I am a Return Peace Corps Volunteer; in 2003 I graduated from college with a masters degree in architecture. In the fall of that same year I joined the Peace Corps and was placed in the Urban Planning office of a small Municipality in Northern Albania.
I got there with three months of language training, enough to say hello, thank you and comment on the weather and that was it. I had no desk and everyone was afraid to talk to me because they thought I was “with the Mayor” a man they were terrified of. The first few months were a struggle but I wrote grants and got money and completed project. In the end the greatest experience of my life and an all around success.
I guess my question to architects is, how relevant was my Peace Corps experience and where do I stand now, how would these two years be viewed by someone who is hiring?
I see ads that require two years of post graduate work experience, do I qualify. I used and taught AutoCAD, I had complete responsibility for all the projects I undertook but I have never worked in an architectural office; I have never worked with other architects. The type of people I worked with started drinking at 8:00AM and got paid 250 dollars a month. These were great people but really tough, constantly yelling and swearing, they would put their cigarettes out on the floor and if they had a problem with you, you knew it.
Has anyone else met any former Peace Corps Volunteers turned architects?
The last month I have been in Dubai looking for work and found it difficult to explain, what the Peace Corps is, my motivation for joining the Peace Corps and its relevance.
Any comments from people in world of architecture would be greatly appreciated.
I assure you that Peace Corps experience is worth something. If nothing else you've got experience working with others in difficult situations. That's something I feel directly relates to architecture. Granted, I wouldn't expect you to enter an arch firm anywhere above entry level since you don't have direct experience, which those 2 years ads are probably asking for.
I know Ed Mazeria Architect and leader in the Passive Solar Energy Architectural Design, did his time in the Peace Corps. He is easy enough to find on the internet and heck you might just want to give him a call. A firm I used to work with years ago, did a couple of projects with him as a consultant and he seemed like a level headed guy. I think his contribution to the field of Architecture goes a hell of alot farther than that of Phillip Johnson.
I went off to Kyrgyzstan in 2003, and, for a number of reasons, decided to return to the US after completing the training period. I still deeply regret leaving, but since then I've had trouble with the converse of your problem: the relevance of architecture in the world.
You've already identified your biggest obstacle, which is informing others (potential employers in this case) of what the Peace Corps is (I've met one person who thought that the "Corps" indicated an armed branch of the military...nevermind the "Peace"?) and what you did there. They won't ever understand the full extent of the adventure unless they've done it themselves, but do your best to indicate the challenges that you faced and how you overcame them, etc. Add some PC photos to your portfolio if you can.
You're biggest advantage is that PVCs are capable of anything. They're magical, self-organizing creatures injected into a foreign community where they're expected to adapt and live and be beneficial while overcoming mind-boggling communication and cultural (and..chemical) barriers. I only went through training and I can't consider anything that I've done since as having come close to the gravity of that situation. You're coming back to a world where people have difficulty using a fax machine, come on.
It seems your challenge -- if you decide to accept it -- is to state to an employer what you did that was relevant as a planner, designer etc. But your real challenge, seeing as it was the most worthwhile experience of your life, is to find the same value in any "architecture" job. The thing I distrust about the Peace Corps is that they don't really want the skills we have to offer. But that doesn't matter in your case since that was the best experience, whether it was architecture or whatever you call it. There are jobs in the US now with AmeriCorps where you do what you learned to do in school. Check out fellowships at www.designcorps.org and there are a bunch of other opportunities.
Bottom line: why try to fit in to the status quo when you found what you like?
I'm bringing this back up because I am thinking about the peace corp, but was curious as to what other volunteer opportunities anybody knows about that are more urban/cultural/planning/architectural/etc than I feel the peace corp is
. this time might also segway into a larger research agenda and future writings, or phd possibly. I'm not ruling it out. but after working in the field and having gotten my M arch I'm ready for a little change.
