PEACE Corps –
“Staying in Touch?” https://www.peacecorps.gov/mytoolkit/nominee/familyfriends/stayintouch.cfm
My husband & I started
the PC application process the summer of 2008. We were “nominated” to the Peace Corps February 2, 2009 for
a surprising assignment in Central/South America. (Based on our skills & job possibilities of Business,
Health Education or teaching, we had been offered several locations to pick
from, so we chose: 1) Eastern Europe/Central Asia, 2) Pacific, and 3) Africa. Today
our application was officially withdrawn – by both sides, for 2 different
reasons. We agreed with their
“staying in touch” premise from the page (link above) on the PC’s website that
says, “Keeping in touch during your loved one's two years of service will be
important to you both.” However,
what the PC information says & what we were just told (after a year & a
half into the process) are two different things. We had been warned that we may not have immediate access to
phone or Internet while in the PC, but we had never been told that we might not
have communication with family/friends for 4 – 6 weeks! Here is what has transpired in the last
several months:
10/6/09
From: Education Placement
& Assessment Assistant
Dear
Ann and Charles,
I
hope this e-mail finds you well. I am writing from the Placement and
Assessment Office at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C. I have
recently completed the preliminary review of your file and noted a few items
for follow-up. I see that both of
you are TEFL certified. Please email or fax me a copy of your
certificates to be added to your file.
Your file is now with your Placement and Assessment Specialist, for
further review.
As
you may be aware, the Office of Medical Services deems you both medically
qualified for service with a medical accommodation list. These medical
accommodation lists denote which country a volunteer is medically cleared to
serve within, due to a certain medical condition. (I need eye pressure tests every 6-mo) These lists are
meant to ensure that applicants are only considered for placement in countries
that have the medical capabilities in place to handle any medical situation
that may arise…As far as Placement is concerned, when an accommodation list is
issued for an applicant the Placement and Assessment Specialist must abide by
the list, and only consider the applicant for the countries specified.
I
see that you were originally nominated to a program departing in early
February. Please be aware, often the process for placing couples takes
longer for a number of reasons, including the fact that Peace Corps really
strives to make sure that there are two distinct and viable jobs available so
each spouse’s skills are utilized as much as possible. Also, to be
taken into account is your medical accommodation list. In your case the
country you were originally being considered for (Central/South America) is no
longer an option medically speaking. (We) will work to identify an
alternate program for you, focusing on programs that leave a close to your
original departure date as possible. Have a nice day, Education Placement & Assessment
Assistant
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009
From: Volunteer Placement & Assessment Specialist / Education Skills
Desk
Good
morning Charles and Ann,
I
have recently completed my final assessment of your application and I have a
few follow-up questions for you before I can continue processing your
application.
I
understand you have children and have expressed an interest in having regular
access to Internet and/or telephone while in Peace Corps so that you can stay
in touch with them, which is understandable; however, while I facilitate
country placements it is up to program staff in-country to facilitate
site-specific placements. With that said, I am unable to ascertain the type of
site that you would be placed in for a full two years and the amenities that
would be available to you.
Please
explain your comfort level with serving somewhere (based on Peace Corps
greatest needs), which potentially means not having regular access to internet,
phone, and/or other comforts of home you might be used to here in the States,
for the entire 27 month commitment that Peace Corps requires.
As
previously discussed, due to the medical accommodation I am unable to consider
you for the program to which you were originally nominated. I have identified
programs for you that I believe are fantastic matches for your skill sets: Charles,
your Business background and Ann, your Health background. This program is in
the South America region and has an estimated departure date of early May 2010.
Generally, sites in this country are quite rustic,
which is why I
would like to ensure you both have realistic expectations about the possibility
of not having regular access to communication. For instance, internet and or
access to phone could realistically be hours away by bus, and might not mean
communicating with friends or family in the United States for 4-6 weeks at a time.
