From Arrival to Swearing-In: The Reality of Peace Corps Training

When I was researching all about the Peace Corps in the months leading up to my departure, I was left with more questions than answers. I knew that I would be spending about 3 months training before I started service, but what would those three months consist of? If you’ve recently been accepted into the Peace Corps or are simply curious about my experience, this blog will give you all the details!

Week 0: Pre-Departure Prep in Miami

My cohort began pre-service training (PST) on August 19, 2024. That day, 40 of us, almost entirely fresh out of college (our average age was 22 years old and 7 months) flew to Miami, Florida, for a two-day pre-orientation conference. There we learned about the Peace Corps’ mission and goals, while also being scared straight. We were warned about the organization’s zero tolerance policies that would get us kicked straight out of peace corps and onto a flight back home. They tested us, saying “If you can’t follow the rules, don’t get on that flight tomorrow”. Luckily, we all made it through!

At 3:00 a.m. on the 22nd, we boarded a bus to go to the airport. Although our flight wasn’t until 11:00 a.m., it’s apparently Peace Corps tradition to leave in the wee hours of the morning. When we got to the airport, the scene was pure chaos. Our trainers had waived goodbye to us at the hotel and we were on our own. Imagine 40 strangers traveling to a foreign country together, hauling enough luggage to last two years of service. After navigating check-in and a few hours of downtime, we boarded our flight to Santo Domingo. Once we landed, we were greeted by Peace Corps staff upon arrival.

Week 1: Arrival in the Dominican Republic

Our first week in the Dominican Republic was spent at an isolated (seriously—they had our passports and we weren’t allowed to leave the property!) religious retreat center. Everything felt so uncertain as we were trying to understand what we were here to do, and figure each other out. Training was definitely interesting! We learned expected things such as safety & security, but also how to live with a host family, the ins and outs of Dominican culture, and even how to dance bachata and merengue.

Weeks 2- 9: Community-Based Training (CBT)

Next came community-based training (CBT). For nine weeks I lived with a host family in a campo about an hour north of Santo Domingo. This is also when we our cohort split up for the first time. Half were assigned to work in the Education Sector, while half were in Youth Development. My vibrant 30-year-old host mom and adorable three-year-old brother welcomed me with open arms, making my transition much easier.

However, training days were gruelingly long. During CBT we had daily sector specific -I was in youth development- technical trainings and language & culture classes as well as weekly core trainings with the entire cohort, and about 5 projects I had to complete. My projects were a diagnosis of the community, 3 life skill presentations in the schools, and one community wide employability camp. We were preparing for what we’d be doing in our actual communities. I’ve worked full-time before coming here, but these were something different. You’re expected to attend PC trainings as well as spend time integrating into the community in the evenings. A typical day for me looked like this:

• Schedule:
• 6:30 AM: Wake up, shower, get dressed
• 7:30 AM: Quick breakfast
• 7:50 AM: Walk to the training facility
• 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Technical training 12:00 PM: Walk to host grandma’s house for lunch, then home to complete Spanish homework
• 1:15 PM: Walk to Spanish class
• 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM: Spanish class
• 5:30 PM: Run with other volunteers
• 6:30 PM: Shower
• 7:00 PM: Dinner and talk with host family
• 9:00 PM: Bed

If I had a presentation to do that week, I have no idea how I fit it in. I reverted to my old college self and would stay up late to prepare.

Weeks 5 & 10: Site Visits

Additionally during PST we completed two site visits. The first visit during week 5 was a 4 day trip to visit a current PCV. The purpose was to learn how to use public transportation by yourself and learn more about a volunteer’s work and lifestyle.

In Week 10, we visited our future sites. I spent five days with my soon-to-be host family, visited the school where I’d work, and got familiar with my new community.

Week 11: The Final Stretch and Swearing-In

The final week was a much-anticipated week in the capital. We did our last couple training sessions and completed all that we needed to prove we were ready to serve! T his included a final language assessment, as well as a readiness to serve interview and presentation. Finally, we swore in as official Peace Corps Volunteers!

Final Thoughts

To my family, I hope this gives some insight into everything I was up to—it was a bit of a mystery, and I know many of you were curious about what I’d been experiencing.

To invited Peace Corps Volunteers: I totally understand the desire to know every single detail of what’s ahead. But here’s the truth—you can’t! The Peace Corps has taught me to be flexible and roll with the unexpected. Best of luck on your Peace Corps adventure!”