I want to join the Peace Corps

Spot In The Sky

Anyone have work with them/for them or know anyone who did?
Im 23 and single and I want to go to a country where I wont die from being white, and I wont die from a natural idea- any suggestions or feedback?

LONGRD

I think the United States of America is the place to not die from being white!

EDIT: South East Asia* loves white people. *excludes the island countries.

Wobbie

Spot In The Sky wrote:

I want to go to a country where I wont die from being white

I don't think that should be a major worry. When you're helping people, they won't notice your lack of pigmentation.

Heineken Helen

Spot In The Sky wrote:

Anyone have work with them/for them or know anyone who did?
Im 23 and single and I want to go to a country where I wont die from being white, and I wont die from a natural idea- any suggestions or feedback?

If your overall concern is for your own well being, are you sure you're really in it for the right reasons?

deadmosquito

my best friend is in the process of joining the peace corps. it is a REALLY long application process. but anyway, he's supposed to be going to a country somewhere in Africa. i keep thinking about doing it as well, but would prefer to go to a spanish-speaking country, since i took a good bit of spanish in high school and college. but i'm about to start grad school to get my master's in secondary ed, so it would have to wait until i'm done that.

sorry i couldn't be of much help. if you have facebook, there are facebook groups for peace corps volunteers that would probably be more than happy to share their advice and experiences with you. i would try there. good luck!!

peacocoaNMO

i was interested in the peace corps a few years ago and i remember the application process seemed like a huge pain in the ass. i don't think it hurts to have a college degree either.

Get_Right

I have a friend that did it
2 years in senegal living in a hut with a dirt floor.
He got very sick three times.

It aint fun, and you will go to the poorest places on earth to help.
And dont be fooled, it is possible that you could end up in a country that experiences civil unrest or a coup. If that happens, you could be in danger.

Like the military, its not something you sign up for unless you are damn sure you want to be there.

GreenTeaDisease

Spot In The Sky wrote:

Anyone have work with them/for them or know anyone who did?
Im 23 and single and I want to go to a country where I wont die from being white, and I wont die from a natural idea- any suggestions or feedback?

DO IT!!!!

I totally regret not doing it.

I know a lot of people who did it, and everyone except one person loved it. the one person who didn't like it was the type of person who has trouble liking any situation she's in (and she was stationed in eastern europe somewhere, which does kinda blow. Also, she WAS able to get out of it early. I don't know how exactly, but apparently it can be done if you're really having problems). But I know tons of people who had amazing experiences, all over the world. it looks good on a grad school app if that's what you're into too. You also make a huge network of peace corps friends- it's very tight.

Spot In The Sky

Heineken Helen wrote:

If your overall concern is for your own well being, are you sure you're really in it for the right reasons?

I'm sorry if my main concern is living- how selfish of me. I don't have an objection to being away from my family/friends or living in a new area where I dont speak their language, I just dont want to die in the process- I cant tell if you were being serious or not- but I would hope not.

I want to do it because I have principles that are based on people volunteering to make things right in this world, not relying on the government and I cant hold people accountable for not acting if I am not willing to act. I am not married, dont have kids and have very little commitment to any area so this is the perfect time in my life to do it.

GreenTeaDisease

Spot In The Sky wrote:

I'm sorry if my main concern is living- how selfish of me. I don't have an objection to being away from my family/friends or living in a new area where I dont speak their language, I just dont want to die in the process- I cant tell if you were being serious or not- but I would hope not.

I've never heard of people dying in the peace corps. is it common??

fanch75

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/19-travelling/

Stuff White People Like
#19 Traveling
January 23, 2008 by clander

White person travelling can be broken into two categories - First World and Third World.

First world is Europe and Japan, and man, this travel is not only beloved but absolutely essential in their development as white people.

Every white person takes at least one trip to Europe between the ages of 17-29. During this time they are likely to wear a back pack, stay at a hostel, meet someone from Ireland/Sweden/Italy with whom they have a memorable experience, get drunk, see some old churches and ride a train.

