In this interview, you’ll hear from Anya Kirschner, a Peace Corps Environment volunteer in the Philippines. Anya shares what daily life looks like, the work being done, and how service has shaped their personal and professional growth. You’ll learn about housing, cultural differences, project work, language learning, and what it’s like to live and work in a new country. This interview offers a real look into Peace Corps service and what future volunteers can expect.
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. What do you do as a Peace Corps Environment volunteer in the Philippines?
Hi folks! Thank you for taking the time to read about my time in the Philippines. My role as a Community Development Facilitator for Coastal Resource Management (CRM) is a position unique to the Peace Corps Philippines post! The vast majority of other CRM volunteers are assigned under a Local Government Unit (LGU) to work with fisheries and agriculture staff, typically through the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) or the Municipal Environment and Natural Resource Office (MENRO).
Working alongside LGU employees helps set a fairly regular work schedule with office hours from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., Monday thru Friday, with occasional work on weekends for special events, financial assistance programs, or field assessments.
I’m assigned to the Province of Iloilo, located in the Western Visayas on the island of Panay (the best island!!), which has been such a wonderful blessing to my service. Panay is incredibly diverse, with the large western mountain range dividing Iloilo from the western province of Antique, the seafood capital to the north in Capiz, and the home to the Northwest Panay Peninsula National Park and Boracay to the northwest. Iloilo itself has a vast coastline with some of the most beautiful island communities and scuba diving spots I’ve experienced.
Job description…
On paper, my role as a CRM volunteer in Iloilo primarily includes supporting the municipal coastal resource management plan (CRM), which should be updated every 5 years to include information on the state of all coastal habitats, fisherfolk livelihoods, discuss eco-tourism opportunities, and guide land use plans for future development. Volunteers are also encouraged to engage with other sectors such as youth and community-based organizations where Information and Education Campaigns (IEC) are held to help disseminate information across the municipality with topics ranging from solid waste management to family health and planning.
…Actual work
In reality, my day-to-day experience has been far from CRM planning in the office, with most activities taking place outside the office, whether that be conducting underwater coastal habitat assessments or facilitating livelihood development training with the regional Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). When I’m at site, a lot of my work centers around my Bantay Dagat or fisheries law enforcement team! They’re a trio of current and former fisherfolks who have years of experience working along the Iloilo coastline as well as former partners for PCVs at my site pre-pandemic. They have been a guiding force throughout my two years in the Philippines and have a quiet but steady influence on my work and time living at site.
Together, we monitor the three primary marine ecosystems found in our town, consisting of a 32-hectare seagrass reserve and Marine Protected Area (MPA), a 4-hectare artificial reef, and hundreds of hectares of mangrove forests. Our activities include coral transplantation to the reef, underwater cleanup drives, mangrove seedling planting and assessments, and more routine tasks such as maintenance and installation of boundary markers.
I’ll delve a bit deeper into my site-specific work later on in this interview, but working in CRM is so different among volunteer sites- even within the same province- as these work opportunities depend heavily on the priorities of the LGU, work counterparts, and funding. In the beginning, it was quite challenging to determine my role alongside the fisheries team, but with time and lots of patience, work falls into place.
2. Why did you decide to join the Peace Corps and serve in the Philippines?
In my senior year of college, I was unsure what my next step would be, but I’ve always wanted to spend time living in Asia. Unlike most of my peers, I didn’t have a resume full of summer internships in Boston or months of intense lab research, and truthfully didn’t feel that was my calling. I sought adventure and a complete change of life, somewhere that would challenge me but also allow me the space to learn more about myself, the world, and East Asia as a region.
Reconnecting
As a trans-racial adoptee, I’ve dreamed of returning to the region to try to connect with the history and culture of this region, which prompted me to enroll in a history course on Southeast Asia focusing on diasporas and revolutions. Through this class, I studied the complex international relationships, periods of colonization, revolutions, and peoples’ histories, all of which further solidified my interest in broader East Asia, which reinforced my decision to apply for Peace Corps Philippines.
Applied for the Philippines
When I browsed the available positions, CRM immediately stood out to me specifically because it felt like a natural progression of my lifelong interest in marine science, environmental education, and a developing interest in environmental policy. I applied directly to the CRM position in the hopes of furthering my skills within marine science and environmental advocacy from an international lens in one of the most biodiverse regions of the world.
