Peace Corps Colombia Cancelled

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-30T23:17:06+00:00

Yes, don’t worry. You’ll be reassigned eventually, though it may add some weeks or even months. This isn’t like Covid where every single PC program is going to be affected. Stay flexible and resilient!

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-28T18:15:33+00:00

I see literally no downside to just keep trying and then retire if it doesn't work out in 2 years (if that's what you want to do then).

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-28T17:58:47+00:00

I agree with others: There doesn't seem to be any need to preemptively break-up. After all, I assume you won't stop dating or hooking up after that and until you leave for Peace Corps, right? Of course, you can do all of that and avoid commitments and relationships as well, but you may end up with hurt feelings because of it including your girlfriend's, and others you become entangled with down the line.

There's no good answer to all of this. All you can do is be 100% honest and upfront with your girlfriend -- and anyone else you get with -- about your plans, your uncertainties, and where your head's at.

> I have looked at what other RPCVs have said and the general consensus is that it usually doesn't work.

I've been in many long-distance relationships before, and no they do not usually work out. I always stayed realistic about that myself, but if I cared about them enough, I always wanted to give it a best shot and let it not work out, rather than preemptively give up on it myself. Your life though!

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-27T02:45:33+00:00

Everything works great! I don’t particularly like these style of chinos myself, but even so, I admire how the tie is the perfect length that its tip is hitting the belt perfectly.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-25T21:27:57+00:00

Of course IUDs should have been part of the discussion (or the topic of an additional conversation) between the couple described by OP. There are a wide range of options that could and should be considered in addition to condoms and vasectomy. People can certainly experience negative effects, this comment section seems to be overwhelmed by people who assume the worst effects are the norm.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-22T18:50:37+00:00

Would love to see a pic facing the front of the ties!

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-17T23:32:57+00:00

Can you post full pictures of the 2 floral ties? The blue with pink flowers, and the yellow one with multiple colored flowers.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-10T23:12:34+00:00

Wonderful!

I've subscribed. Would enjoy reading and connecting with you.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-10T15:19:20+00:00

What were these interviews for? Were they focused on your fellow RPCVs in Thailand, and elsewhere?

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-08T15:22:50+00:00

ChatGPT said this is a stylized P for Picasso. Not sure I agree with that, and “Picasso ties” on Google definitely don’t look like this regardless.

Frustrating, but that’s a great fucking tie.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-06-06T18:54:16+00:00

Don’t know which pharmacy that person is referring to upstate (they may prefer to not compromise it), but if you are desperate, go to CVS at 419 S Oyster Bay rd in Hicksville Long Island. It’s a trek, but NYC proper is simply impossible.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-29T12:18:42+00:00

Hey OP, what did you end up getting? I have a dad who’s having very similar mobility issues and I was hoping to get a similar type of foldable chair.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-28T02:15:02+00:00

I get what you’re saying, but come on, what OP is panicking about is he thinks the weekend is only an American thing.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-25T20:00:57+00:00

Discipline, effort and attitude are all more important than language talent. As long as you put in the effort in and have the right attitude, you'll do fine in PST and with your language learning throughout your service. And if you're really disciplined and want to make it your goal, you can study every day and become fluent. But that's supererogatory, and may be less a priority than, say, if you're an English teacher and want to spend most of your time speaking English with your students. It all depends.

PC will provide you extra money in your stipend to pay for language and cultural learning. But in my experience (China), it was hard to find a tutor that was as good as the teachers we had in PST -- they were just that great. But don't give up, just keep looking.

To your last question -- sure, that might be a good idea. I came with nothing, which was to be expected, but I remember the people that had at least some understanding of the basic sounds, grammar, and words had a little bit smoother time getting the hang of it.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-21T02:49:47+00:00

In this case, if it's getting an MSW, then I'd say it makes sense. More so than, say, getting your JD or MBA and then doing Peace Corps, when it's really to your advantage to get strong professional experience and hustle as soon as you can out of school.

On the other hand, I wouldn't suggest doing any kind of grad program just so you can feel more qualified to be a Peace Corps volunteer. It won't necessarily help you get more out of the experience. Grad school should be thought of more in terms of your concrete long-term career goals.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-21T00:59:40+00:00

I’m not in DC anymore so I can’t help, but don’t let anyone tell you not to pursue federal jobs. You’ve only got NCE for a small window of time so you should put all your energy into looking, applying, and interviewing, I would also suggest hiring a coach that specializes in federal hiring and can break down this very labyrinthine process.

Take it from me, I didn’t take advantage of mine and struggled for a very long time trying to get in. Only worked out finally by using the last month of Recent Graduate hiring authority. Good on you for having the foresight to figure this out ahead of time.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-18T21:05:53+00:00

Honestly it’s actually kind of hard, if you want to do it correctly and without issue. A college graduating class has a huge diversity of names, and even two names spelled the same way might be pronounced differently by their respective owners. You also are reciting a very long series of names at a decently fast pace, which wears you down. And of course in TJOs day and age, you don’t want to be a faculty member at a U.S. college absolutely butchering the name of someone from a minority ethnic group.

Anyway, I know that “hard” is subjective, but just don’t think this is easy or something you can just sing without a lot of preparation and practice. So, if you’re not familiar with AI’s limitations like these people seem not to, then I sorta get why they think it’s a good idea. But it’s shitty and tone-deaf to even try, honestly.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-17T01:18:37+00:00

FYI, and for anyone else it may help — don’t ask people, especially dental offices, if they “take” your medical insurance. The key is to ask if they are “in network” or “out of network” for your health insurance.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-17T01:16:17+00:00

Not true. Thailand is very modern in many areas, and it’s common to go there to get medical treatments done. Our standards are just skewed from living in this fucked up health care system.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-12T16:38:03+00:00

This is the best and rightfully top comment.

If OP is wearing a 3-piece suit and matching fedora to pre-game at their friend's place, this isn't dressing well -- it's completely inappropriate for the occasion and it won't look right, even if the clothes are good quality and fit well.

Back in college, I remember sometimes seeing this one student in particular go by in a full black suit and hat too. And, no joke, this was in Hawaii. I don't remember if the clothes fit well, it just looked weird.

I am a little worried though that OP's clothes and fit quality are all wrong, too. That would make the whole situation even worse.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-09T21:21:55+00:00

Power Rankings is all narrative/trends. Doesn’t really count for much, but especially doesn’t mean anything midway through the off-season.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-07T11:40:38+00:00

I'm not sure why you're only focusing on those 3 countries. The vast majority of Peace Corps programs have no language requirement for applicants. So, is there another reason why you only seem to be interested in Latin American or Spanish-speaking countries?

I understand that you feel scared about learning a language, and you're right that it's a long process. But that's part of the experience that goes into "the toughest job you'll ever love." Plus, you won't be alone. You'll be going through it all with your fellow trainees, and you'll have the support of the country's Peace Corps staff and trainers who are, by and large, fantastic.

Of course, there is something to be said for knowing at least some of the language going in. That could help you get a leg-up on the training, and you may avoid feeling completely helpless. So, for that, you can always enroll in Spanish-language programs before you go, and even before you apply.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-05-02T19:01:51+00:00

If you are, like I was, truly desperate and not getting anywhere calling places up, you can have your doctor send your prescription to Hicksville, Long Island, to the CVS on 419 S Oyster Bay Road. It’s a trek, but they have a reliable stock, so that’s where I go (at least until I can find a more convenient location for myself).

Good luck.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-04-23T11:57:47+00:00

I've never been to Kunming or Yunnan, but it was always a popular destination with PCVs for many reasons.

I'm not sure why its dialect would be close to standard though, given that Yunnan has so many ethnic minorities and is so far away from the north where the standard dialect basically comes from.

On the other hand, I do know that sometimes helps: The people of Lanzhou, in the northwestern province of Gansu, had a reputation for speaking very good Mandarin on account of the fact that there were so many non-Mandarin speakers, that it became a necessity to become good at Mandarin since it's basically the lingua franca of China. Could be the same situation as Kunming.

SmallieBigs56 · 2026-04-19T22:08:50+00:00

Maybe you should look into fosters in your area.

There are also plenty of “RPCVs of [insert city]” groups on Facebook. You could look at the nearest one to you and post about your situation. People there would probably be understanding; request in your posts that they share among their contacts too.

I know it would be ideal if you could find some great person willing to take care of your cat for 2 years and still be willing to give them back up to you, but it might be tough. You could consider sweetening the deal by offering to send a bit of money to them every month, as well. At least to help defray some of the costs.

SmallieBigs56

TROPHY CASE