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TRAINEE/VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK

PEACE CORPS/COLOMBIA

A Trainee/Volunteers Guide to Successful Service


in Colombia

October, 2013

Table of Contents
1

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................................6
THE PEACE CORPS ACT................................................................................................................................8
PEACE CORPS COLOMBIA VISION & MISSION...............................................................................8
SECTION I: GENERAL INFORMATION.................................................................................................9
A. THE PEACE CORPS/COLOMBIA OFFICE........................................................................................9
B. DATES TO REMEMBER DURING PEACE CORPS SERVICE....................................................13
C. HOLIDAY SCHEDULE 2013...................................................................................................................14
D. COMMITMENT & CORE EXPECTATIONS.......................................................................................16
SECTION II. ORGANIZATION OF PEACE CORPS/COLOMBIA............................................19
A. ORGANIZATIONAL UNITS......................................................................................................................19
B. PCV OFFICIAL IDENTIFICATION......................................................................................................20
C. MAIL.................................................................................................................................................................21
D. RELATIONS WITH THE US EMBASSY..............................................................................................22
SECTION III. ADMIN & MONEY MATTERS......................................................................................24
A. ALLOWANCES..............................................................................................................................................24
B. TRAVEL AND PER DIEM REIMBURSEMENT FOR VOLUNTEERS........................................26
C. STUDENT LOANS/DEFERMENTS FOR PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS..............................28
D. HOUSING......................................................................................................................................................30
E. PC LOGO AND LETTERHEAD..............................................................................................................31
F. OFFICE EQUIPMENT USE.....................................................................................................................31
G. STORAGE FACILITIES POLICY............................................................................................................35
H. IN-COUNTRY RESOURCE CENTER (IRC).......................................................................................36
I. ADMINISTRATIVE ODDS AND ENDS..................................................................................................36
SECTION IV PRE-SERVICE TRAINING...............................................................................................40
I. Peace Corps Training Philosophy..............................................................................................................40
II. Training components and competencies................................................................................................40
CORE Training Component............................................................................................................................41
Spanish Language Training Component.....................................................................................................41
Language tutorials during Pre Service Training......................................................................................42
Language Proficiency Interviews (LPI)......................................................................................................42
Safety and Security Training Component...................................................................................................43
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Medical training component...........................................................................................................................43


Project Technical Training Component.......................................................................................................43
III: Qualifying For Volunteer Service..........................................................................................................44
The Trainee Assessment Process (TAP).................................................................................................45
IV. PST Policies......................................................................................................................................................46
Trainee Conduct During PST.........................................................................................................................46
Travel During PST.............................................................................................................................................46
Professional Dress.............................................................................................................................................47
Site Assignment...................................................................................................................................................47
V. Colombia Home Stay Experience.............................................................................................................48
Your responsibilities:........................................................................................................................................49
Your Family's responsibilities:.......................................................................................................................50
Your Family, Host Family Coordinator and LCFs responsibilities:.................................................50
Adapting to the Homestay Experience.........................................................................................................50
Privacy:............................................................................................................................................................51
Noise:................................................................................................................................................................51
Diet:...................................................................................................................................................................51
Laundry:...........................................................................................................................................................52
Your Bedroom:................................................................................................................................................52
The Bathroom:................................................................................................................................................52
Front Door Key:.............................................................................................................................................52
Meal Schedule:...............................................................................................................................................53
Visitors:.............................................................................................................................................................53
Valuables:.........................................................................................................................................................53
Family Invitations:........................................................................................................................................53
VI. Medical and Health Issues.........................................................................................................................54
Medical Problems/Questions During PST Training Business Hours (M-F, 8am-5pm)............54
If you feel sick during training hours...........................................................................................................54
Medical EmergenciesAfter Hours (evenings & all day Saturday & Sunday)...............................54
Contacting the PCMO for medical issues. If unable to reach PCMO call the duty officer.......55
How to Help Us Help You To Stay Healthy................................................................................................55
VII. Administrative Odds and Ends:............................................................................................................55
You and your money..........................................................................................................................................55
Phone calls, cell phones and PC/CO computers......................................................................................56
VIII. Centro Colombo-Americano Training Site.....................................................................................57
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IX. Other Important Information..................................................................................................................57


Identification.......................................................................................................................................................57
Transportation.....................................................................................................................................................57
Buses and Busetas are the common transportation means in Barranquilla....................................57
Taxis.......................................................................................................................................................................57
Shopping centers................................................................................................................................................57
Where to buy food..............................................................................................................................................58
SECTION V. PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER SERVICE...................................................................59
A. VOLUNTEER PHILOSOPHY AND LIFESTYLE...............................................................................59
1. General Statement.............................................................................................................................59
2. Enforcement of Policies...................................................................................................................60
3. Penalties.................................................................................................................................................60
4. Living Within Your Living Allowance.......................................................................................60
5. Adapting to Change..........................................................................................................................60
6. Personal Appearance........................................................................................................................61
7. Planning Your Visit to the Office.................................................................................................62
8. Telephone Policy.................................................................................................................................63
9. Office Attire..........................................................................................................................................63
10. Fraternization.....................................................................................................................................63
B. VOLUNTEER SERVICE.............................................................................................................................63
1. Integrating into the Community..................................................................................................63
2. Volunteer Site Assignment.............................................................................................................63
3. Policy On Site and Assignment Changes Within Colombia.............................................64
4. In-Service Training...........................................................................................................................65
5. Work Plans and Progress Reports..............................................................................................66
6. Staff Visits.............................................................................................................................................68
7. Extensions.............................................................................................................................................69
8. Termination of PCV Service..........................................................................................................71
9. Protect Act Guidance.......................................................................................................................75
10. Marriage...............................................................................................................................................76
11. Volunteer Pregnancy.........................................................................................................................78
12. Volunteer Paternity...........................................................................................................................78
13. Alcohol and Drugs.............................................................................................................................78
14. Political Activity................................................................................................................................80
15. Back Home Emergencies (Information for Your Families).........................................80
16. Medical Emergencies......................................................................................................................81
17. Funding For Community-Based Projects...............................................................................82
18.
Clearances for Press Interviews, Articles and Letters...................................................88
19.
Volunteer Support Systems.......................................................................................................89
20.
Volunteer Support and Work Groups..................................................................................90
21.
Vacation and Related Leave Policies.....................................................................................91
VI. SAFETY & SECURITY...........................................................................................................................100
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A. PERSONAL PROPERTY/THEFT AND BURGLARY......................................................................100


B. POLICE.........................................................................................................................................................101
C. INSURANCE................................................................................................................................................102
D. FIRE ARMS..................................................................................................................................................102
E. EMERGENCIES.........................................................................................................................................102
F. SITE LOCATOR FORMS (SLF).............................................................................................................102
G. SEXUAL ASSAULT....................................................................................................................................103
H. EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN..............................................................................................................104
SECTION VII. GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION IN COLOMBIA......................................107
APPENDICES......................................................................................................................................................109
Appendix A - VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK SUPPLEMENT................................................................109
Appendix B - PEACE CORPS COLOMBIA TRANSPORTATION POLICY...................................111
Appendix C - PC COLOMBIA WHEREABOUTS POLICY AND ANNUAL LEAVE POLICY. 119
Appendix D - PCV VACATION REQUEST FORM................................................................................129
Appendix E - MANDATORY GUIDELINES FOR VOLUNTEER COMPUTERS........................131
Appendix F - SURVIVAL SPANISH VOCABULARY LIST...................................................................133
Appendix G - PEACE CORPS ACRONYMS & LINGO.......................................................................136
Appendix H - VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM..............................140
Appendix I - YOUTH CAMPS......................................................................................................................141
Appendix J - SITE LOCATOR FORM.......................................................................................................144
Appendix K - TRAVEL REQUEST
FORM.