What’s amazing is that all white people have pretty much the same experience, but all of them believe theirs to be the first of its kind. So much so that they return to North America with ideas of writing novels and screenplays about their experience.

Upon returning home, they will also find an affinity for a particular beer or liquor from a country they visited. They use this as an excuse to mention their travels when at a bar. “Oh, I’ll have a Czechznlishiyush Pilsner. You see, that was my favorite beer when I was travelling through Slovenia and the Czech republic.”

The second type of white person travel is Third World. This is when they venture to Thailand, Africa or South America. Some do it so that they can one up the white people who only go to Europe.

But like with Europe, white people like to believe they are the first white people to make this trip. As such, they should be recognized as special and important individuals.

That’s right, by going to a country, riding around on a bus or train, staying at a hotel or hostel and eating - they are doing something important for the world.

If a white person shows up in your country, you can make them feel fantastic by saying how you’ve never seen a white person before, and that you are amazed by their iPod - “a device that plays many songs? impossible!”

They might give it to you, then you can sell it for profit. Repeat as necessary.

Heineken Helen

Spot In The Sky wrote:

I'm sorry if my main concern is living- how selfish of me. I don't have an objection to being away from my family/friends or living in a new area where I dont speak their language, I just dont want to die in the process- I cant tell if you were being serious or not- but I would hope not.

I want to do it because I have principles that are based on people volunteering to make things right in this world, not relying on the government and I cant hold people accountable for not acting if I am not willing to act. I am not married, dont have kids and have very little commitment to any area so this is the perfect time in my life to do it.

I WAS being serious . If you don't want to get in harms way, don't join the peace corps and do some volunteer work at home where it's relatively safe! Most voluntary work seems to be in unstable regions where your safety can NEVER be guaranteed... I dunno, it just seems strange that that would be your first question

Spot In The Sky

Heineken Helen wrote:

I WAS being serious . If you don't want to get in harms way, don't join the peace corps and do some volunteer work at home where it's relatively safe! Most voluntary work seems to be in unstable reasons where your safety can NEVER be guaranteed... I dunno, it just seems strange that that would be your first question

By the same terms, I dont think a lot of people join the army because they are OK with dying, they know its a risk and they are willing to take it. If I wanted to put myself directly in harms way than I would join the army, but I want to be productive and alive. It was my first question to a group of people who hopefully had some insight on it that could maybe say "Hey, people dont die in the peace corps". Im just trying to find out info on it before I commit.

Get_Right

Heineken Helen wrote:

I WAS being serious . If you don't want to get in harms way, don't join the peace corps and do some volunteer work at home where it's relatively safe! Most voluntary work seems to be in unstable reasons where your safety can NEVER be guaranteed... I dunno, it just seems strange that that would be your first question

THIS IS 100% correct.

Heineken Helen

Spot In The Sky wrote:

By the same terms, I dont think a lot of people join the army because they are OK with dying, they know its a risk and they are willing to take it. If I wanted to put myself directly in harms way than I would join the army, but I want to be productive and alive. It was my first question to a group of people who hopefully had some insight on it that could maybe say "Hey, people dont die in the peace corps". Im just trying to find out info on it before I commit.

I'm genuinely not trying to be a bitch here or anything... but where there's humanitarian problems, there's instability, if you want to go help THAT'S your priority . It's not my fault, it's just how it is.

GreenTeaDisease

Spot In The Sky wrote:

By the same terms, I dont think a lot of people join the army because they are OK with dying, they know its a risk and they are willing to take it. If I wanted to put myself directly in harms way than I would join the army, but I want to be productive and alive. It was my first question to a group of people who hopefully had some insight on it that could maybe say "Hey, people dont die in the peace corps". Im just trying to find out info on it before I commit.

honestly spot, the peace corps stories I have heard sound like it's a big party. honest to god. I could be completely off and maybe the people I know are the exceptions to the rule, but no one ever said anything about really being in a dangerous situation, except maybe for walking alone in an area they shouldn't have been. I would research further how much actual risk there is-I'm sure the peace corps could get you in touch with former members that are willing to share their experience. I'm also willing to bet that it varies greatly with the actual job you have too.