Has anybody reading this been or known somebody who's been in the Peace Corps? Hear good things, bad things? I'm seriously considering this...

my aunt did this and went to the seychelles in the 70s. i think she enjoyed it, although things might've changed since then.

I've heard it takes like a year to go through the application process, it's basically a government job. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but one of the best things George Bush did in the wake of 9/11 was significantly increase the budget for the organization. I wish I would have considered doing this, although now I feel like I have different priorities. Anyway, as long as you don't have to shovel dirt for two years in a south-east Asian hell hole, it's probably worth it.

One of my good friends served in the Peace Corps in Ghana for a couple of years. He caught malaria 4 times...

he enjoyed his time, but he got screwed by them. His Fiancee's father died when he had 2 months left, and they told him he could go to the funeral... he did, came back, and then they withheld all the supposed job assistance because he had abandoned his service (even though they had approved it, and he returned to them).

My oldest brother spent two years in Botswana, Africa in the early 70s through the peace corps.

He loved the experience, and actually just went back earlier this year for a reunion with his fellow volunteers.

I always wanted to try something like that but never got up the nerve to do it.

While I was overseas and exploring options, (State Department, USAid, NGO's), the people at the state department surprisingly tried to steer me in the direction of the Peace Corps. They said that I would probably enjoy it, find it extremely fulfilling, and that having it on an application is really an incredible thing to have. Also, the State Department/USAid folks said that being in the Peace Corps was a ticket to getting into the State Department. They say that the Peace Corps is like a little cult. A cult of extremely selfless, dedicated individuals.

From what I understand, it's very rigorous to get into. In fact, the way it was presented to me was that my bachelors in Mechanical Engineering might not be enough. And the organization does not hesitate to not take on people if they have no need for them. So far as my position, I was informed that being in the miitary was a good thing, as often times you'll just end up in some third world hell hole on your own for a year at a time, without access to showers, really roughing it. Being in the military shows that you can tolerate a rough life or some shit.

It's an elite group. I was actually shocked about what I learned about it. Also, the limit the time you can spend within the organization. Which I found quite shocking. I think the most you can serve in the Peace Corps is just four years tops.

It's definitely piqued my interest, although I think for me, the NGO route seems much more palatable.