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Cuerpo de Paz Colombia


I. General Information
A. Message from CD
Dear Colombia Peace Corps Trainees and Volunteers thank you for your service and
for your commitment to Peace Corps/Colombia!
Peace Corps/Colombia prides itself on being a high-performing post that places the
highest priority on the work of the Volunteer and the needs of our host-country
colleagues and counterparts.
The purpose of the Trainee/Volunteer Handbook is to provide guidelines for professional
behavior to ensure your health, safety and well being, as well as to ensure the
continued success and quality of the Peace Corps program here in Colombia. As
members of the Peace Corps/Colombia team we expect all trainees and Volunteers to
live up to these standards and to inspire and support one another to make our common
vision a reality -- to be recognized as a grass-roots development leader and partner of
choice committed to promoting peace by helping to eradicate poverty, promote social
justice and foster cross cultural understanding. These policies and procedures set
expectations for both staff and Volunteers to help us realize this common vision and to
help you achieve the goals you have set for yourself. They also provide an environment
in which PCVs and PCTs can function effectively and safely, adhering to both the laws of
the United States and Colombia. They address specific circumstances that apply to
being a member of the Peace Corps, and you are expected to refer to it throughout
your service. We hope that this information will answer most of your questions.
You are personally responsible for becoming familiar with the handbook and the
policies contained within it. It is also your responsibility to ask questions if there is any
doubt about a policy or regulation. Please see your Project Manager (PM), the Director
of Programming & Training (DPT) or Country Director (CD) for further clarification. We
are here to help you understand why specific rules are in place, and also navigate
some of the unique situations that you may encounter as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
Each Trainee receives a copy of the Handbook before the end of Pre-Service Training
(PST). All Trainees sign a contract, which states that they have reviewed the Handbook,
and understand that it is their responsibility to comply with the policies and guidelines
contained in it.
It is important to understand that failure to comply with the policies and guidelines
stipulated in the Handbook may result in disciplinary action up to and including
administrative separation.
Please return this book when you leave Colombia so that we may distribute it to new
Trainees. If not returned you will be charged US$15.00. Feel free to use the forms found
within or write annotations in your Handbook, but it must be returned when you check
out during your last week of service.

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Best wishes to each of you!


George F. Baldino
Country Director
B. Peace Corps Act
Public Law 87-293 (September 22, 1961) (as amended)
[Note: The Peace Corps was initially established by President John F. Kennedy pursuant
to Executive Order 10924 (March 1, 1961).]
TITLE 22 UNITED STATES CODE
Sec. 2501. Congressional declaration of purpose
The Congress of the United States declares that it is the policy of the United States and
the purpose of this Act to promote world peace and friendship through a Peace Corps,
which shall make available to interested countries and areas men and women of the
United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of
hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their
needs for trained manpower, particularly in meeting the basic needs of those living in
the poorest areas of such countries, and to help promote a better understanding of the
American people on the part of the peoples served and a better understanding of other
peoples on the part of the American people.
The Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States and a purpose of the
Peace Corps to maintain, to the maximum extent appropriate and consistent with
programmatic and fiscal considerations, a volunteer corps of at least 10,000
individuals.
Sec. 2501-1. Independent agency status of Peace Corps
Effective on December 29, 1981, the Peace Corps shall be an independent agency
within the executive branch and shall not be an agency within the ACTION Agency, the
successor to the ACTION Agency, or any other department or agency of the United
States.
C. Peace Corps Colombia Vision and Mission

Misin
Promover la paz entre los pueblos
prominentemente a travs del
intercambio cultural, del mutuo
entendimiento entre los pueblos de
Colombia y Estados Unidos, y del
apoyo tcnico especializado de
nuestros Voluntarios en las diferentes
reas de necesidad priorizadas en el
pas.

Visin
Para el ao 2023, Cuerpo de Paz
Colombia ser reconocida como un
aliado estratgico en la ejecucin de
programas de desarrollo autosostenibles, que promuevan la
equidad social y el acceso de las
comunidades a mejores
oportunidades en las reas en las
que haga intervencin.

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D. Oath and Commitment


Peace Corps Oath
I, ____________________ do solemnly swear (or affirm)
That I will support and defend
The Constitution of the United States
Against all enemies, foreign and domestic,
That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same,
That I take this obligation freely,
Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion,
And that I will well and faithfully discharge
The duties of the office on which I am about to enter.
(So help me God).
Commitment to Service in Colombia
Por la comprensin, la amistad y la paz
Entre los pueblos y las naciones
Solemnemente me comprometo a trabajar
Con dedicacin y entusiasmo
En las tareas que me sealen
Durante el tiempo que dure
Mi permanencia en el pas.
Prometo esforzarme para afianzar
Vnculos de afecto y solidaridad
Con el pueblo colombiano
Mediante el respeto mutuo
Y una verdadera vocacin de servicio.
Por Dios
Por la Patria
Por la Paz.

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E. Core Expectations
Core Expectations for Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs)
In working toward fulfilling the Peace Corps Mission of promoting world peace and
friendship, as a Trainee and Volunteer, you are expected to:
1. Prepare your personal and professional life to make a commitment to serve
abroad for a full term of 27 months.
2. Commit to improving the quality of life of the people with whom you live and
work; and, in doing so, share your skills, adapt them, and learn new skills as
needed.
3. Serve where the Peace Corps asks you to go, under conditions of hardship, if
necessary, and with the flexibility needed for effective service.
4. Recognize that your successful and sustainable development work is based on
the local trust and confidence you build by living in, and respectfully integrating
yourself into, your host community and culture.
5. Recognize that you are responsible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your
personal conduct and professional performance.
6. Engage with host country partners in a spirit of cooperation, mutual learning,
and respect.
7. Work within the rules and regulations of the Peace Corps and the local and
national laws of the country where you serve.
8. Exercise judgment and personal responsibility to protect your health, safety, and
well-being and that of others.
9. Recognize that you will be perceived, in your host country and community, as a
representative of the people, cultures, values, and traditions of the United States
of America.
10.Represent responsibly the people, cultures, values, and traditions of your host
country and community to people in the United States both during and following
your service.

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II. Contact Information and Calendar


A. Contact Information
1. PC Colombia Office Contact Information
Physical Address and Mailing
Address
Business Hours
Office Hours
Office Phone
Office Fax
Website
Duty Officer
Peace Corps Medical Officer - PCMO
Medical Duty Officer

Cuerpo de Paz Colombia


Centro Empresarial Las Amricas
Calle 77B #57-141, Oficina 713
Barranquilla, Colombia
Monday Friday, 8:00 AM 5:00 PM
Closed on US and Colombian holidays listed
below
Monday Friday, 7:00 AM 7:00 PM
Saturday, 9:00 AM 4:00 PM
Sunday, closed
(575) 385-1060
(575) 385-1060 Ext. 107
colombia.peacecorps.gov

312-451-4301
312-451-4303
310-247-7200

2. PC Headquarters Contact Information


Peace Corps Headquarters
Physical Address
Website
Country Desk Unit for Colombia
Office of Health Services
Duty Officer
Within the US (daytime)
After-hours Emergency Contact
Quality Assurance Nurse
Office of the Inspector General
Hotline
Email
Online Web Form

Peace Corps Washington


1111 20th St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20526
www.peacecorps.gov

Ella Ewart
(0051) 202-692-2525
(0051) 202-692-1470
1-800-424-8580 ext. 1470
(0051) 301-790-4749
QualityNurse@peacecorps.gov
(0051) 202-692-2915
OIG@peacecorps.gov
www.peacecorps.gov/OIG

3. Emergency Phone Numbers and Instructions

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PC Office

(035) 3851060

PC Duty Phone

312-4514301

PC Medical Duty Phone

310-2477200

Safety and Security


Coordinator

312-4515503

Best for calls during office hours


(Monday Friday, 8:00 AM 5:00
PM); should not be used for
emergencies
24-hour support for non-medical
emergencies, nights and
weekends, or if regular phones
are not working
24-hour support for medical
emergencies, nights and
weekends, or if regular phone
lines are not working
Advice about security, safety, and
incident reports

