Ok so I am a long way out from doing this...starting my junior year in undergraduate; however, I do have a few serious questions.
First, I am taking Swahili for two years and hope to have a major grasp on the language before I graduate. Do you think with this under my belt Peace Corps would try to assign me in an area that speaks some Swahili, like Tanzania or Kenya?
Second, has anyone done the joint grad school/peacecorps thing? Where you get a grad degree at the same time?
Third, If I want to do it like a month after I graduate in spring, how early should I begin applying?
Thank you so much for your help...I no I am not a returned volunteer but I hope to be some day :)
First, I am taking Swahili for two years and hope to have a major grasp on the language before I graduate. Do you think with this under my belt Peace Corps would try to assign me in an area that speaks some Swahili, like Tanzania or Kenya?
Second, has anyone done the joint grad school/peacecorps thing? Where you get a grad degree at the same time?
Third, If I want to do it like a month after I graduate in spring, how early should I begin applying?
Thank you so much for your help...I no I am not a returned volunteer but I hope to be some day :)
posted by:
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Phoenix
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PC Namibia 01-03/ Consultant for MET Namibia 03-05
Thu, February 9, 2006 - 2:43 PMMy goodness Ashely, arn't We on the ball! lol.
I left the year after college after trying Several different avenue's for volunteer work. i applied right after but i'm glad I had that gap to work first. I declined one placement before i took an assignment.
One of my fellow PCV's had MANY years of French under her belt. Fluent... She really wanted a Francophone country. didn't get it.
Taking Swahili is cool anyway! But do you want to use it besides PC? you love Kenya a LOT? you can learn a language pretty fast while living in it. I failed one language class once in my life. no other experiance. I was the second highest scoring Damara speaker in Namibia PC. i worked my ass off and really spoke a LOT. but only for the first 10 weeks- they train you. don't worry. and what they don't teach you - you find out.
I think the PC/ Grad school thing sounds awesome... but very difficult. PC is hard enough on its own without that added to it. but they didn't start that till just reciently. if you find a program that REALLY fits what you want to do while your there. sure. but i had such a WIERD description of the job sent to me and it was NOTHING at all like what i ended up doing. something to think about. (its the government afterall... logical placement sometimes doesn't happen.- if you get over there with one program in mind and paper to write and then end up in a situation where it won't work WHAT SO EVER- then... what? at least with just being a PCV... you can adapt. but can you adapt the masters program? i'm not sure. Some newbie pcv's recienly i met who were in the program for about 3 months told me it was going a bit chaotic... i dunno.)
WOW- and a MONTH after you graduate? wow... your on a deadline huh? (i thought my arbitrary deadlines were something... relax. africa time...)
but seriously- they have departure dates. maybe start applying a year in advance- most people told me it took a year. i took longer cuz i got placed in South America and I wanted somewhere else/ different program. Once you get through the interview process they will send you packets of who is leaving soonest... and which job... and where... etc. You are wanting something pretty specific like East Africa and whatever job and whatever masters program... it may take you longer. but your recruiting officer will let you know.
why you wanna go?
(i love asking this question!)
good luck!
!gai se !na i re!
t.
