Is there a Peace Corps "type"?

Short answer: Yes, American.

Long answer: No.

I think that I thought all Peace Corps Volunteers were granola muncher, hippie do-gooders before I joined Peace Corps. I went into this full well knowing I really believed I was right for Peace Corps and also didn't believe I was a granola muncher, hippie do-gooder. Did I somehow think I was a Peace Corps Volunteer exception?

One thing I have learned in Peace Corps is that all types of people join Peace Corps. The only thing that united us is that we are American... and I don't even know if that's true. Puerto Ricans are eligible to be Peace Corps Volunteers, but I don't know that Puerto Ricans consider themselves American... That's a question you would have to ask a Puerto Rican. I don't know that all Puerto Ricans would consider themselves American, because a Puerto Rican volunteer once told me that she thought PR should be a country all on it's own and not a territory of the US. Though, I digress, this is getting really off topic.

One thing that I know I've said in country is that I don't know how some of my friends and I could be friends if it weren't for Peace Corps. We are so different, would hang out with a different crowd, and in America, when there is an abundance of the "type" of crowd we would hang out with, it's hard to believe we could have found each other. For our friendship I guess I should thank the US government for clicking the wrong box and putting us on this island together.

All of that to say, Peace Corps Volunteers are all very different. We cross many different age groups, though still very traditionally the just graduated college age range. Some of us know what we want to do after Peace Corps, though most of us don't. Some of us have already lived long full lives and this fulfills a dream. Some of us are very well educated, while others went to less pristine colleges. Some love that we live in the campo and are eating this up, and others are counting down the days. Some are using this for a resume and others don't care about resumes at all. Some love running... actually, a lot love running, others are using this time as an excuse to eat pica pollo every night and not care about consequences.

All of this to say we come from different personalities. We don't fit a mold...

I will say something though, if someone were to tell me they were an RPCV I know I would consider them instantly in some kind of secret club with me. There would be a thing there. I think the type is, one of many types of people who can do this crazy thing called Peace Corps and make it through.