FAQs about Peace Corps

Now that I've made the official announcement about my application to become a Peace Corps volunteer, I've been getting a lot of questions about the logistics of the whole process-- which is understandable, because it's a crazy leap for me to be making, and also a program that a lot of people are not very familiar with. Since I seem to be getting asked the same questions over and over, I thought I'd post some FAQs here:


Q: When do you find out if you've gotten in?
A: I don't know, but I am hoping/expecting that I'll know in June. In a nutshell, the whole process works like this: you apply and interview with a local recruiter; if they think you'd be a good candidate, they nominate you to the national office. Then the national office sends you the dreaded medical packet, which takes several weeks and lots of time and money (in doctor fees) to complete. Once you submit that and the medical office reviews it, they'll often ask for more information or lab results before they can medically clear you. And your file doesn't even get sent to the placement office until you are medically cleared. My status now is that I am nearly done with the medical part-- they sent me to get a test to submit updated results, and once I get the results from that I'm hoping that I will be medically cleared. And once that happens, I am hopeful that the placement office will review my file and invite shortly thereafter.


Q: Do you know where you're going if you do get accepted? How do they pick which country to send you to?
A: You don't have any control over which country you're invited to serve in, although you can certainly list your preferences. I listed sub-Saharan Africa (Francophone countries) as my first choice, and the Caribbean as my second choice. There are so many factors involved with which country a volunteer might be placed in, such as your skills and availability, a particular project that they might need volunteers for and when that starts, etc-- plus they also need to factor in any medical issues or religious concerns. (For example, I said that I didn't want to go to any country where I would feel uncomfortable saying that I was Jewish-- so that rules out Jordan and northern Africa.) They also look for language skills, notably French and Spanish, so because I have a substantial background in French I'm hopeful that they will listen to my request and place me in a French-speaking African country. Looking at the information I see online, I am guessing that this could put me in Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Benin, or others. But again, there's no guarantee. 


Q: Do you know what kind of work you'd be doing?
A: I don't, but I've been nominated as a business volunteer. Just like the location, there's no guarantee that if I'm invited it will be for a business role, but I hope that's what I get to do. I'm guessing that kind of role could mean advising local community members on how to successfully start and run a small business.


Q: If you're applying for a fall program, why are you leaving New York in May?
A: This is a question with a complex answer, because there are many reasons why I am leaving right now. First of all, my lease is up at the end of April, and if I were to stay it would be tough to break the lease (also, they are raising my rent!) Second, because Peace Corps often gives only 1-2 months notice pre-departure if they invite you to serve, I thought it would be easiest to pack up my NYC life now and move in with my parents while I wait to hear from PC. That way, I can be a little more nimble if I get the invitation, and not have to deal with packing up wineglasses and cancelling my gym membership while also planning an overseas move! Third, I also feel like spending the summer in Vermont will be a good segue for me if I am to be living, most likely, in a small village somewhere halfway across the world. Going straight from NYC to that would probably be too much of a shock to my system, but a summer in Vermont will allow me a bit of a breather and a way to take a step back from the hectic and privileged lifestyle I am lucky enough to lead in NYC. Fourth, and final, is money. I need to seriously save money if I am going to be out of the job market for 2 years, and although Peace Corps does pay you a small amount while you are a volunteer, it's basically just enough to buy your groceries. I want to be able to have some savings to use for traveling as well as have something to fall back on upon my return. 


Q: Can we get drinks/dinner/coffee before you leave?
A: I'm running around like a madwoman right now as I finish packing (and I am slowly being closed in upon by the towers of boxes in my tiny apartment), so I am pretty slammed up until I actually move on Saturday. However, I will be back in NYC throughout the summer, in May, June and most likely July, so let's go out then!

A new beginning

"I'm leaving NYC and moving to Vermont for the summer, and then hopefully moving to Africa in the fall to join the Peace Corps!" Yes, that's the 'news' in my life right now, but it requires a lot of backstory, so I am using this post as a way to explain what's going on in my life in a channel outside of Facebook. 

