The Peace Corps is a U.S. government-funded program that has enabled more than 240,000 Americans to volunteer in 142 countries. The goal of the Peace Corps is to provide development assistance on an international level to “promote world peace and friendship.”
Up To Date spoke with three returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs) about the experiences they had serving in The Gambia, Bolivia, and Benin. All recounted positive experiences and said they were grateful for the opportunity to get out of their comfort zones and immerse themselves in an entirely new culture.
“I thought it was really interesting that the Peace Corps prioritizes spending so much time in a country and not just visiting, so you can really learn the nuances and things that you wouldn’t learn if you just stopped by,” said Mary Nelson, who served in The Gambia from 2018-2021.
- Brandon Smith, Bolivia RPCV
- Mary Nelson, The Gambia RPCV
- Emily Becker, Benin RPCV and president of the Kansas City Area Peace Corps Association
