2006.11.23: November 23, 2006: Headlines: COS - Ukraine: Blogs - Ukraine: Early Termination: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Teacher Traveler" writes: Why I almost quit Peace Corps 12 days before finishing it

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Ukraine: Peace Corps Ukraine : Peace Corps Ukraine: Newest Stories: 2006.11.23: November 23, 2006: Headlines: COS - Ukraine: Blogs - Ukraine: Early Termination: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Teacher Traveler" writes: Why I almost quit Peace Corps 12 days before finishing it

By Admin1 (admin) (98.188.147.225) on Friday, August 28, 2009 - 6:32 pm: Edit Post

Peace Corps Volunteer "Teacher Traveler" writes: Why I almost quit Peace Corps 12 days before finishing it

Peace Corps Volunteer Teacher Traveler writes: Why I almost quit Peace Corps 12 days before finishing it

I go down to the volunteer lounge and fume a bit. It is my fault. I vaguely remember being told about the form when being handed the inch-thick stack of forms that needed to be completed before I could leave Peace Corps, but, yeah, I never filled it out. Three Peace Corps employees have told me there is no hope of getting it approved and seem to think Bob will scream at me for even asking. But they're Ukrainian and Ukrainians ultimately think differently. Bribery may be part of their culture, but getting approved past a due date is not. Americans, on the other hand, bend rules if the rules need bending. I hold out hope for the director. Still… If she can't help me, my only option is to quit. The consequences? None, really. After a year in Peace Corps you get all the benefits you get if you stay the full service, save one: non-competitive eligibility for government jobs. Except that benefit only lasts a year from service and I don't see myself trying to get a government job any time soon, if ever. So if I quit, on my paperwork it says "Early Termination" rather than "Close of Service" and that's it…but it does mean I quit 12 days before I was supposed to finish. At the time of my appointment I explain the problem to the director, admit it's my fault and say I need a favor. She winks at me and says "let's do it." As she's signing the form, she says "Bob's going to kill me." I take it down to my manager. He looks surprised the director signed it but signs on his line. "Bob's going to be pissed." I take it up to Bob. I hand him the paper. He nods and signs it. "You're not upset?" I ask. "Why would I be?" he asks. "The director signed it, so I don't care."

Peace Corps Volunteer "Teacher Traveler" writes: Why I almost quit Peace Corps 12 days before finishing it

Ukraine: Why I Almost Quit Peace Corps
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Why I almost quit Peace Corps 12 days before finishing it:

Well, before we get to that I want to talk about my language proficiency test, which was one of many tests (medical being the rest), exams, surveys and interviews that comprise the two page typed checklist that must be completed before I can close my service. It's almost as hard to get out of Peace Corps as into it.

I thought my language test would be in the afternoon and toyed with the idea of drinking a "longehr" (a pre-mixed vodka and juice drink sold on any street corner in Kyiv) in order to grease the grammar. I have had it independently confirmed that my Russian is quite a bit better under the influence of alcohol, if only because I stop worrying about making mistakes, something which no doubt causes me to make more of them. Unfortunately, my test was scheduled for 10:00 AM and despite the Ukrainian belief that 100 grams of alcohol every morning is healthy for you, even after two-plus years of living here I still can't stomach the idea of vodka for breakfast. So I went and did it sober.

I was hoping-only hoping mind you--for a score of Advanced-Low. In reality, though, I thought I would receive an Intermediate-High. I had thought I was at this level during the last test I took in January, but only received an Intermediate-Mid. Now, while I have grown more comfortable with the language over the past ten months or so, I haven't felt like it went up drastically. In fact, I thought the high point was around August when I was dating a girl who didn't speak English and most of my Ukrainian friends found it was easier to speak with me Russian than mash their way through English. But after Sarah came to Ukraine I found myself speaking English for pretty much a month because I spent most of my time with her and even when we did hang out with Ukrainians, we kept it to English so she didn't feel excluded. Sarah's month long visit put my work into a backlog and I was swamped with catching up, leaving little time for socialization. The result? I felt like my Russian died and was having dirt thrown onto it. So I was hoping for Advanced-Low but would be satisfied with Intermediate-High, secretly worrying that I was still at Intermediate-Mid.

The test was simply sitting down with a Ukrainian staff member and having a conversation. Thirty minutes of describing my projects and saying where I thought Peace Corps should go in Ukraine later, I was given a score Advanced-Mid, higher than I had ever hoped for. Hammer out the grammar problems, I was told, and it would have been Advanced-High.

Made my day.

And I didn't even need the vodka.

***

My day took a slight turn for the worse in the afternoon. Admin was confused because I kept telling them I was flying out on December 4th but the computers showed me COSing (Closing of Service) on December 14th. Why? Well that's the official COS date. And while we're allowed to leave up to 30 days early, apparently there was a form to fill out for that.

"Can I fill out this form now?"

"No, it was due in October. You can't leave until the 14th."

"But I bought a non-refundable plane ticket for the 4th."

"Sorry."

"I'll talk to Diana (Peace Corps Ukraine Director) about that."

"The person to talk about that is [Bob]. But he won't approve it."

NOTE: Bob is a Ukrainian guy, but I'm keeping his identity secret.

I go up to Bob's office and ask his secretary if he is in.

"No, he's out to lunch. What do you need?"

