Sidebar #14 - Do I make money as a Peace Corps Volunteer?

To answer the titular question, no, I don't really make money as a Peace Corps Volunteer. No one volunteers with the Peace Corps because it is lucrative. Our position's label as a "volunteer" is very intentional: although we are expected to serve for 2 years, volunteers are not salaried employees by the U.S. government and our service can be terminated at any time either by the organization or by our own volition. 

However, that isn't to say that we aren't compensated as volunteers either. I certainly couldn't pay completely out of pocket to serve with the Peace Corps, and I assume most of my peers couldn't either. One of the great things about being a volunteer is that although we aren't living in luxury necessarily, Peace Corps covers all of our basic necessities. Every month, Peace Corps deposits money into our bank accounts. We use this money to pay host families a set rate negotiated by Peace Corps. That rate includes a private room, 3 meals a day, and utilities. Peace Corps also provides volunteers with free, robust healthcare, which is a major perk, especially when living abroad. 

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to publish specifics, so I won't, but outside of the amount paid to host families, we receive a stipend that's under $10 USD/day. Because we already have room, board, and healthcare taken care of, this stipend is meant to help the volunteer with any extra spending he/she may need. For example, a lot of my stipend is spent on things like transportation into San Jose, extra food/drink to supplement my running, and a gym membership. The stipend isn't really enough to bankroll my travel across the country, so I typically dip into money I'd saved prior to arriving in Costa Rica for that. (I also primarily stay in hostels when I travel here.) Although I'm not accruing a ton of income, I'm not spending a lot either. Despite the lack of a lucrative lifestyle, I'm extremely comfortable here in Costa Rica and have all of my basic needs met. Pura Vida.




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