Serving America overseas - Ask us about the Peace Corps!

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Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Did anyone go to the Pacific Islands?? If so, can you tell me about your experience? I'm slated to go there in Sept.

# ¿ Oct 19, 2009 07:04

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 07:15

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Can anyone tell me about training? DO you go to DC for a certain amount of training or is it done at your local station?

# ¿ Oct 24, 2009 05:07

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Here's my question.

I was nominated for service in August, for Pacific Islands Sept. 2010. This is a long time from now, and I could and would leave tomorrow if they told me I could. So, i'm asking if ya'll know of any way I could leave sooner, what channels I could go through in order to get my medical clearance a priority and maybe get a placement officer with my sooner.

# ¿ Dec 4, 2009 08:39

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

CronoGamer posted:

Only thing you can do is make sure that medical check gets through ASAP, get all the forms in and everything, and then badger your placement desk. Send them an email letting them know how excited you are to get going and how you're free to go as soon as they need you.

Unfortunately, I'd guess you won't have much luck. I don't think they have too many posts in the South Pacific, and they're probably got their staging/PST schedules pretty set in stone. Unless you feel like switching to a different region or different assignment, you'll probably have to wait until September or thereabouts.

Yeah, all my paperwork for medical is in, i've cleared dental...and they're saying the only peoples medical they're processing are people leaving in the next 4 months.

Yeah, I know i'd probably have to sacrifice the Pacific islands if I requested a sooner post. For sure i'd be a gamble all over again if I requested something sooner. & I find it hard to give up the pacific islands...haha

# ¿ Dec 4, 2009 08:59

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

I just got this under mytoolkit

HOLD. All nominees have a medical hold while they are under review. No further action from you is required, unless the Office of Medical Services contacts you to request additional information.

SO this is a good thing right? Meaning they are actually reviewing my medical documentation right now?

# ¿ Dec 10, 2009 00:40

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Omits-Bagels posted:

Yeah. Everything is normal. They are just looking over your medical junk.

Bout time! They passed my dental like the day after they got my packet. How long it it take them from the day they put your packet on hold till medical clearance?

# ¿ Dec 10, 2009 02:44

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Cojawfee posted:

Is there something about the peace corps that makes you untrustworthy to the military? Earlier in the year I was at MEPS to pick jobs in the Air Force and I noticed that some of the jobs I could choose very clearly stated that anyone who has been in the peace corps could not apply for them.

Those jobs were military intel no?

# ¿ Dec 22, 2009 20:24

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Any of you guys currently in wanna share your living spaces with us? I'm curious how you guys live.

# ¿ Jan 13, 2010 22:48

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Your blog makes it pretty apparent you standards of living are much much higher than other locations. Also, you seem to be surrounded my lots & lots of westerners.

# ¿ Jan 14, 2010 23:03

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

T-Rex Money posted:

There are definitely some very poor people in the area, some of the kids I work with and live a few houses away do not have a shower in their house and have to use a public "bath house", and some people down the road live in 10' x 10' shacks made from tin roof sheets. But there are also huge mansions on other parts of the island. Peace Corps really does make sure we live at the same economic level as the average local though.

Because the standards of living are higher for us, we sometimes get the feeling that other volunteers in "typical" peace corps settings look down on us because we don't have the struggles that they do. We just struggle in different ways. The standard of living here is kind of high, but we aren't able to indulge in a lot of it because of our low living allowance. Thousands of tourists come through every week from cruise ships, and they have money to spend which makes a lot of prices higher than we can afford. Practically everyone on the island has cars except for us, which makes getting places difficult. There are countless things like this which creates our "hardships".

A lot of my social time is spent with other volunteers, which of course is not always a good thing. I've had a difficult time making friends with locals, as have other volunteers in my group. Many of the volunteers that have been here over a year now still have very few close local friends. I'm working on it though, and am slowly making friends. Our island is so small that I could get to any other volunteers house within 45 minutes, and some of them within 15. This is great for a support system, but bad for integrating.

Yeah I hear ya, definitely pros and cons and no matter where you are - there will be hardships. Chances are I'll be in either Tonga or Vanuatu and I have really no clue what conditions will be like.

# ¿ Jan 15, 2010 10:10

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

RagnarokAngel posted:

Finally got to send my application in (Getting reference from my former places of employment was a nightmare, they were either out of work on sick leave or moved to other jobs) now I wait for an interview. Anything I should know? Even "obvious" stuff like dress, I've never had a real interview before, just bum jobs like gas station worker and stuff.

http://www.peacecorpswiki.com/Interview_Questions

Those are the questions they will ask you, as said above me, word for word.

I did my interview at the regional Los Angeles office and I wore a suit and a tie. Then again, I wear a suit and a die for every interview I go to and I recommend you do the same.

# ¿ Jan 19, 2010 07:18

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

So I've got everything in and I'm just now waiting for my invitation. I'm kind of nervous as in the email acknowledging my placement process it says that there are typically 2 nominees competing for every invitation. So what are the chances that i
we spent all this time waiting to go to the peace corps then to suddenly be told "sorry, try again?" I think i'd lose it.

