What are the chances of getting into peace corps?

Questions about the Peace Corps?

• I am really interested in the peace corps after graduation.? I am studying biology and spanish. I think my spanish is pretty good after studying abroad in Mexico and Ecuador for one year. I would absolutely love doing my assignment in Central/South America. However my country of choice is the Dominican Republic. Does anyone know my chances of getting placed down there or specifically in the D.R.? What kinds of jobs can I do with a degree in biology and spanish? Also I plan on teaching english in Asia for one year to pay my student loans. Would this hurts my chances of being placed in Latin America. Thanks!!!

• Answer:

  The Peace Corps' biggest program is in teaching English. With your understanding of grammar and experience in language education (as a student, I know, but still, you've learned a lot about how to learn) you have a good chance of being offered a teaching position. Teaching English anywhere will really increase your desireablity as a candidate and should not hurt your chances of getting posted in the DR, as you already have a firm foundation in Spanish. With your bio degree, you may also be a good candidate for a position teaching sustainable agriculture practices or responsible environmental stewardship. I don't know what percentage of volunteers are sent to the DR but you can probably find that info on their website - it does say they have 181 volunteers there now - but I'd say you have a good shot at getting your dream post, particularly if you have experience in the country already. Here's some additional info about the Peace Corps' programs in the DR: Health Though there has been improvement over the past several years, the incidence of infant mortality in the Dominican Republic is still high (29 per 1,000 births). To reduce the incidence of dysentery and diarrhea, the leading cause of child mortality, Volunteers work to increase access to potable water in rural communities by constructing and training communities in small water systems management. To help ensure sustainability, Volunteers train rural leaders to plan, operate, and maintain these water systems and educate communities about the importance of good sanitation practices. Volunteers train their communities on ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, identify signs of malnutrition, and improve reproductive health practices. Education Peace Corps education Volunteers work in the areas of information technology and special education. Since 1999, Peace Corps/Domincan Republic has partnered with the Ministry of Education to address the vital necessity of tailoring services for children with special needs. Volunteers help train public school teachers, parents, and community members in ways to improve availability and quality of education for special needs children. Volunteers also train teachers, students and community members in ways to best use information technology. Agriculture Small-scale agriculture has become increasingly difficult in the Dominican Republic due to soil degradation, overuse, deforestation, ineffective environmental controls and lack of access to markets. Peace Corps Volunteers are working to improve the technical knowledge of small-scale farmers and encourage them to adopt more efficient and sustainable agricultural management practices in the areas of soil conservation, pest control, water management, and crop diversification. Environment Volunteers work with local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and government representatives in agroforestry and environmental education in schools and national parks to promote environmental protection practices. Specifically, Volunteers are working to reverse the process of soil erosion and degradation on the lands of low-income rural farmers and are helping to rehabilitate land devastated by Hurricane Georges. Volunteers are also raising awareness of waste disposal, water contamination, deforestation, soil conservation, watershed protection, protection of marine resources, appropriate use of energy, and air quality. Volunteers help the Ministry of Education develop and implement environmental education modules to train teachers on how to incorporate environmental concepts into their current education curriculum. Community leaders also receive training and technical support to develop and implement community projects that incorporate sound environmental practices and promote environmental protection. Community Economic Development Program Volunteers are working to educate small business owners about ways to operate more efficiently and profitably, particularly in sectors that will enhance country exports. Volunteers collaborate with partners such as chambers of commerce and agribusiness cooperatives to help them provide training in core business competencies. As a result, Dominican business owners are learning how to plan, budget, and market their goods more effectively.