4. Medical Emergencies
If the PCV/PCT is unable to locate the PC Medical Officer concerning a true medical
emergency and s/he is near Barranquilla, s/he should go directly to Clinica Bautista (Tel:
(035)369-6700). PCV/PCT must continue to try to contact the PCMO or the Duty officer
of PC while s/he is on the way. If the PCV/PCT is unable to contact anyone at Peace
Corps, the alternate and back-up physician to use upon arrival is Dr. Freddy Farah Tel:
315-721-6246.
If the PCV/PCT is not within reach of Barranquilla facilities or doctors, and the medical
emergency is severe or an accident has occurred, s/he should go to the nearest
medical facility, but make every effort to have the PC Medical Officer or Medical Unit
contacted by telephone or cell phone.
If you are at home on vacation or outside of Colombia, and you have a medical
emergency or any other condition that requires immediate attention, you are to call: 1800-424-8580, ext. 1500 of the Office of Health Services (OHS). If you are connected to
an operator, ask for the Office of Health Services.
5. "Back Home" Emergencies
In the event of a problem or emergency at home requiring immediate contact with the
PCV/PCT, parents and families should use PC communication channels rather than
attempt to call directly. Families should contact the Office of Special Services in
Washington at the following numbers:
Office of Special Services: 24-hour emergency telephone number
Toll-free long distance calls 800-424-8580 (ext. 1470) or 202-692-1470
Please give this information to your family as soon as possible following your arrival in
Colombia (in the event that they do not already have this information). In the event of
an emergency, Special Services will immediately contact PC/CO by telephone or e-mail
and we will pass the message to you as soon as possible. Depending upon the
circumstances, a call home or emergency leave may be authorized. This, again,

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reinforces the need for a complete and accurate site locator form from you as soon as
you are established in your site, and a specific itinerary, with contact points, when you
are on vacation, ensuring that several responsible people, especially host family
members, neighbors or colleagues, know where you can be reached whenever you
leave your site.
PCVs/PCTs should advise their parents and/or other family members to always contact
PC/Washington in the event that there is a family crisis. Email has become so common
that a family member may often inform a PCV/PCT of bad news that way, in which case
the news may be received when the PCV/PCT is alone or among strangers, with no
personal support available. Also, approval for emergency leave is decided in
Washington, and so precious time may be saved by informing the PC/W office directly
when there is a crisis.
B. Office Organization and Staf
1. Staff and Support Personnel
George Baldino
Sandra Macias
Jason Cochran
Casey Welch
Viviana Ardila
Alberto Maldonado

Olga Maria Gualteros

Oscar Mejia
Eder Leon
Erik Winkler

Country Director (CD) PC ext. 212


Cel: 312-451-4292
Email: gbaldino@peacecorps.gov
Executive Assistant and Office Manager (EA) PC ext. 200
smacias@peacecorps.gov
Director of Programming and Training (DPT) PC ext. 301
Cel: 312-451-4291
Email: jcochran@peacecorps.gov
Director of Management and Operations (DMO)PC ext. 101
Cel: 312-451-4293
Email: cwelch@peacecorps.gov
Safety and Security Coordinator (SSC) PC ext. 501
Cel: 312-451-5503
Email: vardila@peacecorps.gov
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) & Back up SSC, PC ext.
205
Cel: 317-285-7703
Email: amaldonado@peacecorps.gov
Teaching English for Livelihoods (TEL) Project Manager (PM) PC
ext. 302
Cel: 312-451-5504
Email: ogualteros@peacecorps.gov
Training Manager (TM) PC ext. 303
Cel : 312-451-4296
Email: Omejia@peacecorps.gov
TEL Project and Training Specialist (PTS) PC ext. 306
Cel : 312-451-4306
Email: eleon@peacecorps.gov
TEL Project and Training Specialist (PTS) PC Ext. 304
Cel: 320-239-3427
Email: ewinkler@peacecorps.gov

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Fabiola de las Salas


Guerra
Leandra Vidal
Nira Quintero
(on leave September
2013-September 2014)
Johann Villafae
Cristian Nuez
Omar Munoz
Dra. Rosario Charo
Montecinos
Nereida Angulo
Kelys Tatiana Amaris
Martinez
(temporary)
Jorge Miguel Bolao
Ortega
(temporary)
Carlos Andres Guerra
Llerena
(temporary)

Host Family Coordinator (HFC) PC Ext. 307


Cel: 312-451-4262
Email: fdelassalas@peacecorps.gov
Financial & Management Specialist (FMS) PC ext. 104
Cel: 312-406-2184
Email: lvidal@peacecorps.gov
Administrative Assistant (AA)PC ext. 102
Cel: 300-816-9438
Email: nquintero@peacecorps.gov
Driver/Administrative Clerk PC ext. 100
Email: jvillafane@peacecorps.gov
Driver/Messenger PC ext 202
Cel: 320-239-6389
Email: cnunez@peacecorps.gov
General Services Assistant (GSA)PC ext. 105
Cel: 312-451-4264
Email: Omunoz@peacecorps.gov
Medical Officer (PCMO) PC ext. 401
Cel: 312-451-4303
Email: rmontecinos@peacecorps.gov
Medical Assistant PC ext. 400
Cel: 321-548-15-16
Email: nangulo@peacecorps.gov
Language and Culture Facilitator
Cel: 311-672-1696
Email: kmaris@peacecorps.gov
Language and Culture Facilitator
Cel: 301-525-8851
Email: Jbolano@peacecorps.gov
Language and Culture Facilitator
Cel: 301-621-5525
Email: cguerra@peacecorps.gov
Language and Culture Facilitator
Language and Culture Facilitator
Language and Culture Facilitator
Language and Culture Facilitator

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2. Organizational Units

Executive Unit. The CD heads the executive unit of PC/Colombia and is supported
by the Executive Assistant/Office Manager. The CD reports to the Inter-American
and Pacific (IAP) Regional Director in PC/Washington. In accordance to U.S.
Government policy, all overseas operations in a country are part of the U.S.
Mission for that country; therefore, the CD also reports to the U.S. Ambassador
and is a member of the Ambassador's Country Team.

PC/CO has four other units -- Administrative, Programming & Training, Medical, and
Safety and Security. The head of each unit reports to the CD.

Administrative Unit. The Admin team is led by the Director of Management &
Operations (DMO) who oversees all fiscal and administrative support operations.
The DMO and his/her team work collaboratively with other senior staff to develop
and monitor Peace Corps/Colombia's budget. Most important for Volunteers, the
Admin Team issues payments to PCVs and suppliers in a timely manner. The
DMO manages office maintenance, vehicle upkeep, and procurement of supplies.
The Admin team also issues official identification cards, makes transportation
arrangements, and provides Trainees/Volunteers with needed equipment. The
DMO supervises the Financial Assistant, Administrative Assistant, the Information
Technology Specialist (ITS), Cashier, General Services Assistant (GSA),
Drivers/Messengers, and as the program grows, will hire and supervise a
Secretary/Receptionist.
Program & Training Unit. The program and training team is led by the Director of
Programming & Training (DPT), and includes the Associate Peace Corps Director
Project Manager (APCD/PM), Project and Training Specialists (PTS), the Host
Family Coordinator and other members of the training staff, and, as the program
develops, regional PCV leaders/coordinators. The P&T team is responsible for all
issues related to projects and other program related activities. Within the P&T
Team is the training team led by the Training Manager (TM). The TM is
responsible for the design and implementation of all the training, including PreService Training (PST), In-Service Training (IST), and Completion of Service (COS)
conference. In addition to the Training Director, the training staff includes
technical trainers for each project (generally the PTS) and Language and Culture
Facilitators.
Medical Unit. This unit has one Peace Corps Medical Officer (PCMO) and a
Medical Assistant. In collaboration with PC/Ws Office of Medical Services, the
medical team is responsible for the physical and mental well being of all the
PCVs/PCTs.
Safety & Security Unit. This unit has one full-time Safety and Security
Coordinator (SSC). The SSC is in charge of gathering and disseminating
information concerning Safety and Security; providing safety-related support and
advice to staff, and PCV/Ts, coordinating efforts with local police and US Embassy
security officials to provide follow-up to criminal incidents as well as participating
in the design and implementation of training sessions and materials concerning
safety and security.