To me, it felt as though everything was falling into place – that I would graduate, move abroad, and start a new chapter of my twenties. Two years ago, I could not have imagined just how transformative this experience has been, the beautiful relationships I’ve cultivated with fellow PCVs and individuals at my site, and how incredibly memorable this period of my life would be.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. What is your housing like in the Philippines?
Host family
At site I was placed with a larger host family with three daughters, a grandmother, and two host parents, plus lots of young cousins. My host father works with the town’s health center, which has been a nice way to build community with other offices in the municipality, and my host mom works at a hospital in the town over. They met when they were working as OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) in Saudi Arabia at a government hospital!
We live in Poblacion, the town center, which is conveniently located near a 7/11, my office, and plenty of sari-sarispots (convenience stores) that sell ice cream! My town is rural and currently rated as a 3rd class municipality located about an hour outside of Iloilo City. I don’t mind the commute surprisingly, Peace Corps has taught me more patience when it comes to transportation!
Slow days
When I have slow days at site I’ll make grilled cheese sandwiches (my host family has a little panini press), sit outside with our dog Bruno, and call friends and family from home. As service wraps up, I’ve been intentional about spending weekends with the family and joining them for celebrations or outings. My Lola (host grandmother) cooks a lot of staple Filipino foods such as adobo manok (chicken adobo), sinigang baboy (a complex sour and savory pork soup), torta talong (grilled eggplant with egg batter), pancit (noodle dish with cabbage, carrots, and meat), and so much more.
Host family support
Unlike most PCVs, I decided not to move out to independent housing as I have really enjoyed living and learning alongside my host siblings (though they do drive me nuts sometimes). My host family has gone above and beyond to cultivate a safe and memorable home, and the challenges I’ve experienced at site have been easier to navigate with their support.
Some of my favorite memories with them include karaoke in the yard when a college friend came to visit, playing games at the arcade in the city, and having a pool day with the cousins! Both of my host parents are one of four siblings, so there are lots of titas and titos (aunts and uncles), family friends, and of course, the children running around. Coming from a smaller family in the US, it has been chaotic but fun to experience holidays with a large family community- Filipino parties are truly something else with late-night budots (popular Filipino music), videoke, and lots of food.
4. What moments or interactions stand out during your service?
Teaching about the stars
Truthfully, the majority of my formative and most impactful interactions were unplanned, but the first that comes to mind would be one night my host siblings and I were sitting along the waterfront staring out at the ocean, and I pointed out how beautiful the stars were. I have grown up loving astronomy and looking at various stars and planets with my dad through a telescope, so I pointed out a couple of constellations to the kids, and they were hooked.
I whipped out my phone to show them a constellation app that digitally projects where constellations are regardless of your position on Earth and has information bubbles about each star cluster. Ever since then, when we’re driving home at night after a family event, if I point out the stars, the kids show interest, which makes me smile knowing that I helped spark curiosity in the night sky.
A sit-down with Dads
Another interaction that comes to mind happened in August on a quiet Saturday morning in the mangrove forest. I showed up at the office at 7 am as per our instructions, only to find that there was nobody there and no vehicle to pick us up. This, of course, was not surprising given that there are often delays and communication difficulties, but still frustrating nonetheless. By the time we arrived at the mangroves, it was well past 8 am and our scheduled activity was surprisingly quick.
I chose to stay with the fisheries law enforcement team while we tidied up the patrol boat, which led to a meaningful heart-to-heart conversation with my favorite counterpart. Affectionately known as “Dads,” he has been a driving force in the fisheries work done in my town, an experienced counterpart for former PCVs, and a highly respected figure in the fisheries community across the whole Province of Iloilo.
We discussed all of the work that we’ve accomplished together over the past two years, and it was nice to just slow down and talk with one another. I find myself speaking with him in Ilonggo/ Hiligaynon with little to no challenge, which makes me so proud of how far we’ve come since I first arrived two years ago and is a testament to how much of an impact he has had on me personally as well as my two years of service in the Philippines. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I know he will be here to welcome me home.
