A search for peace carries us through the thickets of human conflicts.

In 1994 there was a government agency created that didn’t create a lot of scandal and to a large extent went unnoticed. But this government agency has made a huge contribution to the quality of life for all who get involved with it. It is the agency called Americorps created by the Clinton Administration to replicate the success of the Peace Corps to tap the power of national service to aid those in need across America.

This article is the first in a series about the experience of being a volunteer in a developing country. The writer and her husband are embarking on a year as volunteers in the tiny Pacific Nation, Vanuatu. This story is about making the decision to go. Following stories will be about settling in and the work of volunteers.

Just a little list if you are thinking about it!

When looking at joining the Peace Corps, one needs to understand they get placed where an invitation comes from, not necessarily where they want to go. So how do you get yourself into the country of your choice? By tailoring your skill sets carefully to create the invitation. You’ve got one chance to get it right, so go into the process armed with the correct knowledge!

Sometimes you can learn a lot by reading other websites, but there’s no substitute when it comes to an actual meeting with the Peace Corps. I didn’t get all my questions answered, but I did learn a few things worth passing on to other potential recruits.

There are many obstacles that can slow you down or derail you completely when it comes to changing your health, and an injury in the pursuit of a goal is high up on the list. It is a setback that doesn’t have to mentally defeat you, and you have the power to choose.

There comes a point in every potential volunteer’s trek in the process you must confront: informing your parents. In my case, it wasn’t easy; many others encounter a bad reaction. So how do you tell your parents of your intention to give 27 months of your life to a great cause?

In the last two segments, I have talked about dietary factors from my own hard experience. You can’t learn everything the first half a dozen diets around, but you can learn where you screw up and take the lessons into the next diet. Water intake proved to be a dangerous lesson I wouldn’t wish upon anyone.

There are many dieting pitfalls out there, and one of the most controllable factors is the intake of salt. The body needs some salt to regulate blood pressure, but too much in the diet is known as the “silent killer”. You’ve thrown out your salt shaker and believe you’re doing good, but have you really looked around in your kitchen? Are you miscalculating your sodium intake by mistake?