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3. Relations with the US Embassy


Peace Corps was created by an Act of Congress in 1961 and a conscious decision was
made to make it an autonomous entity independent of the State Department. This
autonomy characterizes our operation, and it is reflected in the prohibition against any
involvement in political or intelligence activities.
Even though we are an independent agency, the Ambassador is ultimately responsible
for all official Americans in Colombia, and this includes Peace Corps Trainees and
Volunteers. The CD maintains on-going contact with the Ambassador and Embassy
units, and when the PC Office is based in the capital city, the CD attends weekly
country team meetings with other agency heads at the Embassy to keep informed on
matters of importance to the Peace Corps. The CD also regularly coordinates with the
Regional Security Office at the Embassy on issues related to office, volunteer and staff
security. However, the CDs direct supervisor is the Inter- American/Pacific (IAP)
Regional Director in Washington.
Volunteers have contact with the Embassy in several ways, and are always welcome
there. During your time in Colombia, you may have occasion to seek assistance from
various offices at the Embassy, e.g. the Consular Section, the Regional Security Office,
or USAID. Support for our program is very strong and you will find embassy personnel
to be responsive to your consultations. However, before making requests of offices at
the Embassy, please coordinate with the CD, DPT or DMO.
Although the Peace Corps does not have an official working relationship with other U.S
agencies in Colombia, we are pleased that PCVs are recognized as professionals by the
entire U.S. mission. PCVs are neither encouraged nor discouraged from establishing
social or technical relationships with personnel of other U.S. agencies in Colombia,
except the U.S. Military, the CIA and the DEA. In these cases, PCVs must maintain
separation.
C. Calendar
1. Holiday Schedule 2014
The Peace Corps Office business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. Peace Corps staff and Volunteers have access to the Peace Corps Office
Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m.
Please note that the Peace Corps offices will be closed on the following holidays in
2014*:
Date

Day

January 1st
January 6th
January 20th
February 17th

Wednesday
Monday
Monday
Monday

American
or
Colombian
A/C
C
A
A

Holiday
New Years Day
Epiphany
Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday
Washington Birthday
(Presidents Day)

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March 24th
April 13th
April 17th
April 18th
May 1st
May 26th
June 2nd
June 23rd
June 30th

Monday
Sunday
Thursday
Friday
Thursday
Monday
Monday
Monday
Monday

C
C
C
C
C
A
C
C
C

July 4th
July 20th
August 7th
August 18th
September 1st
October 13th
November 3rd
November 11th
November 27th
December 8th
December 25th

Friday
Sunday
Thursday
Monday
Monday
Monday
Monday
Tuesday
Thursday
Monday
Thursday

A
C
C
C
A
A/C
C
A
A
C
A/C

St. Josephs Day


Palm Sunday
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Labor Day
Memorial Day
Ascension Day
Corpus Christi
Feast of the Sacred Heart/St.
Peters day
Independence Day
Independence Day
Battle of Boyac
Assumption Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
All Saints Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Immaculate Conception Day
Christmas Day

2. Important Dates in PC Service


The following are general key dates for all PC/CO Volunteers. Specific dates may
change by sector.
Arrival in country
Swearing-in as
PCVs
Three months after
PST
Five months
(approx.)
Six months
(approx.)
Six months
Seven months
Nine months
Nine months
Twelve months
Fifteen months
Eighteen months

11 weeks of pre-service training (PST), vaccinations,


swearing-in, and establishment of COS
After successful completion of PST
Work plan and quarterly report due
3-month In-Service Training (Reconnect)
HIV/AIDS IST (with counterparts and one IST per subregion)
Sub-Regional Safety & Security Meetings
Work plan and quarterly report due
Project Management & Leadership (Project Design &
Management) IST (with counterparts and one IST per
sub-region)
Work plan and quarterly report due
Technical IST (with counterparts and one IST per city)
Mid-term physical examination
Work plan and quarterly report due
1-year In-Service Training/All-Volunteer Conference
Work plan and quarterly report due
Work plan and quarterly report due

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Twenty-one months

Twenty-three
months
Last week of
service

Completion of Service (COS) Conference


Work plan and quarterly report due
Begin COS process, including medical exams and
paperwork
All Volunteer Conference
Medical and administrative clearances finalized

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B. PCV OFFICIAL IDENTIFICATION


No-Fee Passport: Upon your arrival, the Director of Management and Operations
(DMO) will collect all passports to get information needed for carnets to be issued
by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Your no-fee passport will have a Colombian visa, which will need to be renewed
during your PCV service. For visa renewals, please speak with the DMO; he will
assist you in obtaining one from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If you plan to take a vacation, you are responsible for obtaining any visas needed
for vacation travel (visas are required for travel to most South American countries).
We encourage you to obtain visas at least one month before you travel.
Several PCVs have a tourist passport as well as the no-fee Passport issued by PC.
During your Peace Corps service only the no-fee passport should be used while
entering or leaving Colombia since it has your official visa.
PCVs may use their no-fee passports for the duration of their PC service and for
travel up to 90 days after they complete their service, after which time the no-fee
passports must be returned to SATO Travel at PC/W. No-fee passports expire five
years, minus one day, from the date of issuance, and may be revalidated for an
additional two years.
World Health Organization (WHO) Card: The World Health Organization (WHO)
vaccination cards distributed to Volunteers (or the one you brought with you) will
stay in the possession of the Volunteers in the event that you will need to travel on
short notice. Please bring them with you when you receive vaccinations by the
PCMO so they can be updated.
Carnet, Cedula de Extranjeria issued by the Ministry of Foreign Relations:
This is the I.D. Card that you present to police or other officials requesting
identification.
A Colombian Government identification card will be issued to you when it is
processed and received by the Administrative Office. You should carry it with you
at all times. It must be given to the PC Director of Management and Operations
for return to the Ministry prior to your termination of PCV service. Do take care of it
as there is a significant time delay in replacing the cards.

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Note:
Should you lose any official identification document, please notify the
PC Office immediately. Also, notify the Director of Management and
Operations if your passport needs extension or modification due to extended
PC service, change in marital status, or for any other reason. This is your
responsibility.

