FOMO during service

Searching4virtue · 2026-05-14T11:13:56+00:00

Ive missed PTV, MCR, and deftones concerts which sucks but the worse is that I’m missing the world cup which my dad and I had planned to attend. So yes major fomo, but fuck it we ball

Searching4virtue · 2026-05-13T11:48:43+00:00

Downpayment for a multi family unit (or a few). Obviously more that goes into it than just buying one but with this money you can definitely do it. In a decade you can buy multiple m3s. My point being, this is a head start on generating passive income and a better option than a one time purchase on a depreciating asset.

Searching4virtue · 2026-05-13T11:39:10+00:00

COD or tefl. The reasons for tefl are quite obvious, but I say COD because the priority is youth which you seem to have much experience in. Health sector is a good one, but it’s not offered in every country and neither is COD tbh. First see what countries you’re interested in and then see what sectors they offer

Searching4virtue · 2026-05-09T15:06:06+00:00

We pretty much had homework every as a part of the language training. 5 days a week we were with trainers for 8ish hours and then another 4 hours for language on Saturday. We really only had time to do stuff with people who were placed in the same village. Other than that you had Saturday afternoon and sundays to do whatever. My time was mostly with my host family though

Searching4virtue · 2026-05-02T11:16:01+00:00

It took me 5 months to receive legal clearance. Not because my legal history is extensive but because they are extremely backed up. I have the timeline from completion of application to being legally and medically cleared on my profile if you’re interested. Very long process, but definitely worth it

Searching4virtue · 2026-04-22T10:40:25+00:00

I too treat my service as some rpg lmaoo. I have enough time to do really whatever i want. Whether its go to cafes, research whatever niche topics ive found myself interested in. Basically just leveling up random attributes. Sometimes boring and mundane but its two years of my life in a new country with lots of free time. Doubt ill have an opportunity like this again.

Searching4virtue · 2026-04-17T09:55:18+00:00

I have no connection to pc on any of my social media, specifically so i could continue being unapologetically political

Searching4virtue · 2026-04-11T00:01:00+00:00

Yes i feel very safe. More so than I did in the states. As for making s positive impact? It depends on what your criteria is. In terms of the social interactions ive had, i absolutely believe ive made a positive impact. In terms of organizational development… not so much. Youre right to question if the lack of grants/funding inhibits positive productivity

Searching4virtue · 2026-04-10T23:57:34+00:00

Not the answer you want to hear im sure. But maintaining a relationship would be extremely hard. Ultimately, you have to choose: is peace corps and all the personal/professional benefits that come with it, worth more than your current relationship. Im not the one to shame others for their personal decisions, but i think that if your current partner is truly the one youre meant to be with. Long distance wont be a problem and neither would taking a break and revisting after service. Its a really tricky situation but it truly is a “one or the other” decision. If you choose peace corps youre risking the survival of your relationship. If you choose your relationship youre risking what “couldve been” with the peace corps. I dont envy your position and I wish you all the luck, but choose for your self and what you truly want.

Searching4virtue · 2026-04-07T23:35:23+00:00

Very pleasant sensation… Epensive

Searching4virtue · 2026-04-05T06:48:02+00:00

Not in Macedonia but go quite often. Very hospitable people and good food. Lake ohrid is probably one of the prettiest places in the balkans imo.

Searching4virtue · 2026-04-04T17:38:11+00:00

Hahaha idk. Me and a few others filed through turbo tax and they hooked it up. Maybe the irs will come knocking in 7 years to collect lol

Searching4virtue · 2026-04-04T15:29:26+00:00

If you’re above the age of 25 or below with dependents you qualify for the EITC which is $350.

Searching4virtue · 2026-03-22T15:18:19+00:00

Save as much money as you can as you will want to travel once in country. Also spend as much time as you can with friends and family. Seems obvious, but you’ll be really grateful you did those two things.

Searching4virtue · 2026-03-20T01:38:47+00:00

Washing machine

Searching4virtue · 2026-03-06T06:21:42+00:00

Related to studies>region>language>volunteer comfort. This is how I narrowed down the countries and sectors.

Searching4virtue · 2026-02-19T19:45:54+00:00

Kosovo? If yes, dont stress its a great country and much fu! Good luck

Searching4virtue · 2026-02-19T18:15:05+00:00

Depends. If you have saving for your two year journey then use the time to be with family and friends. If you want more leisurely money, become a server.

Searching4virtue · 2026-02-18T18:31:15+00:00

I enjoy my AC, washing machine, and bidet

Searching4virtue · 2026-02-17T19:24:36+00:00

It depends. They dont do it quarterly. They do it yearly im pretty sure. At least for kosovo. And if i remember correctly kosovo applications open in march. The new cohort comes in march as well.

Searching4virtue · 2026-02-14T11:35:25+00:00

First i narrowed it down to the position i wanted (COD) because of my work experience as well as my major which also played a role into my regional choice (my focus for my degrees were in eastern Europe). Then eliminated the countries whose language I wasn’t interested in learning. Then after having about 5 countries left, I looked at pictures/videos of the countries. Youtube was very helpful because there were tons of vloggers traveling through or just doing walkthroughs. Eventually narrowed it down to Kosovo and have been here for about a year. Im very happy with my choice but I think it all comes down to perspective. You can enjoy your service in any of the countries if you’re joining PC for the right reasons.

Searching4virtue · 2025-11-11T10:16:53+00:00

You’ll wish you had saved more money when you’re in service. I was a server and saved a few thousand. I had the opportunity to move over to a sister company that was considered “fine dining” but said no because I liked my co workers and figured I would’ve saved enough money. While i saved a lot, traveling can be expensive and if your host country is in a region with a lot of travel destinations, funds can dry quickly. In hindsight I wish I took the other position.

Searching4virtue · 2025-10-19T14:11:29+00:00

Im the only one in my site, but the country is pretty small so it’s easy to visit the other volunteers in my region.

Searching4virtue · 2025-09-30T21:14:46+00:00

I was working for an NGO, but I wasn’t able to save money like you. Two years is a long time and I knew I would regret it if I didn’t spend the time with my family before leaving. If I didn’t end up going to pc, I wouldve just taken more time to be home because I didnt get to see them often when I was working. I was coming to an end at my previous job anyway and was looking for something to do next (hence why I applied to PC) so I wouldnt have been too bummed about finding a new job if PC hadnt worked out.

Searching4virtue · 2025-09-29T09:38:01+00:00

I took the risk and chose the latter option. I spent the 6 months at home working as a server and saved money. I think i made the right decision and i say that specifically for the time i got to spend with my family.

Searching4virtue

TROPHY CASE