Volunteer Teaching Abroad
Matt Taylor served two separate assignments as a Peace Corps Volunteer teacher. He was 26 when
he began teaching English small town of Vilnohirsk, Ukraine where he served from 1996-98.
Ten years later, Matt caught the Peace Corps bug again and taught English for two years in
Durres, Albania. What follows is his account of his teaching experience.
Why the Peace Corps
In 1995, I was a struggling second-year teacher in Lubbock, Texas, teaching media studies at
a junior high school. One of my colleagues had recently applied to the Peace Corps and was
assigned to the Philippines. She was an average teacher-person just like me, so I thought,
"why couldn't I do this?" The stereotypical Peace Corps volunteer experience - living in a hut, eating
strange foods, speaking a tribal language and teaching baseball to the natives - is an
adventure that many of us only daydream about. But here I was, single, educated, and with a
relevant skill (teaching). So for me the question wasn't "Why teach in the Peace Corps," but "Whynot teach in the Peace Corps?"
Volunteering with the Peace Corps is a great opportunity to see the world, work in international development,
grow your professional skills, learn a new language, and meet interesting people. When I
returned from my service in the Ukraine, my friends said I was a different person - in a good
way. I had learned to appreciate that which I had once taken for granted. What used to be
annoying or inconvenient to me in the US wasn't so annoying or inconvenient anymore,
having survived the daily challenges of life in the developing world.
Volunteer Teacher Challenges
But teaching or otherwise volunteering in Peace Corps isn't for everyone. You have to be willing to leave your family and friends
for a 27-month commitment. In my experiences, around 20 percent of the peace corps volunteers terminated
their service early. You'll probably have a minor sickness or injury. (I still remember a few
short and vicious bouts I had with undercooked meat.) Because of attitudes toward women
in the countries where volunteers serve, female volunteers will often be hassled and
sometimes harassed - and occasionally worse. My Peace Corps teaching service was the most
emotionally, physically and intellectually challenging time of my life - but when I made it
through, it was well worth the sacrifice.
More information on the benefits of Peace Corps service visit: http://www.peacecorps.gov
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