I looked at the desgn core link, and that is a possibility next year I suppose, but... Oh and I have studied abroad, and that short time really opened me up to the posibilities that other cultures and countries offer, so I'm trying to get my ass back abroad for a bit.
my language skills consist of english. thats it. another issue I may or may not have.
also... I've noticed that most volunteer orgs make ou pay your own way. habitat for humanity is like this for instance. I completely understand why they do this, but I'm not really in any postition to pay withough having money come in.
aside from the peace corp are there other programs that will fund you?
Joe don't tell me it is so. Habitat for Humanity makes you pay.....hum my neice is working for them as I type and I certain she isn't paying them they are paying her. She has been with them since early this summer, she is a team coordinator.
If your interested in the Peace Corp you might want to look up Peter Wright in California Pennsylvania. He is a professor there and a very friendly guy who spent alot of time in the PC abroad and in Washington. He is not an architect but has published and
sits on a few interesting board of directors....and yup he is a Yale Man.
A great way to make a difference by informing your work more through the building process and by helping others by giving them a great skill. Can't lose, right?
it's very rewarding.
PS. One more cool Peace Corps volunteer/architect is Rob Quigley
Currently AFH has 4 Americorp postitions (shared with Hands On) on the Gulf Coast and international fellowships are announced in our newsletter. Around 50% of the international folks have either AC or PC experience.
Mdler,
I applied and was accepted post graduate school. Have a number of friends who also have done it and loved it.
It turned out that i couldn't go because i couldn't pass the finacial waiver due to my personal debt (credit cards mostly). They can defer student loans though. Now that i have worked for two years and almost paid off my debt i am thinkign about reapplying, at least once completly debt free (which should be before year;s end)
I say go for it. Apparently it is very competetive but i had no problem getting in. Perhaps due to my teaching experience, which is what they were goign to post me doing. Although honestly i was just as interested in being trained and then training others as a bee keeper which was one option..
Jan 28, 09 9:45 am ·
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The United States Peace Corps, its relevance in the world of architecture
Hello,
I am a Return Peace Corps Volunteer; in 2003 I graduated from college with a masters degree in architecture. In the fall of that same year I joined the Peace Corps and was placed in the Urban Planning office of a small Municipality in Northern Albania.
I got there with three months of language training, enough to say hello, thank you and comment on the weather and that was it. I had no desk and everyone was afraid to talk to me because they thought I was “with the Mayor” a man they were terrified of. The first few months were a struggle but I wrote grants and got money and completed project. In the end the greatest experience of my life and an all around success.
I guess my question to architects is, how relevant was my Peace Corps experience and where do I stand now, how would these two years be viewed by someone who is hiring?
I see ads that require two years of post graduate work experience, do I qualify. I used and taught AutoCAD, I had complete responsibility for all the projects I undertook but I have never worked in an architectural office; I have never worked with other architects. The type of people I worked with started drinking at 8:00AM and got paid 250 dollars a month. These were great people but really tough, constantly yelling and swearing, they would put their cigarettes out on the floor and if they had a problem with you, you knew it.
Has anyone else met any former Peace Corps Volunteers turned architects?
The last month I have been in Dubai looking for work and found it difficult to explain, what the Peace Corps is, my motivation for joining the Peace Corps and its relevance.
Any comments from people in world of architecture would be greatly appreciated.
I assure you that Peace Corps experience is worth something. If nothing else you've got experience working with others in difficult situations. That's something I feel directly relates to architecture. Granted, I wouldn't expect you to enter an arch firm anywhere above entry level since you don't have direct experience, which those 2 years ads are probably asking for.
I know Ed Mazeria Architect and leader in the Passive Solar Energy Architectural Design, did his time in the Peace Corps. He is easy enough to find on the internet and heck you might just want to give him a call. A firm I used to work with years ago, did a couple of projects with him as a consultant and he seemed like a level headed guy. I think his contribution to the field of Architecture goes a hell of alot farther than that of Phillip Johnson.
I went off to Kyrgyzstan in 2003, and, for a number of reasons, decided to return to the US after completing the training period. I still deeply regret leaving, but since then I've had trouble with the converse of your problem: the relevance of architecture in the world.
