Next Assignment: Kazakhstan
by Caralee Adams
NRTA Live & Learn
Jan Funston is off to Kazakhstan. Her assignment is to serve, for two to five years, as a program and training officer for the Peace Corps.
The 63-year-old Californian just returned from the jungles of Guatemala. There, she had taught women everything from how to build stoves to how to improve their country's ecotourism potential. She walked six miles a day, learned Spanish, lived with spotty water and electricity—and loved it.
Before her Guatemalan experience, she had been a college administrator at San Diego State University and UCLA.
"It's a rejuvenating experience," says Funston. "Joining the Peace Corps is part of a proactive fight against aging. You're pushing yourself constantly."
Helen Rafell, a 74-year-old volunteer, is working with artisans in Morocco to help them develop small businesses. She has already tapped into her varied experience for two previous assignments with the Peace Corps. In Uzbekistan, she used her background as an economics professor to teach business and development at a university. In China, she leaned on her chemistry doctorate to teach environmental studies.
"The Peace Corps is the best retirement home," says Rafell, a native New Yorker. "It's so much more interesting than going to Florida to play golf."
Rafell and Funston are typical of educators who are over 50 and have decided to join the Peace Corps. Such volunteers are valued for their experience and wealth of knowledge.
"Retired teachers, especially, find such an eagerness to learn among students in places we serve," says Jody Olsen, deputy director of the Washington, D.C.-based Peace Corps, "even if their classrooms might not be as well equipped as those in the U.S. The teaching experience is so rewarding" And retired teachers are respected in the communities where they serve, which adds to their effectiveness.
Just as communities abroad value the service of retired teachers, so does the Peace Corps. "Experienced teachers are a real asset," says Olsen. "Having solved a lot of problems in life, they feel strong and confident about conquering a new situation."
Since its establishment over 40 years ago, the Peace Corps has sent 168,000 volunteers and trainees around the world. The average volunteer is 28 years old, though there is no upper age limit and the community welcomes all ages. About 6 percent are over 50. Funston admitted that she had had concerns about fitting in with younger volunteers, but the issue was a non-starter. "I have made wonderful friends of all ages," she says.
The Peace Corps is increasingly popular—and selective. In 2002, applications were up by nearly 15 percent over the previous year. Of the nearly 8,900 applications, fewer than 4,000 were asked to serve.
The Peace Corps offers both benefits and challenges. Understanding the application process, the range of assignments, and the requirements may help you make your decision. If it all works out, you may find yourself in the "toughest job you'll ever love."
How to Apply
The application process takes six to 12 months. First, you have
an interview with a regional recruiter. You then must pass health
and financial screenings. All assignments are for two years plus
three months training.
The biggest need is for certified teachers and those with experience in English, math, science, agriculture, environmental education, and forestry. There is also a demand for volunteers with business degrees and for those who can speak French.
Jody Olsen says that excellent candidates are people who are flexible, comfortable in other cultures, and have a good sense of humor. Applicants only wanting one particular country, she says, are difficult to place. "We match a person's skills with available programs developed in each country, and if the person is flexible, it's easier for us to do a good match," she says.
Life in the Peace Corps
Volunteers receive a monthly stipend that is equivalent to a
middle-class salary in the country of service. Normally, this
does not interfere with Social Security benefits. Vacation is
accrued at the rate of two days a month. Family and friends can
come visit and travel with you on your time off.
The skills you learn abroad can translate to a new job back home. If you are interested in getting an advanced degree, the Fellows Program/USA Program offers reduced-cost study for returned Peace Corps volunteers. In exchange, Peace Corps fellows then go back out and serve in high-need communities.
During a volunteer's service, the Peace Corps assumes the cost of all medical expenses and provides a medical officer in each country. For example, when Raffel slipped on the sand and badly injured her hand, the Peace Corps flew her from Morocco to Washington, D.C., on Christmas Day for treatment. She had surgery, physical therapy, and a month to recuperate before returning to her post.
Raffel says that she can't imagine doing anything but working for the Peace Corps. "I'm always open to change. I enjoy change," says Raffel. "I want to stay in the Peace Corps until I'm feeble or dead."