Surprises and Challenges
5. What has surprised you most about living or working in the Philippines?
Mosquitoes
So many things came as a surprise when I first moved here! This includes the sheer number of snacks and drinks available through local stores called sari-sari stores (and, by association, how much an office will budget for snacks and drinks alone), the noise level of motorcycles, construction, and local karaoke combined, as well as the endless mosquitoes. They sure do love me, and despite my regular application of mosquito repellent, I routinely get nailed by some form of animal (ants, mosquitoes, jellyfish) every week and at most maybe 5-8 times a day if I’m really unlucky.
So many insects!
On a most positive note, the Philippines is home to so many diverse insects! As an entomologist, I have loved discovering new insects to photograph and learn about while in the Philippines, from giant wasps to bees with blue stripes and bright red dragonflies to long-horned beetles; the Philippines is home to some beautiful and incredibly unique insects.
Geography and landscape
Another big surprise was just how diverse the geography and landscape of the country is. You can travel to Bicol and see active volcanoes; you can go south of Manila and see Lake Taal. If you travel north, you can visit Baguio City, where strawberries are abundant, and if you go further north, you can hike among the high mountains of Sagada, then travel to Batad to see the famous rice terraces.
If you’re looking to surf, you can venture out to La Union on the northwestern coast of Luzon or visit the Hundred Islands National Park in Pangasinan. If you fly into the Visayas, you can experience Manggahan, the Philippines mango festival, or you can head east and see tiny tarsier monkeys in Bohol or ferry to southern Leyte and swim with whale sharks. If you venture down to Mindanao, you can visit surfing communities in Siargao or go hiking and horseback riding in Bukidnon.
From scuba diving with sharks to hiking great mountains, the Philippines truly has it all. The diversity of the Philippines is astounding, and communities and individuals across these regions are just as unique and beautiful.
6. What challenges have you faced in your Environment work, and how did you respond?
Attitudes around solid waste management
Work-wise, what surprised me (and still challenges me) are attitudes around solid waste management. On one hand, ecotourism is a massive industry not just in the Philippines but across broader Asia, with many popular tourist destinations within the Philippines ranging from beautiful hikes and camping opportunities to UNESCO World Heritage scuba diving sites. At the same time, it is very common to see folks burning trash, discarding items on the side of the road, or simply not taking responsibility for leftover waste.
Even with the negative impact of solid waste mismanagement and plastic pollution- choking waterways, flooding across beaches, and scattered along the highways, it is less common to see accountability both at the individual and government level for solid waste management. Even representatives who work at the Provincial Office can be careless with their waste, dropping it out the window or simply letting it fly away in the breeze, which was shocking, especially since these individuals are in offices that tackle solid waste!
In many ways, these attitudes challenged how I viewed our actions and activities, like hosting river cleanup events or posting on social media encouraging proper waste segregation- but reminded me to elevate and celebrate the individuals and organizations who are leaders in their communities on these topics. Throughout service, I worked to really shift the mindset around these attitudes and focus on what I could positively influence, such as encouraging upcycling and repurposing items as well as small wins within the communities that encourage long-term positive behavior change.
Getting everything organized
Another unexpected challenge was just getting everything organized! Within the LGU, there are so many different offices and departments, but sometimes the offices are separate from the main municipal hall, so it can lead to additional challenges when securing signatures and support for projects since there are so many steps involved.
One example was finalizing the contributions from the LGU as part of my Peace Corps Partnership Program (PCPP) Grant. We had the funds from our donors, but there were numerous delays in procuring and planning our next steps since the LGU had multiple projects across various offices, and of course we had festivals, fiestas, and other events pulling us in different directions, all of which required various approvals, signatures, and committee meetings.
Peace Corps challenges volunteers to expect the unexpected and, more importantly, become adaptable and flexible for new challenges to arise. In the end, it all works out, of course, but in the moment it can really be challenging to look at your last six months of service and ask yourself, how are we going to pull off a multi-phase $ 5,000+ USD grant, publish a few reports AND balance our day-to-day office obligations!
Really, the only way to navigate these moments is to take each day as its own challenge, feel your frustrations, celebrate your small wins, and remember how far you’ve come throughout service. Reframing the ways in which we are taught to view progress and measurable outcomes helps redefine what success looks like within Peace Corps- and ultimately that comes down to the people you’ve met along the journey and those relationships you’ve built in your community that will last you a lifetime.
