Peace Corps Leave Policy

Today we had a training session that had everyone's undivided attention for the first time in a long time. No, it was not my session on teaching writing, although I did give that today. Rather it was the session on the Peace Corps leave policy, that is, how many vacation days one gets with the Peace Corps and how and when we can use them. Now, I must admit that it struck me as quite odd, given the fact that everyone has sacrificed so much and worked so hard to be in the Peace Corps, and yet can find nothing more interesting than how to spend time away from their Peace Corps assignment. But I am as guilty as anyone.

The whole thing is actually quite complicated, and there are nine different kind of leave. But the one everyone is interested in is annual leave. This is in essence our vacation time. Peace Corps volutnteers earn two days vacation for every month they spend in country, starting when we are sworn in in September. And we can't take any leave the first three months in country or the last three months of our service. And after nine months, we can take an advance on the leave we will ultimately earn. So that means we get 48 days over two years to go where we want and do what we want. For those in China, the further limitation that we obviously can't go anywhere when the school year is going on, and we also have a couple week mid service training in January and a summer project of anywhere from 2-4 weeks each of the two summers. If one stays in country (China) one does not have to count the weekend days as part of leave but if one goes out of country, then all days count as leave time. So the main time for vacation is on the first year winter semester break--sometime in January and February--the first year summer break, usually July and August (though you do have the summer project), and the second year winter break. Since you can't go after May of your second year, you don't really have a second summer break, but you are done in July/August anyway and so take your break when you finish service.

I hope you were all paying attention, because there will be a test on all of this.