FAQs
What is the Peace Corps?
The Peace Corps was put into place by JFK in 1961. The mission is to provide technical assistance and to have those from the U.S. understand other cultures as well as have other cultures understand those from the U.S. You can find more information here.
When and how long will you be gone?
I will be leaving September 4 for 27 months. 3 months I will be in language, culture, technical, health, and safety training. This is so I will be able to spend a full 24 months living in my community.
Where will you be going? What do they speak?
I am going to Nepal. They speak Nepali there, which looks like this. तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? pronounced tapaai laai kasto chha? We know this as "How are you"? (Yes, I realize I have my work cut out for me!)
Where is Nepal?
Nepal is north of India and where Mount Everest is. The other country that surrounds it is China, near the Tibet region. Other countries close by are Bhutan, Burma, and Bangladesh.
Why do you want to join the Peace Corps?
See this website for a longer description on October 29, 2013.
Short version is I want to serve others and this was a great opportunity to do it internationally again.
What will you be doing there?
See this blog post for a longer description.
Short version is improving nutrition and hygiene, and assisting with agriculture to ensure food security during off season.
Do you need to raise funds to go there?
No. While I am responsible for any expenses to make sure I am prepared for service through getting medical/dental clearance and have everything I need to be able to live in a third world country for 27 months, (i.e. solar charger, Silica gel packets, and etc.) my travel to and from is covered as well as living expenses.
How much will you get for living expenses?
The point of the PC is to truly integrate yourself into the community and a good way to achieve that is to live on local means so we will be provided with something similar to what they get. Past Nepali volunteers get about $200 U.S. a month in Nepali Rupees. The equivalency rate is around $1 to 1000NR roughly. I won't know for sure what I will get exactly until I get there. Volunteers pay a PC set rent rate to their host families (i.e. $20/month) and a sum also goes to food if you decide to eat half your meals or all of them with the family (i.e. for half $40/month and all $60/month).
Will there be electricity/running water/internet?
I will not know until I get to my new community, but for the most part everyone has electricity. The key is to how reliable it will be. Running water is not common it doesn't sound like, although it can vary and I won't know for myself until I get there. Internet speed is dial up and depending on where I am, I can get it locally or I'll need to go to a bigger village so I can go to an internet cafe.
What is the Peace Corps?
The Peace Corps was put into place by JFK in 1961. The mission is to provide technical assistance and to have those from the U.S. understand other cultures as well as have other cultures understand those from the U.S. You can find more information here.
When and how long will you be gone?
I will be leaving September 4 for 27 months. 3 months I will be in language, culture, technical, health, and safety training. This is so I will be able to spend a full 24 months living in my community.
Where will you be going? What do they speak?
I am going to Nepal. They speak Nepali there, which looks like this. तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? pronounced tapaai laai kasto chha? We know this as "How are you"? (Yes, I realize I have my work cut out for me!)
Where is Nepal?
Nepal is north of India and where Mount Everest is. The other country that surrounds it is China, near the Tibet region. Other countries close by are Bhutan, Burma, and Bangladesh.
Why do you want to join the Peace Corps?
See this website for a longer description on October 29, 2013.
Short version is I want to serve others and this was a great opportunity to do it internationally again.
What will you be doing there?
See this blog post for a longer description.
Short version is improving nutrition and hygiene, and assisting with agriculture to ensure food security during off season.
Do you need to raise funds to go there?
No. While I am responsible for any expenses to make sure I am prepared for service through getting medical/dental clearance and have everything I need to be able to live in a third world country for 27 months, (i.e. solar charger, Silica gel packets, and etc.) my travel to and from is covered as well as living expenses.
How much will you get for living expenses?
The point of the PC is to truly integrate yourself into the community and a good way to achieve that is to live on local means so we will be provided with something similar to what they get. Past Nepali volunteers get about $200 U.S. a month in Nepali Rupees. The equivalency rate is around $1 to 1000NR roughly. I won't know for sure what I will get exactly until I get there. Volunteers pay a PC set rent rate to their host families (i.e. $20/month) and a sum also goes to food if you decide to eat half your meals or all of them with the family (i.e. for half $40/month and all $60/month).
Will there be electricity/running water/internet?
I will not know until I get to my new community, but for the most part everyone has electricity. The key is to how reliable it will be. Running water is not common it doesn't sound like, although it can vary and I won't know for myself until I get there. Internet speed is dial up and depending on where I am, I can get it locally or I'll need to go to a bigger village so I can go to an internet cafe.