10,000 a year and no work?

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Peace Corps Library: Criticism of the Peace Corps: January 23, 2005: Index: PCOL Exclusive: Criticism: January 16, 2006: Headlines: COS - Philippines: Criticism: Black Issues: Humor: Wall Street Journal: Peter Rice says: My view of the Peace Corps is that it is really just a U.S. government program for paid vacations in the Third World : 10,000 a year and no work?

By Rachel Uffer (209.76.136.5) on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 2:33 pm: Edit Post

As a RPCV from Cote d'Ivoire in WEst Africa, I have to say I am disturbed by Mr. Rice's article. For one I made no where near the $10,000 stated in the article I made about $140 a month or $1,680 a year plus a $6,000 readjustment allowence at the end of my servise. I worked hard during my 2 1/2 years as a volonteer. I wrote and recieved grants, created and implemented numorous health education programs not just for my village but many surrounding ones as well. I worked hard and would hardly call it a vacation. I lived in a mud house, had no electricty or running water. I had to make due with rual accomidations but still created modern and effective programs for my village. I went to the capital(Abidjan) only 3 or 4 times a year. Each time it was on Official Peace Corps business that required resources only available to me at headquarters. After spending my day in the capital, yes I would often go out and enjoy meself on the town. It is those few days a year that was a vacation, the rest of my 2 1/2 years was nothing but hard work


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