Sunday, May 3, 2009

Thinking of Joining Peace Corps?



Couple weeks ago, I've attended Peace Corps Seminar. The recruiter discussed what is like to be a peace corps volunteer. To be honest, it was pretty good meeting. She was very funny, and said that without her stubbornness she would not have lasted 2 years (time you have to serve) in the foreign country. While abroad, you receive monthly wage of about 300$ (that what she said:)), which is similar to what a professionals get in that particular country. 300 bucks sounds like nothing spectacular, but the living is usually cheap, and she told us that for 2 years not even once, she paid from her own pocket. When you return home, Peace Corps will give you around $6000.00 for fresh start. You will be in touch with former peace corps volunteers. Federal gov't will give you little privileges while applying for employment in the government. Thinking of master schools? After volunteering, you would be able to apply for tons of scholarships/ fellowships etc.

Here are some facts about volunteering in PC:
Each year over 12,000 applications are received for approximately 4000 Volunteer positions
Take at least a year of French (in case you'll go to African states) or two years of Spanish (Latin America off course). The ability to learn a new language is an important ingredient in a successful Peace Corps experience. Currently, there is much greater need for French speakers than for Spanish speakers
The more skills and experience you can gain, the more competitive you will be.

Fore more info:
Visit peacecorps.gov

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