Talking with People: The Peace Corps

Thanks to John F Kennedy the United States has its own escapist version of a less dangerous, slightly more respected version of the French Foreign Legion. Not nearly as violent (usually) as the FFL or the U.S. Military the Peace Corps is a place many an unemployed/don't want to go to law school or grad school/career changists fantasize about joining.

I've been lucky enough to know several Peace Corps members including my own father*. You need a certain amount of perseverance to make it through the initial training and complete your assignment as something like only 5%** make it all the way through.

One interesting facet is ALL the Peace Corp members I know have some really bad ass, fun stories. Here are a couple that made me laugh. All the names of been changed to protect the guilty.

The Military is Coming...I think I'll Leave
Over home made brews one day - his, not mine - Alex was telling me about his sudden departure from a war torn part of the country he was staying in.

Apparently there was some local military that was active off and on. In the past year they had been getting closer and closer to where he was stationed. In particular after heavy rains. Or elections.

During the election his area got overrun by armed military people.

"Holy shit!" I said, nearly spilling the beer, "what did you do?!"

"Nothing, we had left a week earlier. We're Peace Corp members not idiots."


The Walk of Shame
Craig found himself lonely for some female companionship. The local girls had been quite forward with him during his stay, plus the other Peace Corp guys were saying what friendly no-strings attached girls these were. Toward the end of his tour Craig said, "Screw it!" or in this "screw her!"

In this case Craig slept with a most buxom local girl who he worked with- a bout of fornication which began at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and passed well into the eve. He invited her to spend the night since the jungle country he was in didn't exactly have midnight taxis.

The next day his buxom conquest was about to go on her way when she gave him a doe-eye look worthy of Bambi. "Aren't you going to get me breakfast?" she asked.

A reasonable question, though certainly not inline with what his Peace Corp brethren had claimed. "Uh, I have to get to the school."

"Well how about some money for some breakfast?" she requested.

Craig caught on quickly, gave her the equivalent of 5 bucks American - a HUGE sum for her - and sent her onto the native version of the Walk of Shame.

A few days later buxom girl and Craig went out again. Another round of raucous lovemaking followed, along with another sleep over. This time they were cuddling in the morning when she started asking him questions, "You're leaving soon," she asked.

"Yes," he said. He figured a Green Card request was on its way.

"You've very rich working for the Peace Corps." She was seductively running his hands over his body when she said it.

"No, I'm not rich."

"But you've saved most of your money."

It turns out it is a well known fact that Peace Corp people in his particular area saved a lot of money since housing was free.

"Uh, I guess so."

"Can I have it?"

You can't blame a lady for trying.

"Um, no."

"How about a quarter of it?"

"I'm not an idiot," Craig told me, "I only got her breakfast again."

See Peace Corp people. Intelligent no matter what the situation.

I'll have more stories when I get a chance. Or remember them. Or have them told to me.

Wayne

* He wanted to learn Spanish so he joined the Peace Corps. I don't know what that says about my family.

** I forget the exact figure. Just know it is REALLY low.