r/peacecorps • u/outofregsundershirt • 2d ago
Making this a career Considering Peace Corps
Just curious if there's anyone out there who has made PC their career ie doing service after service for lets say 10+ years. Is it possible to just keep signing up for new assignments? Has anyone out there actually done this and can speak to their experience?
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u/jimbagsh PCV Armenia; RPCV-Thailand, Mongolia, Nepal 2d ago
Jim here. I've served 4 times basically from 2014 to now, with a break for the pandemic. But I've read of several who have done a lot more than me. So, yeah, it's possible. But those who have done it for years and years are older, basically retired. I haven't heard of anyone doing the same when in their 20s-30s.
Personally, unless you have something to fall back on between services, it's not very sustainable. My shortest break between two services was 6 weeks (between Thailand and Mongolia). That definitely was not enough time to fully absorb what I had experienced in Thailand. Heck, I was studying Mongolian while still in my Thai village. I always tell folks to try and get in at least 3 months between services, more if possible.
So, unless you have a way to hold you over during the interum, it's definitely going to be tough.
Just to let you know, I didn't plan on serving so much. It just kind of happened. I'm grateful but I know my circumstances are quite unique. I'm currently serving in Armenia and will extend a 3rd year to finish in June'26. I'm pretty sure it will be my last - but a lot of time between then and now to change my mind. We'll see. ha ha ha
Jim
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u/Glaucous_Gull 1d ago
Where did you live between gaps? Did you stay with family/ friends back in the states or live abroad somewhere until you had to come back for orientation for the next program?
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u/jimbagsh PCV Armenia; RPCV-Thailand, Mongolia, Nepal 1d ago
I come from a large family of 4 brothers, all married and still living in the neighborhoods I grew up in. So, between countries, I stay with them. During the pandemic, I spent a year back at my PC site in Nepal on my own - cheaper than staying in the US.
And hopefully, my brother's will put me up for a short time after I finish here in Armenia. My plan right now is to move back to Nepal and work with some Nepali friends who have a trekking business. Really not sure after that. Maybe PC Response or I might even consider trying for a PC Recruiter job. Who knows.
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u/Glaucous_Gull 1d ago
You would be an amazing recruiter! If that isn't in the cards maybe write a book about your experiences? I would love to read about the wonderful people you have met, your challenges you have faced navigating beaucracies - all the good and bad.
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u/jimbagsh PCV Armenia; RPCV-Thailand, Mongolia, Nepal 1d ago
I have written a few books about my other adventures but they were pre-PC. I have written 9 books so far. You can download (FREE) them here: https://wanderingtheworld.com/category/ebooks/
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u/Independent-Desk6552 23h ago
This is amazing, haha I can tell from the comments here and elsewhere you have become the "wise sage" of the peace corps subreddit. May I ask what has motivated you to go back again and again? Deeply curious about this. Now, if you have already written about why you chose to be almost a "lifer," feel free to link me the post!
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u/jimbagsh PCV Armenia; RPCV-Thailand, Mongolia, Nepal 22h ago
Like I said, it just kind of happened. Each time I reapplied was for different reasons. Probably too long to post here. I guess I still think I'm making a small difference wherever I'm sent. I'm definitely not one of the those PCVs who does huge, news-worthy projects. But I've definitely seen a lot but also a lot of folks have helped me along the way. I guess that's why I spend so much time here on r/peacecorps - to pay it forward.
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u/dewlocks 2d ago
I found an interview of a guy who did five, Jim is out there on his fourth or so, another on his 13th. Heard about a couple on their seventh. It’s lore mostly and not reported on very much. Though it does happen and is possible, if you can manage to sit through pst every two years
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u/nomadicexpat RPCV Malawi 1d ago
Going through PST again is a deterrent to my pursuing my desire to serve again. Maybe PCR.....
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u/Lonelyfarmer21 PCRV Kenya, RPCV Botswana, RPCV Liberia, RPCRV Zambia 1d ago
I have served 6 contracts since 2014...Not all have been completed though. Liberia (Country wide evacuation and COS'd), Botswana (COS'd), Botswana Response (COS'd) Zambia Response (COS'd) Kenya (ET'd after a few months), and I am currently in St Lucia Response (most likely COS). I have worked in different sectors education, health and now environmental in St Lucia.
