Peace Corps Applicant (volunteers of color encouraged to respond!) (hair salon, house)

[kmh504]

Hey Everyone:

I am a rising senior at Northwestern and just finished completing my application and will be having my interview shortly. I read the Insider's Guide to the Peace Corps. It gave me a lot of information. It scared me and excited me at the same time. However, I still have some questions...and being biracial...I could use some volunteers of color to answer certain questions.

1.Dating (is it do-able)/Birth Control (is it paid for by the health coverage?) I read the Insider's guide information on sex and pregnancy...from a feministive perspective...the Peace Corps seems pretty straight-laced in terms of women's sexual behaviors and reproductive options
2.Housing Security – are you living in wide open hut or house with gate and keys? I have issues with people comign in my house at night to rape or rob me. Having lived in Guatemala and South Africa I've heard it all.
3.Local Transportation – safe or better to use alternate methods ?
4.Will I be with/close to other volunteers?
5.What exactly is the 3 month training like?
6.Is there a penalty for wanting to leave the Peace Corps early (w/o legit reason)?
7. My hair! What should I do? (I hate braids and “natural” style)/were you able to find hair salons ( those not in Africa or the Dominican Republic)? Black female volunteers please advise.
8.Monthly allowance is compared to locals – how comparable – what if your locals live below even their nation’s poverty line? What exactly do we pay for on our own: housing, food etc.
8.Can you use vacation days in a clump or just the 2 per month?
9.Do you work on the weekends? What is the nature of the jobs 9-5? Or when work needs to be done?
10. For those that started their service immediately after graduating from undergrad, how long did it take you to find a job/get into grad or professional school. Did you feel you really reaped the benefit of having been in the Peace Corps.
Some questions or jsutified, others may seem trivial but as even the Peace Corps says it's better to get all your questions answered so you aren't too overwhelmed with suprises.
Thanks in advance!

[somebodymiami]

que? northwestern what?

[Jonotastic]

Originally Posted by somebodymiami

que? northwestern what?

...it's a university in Chicago...

[arctichomesteader]

Never been in it, but I know someone who has. From what they've told me about their experience...

Housing: figure you'll live about the same as the people you're there to help. So, it varies widely...could be a very primitive hut, or, in somewhere like Eastern Europe, possibly a house of some sort...

Transportation: varies by area you go

Closeness to other volunteers: you'll be alone most of the time but should see others at times, probably not in the same exact location you're in

Vacation: yes you can save up your days off for a longer vacation later

Can't help any on the rest.