Q: When are you going?
A: January, 2010. As for the exact date, we won't know that until 4-6 weeks prior to departure. Keep checking back here for updates, but we probably won't know for sure until November-December. Trust us, we're anxious too!!
Q: Where are you going?
A: "Eastern" or "Southern" Africa. As for the exact county, well, read above. But check out our poll on the right - those are the countries that are "open" in the Peace Corps in those regions. Let us know where you'd like to see us serve!! And of course... it could always change last minute!!
Q: How long will you be there?
A: 27 months - that is 3 months of in-country training (usually in the capitol city in your country assignment) and 24 months of on-site service (in your designated village, town, or city). So if we leave sometime in January, 2010, you can expect to see us back on this side of the pond sometime in April, 2012. Yup... it's a bit of time!
Q: What on earth are you going to be doing for 27 months?
A: Adam has been assigned to Youth Development (part of the Peace Corps' "Community Development" series) and I have been assigned to NGO Development (part of the Peace Corps' "Political Development" series). We have also been told that our region will most likely have a special focus on HIV/AIDS education, outreach, treatment, counseling, prevention, etc. Thus, I may be working with larger institutions that focus on these areas and Adam may be working more one-on-one with children or families affected by these areas. But anything goes... so we won't know what our actual work will be until we get our designated village, town, or city.
Q: Do you get to go together?
A: Yes! Thank goodness! But it is possible that we will be separated during the first 3 months of in-country training. We will be in different training groups (Adam for Youth Development, Me for NGO Development) and may only be in the same classes for language/culture training.
Q: Is it safe?
A: That's a biggie.... I don't think we'll tackle that one quite yet. See the links we attached below for more specifics on this one...
Q: Do you get paid while you're over there?
A: The short answer is: Yes. The Peace Corps is responsible for the following:
- The Peace Corps pays all volunteers a sufficient living stipend (based on local standards) to cover housing, clothing, food and basic transportation costs.
- Upon return, Peace Corps provides all volunteers with a "Readjustment Allowance", which totals just over $6,000 per person... so we will have something to get back on our feet!
A: Oh, where do we begin?? How about these....:
- The Peace Corps covers ALL medical & dental needs while in service - so no need for insurance for 2 whole years!! That'll be awesome...!
- Upon return, the Peace Corps also offers really good medical & dental coverage for the first 18 months that you are back and doing all your follow-up stuff domestically.
- All volunteers accumulate 2 days per month of vacation time while in service (totaling 48 days) to travel around or, of course, come home to visit!
- All RPCVs (that's "Returned Peace Corps Volunteers") get "Non Competitive" status for one year after service at any federal job... which means if we meet at least basic eligibility for the position, we will get the job over a non-RPCV candidate. If we get the job, we also start out getting paid more at these jobs than non-RPCV employees and can count our Peace Corps service towards our retirement credits.
- Oh, and did we mention we'll get the experience of being in the PEACE CORPS! Yeah, that's the one that really excites us!
Q: What about all the other nitty-gritty questions?
A: Take a look at the sites we've included below for some really great info! Also, check out the blogs that we're following (listed at right) to read more about Kara, Hotard & Sean who are currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers in Togo, Kazakhstan & Mauritania respectively!!!
- www.peacecorps.gov - everything you could ever want to know
- http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.faf - a selection of much more in-depth FAQs for friends and family of soon-to-be Peace Corps volunteers
- http://www.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/faf/homefront.pdf- "On the Homefront" is a Peace Corps publication that describes what a friend or family member of a Peace Corps volunteer should expect before, during & after service - this one is great!
- http://www.peacecorpswiki.org/Peace_Corps_Wiki- a "wiki" about the Peace Corps, PCVs & RPCVs, and Peace Corps' countries of service
- http://www.peacecorpsjournals.com/- journals, posts, publications and blogs of current and/or past Peace Corps volunteers
- https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors - "Peace Corps Partnership Program" uses individual donations to support Peace Corps volunteers' projects in-country - which means you can help us once we're over there!
Hope this helps to answer some of those burning questions! We'll keep you posted (ha! get it? posted!!) Much love!
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