Lastly,
while you would of course live together in a site for the full two years, there
is a possibility you would live with separate host families during the first
three months of training. This is not a guarantee, however, it is something to
be prepared for if required by staff for training purposes in-country. In
situations such as these, couples still see each other during the week, or
weekends, depending on their proximity from one another.
Are
you comfortable with being separated (with visiting rights) during the first
three months of service?
I
have attached the ‘Core Expectations’
for Peace Corps Volunteers. I encourage you to read through these Expectations
and reflect on your ability to commit to them for 27 months of service based on
Peace Corps greatest needs. I am unable to grant placement clearance for an
invitation until I understand you are fully committed to Peace Corps and
flexible in terms of location, this includes confronting challenges discussed
above. If you have specific questions please feel free to contact me.
I
wish you a very happy Thanksgiving, and I look forward to hearing from you
soon.
Kind
regards,
Volunteer
Placement & Assessment Specialist / Education Skills Desk
Peace
Corps Headquarters
The ‘Core
Expectations’ state:
Core Expectations For Peace Corps Volunteers
In
working toward fulfilling the Peace Corps Mission of promoting world peace and
friendship, as a trainee and Volunteer, you are expected to:
1. Prepare your personal and
professional life to make a commitment to serve abroad for a full term of 27
months
2. Commit to improving the quality
of life of the people with whom you live and work; and, in doing so, share your
skills, adapt them, and learn new skills as needed
3. Serve where the Peace Corps
asks you to go, under conditions of hardship, if necessary, and with the
flexibility needed for effective service
4. Recognize that your successful
and sustainable development work is based on the local trust and confidence you
build by living in, and respectfully integrating yourself into, your host
community and culture
5. Recognize that you are
responsible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your personal conduct and
professional performance
6. Engage with host country
partners in a spirit of cooperation, mutual learning, and respect
7. Work within the rules and
regulations of the Peace Corps and the local and national laws of the country
where you serve
8. Exercise judgment and personal
responsibility to protect your health, safety, and well-being and that of
others
9. Recognize that you will be
perceived, in your host country and community, as a representative of the
people, cultures, values, and traditions of the United States of America
10. Represent responsibly the
people, cultures, values, and traditions of your host country and community to
people in the United States both during and following your service
November 29, 2009
From: Ann
To: Volunteer Placement & Assessment Specialist / Education Skills
Desk
Dear Volunteer Placement Specialist:
In
an October 6th e-mail, the Education Placement & Assessment Assistant advised
us the Office of Medical Services has deemed you both “medically qualified for
service with a medical accommodation list.” We understood this to mean
that we would be assigned to a country, where a volunteer is medically cleared
to serve within, due to certain medical conditions - - to ensure that
applicants are considered for placement in countries that have the medical
capabilities in place to handle any medical situation that may arise.
Under Time Considerations it also stated, “In your case the country you were
originally being considered for is no longer an option medically speaking.” (We
had originally been nominated for Central/South America) A.M. will work to
identify an alternate program for you, focusing on programs that leave as close
to your original departure date as possible.
However,
in your last e-mail from November 24th you indicate that you had recently
completed our final assessment and as previously discussed, due to the medical
accommodation, “I am unable to consider you for the program to which you were
originally nominated.” You then stated that our skill sets were appropriate for
a particular program in the South America region, but that “sites in this country
are quite rustic.” Does ‘rustic’ mean we would still have access to meet
our medical accommodations?
While
we are both fine with being separated for the training, being unable
to communicate with family, specifically our daughters, for up to 4-6
weeks would not be acceptable. We have heard from many Peace Corps
volunteers that they have had daily Internet or phone access AND medical
facilities available. So I am surprised that when older, experienced
people volunteer, that the Peace Corps process is not more accommodating.
We also have heard from a returning older PC volunteer that most of the young
people in our group of 17 left the program either during or immediately after the
‘swearing in’ largely because they had not traveled as we older ones had and,
thus, knew next-to-nothing about conditions in "third world"
countries and simply could not "hack" it. In addition, she said
that it was found that older volunteers can be far more productive than younger
ones and that life experience counts for a lot.