7. What secondary projects have you worked on during your service?
Dive resources
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have an amazing fisheries team that works closely with the Bantay Dagat, or Fisheries Law Enforcement Team. Between the LGU and my head Bantay Dagat, who goes by “Dads”, we have access to a few sets of SCUBA gear as well as the essential equipment to patrol, including boat access and a tank compressor. Because of these resources and the close relationship we have with our neighboring town, we organized a 30+ diver underwater coral transplantation and nursery deployment in June of 2025.
This was my first big project that was neither expected nor outlined as part of the CRM role! I felt proud to work alongside partners from the Iloilo Provincial Office, LGUs, other PCVs, as well as our neighboring towns on the Iloilo coast. It was an incredible learning opportunity to work with coral transplantation and see so many offices come to support this deployment.
Diving community
Unlike a handful of my fellow volunteers, I did not participate extensively in secondary projects such as partnering with local youth groups on a regular basis or collaborating with the Education volunteers. Instead, I explored local partnerships across my province primarily through the diving community. From 2025 onwards, I took part in dive activities in roles ranging from participant to facilitator, both in my own town and across the whole province of Iloilo. I never expected to have an abundance of opportunities to dive, as it is not a requirement to join the CRM position, nor did I enter service with a lengthy resume of diving.
There is no one particular secondary project that I took on; however, the genuine relationships built with LGUs across the northern coast of Iloilo opened up a world of opportunities within the diving community and fisheries as a whole. I worked on several underwater cleanup drives, assisted with ecotourism expansion activities, attended a multi-day training on FISH-I, an AI software for fish survey and analysis, contributed valuable data to multiple towns’ habitat assessment databases, and facilitated the training for 8 new scuba divers (6 CMAS and 2 NAUI students).
Now approaching the end of my service, I find myself seeking job and internship opportunities that would allow me to pursue diving at a higher level, from reef survey positions to Dive Master courses!
Advice and Support
8. What advice would you give to future Environment volunteers in the Philippines?
I’d suggest that you come into your work assignment with as few expectations as possible and remain open to the idea of working in other departments- not just strictly in fisheries. I think each post and each site is different; some have more funding, some have less, some sites are gifted with lots of scuba equipment, others are much more office work-based. Be open to working collaboratively with your office as a whole and showing up- trying to be present and supportive.
For example, I’ll attend anti-rabies campaigns that have no relevance to fisheries work, but I’ll take on the role of documentation, sign-in, or distribution sheets, which helps alleviate some work for my coworkers. It also helps increase my visibility within the community, both for other LGU staff and local beneficiaries who come through the office.
Outside of the office too, it is also advantageous to continue networking with other volunteers in your province and even across your island. I landed a number of really unique training opportunities simply from showing up, building those relationships with other LGUs, and demonstrating my interest and dedication to my role as a volunteer. I truly think those opportunities have played a large role in making my service meaningful, memorable, and impactful not just for community members involved but for myself and my personal gratification.
I am proud of the relationships I’ve built throughout my province, and I’m proud to have served alongside some amazing fisheries staff not just in my town but in other PCV sites and in the Iloilo Provincial Government itself.
Just do your best
Give yourself time to adjust and challenge yourself to show up to the best of your ability. It truly is recognized and appreciated by those around you, and you’ll continue to build your credibility and visibility within your community, which ultimately builds lifelong relationships. Lean on your fellow volunteers both at site and across your post, plan collaborative events, and support one another through the ups and downs at site. They’ll be your biggest cheerleaders and support system as you navigate your service! And remember, your work and role as a volunteer goes well beyond the office or structured work setting- by showing up and dedicating your time to other activities around you, you’re also fulfilling aspects of Peace Corps service without even knowing it.
9. How did Peace Corps training prepare you for service?
PST – Pre-Service Training
I’d say this is pretty dependent on the staff at Post and how established the program is. Peace Corps Philippines is one of the longest-running posts, with the only pause due to Covid-19. As a program, Peace Corps is surprisingly well known and recognized across different regions of the Philippines, and PST seemed to hint at how widespread PCVs have been, but I didn’t realize it for myself until I was further along in service.