# ¿ Feb 20, 2010 01:37

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

T-Rex Money posted:

That happened to me. I was originally nominated to leave in January 2009, but December 2008 I got a call from my placement officer explaining that my nomination was pushed back until August 2009 (when I actually did leave). I think the other person who shared my original nomination was just offered a spot before I did. I was initially pretty upset with it because it meant I had to find another job to last through the summer as well as some other annoying things. Thankfully it's not "try again." it's "please wait longer."

So yes, it does happen. Just don't give up when it happens to you. The placement officer literally told me my options were to wait it out until August, or else drop out. I'm glad I chose to stay in.

Heh, if they push my date back another 6 months i'll have been in this process for about 2 years, gently caress that.

# ¿ Mar 4, 2010 23:56

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Miss Fats posted:

What is the money situation for PCVs? Pay?

http://www.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/policies/taxableallowances2008.pdf

It isn't 2010 but it hasn't changed all that much.

# ¿ Apr 1, 2010 00:59

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

I was nominated for the pac islands back in august and invites are supposedly coming in this month or next. What do you think the chances of getting passed over are? Ive been waiting so long i'd be devastated if I didn't get an invite for sept. Just waiting for that blue folder... hopefully i'll get seniority or something for waiting so long

# ¿ May 27, 2010 04:37

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Strunk posted:

Although I've desperately been trying to avoid it, the Peace Corp may be a necessity to jump-start my career at this point. I'm interested in non-profit management coordination and I have degrees in Sustainable Development and Spanish. You might think this would make me a shoo-in for a number of positions, but this is proving not to be the case.

In terms of medical, how much of a red flag would it raise that I've broken my hand on three different occasions in fist fights?

Don't apply if this is your attitude. There are people who would give everything to become a PCV, don't take up their slots.

# ¿ Jul 9, 2010 02:50

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

I need to hear back from my placement officer by the last week in July for an invite... highly stressful wait. The moment of truth, been waiting for over a year now for this countdown D:

# ¿ Jul 11, 2010 19:11

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

News sources are only confirming one American casualty as of now, fuuuuuuuck

# ¿ Jul 12, 2010 03:15

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Got my invite today, small enterprise development in Vanuatu. Wow, its been almost a year and two months since I initially applied. This has been a long time coming and i'm glad the wait will be over on Sept 10th.

# ¿ Jul 21, 2010 08:39

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

yeah I hear ya, medical was the worst phase.

# ¿ Jul 25, 2010 11:39

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Anyone have any advice for staging? I was surprised that we have to wear business casual at orientation, slacks, dress shoes...I don't know how these clothes will ultimately fair in the South Pacific weather.

# ¿ Aug 11, 2010 01:55

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

RagnarokAngel posted:

I got mine almost immediatly but I live right outside of Boston so I'm very close to a recruitment center.

Washington DC? What does proximity to whatever recruitment center have to do with speed of nomination in the information age? Nominations for certain programs open up nation wide on a certain time and date, it is up to your recruiter to nominate you as soon as possible and get you a slot before the fill up.

# ¿ Aug 14, 2010 09:33

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Sheriff Man-Thong posted:

That's true but we're talking about receiving the vetting materials in the mail once we've been nominated - I got mine over a week ago and still haven't received any of the forms yet.

That's unsettling, I live on the west coast and nothing ever took more than a week to get here.

# ¿ Aug 15, 2010 20:14

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Gorko The Duck posted:

Just today I sent in my passport/visa stuff to the Peace Corps-aligned travel organization (hopefully everything was in there, don't want to jinx myself)

... & by Peace Corps-aligned travel organization you mean the peace corps office in their prepaid FedEx/UPS overnight mail folder correct? They receive the folder and pass it directly on to the State Department to process your passport and visa.

# ¿ Aug 20, 2010 09:10

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Gorko The Duck posted:

The instructions actually directed me to send the material to "Sato Travel" - a company which focuses on providing travel for government employees (including PCV). The provided UPS envelope even had their address on it, and every single form stressed sending it to Sato. At this point I am well aware of reading (and following) Peace Corps instructions.

It's been about almost a week with no contact from Peace Corps, but I've done everything I can up to this point (Resume/Aspiration Statement, sent in travel documents, filling out insurance stuff within the next few days). Just twiddling my thumbs and praying that I didn't zig when I should've zagged on the paperwork.

weird, guess its different for every program. Ya, i really hope i didn't screw up the passport app. I ooked over it like 4 times.

# ¿ Aug 22, 2010 21:31

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

I leave for orientation on thrusday. Any words of wisdom? I'm stressing the gently caress out.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2010 08:04

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Evil Adam posted:

It can't possibly go any worse for you than it did for the PCV that was just shot dead in Lesotho.

