[ochre]

There is a St. Mark parish in Grenada. Maybe that's it?

[JaxRed]

Do they still have that AmeriCorps in case you wanted to stay in US?

[Hoosier Red]

Where is St Marks? I know the Caribbean pretty well. Never heard of that one.

Good question, I had thought it was it's own island. But perhaps it was a part of Grenada.

[redsmetz]

Do they still have that AmeriCorps in case you wanted to stay in US?

AmeriCorps was renewed and, I believe, expanded. Not sure where your question viz religious affiliation is coming from. As others noted, Peace Corps is a federal program and therefore non-sectarian. Both of my daughters did Jesuit Volunteer Corps following college and there are quite a number of groups like that (Mercy Corps, Marianist Volunteers, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Lutheran Volunteer Corps, etc.). My older daughter did JVC in DC and the other did her year in Atlanta. In both cases, they lived in a house with other JVC volunteers and received a stipend for their work with whatever agency they were with. My older daughter then returned to Cincinnati and did a year with Public Allies funded which gave her an AmeriCorp grant to go against future college tuition or paying against student loans. My younger daughter's JVC year had a half AmeriCorps grant from her JVC placement which she used for her first semester of grad school.

[Redsfan320]

There's no Wikipedia entry on a St. Marks in the Caribbean, so it must be spelled incorrectly or a very small place.

320

[Rojo]

Maybe it's St. Bart's?