You've already identified your biggest obstacle, which is informing others (potential employers in this case) of what the Peace Corps is (I've met one person who thought that the "Corps" indicated an armed branch of the military...nevermind the "Peace"?) and what you did there. They won't ever understand the full extent of the adventure unless they've done it themselves, but do your best to indicate the challenges that you faced and how you overcame them, etc. Add some PC photos to your portfolio if you can.
You're biggest advantage is that PVCs are capable of anything. They're magical, self-organizing creatures injected into a foreign community where they're expected to adapt and live and be beneficial while overcoming mind-boggling communication and cultural (and..chemical) barriers. I only went through training and I can't consider anything that I've done since as having come close to the gravity of that situation. You're coming back to a world where people have difficulty using a fax machine, come on.
It seems your challenge -- if you decide to accept it -- is to state to an employer what you did that was relevant as a planner, designer etc. But your real challenge, seeing as it was the most worthwhile experience of your life, is to find the same value in any "architecture" job. The thing I distrust about the Peace Corps is that they don't really want the skills we have to offer. But that doesn't matter in your case since that was the best experience, whether it was architecture or whatever you call it. There are jobs in the US now with AmeriCorps where you do what you learned to do in school. Check out fellowships at www.designcorps.org and there are a bunch of other opportunities.
Bottom line: why try to fit in to the status quo when you found what you like?
I'm bringing this back up because I am thinking about the peace corp, but was curious as to what other volunteer opportunities anybody knows about that are more urban/cultural/planning/architectural/etc than I feel the peace corp is
. this time might also segway into a larger research agenda and future writings, or phd possibly. I'm not ruling it out. but after working in the field and having gotten my M arch I'm ready for a little change.
I looked at the desgn core link, and that is a possibility next year I suppose, but... Oh and I have studied abroad, and that short time really opened me up to the posibilities that other cultures and countries offer, so I'm trying to get my ass back abroad for a bit.
well I guess any help is appreciated
miller|hull were both active in the peace corps as well, if memory serves me well.
i'd love to do it but all my language skills are nordic/germanic in nature so those would be useless except to teach botswanans to order a pils.
my language skills consist of english. thats it. another issue I may or may not have.
also... I've noticed that most volunteer orgs make ou pay your own way. habitat for humanity is like this for instance. I completely understand why they do this, but I'm not really in any postition to pay withough having money come in.
aside from the peace corp are there other programs that will fund you?
Joe don't tell me it is so. Habitat for Humanity makes you pay.....hum my neice is working for them as I type and I certain she isn't paying them they are paying her. She has been with them since early this summer, she is a team coordinator.
If your interested in the Peace Corp you might want to look up Peter Wright in California Pennsylvania. He is a professor there and a very friendly guy who spent alot of time in the PC abroad and in Washington. He is not an architect but has published and
sits on a few interesting board of directors....and yup he is a Yale Man.
Other opportunities for someone interested in something like the Peace Corps
is Americorps.
www.americorps.org
Americorps provides what I feel to be a more specific and organized way of volunteering and it can be local if you so choose.
Another one is youth build. www.youthbuild.org
A great way to make a difference by informing your work more through the building process and by helping others by giving them a great skill. Can't lose, right?
it's very rewarding.
PS. One more cool Peace Corps volunteer/architect is Rob Quigley
We hire Peace Corp returnees all the time.
Currently AFH has 4 Americorp postitions (shared with Hands On) on the Gulf Coast and international fellowships are announced in our newsletter. Around 50% of the international folks have either AC or PC experience.
Cheers
C.
*BUMP*
seeing how the economy has gone to crap and many people are without jobs, I think that the Peace Corps may be a very real option for me right now...
discuss
Mdler,
I applied and was accepted post graduate school. Have a number of friends who also have done it and loved it.
It turned out that i couldn't go because i couldn't pass the finacial waiver due to my personal debt (credit cards mostly). They can defer student loans though. Now that i have worked for two years and almost paid off my debt i am thinkign about reapplying, at least once completly debt free (which should be before year;s end)
I say go for it. Apparently it is very competetive but i had no problem getting in. Perhaps due to my teaching experience, which is what they were goign to post me doing. Although honestly i was just as interested in being trained and then training others as a bee keeper which was one option..
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