Yeah, I'm going to agree. That's horrible.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2010 18:14

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

No, but you can request up to another year if you have good reason for it.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2010 23:44

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Evil Adam posted:

Yes, you can. Some friends of mine from Madagascar just got to their new site in South Africa. Plenty of people go for a second time, though I don't know if I've heard of someone that's done it three or more.

Ah, I was told it was discouraged so others who hadn't experienced it got preference.

Also, weren't many Madagascar volunteers robbed of their two years due to the coup?

# ¿ Sep 7, 2010 02:31

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Rush Limbaugh #1! posted:

Actually, I was talking to someone who works at the main office in DC yesterday, and they said that they're having problems getting enough volunteers to fill groups. I guess it's bad enough that they're waiving language requirements for areas that traditionally have had them, like Latin America.

Yeah, they almost moved me from my original nomination and put me in Nicaragua ... and my Spanish is horrible at best.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2010 18:07

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Going to Los Angeles tomorrow and then straight of Vanuatu on Friday! It's been a loooooong wait.

# ¿ Sep 9, 2010 08:49

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Saint Celestine posted:

So I had my interview today, Apparently I qualify for community development, is that like the "you dont fit into anything else, here do this" field?

Also I think I messed up a part when she asked what major issues I would have being away from home for 27 months and I responded with "as long as I have phone or email contact" every few months, I dont see any problems. She seemed rather surprised and said it would raise flags if she forwarded my application.

Other then that, whats my chances of getting selected? 26 with a BS degree, speak two languages, been overseas, etc.

You didn't mess up man, i'm in one of the most remote countries on earth and peace corps gave us cell phones and it's free to call other volunteers on the "team talk" network. We also get decent coverage. I'm living on a remote side of an island named Malekula, it's a two and a half hour ride on a rugged road through the jungle in the back of a pick up truck to get there from the airport. Yet I can still get on my email from time to time when I either fly into the Capitol city or say in the provincial center, this usually happens every 2-3 months.

I'm 23 with a BS degree, speak only English (well now a little pidgin), and had never left North America before I came here and I was good enough ... I think you're golden.

# ¿ Nov 4, 2010 00:05

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

I really hate the rainy season...

# ¿ Feb 3, 2011 06:21

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Hey Moon Slayer, possibly add me to the list of current PCVs?

I'm currently serving in Vanuatu (2010-2012), a south pacific island chain east of Fiji. I'm a Business Development volunteer on the island of Malekula.

If anyone has any questions about living in the South Pacific or serving in a county where nobody works and the challenges that come along with it.

I live in a bamboo hut, i poo poo in a hole, take showers with a bucked at a cup, cook over fire, and drink kava every night. Ask away!

# ¿ Mar 17, 2012 02:23

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

I've shed 45 pounds scince i've been in the peace corps, all that giardia and organic from-the-earth food and kava every night is an effective diet. I imagine most volunteers she a good deal of weight depending on the country.

# ¿ Mar 28, 2012 22:29

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

I'm not sure there are engineering jobs in PC. Mainly Education/Health/Business. Your work abroad and an engineering degree is more than enough to get you in. Spanish however, unless fluent is no gaurentee you'll go to a hispanophone. I took 4 years of Spanish in school and was nominated for the South Pacific. So instead I got the chance to learn a different language.

# ¿ May 29, 2012 04:37

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

CronoGamer posted:

Intelligence first, then PC is most definitely a no-no. I wasn't disputing him on that. But yeah, I think it *may* vary from agency to agency insofar as how long they will wait before you're allowed to work, I've heard 5 but I'm somewhat certain I've heard 10 for others. Maybe it's "5 required, 10 unless they really want you."

But you all must understand that the intelligence agencies are not the organizations that created that policy. It is the peace.corps whom do not want to be accused to having volunteers as a CIA cover as the organization has been accused of heavily in the cold war era.

# ¿ Oct 11, 2012 02:37

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Just got back from the South Pacific last week... and is reverse culture shock loving me up... How have all you RPCVs coped with reverse culture shock? I feel like i'm just someone to sell poo poo to!

PS, Giardia is the best Peace Corps weight loss plan!

# ¿ Oct 16, 2012 18:39

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

Mauser posted:

I'm back from Africa and never got malaria once (I also didn't take my pills because they made me super paranoid!)

Ya me too, didn't take my Mefloquine for my entire two years of service in the south pacific. Didn't get malaria once but when you stop and think about it, it's pretty drat stupid not to take them and we were just rolling the dice. Especially at the rates I was getting bit every day.

# ¿ Nov 5, 2012 20:31

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 07:15

Winna: Oct 10, 2004; _)_)====|D ~o ~o ~o

CronoGamer posted:

"You're Gonna Poop in a Hole," a song about PCV life.

Applicants should watch this to counter some of the rosy pictures PCHQ paints of life in PC. It's still totally worth it, but man, some of the poo poo you put up with...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koUWaAr-itY

Matt Hardwick, he was in PC Vanuatu with me... actually still is. He's on the 5 year plan, probably gonna live in Vanuatu the rest of his life.

# ¿ Nov 18, 2012 02:25

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