Where will my site be in my country of service?

However, since the countries in which Peace Corps Volunteers serve are so culturally and environmentally diverse, each Volunteer’s living situation will be different depending on where they are located in their country of service.

In Armenia, Linden enjoys her community, which is “situated between rolling green hills on one side and cliffs on the other side, near a lake. It is a beautiful area for running and walking, and I often meet members of the community along the way.”

Your specific location isn’t determined prior to departure

During the interview placement officers are often asked, “Where will I be located in the country?” Great question, but your placement officer doesn’t have the answer and here’s why:

First, placement officers are responsible for inviting the best candidates, on the whole, to a country of service. Then, host country staff work together to match Invitees’ skills with the specific requests of the hosting communities.

While every country does their site placement a bit differently, the overwhelming majority don’t assign specific Volunteers to a community until after they’ve arrived in country. The exact reasons vary country to country, but the bottom line is that the Peace Corps wants to place Volunteers where their skills and experience can best serve the members of that community. That’s challenging to tell from a résumé alone.

You’ll have an in-country assessment

After Trainees arrive in their host country, Peace Corps staff will conduct in-person interviews, observe technical skills and monitor language learning. Staff consider each Trainee’s strengths, health, and religious needs, and other preferences to match you with appropriate work partners and housing.

While an individual can certainly share any preferences they have with staff during this time, preferences are not guaranteed and a Volunteer will be placed where they can best serve a community. You will be informed of your assigned site about one to two months after arriving in country.

A few exceptions

Rarely will a country assign site placements in advance of Trainee arrival in country. A country such as Mexico may have extenuating circumstances that make it relevant and important for Trainees to know their site before departing the United States. Some reasons may include the possibility of significant isolation on an outlying island, for example, or needing to have a specific technical background to manage a project.

“I love seeing so many sides of Mexico, the fifth most biodiverse country and my favorite country on earth! While I learn about my Peace Corps site through work and daily life, I use my free time to learn about the nature and culture of different Mexican towns and states, which makes me fall in love with this country more every day.” Katia G., Mexico

The country will often conduct interviews and test language skills prior to departure, in order to assess the individual as a whole and what they can bring to the community through digital communications instead of face-to-face.

Keep an open mind

When asked about where in a country a Volunteer may be living, we encourage applicants to keep an open mind about the possibilities. Peace Corps staff want the Volunteer to be successful in a host community that’s a good fit for their skills and experience.

No matter where you may be placed in your host country, be assured that the Peace Corps will do its best to place you in the community where you are needed most!

Want to know what type of housing you might have? Read a blog post about housing in the Peace Corps.