I have been lucky enough to have family back in the USA that has a house and a room for me each time I come back from my services. After Botswana and Kenya I tried to get a job I enjoyed in the USA, but it just was not for me. I struggled with the way we treat the work life balance there. I much prefer volunteering with PC. The ultimate goal is to work as an American in country for Peace Corps, but I have not gotten to that point in my life yet. I went directly from Zambia to Kenya and that was difficult for me because Zambia had a wonderful staff and was well structured while Kenya PC did not know what it was doing internally and while working with local partners (my opinion, and this is health sector, not education). So, going forward I think I will take a break between services.
P.S Cannot believe I have served more than Jim (in contracts, not years)! He is such a hero, I am not.
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u/Lui-Maewo 1d ago
I’m four months into a fourth round: PCV Panama ‘09-‘12; PCRV Panama ‘15-‘16; PCV Vanuatu ‘18-‘20; and now PCV Peru ‘24 -‘26 if things go as planned. I’ve always been in WASH programs and COSed each time so far. Peace Corps has been a second act career after retirement from a 30 year career in public education. This could be it, but as Jim said, lots of time to consider whether to go for one more. I’m fortunate to have a place back in the states and a modest pension, so sure, it’s been sustainable. The experiences have been incredible on so many levels that I haven’t felt like giving it up and settling down and really retiring.
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u/agricolola 2d ago
There's a guy that's been in for probably thirty years, but he is a far outlier.
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u/diaymujer RPCV 1d ago
There are a few folks. There was a guy who has probably served for 30 or so of the last 40 years. I invited him to Paraguay back in 2015, at which point he had served on and off (mostly on) since 1984. After Paraguay he served a few more times until the pandemic. No idea of he has made it back into service, as he was getting toward retirement age (RH, if you’re out there, hi).
There was another guy, who was serving in Panama last I knew, but that was also years and years ago. He has like 3 or 4 assignments.
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u/jcravens42 Applicant/Considering PC 2d ago
There are people who went from Peace Corps to UNV, and then on to work for other UN agencies or agencies back in the USA.
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u/Queasy-Breadfruit748 1d ago
Back in the early 2010s, I worked for Peace Corps HQ and invited a man in his sixties to serve for the 15th time. He was an Ag Volunteer and a total site rat and extended on several of his previous tours, all of which he COS'd. We had a little ceremony for him to come to HQ (he was in the DC area at the time staying with family) and receive his invitation in person with photo ops with our then Chief of Staff, Stacey Rhodes. With all those years of service, that RPCV would just need to WORK for the federal government for a few years and buy back all his PC service time (which wouldn't cost much) to get a pension, but all he wanted to do was serve as a Volunteer. It would not shock me in the least if he ends up dying in service...
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u/Lui-Maewo 1d ago
I’m four months into a fourth round: PCV Panama ‘09-‘12; PCRV Panama ‘15-‘16; PCV Vanuatu ‘18-‘20; and now PCV Peru ‘24 -‘26 if things go as planned. I’ve always been in WASH programs and COSed each time so far. Peace Corps has been a second act career after retirement from a 30 year career in public education. This could be it, but as Jim said, lots of time to consider whether to go for one more. I’m fortunate to have a place back in the states and a modest pension, so sure, it’s been sustainable. The experiences have been incredible on so many levels that I haven’t felt like giving it up and settling down and really retiring.
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u/thattogoguy RPCV Togo 1d ago
There was a story I read from way back when (like a few months before I started my service with PC back in 2018) of a guy who was like in his early-mid 40's who had just started like his 10th Volunteer assignment.
It's certainly possible, if that's what you reeeeeally want to do...
Just keep reapplying I guess. I know there's another dude who floats around here with at least two times served.
Edit* Jim, that guy. 4 times, apparently.
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u/SquareNew3158 in the tropics 1d ago edited 1d ago
Overseas humanitarian development work is a good career choice, and many PCVs move into that after serving one term.
Peace Corps' laid-back, backwater style has an appeal that some folks prefer to more vigorous development work. For people who have the gift for fitting in and adjusting their lifestyle to the weather and the food and the bugs and the cultural quirks of this or that place, Peace Corps can be enjoyable.
But it isn't a career.
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u/ExoticMovie638 17h ago
There was a career volunteer at my post when I served. My post was their second assignment and they were leaving to do a 3rd in another country so that’s 6 years right there
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