Most of the time, I speak the local language - almost no one speaks English here (except my students who are still learning).
Volunteers don't get paid a salary like a regular job, but every month, we receive money to give to our host families for food and electricity. We also get a monthly stipend so we can buy the things we need like toiletries, clothes and the occasional meal in a restaurant. The Peace Corps also pays for our transportation to get here and to fly home when our two years are done.
Being in the Peace Corps has given me the opportunity to travel to amazing places for a lot less than I would've spent coming from the U.S. I have been to Bali, Indonesia twice in the last year and am going to Tokyo, Japan later this month. I would never have been able to afford the cost of the plane tickets to get to these places if I was still living in the U.S.
The best part about being a Peace Corps Volunteer is the people you meet. The people of Timor Leste have welcomed me and become like family to me. The other volunteers in my group, who went through traveling and training with me, have become my lifelong friends.
If you are interested in traveling like me and seeing the world, then the Peace Corps is a great way to do it. If you want to join the Peace Corps, the first step is to work hard in school for the next few years so you can go to college. Then, once you have your degree, you can apply to the Peace Corps like I did. Even if you are not interested in joining the Peace Corps, I hope that you all will find ways to explore and learn about the world outside of the U.S., either through books and movies, study abroad trips, personal travel or work! There are so many beautiful interesting places for you to see out in the world!