I show her the form and say I need it approved.

"He won't approve that. It was due in October."

"But I need to leave on the 4th."

"You can't."

On the way out of the office, another admin worker that I'm friends with expresses shock and dismay when hearing about not filling out the form. According to her, there is no way to get it approved now.

Dammit.

I go up to the office of the director and talk to her secretary, but the director is busy. She says she can squeeze me in for five minutes in an hour.

I go down to the volunteer lounge and fume a bit. It is my fault. I vaguely remember being told about the form when being handed the inch-thick stack of forms that needed to be completed before I could leave Peace Corps, but, yeah, I never filled it out.

Three Peace Corps employees have told me there is no hope of getting it approved and seem to think Bob will scream at me for even asking. But they're Ukrainian and Ukrainians ultimately think differently. Bribery may be part of their culture, but getting approved past a due date is not. Americans, on the other hand, bend rules if the rules need bending. I hold out hope for the director.

Still… If she can't help me, my only option is to quit. The consequences? None, really. After a year in Peace Corps you get all the benefits you get if you stay the full service, save one: non-competitive eligibility for government jobs. Except that benefit only lasts a year from service and I don't see myself trying to get a government job any time soon, if ever. So if I quit, on my paperwork it says "Early Termination" rather than "Close of Service" and that's it…but it does mean I quit 12 days before I was supposed to finish.

At the time of my appointment I explain the problem to the director, admit it's my fault and say I need a favor. She winks at me and says "let's do it." As she's signing the form, she says "Bob's going to kill me."

I take it down to my manager. He looks surprised the director signed it but signs on his line. "Bob's going to be pissed."

I take it up to Bob. I hand him the paper. He nods and signs it.

"You're not upset?" I ask.

"Why would I be?" he asks. "The director signed it, so I don't care."

I leave the office and go back to the admin person handling my paperwork and tell her my COS date has been officially moved up. She doesn't believe me, and actually calls Bob for confirmation. She hangs up the phone looking surprised.

Later I see my manager. "Bob didn't yell at you?" he asks.

"Nope," I said. "He didn't care."

My manager gets a far-away look in his eyes. "Well I guess you never know," he says.

My official COS date is now November 29.

In six days I will no longer be in Peace Corps.




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: November, 2006; Peace Corps Ukraine; Directory of Ukraine RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Ukraine RPCVs; Blogs - Ukraine; Early Termination





When this story was posted in August 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers RSS Feed

 Site Index Search PCOL with Google Contact PCOL Recent Posts Bulletin Board Open Discussion RPCV Directory Register

Memo to Incoming Director Williams Date: August 24 2009 No: 1419 Memo to Incoming Director Williams
PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams

Join Us Mr. President! Date: June 26 2009 No: 1380 Join Us Mr. President!
"We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity," said Barack Obama during his campaign. Returned Volunteers rally and and march to the White House to support a bold new Peace Corps for a new age. Latest: Senator Dodd introduces Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act of 2009 .

Meet Aaron Williams - Our Next Director Date: July 30 2009 No: 1411 Meet Aaron Williams - Our Next Director
Senator Dodd's Senate Subcommittee held confirmation hearings for Aaron Williams to become the 18th Peace Corps Director. "It's exciting to have a nominee who served in the Peace Corps and also has experience in international development and management," said Dodd as he put Williams on the fast track to be confirmed by the full Senate before the August recess. Read our exclusive coverage of the hearings and our biography of Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams.

July 11, 2009: House says Yes, Senate No Date: July 11 2009 No: 1390 July 11, 2009: House says Yes, Senate No
Senate Funding for Peace Corps Falls Short of Goal 10 Jul
House supports $450M Peace Corps Budget 17 Jun
Senator Kit Bond says PC is Smart Power 29 Jun
Parents Keep Dream Alive for Fallen Zambia PCV 3 Jul
PCVs Safe in Honduras after Coup 28 Jun
Jahanshah Javid recalls Peace Corps Volunteers in Iran 22 Jun
Peace Corps to return to Sierra Leone in 2010 18 Jun
Ryan Van Duzer rode bike from Honduras to Boulder 17 Jun
Monica Mills Named a Top Grassroots Lobbyist 12 Jun
Tiffany Nelson teaches - and learns in China 12 Jun
Dr. Roger Brooks spent 35 years with Concord Schools 9 Jun
Dr. Catherine Taylor Foster administered Polio vaccine in Nepal 8 Jun
Bill Lorah Runs Pre-Collegiate Program in Colorado 7 Jun
Brian Carroll writes: An African village adapts 7 Jun
Rebekah Martin finds love is not enough 6 Jun
Peter Bartholomew helps preserve Korean traditional culture 5 Jun
Obama speaks to Islamic World at Cairo University 4 Jun
Matt Hepp combines humanitarian and climbing objectives 4 Jun
Juana Bordas named 2009 Unique Woman of Colorado 2 Jun
Phil Hardberger left his mark on San Antonio 31 May
Philip Nix retires as headmaster of Day School 31 May

New: More Stories from June and July 2009

Director Ron Tschetter:  The PCOL Interview Date: December 9 2008 No: 1296 Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview
Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.



Read the stories and leave your comments.








Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Personal Web Site

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Ukraine; Blogs - Ukraine; Early Termination

PCOL44637
60


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: