Older Peace Corps Volunteers

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What’s it like to be an older Peace Corps volunteer in Moldova, in eastern Europe, or in more than 60 other countries around the world?

Not Exactly Retired celebrated its 100th blog post with a special series sharing the experiences of some of Moldova’s older volunteers.

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Here are the four stories from the series:

Insights and Advice shares what some older Americans have learned in Peace Corps Moldova.

Expect Surprises explores some of the situations and emotions that most surprised them.

Looking to the Future considers how Peace Corps service has changed their life plans.

Carla’s Story shares the story of one older volunteer from Yuma, Arizona.

Are you or someone you know thinking about joining the Peace Corps? You’ll find lots of helpful information on the agency’s main application site, which also offers a website addressing the special concerns of older applicants. If you’re especially interested in Peace Corps Moldova, check out the Peace Corps Moldova Facebook page, which highlights volunteers of all ages.

screen-shot-2016-12-17-at-10-00-34-amYou’ll also find more stories on this blog, Not Exactly Retired, such as Peace Corps After 50, an earlier post that was reprinted on NextAvenue and elsewhere.

[Added later: Peace Corps: Now vs. Then describes the six biggest changes I’ve seen in Peace Corps since serving when I was younger. Mulling What’s Next highlights resources for older Americans looking to combine travel, service and adventure in their lives. The Surprise of Travel encourages travelers to venture off the beaten path. My Unpredicted Birthday reflects on what it’s like to turn 65 while serving in the Peace Corps.

Shortly after we completed our service and returned home, the Kiplinger Retirement Report profiled the two of us in an article about older Americans serving as Peace Corps Volunteers.]

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I discussed many of these issues with reporters, podcasters and others while publicizing my book. Check out these conversations on this page, which highlights some of the coverage.

Learn about the financial impact of being an older Peace Corps Volunteer in this article.

I welcome your comments and invite you to subscribe to Not Exactly Retired, which has been chronicling our journey since we left our conventional jobs and American lifestyle in mid-2015 to pursue new lives of adventure and service. Perhaps it will inspire you to consider changes in your own life — or just entertain you. It’s free, and more than 30,000 people have visited. Join the journey!

Thanks to all of the Peace Corps Moldova volunteers who assisted with this series, which was published in December 2016. Unfortunately, we were unable to include all of them. Many of the others have great stories, too. See the Facebook page (above) to read some of them.

5 thoughts on “Older Peace Corps Volunteers”

  1. Opportunity For a Bright Teaching Career!
    American Language Center (Buiucani) is hiring people willing and able to teach English to students of different ages and backgrounds.

    Qualifications:
    – At ALC Buiucani we pay attention to both formal and informal experience. For this reason we encourage you to apply for the job even if instead of a degree in English language you have a big passion for English!

    We are looking for:
    – Native Speakers of English language be it Fulbright Researchers, Peace Corps volunteers, American and Canadian missionaries, family members of American Embassy employees, etc.

    And we are ALSO looking for:
    – candidates who are not native English speakers but who functioned successfully in an English speaking environment (which means that they lived, worked and/or studied in the USA, the UK, Canada);
    – candidates who are now living temporarily in Moldova and want to do something creative, interesting and challenging;
    – candidates who want to make a difference and want to teach English in an interesting, creative style (not following a traditional school approach).

    Salary:
    – Depends on a candidate’s experience. As we are interested in collaborating with both novice teachers and highly experienced professionals in English, the pay can vary from 60 lei to $10 per 1 academic hour.

    Email your resume to: alcbuiucani@gmail.com or manager@alc-buiucani.com.

    Contact us at: 022 24 33 37 or 067 120 101; 16/2 Ion Creanga Str., Chisinau, Moldova

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