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I thought about joining Peace Corps about five years ago. I never finished my application. My professor recommended it and said that it would be good experience. I know I would have lots of trouble being accepted into Teach for America, though (I don't even qualify), and the way people are talking about Peace Corps, it's sounding a little like Teach for America. Plus, there are all of the perils that come along with living and working in a foreign country. It would be okay if were with a relatively large camp of people from the U.S., but what if that's just not the case? I don't know how well I would adjust if it were just me, maybe some other more experienced volunteer, and a whole group of natives. Plus, what if I were put somewhere I DID NOT want to be, like the Middle East? I guess it could be an experience, but after all of this talk in the U.S. about "honor killings" and strict traditions that they hold, I would, understandably, be a little worried.
Here is your fundamental problem -- you are absolutely scared of stepping out of your safe little box because of all the possibilities and what if that you just don't know. You have to get out of that box because it's choking you. If you don't break the stranglehold your fears have on you now, you never will. You don't have to do Peace Corps or any other specific job, but it's time to step out of the safe school box and take your chances alongside the rest of us. You don't have to love it. You don't even have to like it. But you do have to do it.
Here is your fundamental problem -- you are absolutely scared of stepping out of your safe little box because of all the possibilities and what if that you just don't know. You have to get out of that box because it's choking you. If you don't break the stranglehold your fears have on you now, you never will. You don't have to do Peace Corps or any other specific job, but it's time to step out of the safe school box and take your chances alongside the rest of us. You don't have to love it. You don't even have to like it. But you do have to do it.
^^^agreed.
OP, as a teacher, part of your job is to inspire and motivate. How can you do that if you are terrified of your own shadow?
People do not grow and improve themselves by staying comfortable.
They grow and improve by stepping out of their comfort zone, by stretching themselves, by challenging themselves.
You are scared to go to a friend's birthday party or to the beach, but you think you can handle and INSPIRE a roomful of teenagers?!? They will EAT. YOU. ALIVE.
OP, as a teacher, part of your job is to inspire and motivate. How can you do that if you are terrified of your own shadow?
People do not grow and improve themselves by staying comfortable.
They grow and improve by stepping out of their comfort zone, by stretching themselves, by challenging themselves.
You are scared to go to a friend's birthday party or to the beach, but you think you can handle and INSPIRE a roomful of teenagers?!? They will EAT. YOU. ALIVE.
I kind of want to be taken off of the menu. With all of this talk about being "thrown to the wolves" and "being eaten alive" by kids that are like "a herd of wild beasts." I think perhaps I would have been better becoming a wildlife veterinarian... or maybe a zookeeper or wildlife handler and trainer? At least their behaviors are predictable. Kids, from what I understand now, really aren't.
I did look at teaching sort of like acting or being a speaker on stage when I started the program and it never dawned on me to start asking questions to find out if the story that was fed to me was indeed what the job was really like. I expected to learn a neat little script, have a textbook with many of the answers and activities, and improvise and answer questions as I felt comfortable. That would have made the most sense, but no, that's not how they do it. I never knew it depended so heavily on your own creativity and ingenuity. I've tried to catch up, but it's been a very steep learning curb that I haven't mastered.
There are free online courses through MIT, Rutgers, others. I think it's called open source courseware. You should check these out. So much to learn in a wide variety of topics, and free!
I thought about joining Peace Corps about five years ago. I never finished my application. My professor recommended it and said that it would be good experience. I know I would have lots of trouble being accepted into Teach for America, though (I don't even qualify), and the way people are talking about Peace Corps, it's sounding a little like Teach for America. Plus, there are all of the perils that come along with living and working in a foreign country. It would be okay if were with a relatively large camp of people from the U.S., but what if that's just not the case? I don't know how well I would adjust if it were just me, maybe some other more experienced volunteer, and a whole group of natives. Plus, what if I were put somewhere I DID NOT want to be, like the Middle East? I guess it could be an experience, but after all of this talk in the U.S. about "honor killings" and strict traditions that they hold, I would, understandably, be a little worried.
My friend is applying for a country in Africa (you used to just apply for anyplace, now you apply for a specific position in a specific country) and most of the Peace Corp volunteers will be placed in a small village (no electricity & no running water) a two to three hour bike ride (over dirt paths) from any other volunteer. A supervisor (usually a third year volunteer) will visit every six weeks or so. Between those visits (every six weeks) the volunteer is completely, totally, 100% absolutely on their own. Now, a few volunteers may be placed in a regional capital, but all of them will be planning and working on their projects independently.
