General Information

Peace Corps, Costa Rica.
June 25, 2007 - September 2009

When do you leave and where are you going?
On June 25th, I fly from Greensboro, NC to Maimi, FL where I will spend a day & a half filling out paper work and playing get to know you games with my 17 other Costa Rica volunteers.

On June 27th, I fly from Miami, FL to San Jose, Costa Rica.
I will live with a Costa Rican family somewhere outside of San Jose for three months of training.

After those three months, I will be sworn in officially as a Peace Corps Youth Development Volunteer (until then I am only considered a Peace Corps trainee). At which time, I will move to live in another Costa Rican community with a family (and feasibly far away from other PCVs) for two years.


What will you be doing?
As a Youth Development Volunteer, my job description states that I will work with families, children and youth in a variety of settings. (Yes, it is VERY informative.)

From what past volunteers have explained to me, once I enter the community it will take time to adjust to Costa Rican working standards, the cultural mindset and the language level necessary to actually serve the community well. During this adjusting time, I will have to work hard at figuring out the needs of the community and then at figuring out the ways I can fulfil those needs best.


Are you scared?
Um...yes. I am about to move to another country (don't really know where) to work as a youth development volunteer (not really sure what that means) and speak a language that i MAYBE have a conversation level ability. Yes - scared. However, I am calm right now the excitement still outweighs the fright.


Will you be able to come home?
Yes. We get 24 days of vacation a year which will definitly include some mental health days of exploring the Costa Rican beach. However, there is a 99.9% chance that two of my best friends are going to get married during my two year stint...so...for now, I am planning on coming back for those two weddings. Everyone else that I'm close to - try to hold off on getting married and having the babies for goodness sake. :)


Best Piece of Advice So Far:
Have NO expectations.

Main Goals:
1. Love people.
2. Be challenged and forced to grow in new and different ways.
3. Speak Spanish well!