C. MAIL
Your current address for all personal correspondence is:
Name
Cuerpo de Paz
Centro Empresarial Las Americas 1
Calle 77B # 57-141 Oficina 713
Barranquilla, COLOMBIA
Mail is kept in a separate file folder for each PCV and all the folders are kept in a
file cabinet in the PC Office in Barranquilla. Packages are kept in the office store
room until picked up by or delivered to the Volunteer. Please advise family, friends,
and others not to address mail to you in care of the U.S. Embassy in Barranquilla.
For personal letters and parcels the USPS has international mail service to
Colombia. Friends and family members can send letters to PCVs via Air mail letter post. For parcels the USPS also has Airmail-Parcel Post and Economy Mail Parcel Post. You might use these services to get things that are unobtainable in
Colombia. You are safest using postal padded envelopes for these items. For
information on current USPS services and rates as well as customs restrictions see:
www.usps.com.
If you need something fast and are willing to pay the price you might use USPS
Global Express, DHL, FedEx or UPS. These should be sent to the same address
above.
Diplomatic Pouch
The Department of States Diplomatic Pouch can be a useful shipping method for
receiving official materials that are considered necessities for your work.
You must first get your Director of Programming and Trainings approval. Next, you
must get written permission from the CD to have these items sent to you. Only
then may you request your family or friends or an institution to send them. The
procedures (after getting CD approval) are as follows:

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The sender mails the package via United States Postal Service mail to:
PC/Colombia Desk Officer
c/o PC Headquarters
1111 20th Street NW
Washington DC 20526
The Country Desk Officer will examine all package contents for eligibility. Any nonconforming items will be removed and discarded.
If the package complies with regulations, it will then be repackaged and placed in
the Diplomatic Pouch to be sent to the State Department in Washington where it is
sealed and taken to the airport.
ALL PACKAGES MUST CONFORM TO SIZE AND WEIGHT REGULATIONS.
Maximum weight is 40 pounds. Maximum dimensions are: length 26 inches, height
16 inches, width 13 inches, for a total of 84 inches length and girth combined.
Please note that PCVs are not authorized use of the pouch for personal
mail. For special circumstances PCVs may receive items vital for health such as
prescription medicines and eyeglasses as well as legal or financial documents such
as checks or money orders.
Also, the Peace Corps Office will assist Volunteers at election time for the mailing of
balloting material. This includes post card applications, ballots, voting instructions,
and envelopes. Contact the Administrative Office for details.
Note: Income tax returns for PCVs or education loan documents may not be sent
by DPO (Diplomatic Post Office).
Letter and Package Delivery/Handling at the PC/CO Office
Below are the procedures for when letters and packages arrive for Volunteers and
Trainees.
Letter Delivery System
Letters, post cards, magazines, etc., are placed in a separate file folder for each
PCV/PCT, and the file folders are kept in a file cabinet in the PC Office in
Barranquilla. When a staff member conducts a site visit he/she will routinely bring
and deliver mail received for the PCV and other Volunteers working in the area
visited. Mail can also be picked up by Volunteers on trips to Barranquilla and the PC
Office.

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Packages Received Through Colombian Post Office/Courier Services


As the PC Office receives notice from the Colombian Post Office that a parcel has
arrived for a Volunteer, the Volunteer will be contacted. If there is a customs fee for
the package, PC/CO will pay the fee if the Volunteer wishes and then charge the
Volunteer when the package is picked up or delivered. In order for us to receive a
package for you we must have a package release consent form signed by you on
file. It is up to the Volunteer to make arrangements for receipt of the package. We
may also receive notice from sources such as DHL, FEDEX, UPS, USPS, or another
courier service that a parcel has arrived for a Volunteer. The same procedure as
above will be followed for pick up or delivery.
Sending mail back to the U.S. or other countries
We continue to investigate the best way to send mail from Colombia to the U.S.
and other countries. As a result, for a time we could only reliably recommend that
you use couriers such as DHL, FedEx, Servientrega and Deprisa for sending
correspondence to the U.S. and other countries. However, we have learned that
the 472 service which reportedly has replaced the Colombian postal service in
Barranquilla, provides reliable postal service to the U.S. and other countries. One of
its locations is Carrera 52 at Calle 72, next to Dollar King and across the street
from the HBSC bank. We will continue to identify other reliable options for sending
mail to the U.S. and other countries from Barranquilla and the other sites where
you are living and working.

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SECTION III. ADMIN & MONEY MATTERS


A. ALLOWANCES
According to Peace Corps Manual Section 3.6, as outlined in the Code of Ethics,
PCVs/PCTs may not accept payment for their services except from PC, or engage in
any activity for personal financial gain within the host country. This prohibition
includes a ban on making investments within the host country or receiving
payment for written work or photographs relating to the PCV's/PCTs assignment
during the period of PCVs/PCTs services. In cases where payment cannot be
avoided, the PCV/PCT must report receipt of such payment to the CD and must
donate the proceeds to a worthwhile institution or organization in the host country
or, if s/he chooses, to the PC Partnership Fund. Violation of these provisions may be
grounds for Administrative Separation from PC.
1. Settling-in Allowance
A one-time payment of COP 500.000 is provided to all PCVs shortly after swearingin to cover the costs of basic items such as bedding/linen (blankets, sheets, towels,
etc.), kitchen supplies (cooking utensils), cleaning supplies, appliances, home
furnishings, screens/security items, small furniture and other basic items required
for your home and work. Since you will be living with families, some of these
examples may not be applicable in your case.
In accordance with PC policy (Manual Section 221), if a Volunteer is reassigned to
another location, an additional settling-in allowance may be authorized if the
Country Director believes it is justified.
PCVs terminated early are required to return items purchased with this allowance
or any money obtained from the sale of such properties to other PCVs. All PCVs
must donate the property bought with the settling-in allowance to other PCVs, or to
institutions, e.g. schools or hospitals, or return it to PC (MS 221.2.2.3.) upon
completion of service.
2. Living Allowance
A monthly payment is provided to cover costs of household supplies,
communication expenses, clothing, food, job supplies, transportation, recreation
and entertainment, reading material, and miscellaneous personal items.

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Normal travel expenses are to be covered by the Volunteer's living allowance,


including costs of travel in or around the Volunteers assigned site on or off the job.
Sometimes, schools or agencies may provide contributions to help support PCVs
(e.g. housing, food, and/or transportation). Therefore, if you benefit from
contributions, these should be reported to your Project Manager as a component of
your quarterly reports. PC is required to report host-country support of PCVs.
The amount received by PCVs for their living allowance is determined based on the
cost of living in the areas where they work. The current allowance includes a
contribution to the Volunteers host family to help cover basic lodging expenses,
and $700,000 COP per month for non-housing related needs (See the summary
chart below.)
A living allowance survey is performed annually to check the ability of PCVs to
meet their basic needs with current living allowance levels. If warranted on the
basis of survey results and resources are available, the CD may approve an
increase of up to 10% one time a year. For any further increase to be
implemented, a minimum of 80% of PCVs must have turned in completed living
allowance survey forms. After analysis by PC/CO, any recommended increase must
be reviewed and approved by PC HQ.
Living allowance money for all PCVs is received monthly from Washington. Living
allowance deposits will normally be available to you shortly before or at the
beginning of each month. All PCVs will have an account in Helm Bank, into which
the living allowance will be deposited. PCVs may make withdrawals at any ATM or
branch of Helm Bank. These Helm accounts must be closed at the end of your PC
service.
PCVs are expected to cover expenses using living allowance except for the
following:
1. PCVs will be reimbursed for medical supplies and eyeglasses purchased with
prior authorization of the PC Medical Officer and when receipts are presented.
2. Travel expenses will be reimbursed to the extent specified under "Travel
Reimbursement."
3. On occasion and upon advance recommendation by your Project Manager,
extraordinary job supply or other job-related expenses may be reimbursed.
3. Vacation Pay and Leave Allowance

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Every PCV is entitled to US$24.00 dollars (in equivalent local currency) per month
for vacation purposes. This payment begins accumulating after training is
completed and you are sworn in as a Volunteer. (See the Vacation Policy section in
this handbook for more details). This pay will be included with your monthly living
allowance, and, as mentioned, the payment will be in local currency.
If a Volunteer terminates service early, he/she will receive the full amount for the
final month of service if he/she has served for at least 16 days that month.
Otherwise, the Volunteer will receive US $12.00 for vacation purposes for the final
month of service.
4. IST Per Diem Allowance
The amount that Volunteers will be reimbursed at ISTs depends on the event. Most
of the time, PC/CO will pay directly for hotels and meals which would leave
transportation as the only item PC/CO would reimburse. This may vary. Any hotel,
transportation and per diem costs that a Volunteer pays for out of pocket during
the duration of the event could be eligible for reimbursement. However, the
reimbursement must have prior approval and the reimbursement will be deposited
after the event in the Volunteers next living allowance payment. Per diem will not
be paid for days in which all mandatory sessions were not attended.
5. Completion of Service Per Diem
Completion of Service (COS) medical and administrative procedures require
completion of laboratory work, a physical examination, and several reports. PC will
pay per diem for up to 3 nights for these purposes. PCVs should begin medical
work on the first day to find out what needs to be done and efficiently plan their
time to insure computer availability and other logistical needs. Reimbursement for
COS procedures includes the regular per diem rate and transportation expenses.
6. Additional Per Diem procedures and notes

Once PCVs complete the reimbursement form, in ink, they must first get the
Senior Staff members approval (Project Manager, PCMO, DPT, or CD, as
appropriate); and then deliver the approved form to the Admin office (either to
the Financial Assistant or Director of Management & Operations). The
reimbursement will be processed and deposited with the next living allowance
deposit. For reimbursement of hotel expenses, the Volunteer must have the
original receipt of payment. Also, for reimbursement of travel the Volunteer
must use an approved means of travel.
Refer to PC/Colombia transportation policy for the approved means of travel.