At least in most places, it is not like you see in the movies, where there are a half dozen Peace Corp volunteers in the same town, living together and having fun together during their "off time". The literature that I have read clearly states that there is no "off time" and although a volunteer may not be physically working all the time it is considered a 24/7 commitment to the community. At least where my friend is applying, she will likely only see another "non-native" once every six weeks, and only get together with other Peace Corp volunteers once a year (when the new volunteers arrive and the two year volunteers leave). Other than that, or extreme emergencies, she will be totally on her own, to carry out various ongoing projects and plan and carryout her own major project for the village where she is placed.
Frankly, KMB, if you are having difficulty when teachers do not leave good lesson plans it is difficult to picture you being placed in village where you have to be in charge and may be the only teacher for miles and miles, teaching all subjects in a different language with no supervision or assistance. Of course, teaching in a larger town would be a little different, with multiple teachers from the community that could help, but I would still assume that it would be a daunting task.
I would still assume that it would be a daunting task.
The way you describe it, it would probably be a daunting task for anyone. It sounds like more of an opportunity than substitute teaching could ever provide, though, but I would need at least one other American, preferably from my region, helping me with my projects. I wouldn't want to work alone, just because I'm not outgoing and might be perceived by the natives as unfriendly. Also, Peace Corps trains its volunteers before just dropping them into the new environment, don't they? After having some training in the language, culture, basic etiquette of living in those conditions, perhaps I would be better equipped to handle the situation? Plus, it sounds like in a situation like that, there would also be a lot of relief work going on: well drilling for clean water, teaching the natives to hunt, fish, and grow crops, teaching them English, and building sturdy school buildings. Really, it sounds like a lot of fun. I have no idea how I would get anything accomplished, though, if I were working alone. That would be pretty difficult. I would have to make friends with some of the natives, and that would be a daunting task for me, given my social anxiety, unless by some miracle we just clicked. My adult students respect me, or tolerate me, but I'm not super-friendly. I can't show a lot of emotion or show interest in clients without feeling like I've crossed some kind of invisible social boundary; it just isn't me.
The way you describe it, it would probably be a daunting task for anyone. It sounds like more of an opportunity than substitute teaching could ever provide, though, but I would need at least one other American, preferably from my region, helping me with my projects. I wouldn't want to work alone, just because I'm not outgoing and might be perceived by the natives as unfriendly. Also, Peace Corps trains its volunteers before just dropping them into the new environment, don't they? After having some training in the language, culture, basic etiquette of living in those conditions, perhaps I would be better equipped to handle the situation? Plus, it sounds like in a situation like that, there would also be a lot of relief work going on: well drilling for clean water, teaching the natives to hunt, fish, and grow crops, teaching them English, and building sturdy school buildings. Really, it sounds like a lot of fun. I have no idea how I would get anything accomplished, though, if I were working alone. That would be pretty difficult. I would have to make friends with some of the natives, and that would be a daunting task for me, given my social anxiety, unless by some miracle we just clicked. My adult students respect me, or tolerate me, but I'm not super-friendly. I can't show a lot of emotion or show interest in clients without feeling like I've crossed some kind of invisible social boundary; it just isn't me.
It sounds like "a lot of fun" ??? ???
I am a very outgoing person and an extremely self-reliant person. But, even I can't imagine being in a situation, where I am placed in the middle of nowhere, in a country with a different language, being completely on my own (except for a few hour visit once every six weeks to make sure that everything is going OK), expected to walk the narrow line between working professionally with everyone in the village and being friends with everyone in the village (from the new babies to the elderly). Not even mentioning that it may be a several day trek via foot and bike and jeeps on dirt paths/roads just to see a doctor in case of an emergency.
Now, there are placements in larger cities and in Europe, South America and the far east that may be different, but IMHO, still very, very difficult for a person who is not extremely outgoing, social and able to handle any and all problems on their own, without any help.
I'm trying to say this delicately, but from what I know about the Peace Corp, it really does not sound like something that you would be able to handle.
Now, a several week or month long mission trip in a foreign country, that someone else organizes and where you are told exactly what to do and when to do it, may be a great learning experience for you.
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or maybe a zookeeper or wildlife handler and trainer? At least their behaviors are predictable. Kids, from what I understand now, really aren't. 
??? 
