What is Peace Corps like and will it enhance my life? Well, according to the Peace Corps staff, it depends.
"It Depends" was the single phrase we heard often when trying to learn the specifics of what we might experience as Peace Corps Volunteers.
When it comes to understanding possible Peace Corps experiences, we all want to know the specifics, what we can expect, and how this will benefit us. But after two years in the Peace Corps, there was one thing I knew for certain; I definitely didn't get what I expected from my Peace Corps Experience. I got way more. I realized setting expectations was really the last thing I should have been doing.
Peace Corps is known to be a fulfilling experience for so many, and for the majority, life changing. It opens doors to a world of possibilities in future career endeavors.
After my two years of constant unknowns, challenges, and triumphs, I understood that the Peace Corps experience doesn't take everyone on the same cookie-cutter path. Peace Corps Volunteer Service is different for everyone. How you go into your service and how you end it ultimately depends on you and your own flexibility.
It Depends: A Guide to Peace Corps, is a full hand-guide to life as a Peace Corps Volunteer anywhere in the world.
This book provides:
- Knowledge on how to prepare for service starting from Application to Close of Service.
- Ways to integrate into culture and learn the language so you have the best service.
- Understanding on the complex and exciting journey of volunteering.
- Insight on LGBTQI and Diversity
- Exercises that help you process what you're experiencing during your service
- Education on what to expect after you've completed your service and come back to the United States.
- Preparation for service by drawing on experiences and stories from Returned Peace Corps Volunteers from around the globe.
Each story told by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers brings a different perspective on service to help potential volunteers prepare for whatever experience may come their way.
Read Peace Corps stories from:
- Brian Fassett (Bulgaria)
- Jacqueline Gerson (Senegal)
- Jenna Smith (Madagascar)
- Natalie Ziemba (Samoa)
- John Gallo (Iran & Tunisia)
- Judson Moore (Kyrgyzstan)
- Danielle J. Zemmel (Liberia)
When considering the Peace Corps experience, this will be one of the most helpful volunteer books and hand guides in your toolbox. But your research shouldn't stop there. The more perspectives you encounter, the more open you are to the infinite possibilities of service, which is why this book also has a list of resources at the end.
It Depends: A Guide to Peace Corps is one of many books about the Peace Corps that offers reliable knowledge on how to prepare for your service with flexibility, open-mindedness, and understanding.
★ If you have read other books about the Peace Corps like Rivertown, The Insider's Guide to Peace Corps, and the Peace Corps Volunteer's Handbook, you will also find It Depends: A Guide to Peace Corps a useful tool.
Start reading this book now to prepare for your service as a Peace Corps Volunteer! Use it as a crutch when you are facing challenges, and may it help you find the courage to make it through your incredible service.
About the Author: Kelly Branyik is a Returned Peace Corps China Volunteer, travel blogger, and author. She was raised in Southern Colorado with her two siblings and her parents. In her youth, she spent most of her life traveling the United States before going international. She now blogs full time about her travels and her experiences with Peace Corps through her website, Travel Branyik.