A bit of background: I moved to NYC in June 2004, just 2 weeks after graduating from Drew University, and have been working and living here ever since. My first job was at Astralwerks Records, and I had actually been interning there for nearly a year before I started my job, first during the summer of '03 and then commuting in from NJ by train to work all day on Fridays during my senior year. I left Astralwerks in fall 2006, then moved to freelance work with Sugar Communications and Food Network for 6 months after that. I transitioned into full-time work at Food Network and stayed there for nearly 4 years before taking my current job at Venda in March 2010. In short, I've been working non-stop since graduating college. I haven't taken any time off between jobs (though I do feel fortunate to have been continually employed!), and I didn't get to do the requisite post-college backpacking and traveling because of my job. So, I have decided that I need a break from the corporate world. It's been nearly 7 years now in NYC and if I am going to continue on this way, I feel that it's important for me to take a step back and pursue something that's been on my life list for 10 years. Which brings me to...

Peace Corps: I had been interested in joining the Peace Corps since high school, a desire which was magnified during a 2002 volunteer work trip to Honduras with Drew. I attended the info sessions but ultimately decided to put it off due to my job offer. (Picture the legions of people saying "What? You got offered a job at a record label in NYC? You'd be crazy to turn it down!") So I moved to NY and spent my time learning the ropes of the New York business world. I also began to spend a lot of my free time doing volunteer work with City Harvest, the Greenpoint Soup Kitchen, and Met Council. Nonetheless, I still felt the pull of Peace Corps and so in 2009 I decided to finally apply. However, in early 2010 I was contacted by a headhunter and ultimately received an amazing job offer at Venda, so I elected to put Peace Corps on hold to take on the new opportunity, which I knew would be an incredible learning experience. It also enabled me to move to Manhattan and live by myself, which let's face it, was on my "life list" as well. The job at Venda has been challenging but rewarding and I have grown immensely in just one short year. But again, I still felt like there was something greater that I needed to pursue in my life, so I re-opened my Peace Corps application at the end of 2010. And this brings me to...

Logistics: I have applied to become a Peace Corps volunteer, and the program I've been nominated for is doing business advising in Africa, in French, leaving in September 2011. I am indescribably excited about this, because it's exactly what I am interested in pursuing as a career: using business skills as a tool to improve the lives of people around the world. I subscribe to an idea that I term "compassionate capitalism", which means that enabling someone to start their own business and become successful is ultimately a better way to solve global problems than simple foreign aid, whether it be food or monetary donations. Creating strong community-based economies has an enormous trickle-down effect that helps combat problems like malnourishment, disease and lack of education. (Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn write about this in length, specifically about the impact of women-owned businesses, in the NY Times as well as their book "Half the Sky".) I am excited about sharing the business skills I've learned in the past 7+ years, and ultimately it's made me glad that I waited to apply for Peace Corps, because 7 years ago I would not have known what I wanted to be a volunteer for-- it took me getting out there in the world to know that the business aspect is what interested me the most.

The program I am applying for leaves in September, but the lease on my apartment is up at the end of April. So, I have decided to move back home to Vermont at the end of this month. In addition to the lease aspect, I feel that living in the countryside for a few months will do me good and allow me to re-center myself before (hopefully) leaving for Africa in the fall. Additionally, because Peace Corps often gives volunteers only a few weeks' notice before they are due to depart, I decided that moving to Vermont and tying up as many NYC loose ends as possible right now (cable bill, gym membership, etc) would allow me to be more nimble and flexible should I receive an official Peace Corps invitation with not much advance notice. Which brings me to...

My current status as an applicant: I have spent an enormous amount of time and money going through all the hoops necessary to become a volunteer. I have completed the application, gotten the recommendations, done the interview, studied for and passed the French language exam, visited my doctors and dentist (10+ visits), and though I am feeling confident about my qualifications as an applicant, I am still waiting for my medical clearance to come through. Once I receive my clearance (hopefully in the next few weeks once I submit results of one final test), my application will go to the placement office, which is where they make the official decision. In terms of timing, I'm hoping to hear from them by June or July. So this brings me to...

Today: Despite the uncertainty of my departure, I've nevertheless decided to go forward with my move to Vermont. I have spoken to my boss and will be working remotely for my company for several months at least, although I don't have a guaranteed end date. My official move date is Saturday April 30th, and on that day I'll be driving a U-Haul to Vermont that's filled with my NYC life.

I apologize for this long post, but for those of you who I haven't been able to speak with about this at length, I felt that it was important to share the background and current status of my plans. Those of you who know me well will probably not be surprised by my desire to join the Peace Corps, so as sad as I am to leave New York and my friends here, I am hoping for everyone's support and understanding as I (hopefully) launch into a new journey in my life.