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If the PCV must stay beyond three nights for medical or job reasons, per diem
may be paid for the additional nights subject to advance approval by the
Project Manager or PC Medical Officer.
Per diem may be paid for additional nights spent away from site due to factors
beyond a PCV's control, such as weather, safety and security issues and/or
unavoidable transportation problems, as long as the original purpose of travel
was official.
PCVs are eligible to receive per diem and/or reimbursement of travel expenses
only when the original purpose of travel is medical or work-related, not personal
(such as vacations).

7. Readjustment Allowance
The Readjustment Allowance is set at USD $275.00 per month during a Volunteers
first full tour of service, including the months of PST for Trainees. For Volunteers
who extend their tour of service for at least three months beyond the 24 months of
service from their oath date, receive an extension bonus equal to $100 per month,
or a total of USD $375.00 per month during the extension period. Peace Corps
Response Volunteers also receive USD $375.00 per month during their months of
service (MS 223). The readjustment allowance is not a deferred salary, but rather a
termination payment to assist returning PCVs in their transition from PC service to
other endeavors. Consequently, PCVs are not generally entitled to use this
allowance until completion of service. However, in certain instances, a PCV may
request withdrawals or monthly allotments from the readjustment allowance to
repay debts that were incurred prior to Peace Corps service. Additionally, PCVs
have the option to purchase US Treasury Bonds with a portion of the monthly
Readjustment Allowance. Speak with the DMO for further information on either of
these options for use of Readjustment Allowance. In case of emergency, such as a
family emergency not contemplated under emergency leave, an advance may be
requested from the readjustment allowance. The total advance requested may not
exceed 50% of the amount accrued up to the date of the request. The decision as
whether the request is granted is made by Washington.
One third of the PCV's readjustment allowance is paid by electronic transfer (EFT)
upon termination of service and the balance is deposited directly to the PCV's U.S.
bank account, generally within 4-6 weeks after completion of service. Early
terminating PCVs may be advanced up to $200 from their readjustment allowance
before leaving the country.
B. TRAVEL AND PER DIEM REIMBURSEMENT FOR VOLUNTEERS

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1. Reimbursable Travel
When Peace Corps asks a PCV to travel somewhere for Peace Corps-related
reasons, PCVs are eligible for travel and per diem reimbursement. This means
travel to Barranquilla or anywhere else, for programmatic (such as VRT, ISTs, PST
charlas), medical (when the medical office asks you to travel to Barranquilla for
treatment), security, or other reasons deemed necessary by Peace Corps Senior
Staff.
2. All Other PCV Travel
Volunteers are responsible for covering the cost of travel and per diem for all other
travel, be it personal or project-related, using funds built into the PCV monthly
living allowance. These include, but are not limited to, the following types of trips:
To other Volunteer sites, whether it be in your city or elsewhere, to work on
Volunteer specific projects
The occasional visit to Barranquilla
Participation in special interest groups, except when PC requires people to travel
to the meeting site
3. Peace Corps Recommended Hotels
Please note that since we are into only our third year, this list is continuing to
evolve. If you find a hotel that could be a good hotel for PCVs to stay in, please
arrange with the Safety and Security Coordinator (SSC) to visit the hotel when s/he
is in your city on other business. PC/Colombia is in the process of designating
hotels in safe areas that have been cleared by the SSC, and where the PCVs/PCTs
can spend the night in Santa Marta, Cartagena or Barranquilla. No per diem will be
recognized by PC/Colombia to PCVs/PCTs for use of hotels that have not been
cleared.
The following hotels/hostels have been recommended by Peace Corps Volunteers
and cleared by the PC/CO SSC.
Cartagena
El Viajero Hostal (035) 660-2598
Address: Calle 7 Infantes 9-45, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Chill House
Address: Calle de la Tablada # 7 - 12 Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

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Media Luna Hostal (035) 664-3423


Address: Calle de la Media Luna No 10-46, Getseman, Cartagena de Indias,
Colombia
Santa Marta
Sun City Hostal
Address: Calle 18 Con 3raNr 28
La Brisa Loca
Address: Calle de la Carcel # 14
The Dreamer Hostel
Address: CR 51, 26D-161 Los Trupillos de Mamatoco, Diagonal 32
Casa Holanda Hostal (035) 421-9330; Cel: 313-539-4451
Address: Calle 14 # 1B-75 Taganga, Santa Marta
Email: info@micasaholanda.com
Barranquilla
Hotel Caribe 79 (575) 358-0989, 356-2846
Address: Calle 79 # 49C-33
C. Bicycle reimbursement
If a bicycle will facilitate a Volunteers ability to carry-out his/her work and better serve the
community, Peace Corps/Colombia will, after the Volunteers request is approved by the
Country Director, reimburse the Volunteer up to $270,000 COP total for the purchase

of a bike and helmet. If the Volunteer decides to buy a bike that costs more than
the amount limit, PC/Colombia will only reimburse up to the threshold limit.
Further, the office will not reimburse any bike costs without an accompanying
helmet receipt. Based on posts market survey, this reimbursable amount is
sufficient to purchase a new, mid-range priced mountain bike and helmet.
Important: You must obtain approval from the Country Director prior to
purchase.
Additional information:

Peace Corps will reimburse the Volunteer via VICA once the office receives the
canceled receipt. Additional bike accessories, the cost to get the bike to the
Volunteers site from the purchase point, and any future maintenance or repairs,
are the responsibility of the Volunteer and will not be reimbursed by Peace
Corps.

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The Volunteer must wear the appropriate helmet at all times when riding the
bike. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action, up to and including
administrative separation.

The Volunteer is to use the bike only in his/her community. No biking is


permitted on main highways or to other Volunteer sites. It is due to the nature
of non-urban sites that exceptions may be made, on a case by case basis, to the
policy that prohibits PC Colombia Volunteers from riding bikes. The no bike
riding policy still applies to Volunteers who have been granted exceptions when
they are out of their site.

Resale of the bike: Because this purchase is reimbursed by Peace Corps, the
purchase falls under the same category as those made with the Settling-in
Allowance, as follows:
o Supplies and equipment purchased with the settling-in allowance
become the Volunteer's personal property. When Volunteers complete
their tours, they should be asked by the Country Director to donate
items in usable condition to appropriate institutions, such as schools
or hospitals, or to other Volunteers or the Peace Corps itself. The
Volunteer may not resell the property for personal profit.

For safety purposes, we recommend that a Volunteer purchase a new bike and
helmet, and avoid purchasing a used or refurbished bicycle.

