Would you join the Peace Corps?

[amietron]

Would you ever consider joining or join the Peace Corps, given the opportunity? Do you know anyone who has?

I have a friend who's thinking of joining, after graduating this year as a music major.

[AngryABCGirl]

Probably not, I don't have the heart of altruism for it.

[Mr.Lum]

I have thought about it. my sister was in it. she went somewhere in Latin America. I wanted to go to Fiji, Samoa or some other PAcific nation and help my brothers and sisters there. however, now I view it more as a tool of American imperial interests; get them while they are young. but I still think it has good in it.

[nonamerasian]

I don't think you get to pick where you go.

I thought about it during high school.

Some of my mom's friends were in the Peace Corps years ago. Hard work, but I think they all liked it.

[Craig]

I know around the time that I graduated, they were not taking applicants with my major.

[amietron]

Originally Posted by nonamerasian

I don't think you get to pick where you go.

actually, you get to put down a preference, but you don't get to choose. =\

my friend wants to go to china. his logic is, you have two opportunities to go- when you graduate from college, and when you're retired. if you go after graduating from college, you have more to gain because it'll help to form you into who you are going to be in the future.

remember the movie, shallow hal?

[nola]

Originally Posted by Mr.Lum

however, now I view it more as a tool of American imperial interests; get them while they are young. but I still think it has good in it.

I agree it's very imperialisitic as in "we're better so we can help you". It reminds me of Christian missionaries who think they're saviors when they smuggle Bibles into China...arghhh!!!

My boss went to Burkhina Faso. She said she didn't do anything for the country but collected cool experiences to talk about with her friends.

Americorps is better because we're improving our own country. I think Bush cut most of Americorps funding.

[Emperor_Mike]

Sounds alright. I did something similar in Canada but it was under a short-lived program sponsored by the Canadian Foreign Office. Now I limit myself to organisations like the UN and Amnesty.

[amietron]

Originally Posted by nola

I agree it's very imperialisitic as in "we're better so we can help you". It reminds me of Christian missionaries who think they're saviors when they smuggle Bibles into China...arghhh!!!

My boss went to Burkhina Faso. She said she didn't do anything for the country but collected cool experiences to talk about with her friends.

Americorps is better because we're improving our own country. I think Bush cut most of Americorps funding.

that was my thinking too. "hi, i'm like god. i'm from a rich country, called America, and i'm here to save you."

[lethal]

I had a couple friends do Peace Corps in Africa. They loved the experience. Both teaching and helping out village kids as well as just exploring the country. They told me stories of riding their dirtbiks from Mozambique to Capetown, learning Swahili...if its something that you want to do, live out in the back country, I'd say go for it. Its worthwhile and probably a better way to spend your 22-24 years than anything else you could do.

Plus if you're looking to apply to med school or law school, it looks great on your resume.

[A.R.A.M.]

Originally Posted by amietron

actually, you get to put down a preference, but you don't get to choose. =\

my friend wants to go to china. his logic is, you have two opportunities to go- when you graduate from college, and when you're retired. if you go after graduating from college, you have more to gain because it'll help to form you into who you are going to be in the future.

remember the movie, shallow hal?

The Peace Corp website also states that those who are between careers are eligible to join. And some of the jobs require a couple of years experience in addition to a college education. So, if you hate your boss right now, you can still quite and join.

[Mr.Lum]

Originally Posted by nola

I agree it's very imperialisitic as in "we're better so we can help you". It reminds me of Christian missionaries who think they're saviors when they smuggle Bibles into China...arghhh!!!

My boss went to Burkhina Faso. She said she didn't do anything for the country but collected cool experiences to talk about with her friends.

Americorps is better because we're improving our own country. I think Bush cut most of Americorps funding.

my sister works for them.

remember the movie, shallow hal?

I fucking hate that movie. so fucking racist!

[kuilong]

Hah, yeah, I want to join the Peace Corps. Apparently French speakers are in some demand.

There's not many volunteers in China, and their activities are restricted by the government. And I don't really see the imperialism -- how does teaching better farming techniques or English say "the US is better"?

[Kuchana]

Originally Posted by kuilong

And I don't really see the imperialism -- how does teaching better farming techniques or English say "the US is better"?

Same here.

[Mr.Lum]

Originally Posted by kuilong

Hah, yeah, I want to join the Peace Corps. Apparently French speakers are in some demand.

There's not many volunteers in China, and their activities are restricted by the government. And I don't really see the imperialism -- how does teaching better farming techniques or English say "the US is better"?

win their hearts and minds in the developing world. English is the language of the US importing our language on them and sending out people to "better" them is the same way Europeans (not all w/ English of coarse) won the hearts and minds of various brown peoples eventually conquering them.