PC staff
At PC Philippines, some of our staff have worked with HQ for over two decades! In that time, they’ve mentored hundreds of volunteers and facilitated countless training sessions. Their mentorship is invaluable, and those relationships are ones that volunteers can lean on throughout service for support and guidance- especially if you’re encountering difficulties at your permanent site.
Build relationships
My biggest recommendation for these trainings would be to remain open to building relationships with all of the staff, not just your sectoral/ programming staff but the language teachers, the grants committee, the administration who help plan all of your travel logistics, and of course the U.S. staff. Some of those people will be key resources in future discussions and can help you meet and connect with professionals post-service or even serve as references in the future!
Use the structured language time to ask questions, be curious, and continue to reconnect with your cohort. At the end of the day, they are the people who are experiencing the same challenges as you and can be an excellent support network outside of the staff relationships you’ve built. Use the time to relax and take a step back from ‘work mode’ expectations at site.
If you have a supportive programming team, be open to talking with them about work at site because if you were to seek their support, they can’t effectively assist you if they don’t know you. These training periods can seem overwhelming and often jam-packed, but they are designed to provoke reflection and allow volunteers to assess service, personal goals, and consider future paths after service.
Practical Tips and Language Learning
10. What would you tell future volunteers to pack—or leave behind?
Quick-dry
In the Philippine heat, you’ll sweat through almost anything, so having quick-dry and loose clothing is the biggest advantage. If you’re looking to expand your wardrobe, it is pretty easy to find clothes that are more climate-friendly between ukay-ukays, the local thrift stores, and pop-ups and the bigger malls, which PCVs will have access to within a few hours of their site or at least when traveling to or from major trainings.
Personal items
I’d recommend arriving with less clothing since typically you’ll accumulate or be gifted various shirts or other items, but do pack some items that make you feel like you. This could be your favorite sleep/ lounge shirts, a familiar hoodie or comfort outfit, a pair of pants that you feel confident in, or even accessories that you always use. These little items can help the transition to site and in-country expectations feel a little less challenging while you ease into service.
For me, I brought my favorite oversized lounge shirts since I knew I’d want to be comfortable in my downtime, some pants I loved since I could pair them with just about any top (both collared uniform for work as well as casual wear for weekends or visiting friends), and my jewelry.
Some volunteers brought earrings, a favorite jacket, or a reliable but comfortable pair of boots. It all depends on you, but at the end of the day, those items can really help you continue expressing yourself and your style while allowing space for adaptation to cultural norms and dress.
PC-branded clothing
Peace Corps also sells PC branded polos, which are completely acceptable within the workplace (typically regardless of your sector) and are a nice addition to your wardrobe, especially when you’re representing PC or need an outfit for a training session.
Ultimately, it will depend on your site, your workplace, and the local expectations for dress, but more often than not these restrictions are really for your benefit to make positive first impressions and establish your presence within your community.
Reach out online
If you want more information, you can always reach out to folks online who are currently serving or have served previously in your assigned country or region, who can best inform you about packing recommendations and what is available locally, or just search online for what typical apparel is in that country or region.
11. How has language learning been for you in the Philippines?
Before staging
First of all, shout-out to Ate Akai, my LCF, mentor, and friend since the beginning of service! I attended the online language lessons, which started about a month prior to our staging departure- this was a great opportunity to begin connecting with my batch-mates as well as learning about our staff. These sessions are typically very low-pressure opportunities to learn basic greetings and sayings which you can use when you arrive for training, but you’re typically not expected to be at a certain language proficiency unless otherwise outlined in the post description.
The majority of my batch began with zero background in Tagalog, but lessons started in the early days of Initial Orientation (IO) and progressed through CBT.
Small classes during PST
I really enjoyed the small class structure, which allowed for more individual language learning and also provided a safe environment to ask questions and challenge myself to better understand the language and people we’d be working with. I would recommend PCTs (Peace Corps trainees) to practice language with their host families, other PCTs, and, of course, staff who are available to help you study and apply the language to typical scenarios such as shopping, navigating transportation troubles, and talking about work.
LPI – Language Proficiency Interview
The LPI will not make or break your service, but it is to your benefit and to those around you whom you will build relationships with to learn the local language. I was satisfied with my Tagalog score and proceeded to dedicate time at site to my local language, Hiligaynon / Illongo.