In Barranquilla, the following suppliers quoted prices of new bicycles:


1 Cycle Costa, 351-0087
Price range of Mountain bike style, multi-gear: $135,000 - $520,000
Helmet: $18,600
2 Cycle Costa, 379-0275
Price range of Mountain bike style, multi-gear: $114,800 - $640,000
Helmet: $27,000
3 Cycle Martinez, 346-3332
Price range of Mountain bike style, multi-gear: $168,000 - $870,000
Helmet: $29,900
4 Jumbo

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Price range of Mountain bike style, multi-gear: $269,900


Helmet: $29,000
D. STUDENT LOANS/DEFERMENTS FOR PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS
PCVs who have outstanding debts under one of the federally administered or
guaranteed student loan programs qualify for certain relief during their PC service.
The regulations that authorize this relief are sometimes complicated, and different
rules apply to different types of loans. It is the responsibility of the PCV to adhere
to the rules and regulations, and to follow the process of deferment through their
student loan holder, not the PC Office. This summary of general principles and the
accompanying chart should help you understand the regulations so that you may
take advantage of the full range of benefits to which you are entitled. PCVs are
permitted use up to 75% of their monthly readjustment allowance amount
($205.75 of $275) for the payment of loans or the interest accruing on the loans
during service. You should contact the Director of Management and Operations in
order to use your readjustment allowance for this purpose.
When determining the benefits that are available to you, you must consider each
type of loan separately (Perkins Loans, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Consolidation
Loans, and Stafford Loans, Guaranteed Student Loans (GSLs)). For each type of
loan, you must also consider the principal and interest components separately.
As a PCV, you do not qualify for loan forgiveness or cancellation unless you have a
Perkins Loan. PCVs receive a 15% cancellation of their outstanding Perkins Loan
balance for each of their first and second years of service and a 20% cancellation
for each of their third and fourth years of service. You do not need to repay loan
amounts that are canceled. Contact your Perkins Loan holder to find out how to
receive cancellation. Please, see Attachment A 12 for FAQ about Perkins Loan.
The cancellation benefit works as follows:
15% cancellation after completion of the first year (365 days)
15% cancellation after completion of the second year (365 days)
20% cancellation after completion of the third year (365 days)
20% cancellation after completion of the fourth year (365 days)
70% total cancellation after four full years (1460 days)
In general, you qualify for a deferment of principal payments for all federally
administered or guaranteed loans for up to three years. You do not need to pay
amounts deferred during your PC service, but you generally must resume

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payments as soon as your service ends. (As of July 1, 1993, Congress consolidated
the deferment categories for Direct, Consolidated, and Stafford Loans, subsuming
the deferment for PCVs within the broader "economic hardship" category. Some
lenders may not be aware of this.)
Note:
Please be advised that early COS dates may affect the total number of
days in relation to the numbers above. These numbers are not chosen by PC;
therefore you must keep these numbers in mind as you choose an early COS.
The relief from interest payments for which you qualify varies according to the type
of loan you have:
For Perkins Loans and subsidized Direct Loans, the government will not change
interest while repayment of your principal is deferred (an "abatement of
interest").
Stafford Loans, Consolidation Loans, and unsubsidized Direct Loans may
accrue interest while repayment of the principal is deferred. For these loans,
you have two alternatives:
For subsidized Stafford Loans (and Consolidation Loans that consolidate only
subsidized Stafford Loans) the U.S. Department of Education pays your interest
while repayment of the principal is deferred (an "interest subsidy").
For unsubsidized Stafford Loans and unsubsidized Direct Loans (and Consolidation
Loans that include any unsubsidized loans) you must make interest payments
while repayment of your principal is deferred, unless your lender agrees to forbear
collection of that interest until a later date. Forbearance is granted at the
discretion of the lender, and it is subject to the lender's terms. Contact your lender
for more information.

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Perkins Loans

Direct Loans
(William D. Ford Direct Loans)

PCVs qualify for a 15% loan


cancellation for each of their first
PCVs qualify for a deferment of
two years of service and a 20% loan
principal payments for up to three
cancellation for their third and
years during service.
fourth years of service. Up to 70% of
a Perkins Loan may be canceled.
The U.S. Department of Education
does not charge interest on
PCVs qualify for a deferment of
subsidized Direct Loans during PC
principal payments and an
service (an "abatement of
abatement of interest during their
interest").
PC service and for six months
immediately after their service ends. PCVs with unsubsidized Direct
For Perkins Loans obtained before
Loans must pay interest during
July 1, 1993, this relief is limited to
service or apply to the Department of
three years of PC service, but for
Education for forbearance.
loans obtained on or after that date,
it is available for the entire period of
a PCV's service.
Staford Loans
(Guaranteed Student Loans or
GSLs)
PCVs qualify for a deferment of
principal payments for up to three
years during service.

Consolidation Loans
PCVs with Consolidated Loans qualify
for a deferment of principal
payments for up to three years
during service.

The U.S. Department of Education


pays interest on subsidized Stafford
Loans during PC service (an
"interest subsidy").

The U.S. Department of Education


pays interest on Consolidation Loans
that consolidate only subsidized
Stafford Loans (an "interest
subsidy").

PCVs with unsubsidized Stafford


Loans must pay interest during
service or apply to their lender for
forbearance. The availability and
terms of forbearance are entirely at
the lender's discretion.

PCVs with Consolidation Loans that


include unsubsidized loans must
pay interest during service or apply
to their Tender for forbearance. The
availability and terms of forbearance
are entirely at the lender's discretion.

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E. HOUSING
All PCVs are required to live with a host family for their entire service;
this applies to all PCVs, regardless of age or marital status*.
*On a case by case basis, and approved by the CD, married couples may be granted permission to
live apart from host families.

Living with local families supports the PCVs introduction to and integration into
their communities, strengthens language skills, and provides conditions for
increased safety and security.
PC/Colombia has a Host Family Coordinator (HFC) who is responsible for recruiting,
inspecting, approving, training and maintaining a database and oversight of host
families. PC/CO requires that the host family provide the Volunteer a private room
with a door that can be locked. The room must include a bed, desk, chair and
dresser for clothes. The Volunteer must have access to shared spaces such as the
kitchen, refrigerator, laundry area and bathroom(s). Please take note, internet
access is NOT a minimum requirement for a host family. The Volunteer
must respect household norms as they relate to drinking and smoking. Other
norms, such as curfew hours, should be negotiated with the family. Finally, having
overnight guests of the opposite sex in your room is strictly prohibited.
This could be grounds for administrative separation.
The HFC and your PM are available to help resolve any issues you may have with
your host family. Volunteers are not required to stay with the same family for their
entire service and may change families if necessary. Nevertheless, Volunteers
must stay with their first host families in site for at least three months
before host family changes will be considered. The only exception to this
rule will be in the case of safety and security concerns.
Should you decide after the first three months that a change of host family is
necessary, the following steps will be followed:
1) Inform your PM or PTS of your intentions to move and the motives surrounding
the move.
2) The PM or PTS will communicate your request to the HFC and DPT. The HFC will
first see if there are issues that can be resolved prior to making the move. If the
issues cannot be resolved, the HFC will work with the PCV to identify an
appropriate family.
3) The HFC will visit the proposed family and if necessary ask the SSC or PCMO to
conduct a follow up visit.
4) The HFC will present the housing check list to the team of PM, DPT, SSC, PCMO
for approval. With the recommendation of the housing change, the CD will give
final approval and the HFC will notify the Volunteer.
5) Once approved, the HFC will work with the Volunteer for a seamless departure
from their current family and move to the new family. Please allow the HFC to

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handle the delicate communication regarding your departure from the family you
will be leaving.
6) Unless the move is for an emergency safety and security, medical or other
unforeseen, but urgent situation, expect the entire process to take up to but not to
exceed one month to complete. During this time, unless instructed otherwise, it is
expected that the PCV will remain with the current host family.
For more information, please feel free to contact your HFC or PM. Either or both
can share and review with you the Host Family Manual that post provides the host
families.
Host Family Payment Policy:
This is an issue that has evolved and changed over the course of the three years
that Peace Corps has re-established the program in Colombia. There is no one
solution that works for everyone as there are many variables involved. The
following Host Family agreement is a revision of the original and allows PCVs a
greater degree of flexibility in defining how food is handled with the host family
(HF).
The general framework of the plan:
For Volunteer sites in the Barranquilla sub-region (until Q1, FY2015): The base
contract that the HFC will negotiate with the HF is $250,000 COP per month
with no food included. If the PCV would like to take one meal per day with the
family the contribution would be $300,000 COP per month. If the PCV wishes to
take two meals a day with the family it would be $350,000 COP per month. The
additional meal options will be up to the PCV to negotiate. The HFC will mention
these to families in the set-up stage so that they are aware of these
possibilities.