Unfortunately,
however, this whole discussion may be moot in that yesterday morning my husband
was admitted to the hospital with a DVT.
He is going to need regular blood tests for a few months to stabilize
him on a blood thinner.
I
am assuming this latest event in particular, changes our qualifications for
serving in the Peace Corps. We were both greatly looking forward to using
our skills, experience, & education in service. We will still pursue
other volunteer opportunities for healthcare teaching or business.
However, it now looks as if serving in what you describe as a ‘rustic’ location
would not be possible.
Thank
you for your time & consideration. We have also invested considerable
time, expense & energy into pursuing what we still believe to be a GREAT
humanitarian opportunity for US citizens. We are disappointed that the PC
organization cannot be more flexible in placing older volunteers (locations
& time commitments), but we will continue to be of service, because that is
who we are! Thanks, ann
12/1/09
From: Volunteer
Placement & Assessment Specialist / Education Skills Desk
Thank you for your email. First and
foremost, I would like to express my sincere well wishes to your husband given
his current state. I wish him a speedy recovery, and that everything is
resolved as soon as possible so that you can continue to pursue a volunteer
opportunity that is the best fit for both of your skills and preferences.
As
you mentioned, even though this might be a moot conversation I would still like
to address your concerns and clarify any confusion that may have stemmed from
this extensive application process. HR’s original email was accurate in that I
would only consider you both for countries where Peace Corps can medically
accommodate you. Health, safety and security-related issues are Peace Corps’
top priorities when it comes to overseeing its Volunteers. Medical
accommodations are determined by the Office of Medical Services (OMS), and as a
Placement and Assessment Officer it is my responsibility to follow this
specific guidance from OMS. Ensuring Volunteers are safe and healthy is not
something that Peace Corps takes lightly.
The
rustic site I referred to in my
email was approved by OMS. The main reason I wanted to follow-up on the issue
with you because I understand that Internet access and communication with
family and friends in the United States is one of your preferences, however, I am unable to guarantee this amenity.
As a Placement and Assessment Officer I am responsible for facilitating country
placements whereas site-specific placements are determined by in-country staff.
Since I cannot guarantee what types of amenities you would have available to
you in at your specific site then I wanted to ensure you have the realistic
expectations to serve in a situation such as this. Again, please keep in mind
that the medical facilities necessary for accommodating your medical history
are available in-country, and were approved by OMS.
Peace
Corps is dedicated to placing applicants in countries, which solicit our
volunteer service. One of the Core Expectations of any Peace Corps Volunteer is
to ‘serve where the Peace Corps asks you to go, under conditions of hardship,
if necessary, and with the flexibility needed for effective service.’ Peace Corps is not right for everyone,
and I appreciate your candid response so that I have a better understanding of
your personal preferences that might prevent you from serving as an effective
Volunteer. I have withdrawn your applications and notified OMS so that they are
aware of the situation, too. I
hope this helps clarify things. I greatly respect the time you have vested in
the Peace Corps application process, and I wish both of you the best of luck.
Kind
regards,
Volunteer
Placement & Assessment Specialist / Education Skills Desk
Peace
Corps Headquarters
At this point, we are
OK with not going into the Peace Corps.
However, for those considering the PC, especially older people &
couples, beware that the several thousand dollars you may spend for medical,
dental, & eye exams, plus lab tests, will probably not be picked up by
insurance and the Peace Corps only reimburses women (men get less) for
$280/medical, $60/dental, & $12/vision. In addition, Peace Corps has told us, that at the present
time, maybe due to this economy, they have had a great influx of applications,
so older people may not look so good to them? Young people may be more accepting of these limitations, because of their need for
jobs, housing, etc, more than they need contact with family??
For us, it makes no sense to responsibly serve in another country, if it
requires being irresponsible in supporting and communicating with family.
