Peace Corps 4 Women



Peace Corps 4 Women

Dates of Service: July 2002 to September 2004
Country: Philippines
Position: Community Service Educator

1) Why did you decided to join Peace Corps?
My dad was in the Peace Corps years ago ('63-'65) and suggested it when I was looking for an overseas job after college.

2) Did you find that your reasons for staying were the same or different from your reasons for joining?
Yes. I joined mostly for work experience and stayed because I felt a commitment to the kids I was working with (living on a tropical island didn't hurt either).

3) How long did your application process take and did you have any delays during the process?
About a year, delayed by assorted red tape.

4)Did you end up with your nominated position / region? If not, why?
Yes. I asked for Asia and got it.

5) How long did it take you to feel comfortable speaking your newly learned language?
Visayan is NOT the 4th hardest language in the world. My language skills weren't great when I first got to site (we had a very short training, only 5 weeks, and less language than most countries), but I was assigned to work at a place where nobody spoke English. It was pretty bad for about a month and then I got used to it. I think that most of the time language issues just tend to work themselves out.

6) Is the training provided adequate?
Ummm...mine was too short, but the training program was reevaluated after my group. I thought PC was pretty good at taking trainee and volunteer input into account in planning training.

7) What was it like being thrown in with a foreign family?
I had some great experiences with host families. Since I lived in a city, I ended up moving from a traditional bedroom-in-the-family-house style of host family (wonderful people, but cramped) to a room in a boarding house with other working people my own age. Both were great experiences and helped me to make friends.

8)How was the food?
The Philippines is not noted for the wonders of its cuisine, but I liked the food a lot. The food at work was pretty awful (fish-head soup, boiled water buffalo, etc), but around town there were some great places to eat, and I had my own cooking facilities. The fruit there is amazing, too.

9)Did you have moments where you thought you might ET? If so, how did you get through it?
Yes, but I never seriously considered or planned it. I think Ashleigh is right when she says that there isn't a volunteer out there who hasn't thought about it, but for me it was more of a passing thought than a real option.

10) Did you feel safe in your environment? What were safety restrictions that were placed upon the volunteers?
I felt very safe. I was taken out of one site because of safety concerns (though I never felt unsafe there), and PC was always checking up on the safety of volunteers.

11) If you could give one piece of advice to all PC applicants, what would it be?
Hmmm. I'll try to skip all the standard ones you'll get in the invitation packet:
1) You're not going to the moon, so don't agonize too much about packing. Just remember to bring your favorite personal stuff that you can't replace anywhere else. (And even if it's not mentioned on the packing list, don't forget your favorite pair of jeans, and extra Tampax)
2) If you keep a private journal, make it HONEST. I say that because sometimes, especially in letters home, LJ, etc., I felt the need to put a good face on things and gloss over my problems. Then, reading it all over later, I found that my personal diary was the most meaningful,because I wasn't afraid to admit to myself when things sucked or were boring. Because of that, I can look back and pinpoint the time that things started to go well and see how it happened.
3) HAVE FUN!!!

When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

January 22, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Spread Freedom — but not at gunpoint 22 Jan Dodd has ring side seat at Inauguration 21 Jan Peace Corps works in Georgia 21 Jan Trey Aven monitored Ukraine elections 21 Jan RPCV group makes quiet indie-pop 21 Jan Anthony Shriver considers race for Florida Governor 20 Jan Thomas Tighe says internet brought funds to DRI 20 Jan Stacy Jupiter researches Australia ecosystems 20 Jan Libby Garvey is education activist 20 Jan David McIntyre captures medals on land and in water 19 Jan Carol Bellamy new president of World Learning 18 Jan Reed Hastings crossed "Latino Caucus'' 18 Jan RPCVs sponsor Freeze for Food to aid Colombia farmers 18 Jan RPCVs urge Bush to aid Democracy in Ukraine 17 Jan Tom Petri proposes changes in student loan program 17 Jan Golden Globe Win for Jamie Foxx in RPCV's "Ray" 17 Jan Stephen Smith is new consul-general in Australia 17 Jan

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Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Changing of the Guard With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Read the stories and leave your comments.

By Jennifer Bosch (ool-182d0eb6.dyn.optonline.net - 24.45.14.182) on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 2:33 pm: Edit Post

Dear Fellow Peacemakers,

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Jennifer Vanden Bosch
Resources Manager
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