I recommend PCVs take advantage of the wealth of language learning resources offered by Peace Corps, including tutoring reimbursements with LCFs and/or local language tutors. I found that regular meetings with my LCF both helped develop my confidence and language skills, but also served as routine check-ins during which I could ask for advice or get support in navigating troubles at site. The LCFs become your friends, mentors, and biggest cheerleaders, and it is 100% to your benefit to invest in those relationships; they will always be cheering you on!
Outside of my structured lessons, I also found individuals at site who I felt comfortable speaking with, who encouraged me to utilize the language regardless of minor mistakes. It helped me feel closer to these individuals and also developed a stronger relationship because we both felt comfortable communicating our needs, both personal and work-related.
Social Identity
12. Did your identity lead to specific challenges or situations?
Chinese-American
One of the biggest surprises for me was the attitudes towards foreigners and the assumptions that were associated with foreigners – especially mixed-race individuals. As a Chinese-American adoptee, I often blend in more than other PCVs based on skin tone and facial features alone; however, I also get subjected to heavy speculation and questioning about my race – specifically, how can I be ‘American’ if I look “like a Chinese” or “like a Korean”.
Despite these similarities to a lot of Filipinos I’ve met, people are quick to make slant-eye gestures, assume I am fluent in Chinese, and call out “Ni Hao!” or make judgemental comments. If I tell them I’m American (especially if I’m with my fellow volunteers), they’ll counter with something along the lines of, ‘but you look like you’re Asian,’ which pivots to questioning how I can serve on behalf of the U.S. as a ‘full-blooded Chinese.
Sometimes I’ve even been introduced as ‘The Chinese’ rather than my name, with any affiliation to the Peace Corps or my work in fisheries, which overshadowed my role as a volunteer within the LGU. I’ll also get asked if my parents are ‘really American,’ which is funny to me because my mother is Korean and her family immigrated to the U.S., although that’s a whole other conversation I typically won’t entertain.
At the end of the day, we’re all American by nationality (and some PCVs have multiple passports!), but it’s a repetitive and exhausting conversation, and truthfully, I never expected there to be so much scrutiny about my race or identity.
What does it mean to be Asian?
Before starting Peace Corps Philippines, I’d hoped that I’d almost be more accepted than in the U.S. since I’d be living IN Asia and finally in the majority compared to other foreigners. In some ways, it prompts deeper discourse on identity – what it means to be Asian, what it is like to live and work abroad, and why I am here serving as a volunteer on behalf of the Peace Corps.
These conversations forced me to separate outside opinions from my identity while also challenging me to look within myself and how I define who I am, what makes me me. It takes time and maturity to understand that often these comments come from a place of curiosity and naivety, but it also provides a space to challenge assumptions about Americans and redirect conversations about what makes an identity.
As an outgoing woman
Outside of my race, I also get scrutinized for being a woman who wants to be involved in community activities, engage in physical activity, or simply be present for certain projects or tasks. In many ways, a lot of communities or spaces are heavily catered to boys and men, which can feel really exclusive for a woman to join.
Typically, activities and spaces tend to lean towards one sex or another, with the majority catering to boys and men, such as most physical activities like pickup basketball, road biking, badminton, or work assignments like fieldwork, maintenance, or anything that requires getting your hands dirty.
Coming into the Peace Corps, I knew that the Philippines still retains a lot of patriarchal structures and expectations, but I did not expect to be told I shouldn’t participate in something or help because I should ‘let the men do it’.
Some examples of places where I’ve gently pushed back would be helping clean up after activities (sweep the area, contain and sort food scraps, stack chairs), showing up with the bantay dagat team to construct nursery beds and artificial reef structures (I got to weld the nursery bed!), or carrying water containers. A lot of these are just basic activities where I’m happy to help and more than capable of the physical demands of the job, but because I’m a woman, I was challenged more when engaging in these tasks.
Near service end
Now that I’m near the end of my service, most folks who see me in the field don’t question my presence or contributions, but it was still an unexpected aspect of service I hadn’t anticipated encountering to this degree. I’m great friends with the folks who work on the motorpool and SWAT (Solid Waste Action Team) teams, and they’ve become accustomed to seeing me show up for various projects and hands-on activities from tree plantings to dry-docking the patrol boat.
