For those who love serving others, or like the military aspect of bringing aid to other countries but without violence, the Peace Corps would be a very viable option.
The Peace Corps is a volunteer-led organization with the mission to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women, to help promote a better understanding of America among the people served, and to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of the volunteers.
The organization has 60 bases throughout the world, including those in Lesotho, Nepal, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Ukraine, Morocco, Samoa, and Ecuador, sending volunteers to the different countries to aid the people there however they can.
There are six different sectors of the Peace Corps that volunteers can serve in: the Agriculture, Education, Environment, Community Economic Development, Health, and Youth sectors. Volunteers are not restricted to just one sector; many volunteers serve in multiple of the Peace Corps’ sectors, although they must be flexible and motivated enough to put their time and effort into all of the sectors they commit to.
Because the Peace Corps is a volunteer-run organization and has no governmental ties, the volunteers are not protected by the U.S military or any sort of military unit where they serve. This means that the Peace Corps do not have bases in countries that are in civil uprisings or wars of any kind; however, volunteers must always be aware that there will always be some level of danger depending on where they are stationed.
There are a few requirements for potential volunteers in order to be a part of the Peace Corps. Volunteers must be 18 years or older and a citizen of the United States. Many positions in the Peace Corps sectors also require a bachelor’s degree or at least five years of professional experience in the particular field. Volunteers must also make a commitment to serve for at least two years, plus three months of training before they are sent off, with no opportunity for visiting home during the two-year commitment.
The Peace Corps is an amazing opportunity for those looking for a career in serving others or simply an immersive service opportunity, leaving volunteers with life-long connections and incomparable memories.
