video's, slides shows and multi media. Oh my

The Numbers never lie! unless they do...which in this case they don't. I hope.

Joining The Peace Corp is not like running off and joining the circus, not in the lest. There is much thought that has to go into it, there are also a butt load of numbers you should take a gander at. Numbers that will tell you what kind of survives they need where you might be located or relocated to.

Stats on number of volunteers and the locations they serve as well as stats on age, gender ect. See: Fact Sheet 2008

For top news stories from The Corps past to this months breaking news as well as a directory of staff and directors check out: The Peace Corps Library

At a later date I.E in a few days I will compile a quick facts lists or random information that some of you might find useful and that would probably help me out as well. I will also be telling you about a major choice I have made.

Buh Buh Buh!!! That's called a cliff hanger.

pulling out is the safe way to go.

The Peace Corps job is to go into countries that need help and give them help. But what happens when the country erupts into violence or even all out war? Well the Peace Corp pulls it volunteers out of the country and relocates them or discharges them. Some people feel that this is against what The Peace Corp stands for they say what good does it do the people of the country when the people who are there to help them vanish the moment they need serious help? I believe that it is okay for The Peace Corp to pull out when these situations happen because they are THE PEACE CORP not the we will stay and fight corp.

Recently back in February TPC pulled it's volunteers from Kenya. After violence broke out after the elections. They have not completely shut down there operations as they have in some areas like the Gaza Strip. They are planing to return once things have settled down.

Reuters Article Peace Corp pulls from Kenya.

good idea, bad idea

To take a page from The Animaniacs it's time for an installment of Good Idea Bad Idea. The Peace corp has many pros and cons to it so I figured it would be a "Good Idea" to get some views from other people and other blogs at what it might be life to join The Corp. Because lord knows it would be a "Bad Idea" it just fill out the paper work blind and throw myself into a whole knew world.

So I went out into the webz and looked up a blog of some folks who are currently in The Corps and I found Scott and Carrie's Jamaican Peace Corps Blog very helpful to me in my search for more information on the life path I am going to take, because it talks about the positive emotions they feel and the negative, how they miss there homes, but at the same time how much they love the work they are doing.

Another good source I found was So You Wanna.com which is a blog / site that covers many topics one of which is joining The Corp. It works to shatter the delusions that some people may have about joining TPC. That it's not all young children looking up and smiling at you that you are just as likely going to be sitting in a hut in Africa watching a gazelle being taken down by a tiger (well maybe not watching the tiger thing) as you are to be working in an urban area working with at risk youth.

At this point I am thinking that I might be joining TPC with in the next year or so, because I have a feeling that it might just take me that long to do all the research that I need to do before going and packing my bags and journeying halfway around the world.

Does anyone have a map to this crazy road called life?

These days as the months where on, I am more and more confused as to what I should do with me life much like the name of this page I keep wondering via the immortal words of The Clash “Should I stay, or should I go.”

I am torn between deferring my enrollment at SFSU and trying to take the two math classes over summer and fall the taking relaxing and fun lit classes and art classes over the spring. Because my stress is falling into the area of my major only allows students in the fall. Because you know SFSU has a wonderful Cinema Program
, and a B.A. from them would help me chase down and tackle a career in screen writing like a tiger on a terrified gazelle. I have had the dream of becoming a writer since well since forever.

I have noted a third option that has flopped down on the table in front of me. Save up and just pack up. Move to LA and try to do this thing on my own now that I have my AA. But I would really love to have a BA in fact I crave one with a passion. I am just getting tired of being so stagnate in life sitting and that I need to mix things up a bit. But not in way my friends normally mix it up. A party isn’t going to do this, a road trip isn’t going to do it, it has to be something huge.

Then there is still the biggie on the table joining the Peace Corp, packing up and leaving the country and helping those out there who need help, but just can’t find it, or their country is to poor to provide it. See people need help, and I need to get out there and be the one to help people. You see a wise man by the name of Gandhi once said “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I think it’s time that I stepped up and did that. I think that the Peace Crop could be my gate way to do that. People support me in this choice. But a friend of mine also brought up Americorps which does many of the same things as the Peace Corp but on a national level.

So I haven’t made much progress in where I am going in my life. But isn’t that the bane of every 20 something’s existence.

The pools to shallow to dive-in head first.

Life decisions come in many shapes and sizes. Some you dive head first into; others are very thought out and calculated. I am a more dive head in kind of girl. I dove into getting my first piercing, I dove into journalism, I jumped at the chance to go to London when I was 19. But for once in my life I think the pool may just be a bit to shallow for me to dive in head first. The Peace Corp is 27 months of my life given up to serving others which I have no problems with in fact I would love that but it is also 27 months away from my family.

So to help me with this I have come up with a list of Pros and Cons.

The Pros
I can make a difference in the world
I will get to see the world
I will have the chance to clear my head
27 months of doing good
full health care that lasts 18 months after discharge
a little over $ 6000 upon discharge
meet new people
Learn loads of new things.

The Cons
Out of school
Away from family for 27 months
Away from friends for 27 months.
No connections overseas.



www.peacecorps.gov

student profile

Benny Ling, a lover of books, fan of philosophy, and journalism 120 student. Currently Ling is studying the language arts here at Skyline College, to help improve his language skills as he is not a native speaker.

“My main interest right now is language arts, I am not a native speaker and I want to express myself right in this language. I am from China; I came here when I was 12, so I have been here for about 11 years.” Ling added that there is not much difference between schooling in China and schooling in the U.S. “Not much…changes all the time over here, over there same class just a different teacher”

When asked if he could throw a dinner party and invite anyone living or dead ling had two very interesting choices. “Plato, Ernestine and any kind of famous write.” Replied Ling “I got nothing actually; I don’t know how to cook. Well I would cook them Chinese food… all my favorite dishes, it’s hard to say in English, a lot of meat but not a lot of vegetables.” Ling said.

Ling also made some wise choices on what to bring to a deserted island if trapped on one, many of use would have made choices like guy or girl or loved one, booze or in some cases a television. But Lings choices where far smarting including water, shelter, food, a flashlight and for some good old fashioned entertainment books.

So this is the man Benny Ling a guy that sits two rows over and four seats up from me who I just got to know a whole lot better and who you should get to know too.