I wouldn’t change anything about how I’ve gone about integrating with these circles, but I’d just caution new volunteers – especially women – that they may face unexpected assumptions and biases, especially in the first few months of service.
14. What advice do you have for volunteers who share your identity?
Don’t be afraid to push back
I think it can be really challenging to confront conversations like this but it is also a learning opportunity for folks who express that curiosity. Generally in my experience the questions come from a place of recognizing that I am not a local, and an assumption about who I might be based on pre-existing stereotypes.
A bit of advice would be to push back against those gently if you feel comfortable, and be open to redirecting the conversation to focus on your work and purpose with your partnership or talking about your identity and how it has shaped who you are today.
Topic of adoption
I’d say the topic of adoption can be extra foreign for some individuals which I will include if it is relevant to the conversation. For example, if the person questions me further about how I can be Chinese-American I emphasize that I am adopted to yes I am ethnically Chinese but due to citizenship, where I grew up and the places I call home I identify as American.
It is an ever-changing, complex and challenging conversation but I also challenge you to be the director of that interaction with curious locals. If you’re too direct or confrontational, perhaps they will not take it well but if you are polite but firm in emphasizing how racial stereotypes and assumptions can be harmful perhaps you can help shift the narrative and assumptions about race and identity.
Impact of Media and Final Thoughts
15. If you share content online, how has that shaped your service?
I have shared a lot of my service with my immediate online community, primarily through my social media and, of course, via phone calls to friends and family back home. For me, documenting and saving those photos on my social media both document how far I’ve come through service and the diverse range of experiences that the Peace Corps can lead to.
For me, this includes local and international travel, attending food and cultural festivals, the more mundane day-to-day work in the office, as well as highlighting some community achievements like underwater cleanup activities and progress on my grant! It has served as a vault where I can look back at photos and remember a specific trip, a laugh shared with the local fisher folk, a presentation I gave in the local language Hiligaynon, the times my friends and family visited, and the days when I truly felt like I had a community to call home in the Philippines.
Being online too much
In some ways, being online so much can negatively impact your service, and if you constantly follow online discussion forums like Reddit, you’ll see a wide range of experiences, complaints, and highlights from volunteers both returned and currently serving. It does open the door for unnecessary comparison, but it also serves as a reminder that every service is unique; every post, every volunteer, and every journey will be different depending on so many factors – most of which are out of your control and that you just have to adapt to.
For others, seeing the success or the highlight reels of their peers can negatively impact their own views of service, but I do try to remind folks that what they see is usually the more polished, curated version – the days that go well, the accomplishments that we feel proud of, and not the days that challenged us.
Fun way to remember
In the end, it has been a fun way for me to remember some of the highest of highs, and look back at the lows that challenged me. These photos are a reminder that even beyond the hard days, there is always something new and unexpected that could arise at any moment – something that could completely change the course of your service.
If you’ve read this far, you’ll know that for me it was diving and really riding that high as far as I could. I committed myself to developing key relationships with partners across my province, challenging myself to master navigating an unfamiliar environment, and realized I was completely and utterly obsessed with the underwater world- more so than I could have ever imagined two years ago.
16. What final advice would you share with future volunteers?
Don’t let your indecision hold you back from seeking new opportunities and experiences. My decision to join Peace Corps was heavily influenced by the lack of other applications I had during my senior spring, and I was keen to try something completely different. I took a chance on moving across the world (after my last major chance was moving across the country for college) and have had very few regrets.
Sure, there is the likelihood of missing out on big gatherings, reunions, or other celebrations, but there are so many new experiences that await in your country of service or in that region! Plus, you can always travel to see friends, host folks at your site, or return home for a visit or special event. Peace Corps truly has challenged me in many ways I could never have predicted, but the past two years have also brought immense personal growth, unexpected travel opportunities, and an overwhelming number of new friends and lifelong relationships.
Are you thinking about joining the Peace Corps? If you’re curious about service and ready for something new, apply today. Like Anya, you can live abroad, work with communities, and grow in ways you didn’t expect. Apply to the Peace Corps and take the next step.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or the Philippines Government.
