Peace Corps Volunteer, AMA

[vrazzles]

Hello all,
I've seen posters on SDN express interest in joining the Peace Corps and figured it could be useful to open a thread where I field questions from those interested.

As a disclaimer, I only swore in last week after 10 weeks of training and have just arrived at my site and begun work. Karibu maswali (questions welcomed)!

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[mydogmolly]

What made you choose the peace corps?

 

[numbersloth]

What is the timeline like for applying (2 or 3 gap years)? Do you have interests in global health? Why peace corps vs. americorps or working at a non-profit? Was your undergrad degree relevant?

 

[Turkishking]

Hello all,
I've seen posters on SDN express interest in joining the Peace Corps and figured it could be useful to open a thread where I field questions from those interested.

As a disclaimer, I only swore in last week after 10 weeks of training and have just arrived at my site and begun work. Karibu maswali (questions welcomed)!

Is it competitive to join the peace corps? What extracurriculars did you do prior to joining the peace corps? Are you excitied to start? Did you choose the country you wanted to go to, or did it not matter to you? How intensive was the application process?

 

[663697]

What do you think about the country you've been placed in? So far has it been what you were expecting? What kinds of things will you be doing?

 

[Nave]

Jambo! Habari gani?

 

[vrazzles]

What made you choose the peace corps?

I wanted to challenge myself, learn a new language, and experience a way of living that is completely different from my own culture (s). Also, I wanted it to be free.

In addition, to the above reasons, I love teaching and couldn't be happier doing it in a place where a quality education can improve lives so immensely.

 

[vrazzles]

What is the timeline like for applying (2 or 3 gap years)? Do you have interests in global health? Why peace corps vs. americorps or working at a non-profit? Was your undergrad degree relevant?

I will be taking three total gap years between undergrad and application. One for full time research and 2 for peace corps.

I was fortunate to apply and get in very quickly. I applied December 2016, was accepted January 2017, left July 2017.

My interests in global health are tangential to my interests in medical education. I would like to build the medical capacity of developing countries through provider education.

I chose Peace Corps over Americorps due to my desire to experience a culture and environment as drastically different from my own as I could. I chose Peace Corps over NGOs because the training that Peace Corps provides in language and cultural competency is typically thought of as being world class. Having just finished PST, I must say that I have been very impressed by the quality of said training.

My undergrad degree was in Health Science with a minor of biology. I'll be teaching advanced biology and chemistry as well as doing HIV education, opening a computer lab/training my fellow teachers to use computers, and helping at the local hospital. So kind of? The requirements for the position were research and teaching experience, both of which I had.

 

[vrazzles]

Is it competitive to join the peace corps? What extracurriculars did you do prior to joining the peace corps? Are you excitied to start? Did you choose the country you wanted to go to, or did it not matter to you? How intensive was the application process?

I wouldn't say it's super competitive, though I will say that all the people in my cohort are bright and gifted in more ways than one.

I had a fair amount of research with publications, CNA work, both paid and volunteer tutoring, non clinical and clinical volunteering, some internships, y'know normal pre-med stuff.

I have started and I am excited every day. Just now, I had a fascinating discussion with my head of school about similarities between American and Tanzanian politics over a beer. It's empowering for me to be able to use Swahili to discuss such matters. The application process was intensive due to medical clearance being time consuming and potentially expensive. I had to get my wisdom teeth out for example. I said I would go anywhere and do anything.

 

[vrazzles]

What do you think about the country you've been placed in? So far has it been what you were expecting? What kinds of things will you be doing?

I love it here. The people are incredibly friendly and welcoming. Seeing incredible poverty and disease can be hard. My first week in country a two year old ran up to me with what looked like an oriental sore on his face and bilateral elephantiasis of both legs. It's about what I expected though I faced challenges that I didn't think would be challenging for me.

I will be teaching Biology and Chemistry to form 5 and 6 students. The level is equivalent to about first year or two of biology and chemistry at university. In addition, I will be doing additional projects with health and technology (aids education, opening a computer lab, etc)

 

[vrazzles]

Jambo! Habari gani?

If you say jambo here you will instantly be pegged as a tourist. They say mambo in Tanzania. Poa. Niko safi. Habari za shughuli?

 

[Nave]

If you say jambo here you will instantly be pegged as a tourist. They say mambo in Tanzania. Poa. Niko safi. Habari za shughuli?

It's pretty dependent on which part of east Africa you're in. I haven't been to Tanzania but, nzuri sana. Kuwa na safari salama!

 

[irohsbelly]

I know that a major/minor in the sciences is a requirement for the Peace Corps Science Teaching positions, but do you think they would make an exception for someone who was a O-Chem Lab TA for 2 years? This position involved moderate lecturing and I was in charge of 23-24 undergraduates. I am currently a non-science major and wondering if I should add a science minor in order to better qualify for a Peace Corps teaching position. Thanks!

 

[663697]

I love it here. The people are incredibly friendly and welcoming. Seeing incredible poverty and disease can be hard. My first week in country a two year old ran up to me with what looked like an oriental sore on his face and bilateral elephantiasis of both legs. It's about what I expected though I faced challenges that I didn't think would be challenging for me.

I will be teaching Biology and Chemistry to form 5 and 6 students. The level is equivalent to about first year or two of biology and chemistry at university. In addition, I will be doing additional projects with health and technology (aids education, opening a computer lab, etc)

Wow, that's so sad to hear.

I bet you will have an amazing experience, good luck!

 

[Dr.Sticks]

So are you taking your MCAT when you come back?

So compared to the U.S, what are the biggest cultural differences you have noticed?

 

[vrazzles]

It's pretty dependent on which part of east Africa you're in. I haven't been to Tanzania but, nzuri sana. Kuwa na safari salama!

Asante, nashukuru.

 

[vrazzles]

I know that a major/minor in the sciences is a requirement for the Peace Corps Science Teaching positions, but do you think they would make an exception for someone who was a O-Chem Lab TA for 2 years? This position involved moderate lecturing and I was in charge of 23-24 undergraduates. I am currently a non-science major and wondering if I should add a science minor in order to better qualify for a Peace Corps teaching position. Thanks!

I think it's possible. I know one person in my cohort that was an economics major and is currently teaching math. You'd really have to sell yourself in your application, and your chances would likely be greater with a formal minor in science. It truly depends on how badly they need people for the position. If you look on the PC website, the jobs that are labelled as "featured" are heavily recruiting and will often make exceptions.

 

[vrazzles]

So are you taking your MCAT when you come back?

So compared to the U.S, what are the biggest cultural differences you have noticed?

No, I took it a month before departing. I also collected all my letters of reccomendation Interfolio and printed out school LoR requirements. I will be applying from here in June 2019. Since my term ends in August of 2019, I will be back at a good time to begin interviews.

The biggest difference here is just how communally everyone lives. Everyone calls each other brother and sister, families are made up of people that aren't even related to one another but just live together, and I am eating dinner with people I barely know almost every night. People truly lean on each other in times of financial or familial difficulty. In the US, I perceive the culture to be far more individualistic and less inclusive. Also, here, times are rarely adhered to for meeting due to the perception that the person should be the master of time and not vice versa. The only thing that's on time here are buses and even then not always

A final difference is that most Tanzanians don't question authority. If an authority figure said it, it must be so. This creates difficulties when trying to promote scientific cynicism and critical reasoning abilities in my students.