PEACE CORPS IN THE 21 ST CENTURY: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

126Peace Corps critique and commentaryVolunteers spend most of their time living and working in their communities;however, at times they have to interact with the administration. On the whole, volunteersseem happy and uninterested in what the administration do. However, at times,volunteers are critical. A Benin volunteer writes of his final interviews with the countrydirector, “I told him I didn't think the Peace Corps administration was really interested inthe work as much as the appearance of the work and he didn't take that too well. He said Iwas arrogant, and impolite. He said that it was I that brought any problems I'd had onmyself and recommended I adjust my attitude.” 227And another volunteer serving in theGambia writes, “my boss is on vacation again. I don't think it's quite fair that volunteersare yelled at if the administration feels they are making too many visits to Kombo, butthey can take frequent vacations back to America. Ah well, such is life, and they aren'tpaid to live in a village, whereas I am. It would be helpful if they would at least tell uswhen they plan to leave the country.” 228Critiques of the administration tend to be minor,and volunteer blogs tend to focus on their own work, ignorant of governmentbureaucracy.Readjustment and ReflectionsWhen volunteers leave their service, they express difficulties being satisfied withtheir two year service. There is a sense of helplessness expressed. Volunteers oftenquestion the benefits of their service in a place with such extensive poverty and disease.Lindsey’s experience has been complex, and she has struggled to reconcile her years as avolunteer. She writes: