Introduce yourself

PeaceCorpsKat · May 2012

I'm lucky in that I'm a bit inland, so it's not so humid and it's relatively cool in the morning, evening, and sometimes all day during the rainy season. I do most of my exercise indoors though, so I can wear my "skimpy" workout clothes.

I'm a year and a half in. Should be home in November.

BTW, I work at Peace Corps in the office that does career support for RPCVs. You should tune into my webinar on Noncompetitive eligibility on the 24th - www.peacecorps.gov/rpcv/events.

MongolishMama · June 2012

Hey all!!!! So excited to see this group here!

Mongolia RPCV ('07-'09) ... stayed an extra year in the capital city to see if my HCN boyfriend was the real deal, and he was!

Back in the States and all the weight I unconciously lost jumped back on me (I blame delicious southern breakfast's entirely!) not to mention a surprise pregnancy :blushing:

I miss my less stress full, pedestrian friendly PC life but am adapting well.

I am the Treasurer for our local Hampton Roads RPCV organization and I love having that connection with RPCVs!

cjaques13 · November 2012

My name is Christina, and I'm a current PCV in Mozambique. No one bothered to tell me earlier that female PCV's often gain weight during their service (like I have).

EFish111 · November 2012

Hi, I'm Ellen. I am also a current PCV in Mozambique. I'm trying to find the time to exercise more (when it's not 100 degrees outside) and create healthier meals with our food options.

dreamingmatthew · December 2012

I'm an RPCV from Ecuador 2002-2005. I actually did lose weight in Ecuador, but right after COS I started gaingin it all back and any all kinds of extra weight that I never had before. I went into the Peace Corps at 280lbs, lost in service to about 212, came back and over time have ballooned up to 350..what the hell. I am taking a serious shot at getting somewhere this year and hope to get to 300 before July.

scoutfinchie · January 2013

RPCV Papua New Guinea 1991-1993

donkrutsinger · February 2013

I have an application pending for the Peace Corps but would like to be able to loose 40 more pounds before leaving. I have been using a C PAP machine since 1999 and have always been told that I could get off of it if I lost Weight. I now have the motivation to do so but could use a little support. I have been told that I should be prepared to live somewhere where I wouldn’t have electricity so I can understand the need to loose Weight. From the sounds of things loosing weight in the Peace Corps isn’t an automatic thing. The staff of my Group Home who are from Liberia say that I would loose 50 lbs. by just sweating it off if I went to Africa. I believe I should start living on a third world diet now so I would be ready for living wherever the Peace Corps may send me if you have any recommendations that might help me loose weight. I may just break down and see if a nose and throat specialist could eliminate my need for medical equipment so that I can help the rest of the world who has to live without it. I would like to be able to help those who have to live without a lot of things that we could learn to live without. Maybe I might be a stronger person if I learned to do the same. If you have any dieting ideas and support I would be happy to for them. Otherwise you can just tell me how I can seek to stay healthy wherever the Peace Corps may send me while helping others to stay healthy. I figure it won’t be hard to loose weight once I begin eating like a third world member. All I would need to do is drink the water or get a tape worm even though my doctor today during my physical didn’t recommend it. It is harder to loose the weight now so that I am prepared to be ready to help them. Maybe someone can pass on to me their advice.

ktafr16 · April 2013

Greetings! My name is Kate, served in Namibia, Africa 2007-2009 as an Education Volunteer. I gained a good amount of weight during my PC service as well as when I got back. It has been four years since I've been out of service and finally have gained control of my weight (with a few yo-yo diets in between that). Looking forward to meeting new people and inspiring one another to live a happy and healthy life!

donkrutsinger · May 2013

I have been nominated to the Peace Corps, have sent off my finger prints for the background check and am waiting for a conditional medical release from PC Medical for a placement that has dependable electricity since I have Sleep Apnea and use a C Pap machine. I have been continuing to seek to loose weight to resolve the issue and expect I would loose some weight serving in the Peace Corps. I am getting a dental appliance that should help and if they have difficulty placing me I may go ahead and have surgery to help resolve the issue. I hope to receive a Placement Recruiter when I pass the Background Check but they project it could be any time between October and next spring before I would go out. I expect that I could end up in Asia or Africa. I was curious what you diet and living conditions were like in many of the Peace Corps countries and how hard it will be to lose weight there. I have always said all I would have to do if I was desparate to do so is drink their water but I don't know how advisable that would be.

donkrutsinger · May 2013

I have been nominated to the Peace Corps, have sent off my finger prints for the background check and am waiting for a conditional medical release from PC Medical for a placement that has dependable electricity since I have Sleep Apnea and use a C Pap machine. I have been continuing to seek to loose weight to resolve the issue and expect I would loose some weight serving in the Peace Corps. I am getting a dental appliance that should help and if they have difficulty placing me I may go ahead and have surgery to help resolve the issue. I hope to receive a Placement Recruiter when I pass the Background Check but they project it could be any time between October and next spring before I would go out. I expect that I could end up in Asia or Africa. I was curious what your diet and living conditions were like in many of the Peace Corps countries and how hard it will be to lose weight there. I have always said all I would have to do if I was desperate to lose weight is drink their water but I don't know how advisable that would be.