Peace Corps, anyone have experience?

[usmccharles]

This is an idea that I have been kicking around for a bit and am seriously starting to consider it. I will lay out a little about myself and just my over all philosophy and why this is something I would really like to do. Just looking for some advice from some 'more experienced' people. Just or reference, I am 32 in 2 weeks.

I grew up pretty poor so when I was earning my own my and able to by what I wanted, I did. As life when on I slowly realized more and more how much things I own end up owning me (name that movie). After I got out of the Marines I slowly starting becoming less and less materialistic and now im to the point where everything I own outside of my bed, I could throw in my little hybrid Civic and take off. Don't get me wrong, I've been thinking about buying a Harley, even looked at a couple Lotus' in the past year, and the big one....considering buying a house; in CA of all places.

My thing is, I don't want to live to work and I feel the more things I purchase, this is the life I am headed towards. If I purchase a house, I am obviously committed to this job for years to come. I work for the DOD and I do well for myself considering no degree, but honestly there isn't much room to move up nor is there any type of passion involved. I recently lost my mother and my only family really left is a grandma in Arkansas and my two sisters in FL, which is where I used to live and love that place. Purchasing the house just means I cemented myself 3k miles away from the only family I have left without really the possibility of just picking up and going.

Peace Corps
I have researched this quite a bit and I know the amount of money involved, the possibilities of not even getting accepted, the dangers, and also the two year commitment of being gone out of the states. But I honestly believe the life experience that I could gain from it is worth it to me and who knows the doors it could open. I am on a year plan to be completely debt free with zero commitments to being tied here in CA, so that part is planned out regardless of going or not, if I wanted to leave my job. I understand the PC isn't a vacation, I understand its hard work and a very big commitment and this is something my mother and I talked about doing together, so obviously there is a sentimental value attached to it.

Now for those not familiar with military benefits, I have 3 years of paid school and a living allowance from the military. If PC is the route I went, I could come back to the states and start school, if I can ever find something that interests me, so maybe doing this could help me find a passion instead of going to work just for a paycheck.



TL,DR: Not happy with job and location, want to work for a reason just not to buy things. Quit job, two year commitment overseas, make very little money? thanks for the space to rant

[usmccharles]

Still considering this as an option as I sent in an application not too long ago. But something I have always wanted to do and have talked about before is backpacking across *insert country* for an extended time, some how I forgot to mention this in my original post, which im just talking to myself anyways so it doesn't really matter. So if you have any experiences or stories about backpacking, lets hear them, feel free to throw in any advice you want.