For Volunteer sites in the Cartagena and Santa Marta sub-regions (effective
November 2013): The base contract that the HFC will negotiate with the HF is
$350,000 COP per month with no food included. If the PCV would like to take
one meal per day with the family the contribution would be $400,000 COP per
month. If the PCV wishes to take two meals a day with the family it would be
$450,000 COP per month. The additional meal options will be up to the PCV to
negotiate. The HFC will mention these to families in the set-up stage so that
they are aware of these options.

For Rural Sites (Atlntico Department, not in BAQ city): The base contract that
the HFC will negotiate with the HF is $150,000 COP per month with no food
included. If the PCV would like to take one meal per day with the family the
contribution would be $200,000 COP per month. If the PCV wishes to take two
meals a day with the family it would be $250,000 COP per month.

The Volunteer Living Allowance apart from the host family contribution is
COP$700,000.

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The Volunteer will receive the total Living Allowance each month and deliver the
agreed upon contribution to the host family. The main variable will be whether
the Volunteer has agreed to have a daily meal or meals provided by the family,
or not.

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Summary table:
VOLUNTEER LIVING ALLOWANCE

Housing no
meals
Living Allowance
excluding
housing
TOTAL LIVING
ALLOWANCE

Cartagena &
Santa Marta
(efective
November 2013)

Barranquilla
(until Q1 FY 2015)

$350,000

$250,000

Atlntico
Department
Communities
(until Q1 FY
2015)
$150,000

$700,000

$700,000

$700,000

$1,050,000

$950,000

$850,000

HOUSING AGREEMENT WITH HOST FAMILIES


$350,000
$250,000

Housing no
meals
One meal per day
Two meals per
day

$400,000
$450,000

$300,000
$350,000

$150,000
$200,000
$250,000

F. PC LOGO AND LETTERHEAD


In order to use the PC logo or PC letterhead on certificates, the document must be
approved by the CD, and signed by at least one member of PC senior staff (e.g.
CD, DPT, DMO, or PM). If the event is held in conjunction with another agency,
institution, or group, a representative from that organization should also sign the
certificate.
Also, to use the PC logo or PC letterhead on a certificate or on any other document
the Spanish must have been proofread and corrected, if necessary, by a native
Spanish-speaking member of the PC/CO staff. NOTE: When including the name of a
teacher on a certificate, the norm in Colombia requires that the name be exactly as
he/she uses it in official documents; otherwise, the hours of training or
participation will not be credited. It is extremely important to assure that the
names of all who will sign and receive the certificates be spelled accurately.

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PCVs can review sample certificates by checking with the Program Training
Specialists or the ITS. PCVs are responsible for creating and printing their own
certificates. In order to use the quota of certificate paper appropriately, it is
recommended that PCVs award them when the event encompasses more than 8
hours of training. For trainings of 8 hours or less PCVs are encouraged to reproduce
the certificates on standard bond paper.
Please note that the PC logo may not be changed in any way. You must use one of
the two approved forms of the logo.
G. OFFICE EQUIPMENT USE
Desks, computers, and telephones assigned to office staff are strictly reserved for
their use.
1. Photocopiers and Printers
The current policy on the use of the photocopying and printing reflects PC/Cs
fiscal, environmental, and philosophical approach, PC understands the need to
economize on the costs of paper, ink, and maintenance, and use of the
photocopying and printing machines. PC is concerned about the environmental
impact of paper use especially as it applies to wasted or unauthorized use of paper
and, therefore, PC encourages the use of electronic means of communication
whenever possible and practical. Furthermore, PC encourages the reuse of paper
for copying and printing purposes and will deposit used paper near the printers for
that purpose.
PCVs, other than PCV Leader/Coordinators (PCVL/Cs), are not authorized to operate
any office photocopiers.
2. Volunteer Computer Use Policy
Three computers (PCs) and a laser printer are available for PCV use in the
Volunteer Lounge/Work Room at the PC office. The equipment may be used
Monday-Friday from 7AM to 7PM, and on Saturday from 9AM to 4PM. Additionally,
there is a wireless hotspot in the office that Volunteers can log onto using their
personal electronics.
Non-PC-owned equipment: The extent to which PCVs have access to computer
equipment owned by other entities, such as a sponsoring agency, local nongovernmental agency, or private donor, may vary from post to post. PCVs who use

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this equipment should follow applicable computer use policies and be aware that
the PC will not be responsible for the maintenance or replacement of this
equipment. In addition, PCVs should be encouraged to purchase personal property
insurance to cover the maintenance and replacement of computer equipment that
they bring overseas or purchase in-country.
PCVs must use discretion and good judgment when using PC and non-PC-owned
computer equipment. This is of particular importance when communicating via email and the Internet, which has potential for mass distribution. PCVs are free to
discuss their role in the PC with any individual or group, but they should recognize
that ill-considered statements could be used to embarrass themselves, the host
country in which they serve, the PC, or the US. Material that might be viewed as
disparaging to the host country or as politically sensitive by the host government
could create significant problems for the PCV and/or the PC program in that
country. The care taken in private communication should be no less than the care
taken in public utterances; messages to friends and family, blogs or the contents of
web pages may be passed to the press or others and become a public issue. PCVs
should take into account the PC policies regarding publication of materials, political
expression, and other related issues when they use IT systems and services, such
as e-mail and posting material to the Web. A violation of such policies could result
in administrative separation or other disciplinary action.
3. Electronic Communication: PCV BLOGS, Websites, and E-mail
In addition, PCVs should be aware of the potential for violation of U.S. privacy, host
country, or other applicable laws if they include in any electronic communication
(via e-mail, a blog or a web page) detailed personal information about others, such
as full names or addresses, without the specific prior permission of those
individuals. In addition, PCVs could potentially violate such laws if they transmit
information that could be defamatory in nature regarding another individual.
Similar restrictions may apply to the unauthorized transmission or posting of a
person's photograph or likeness. Social security numbers should never be posted
on a Web site or transmitted via e-mail, under any circumstances.
PCVs who create their own blogs or Web sites, or post information to blogs or Web
sites that have been created and maintained by others, should be reminded that
any information posted on the Internet can probably be accessed by the general
public, even if they are not the intended audience. Because search engines
regularly index most sites on the Internet, it is possible that members of the public
could locate a Volunteer blog or Web site by searching for information about the
Peace Corps or a certain country. This is possible even if the PCV does not actively

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promote his or her blog or Web site. Given these realities, PCVs are responsible for
ensuring that their IT use is consistent with the following guidelines:

Notification: PCVs who create their own blogs or Web sites or post material to
blogs or Web sites created by others are responsible for discussing the content
in advance with the CD to ensure that the material is suitable and complies with
this general guidance as well as any country-specific guidance.
Disclaimer: Any blog or Web site maintained by a PCV during his or her PC
service must reflect the fact that it is not an official publication of PC or the U.S.
Government. The site, therefore, must be labeled clearly and prominently with
an appropriate disclaimer such as: "The contents of this Web site are mine
personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace
Corps."
Use of the PC Logo: Because use of the PC logo is reserved for official activities
authorized by the PC Act, the logo cannot be used on PCV blogs or Web sites.
Use of the Peace Corps name: Volunteers should also refrain from using the
Peace Corps name from the title of a personal website or podcast, since the
general public may infer that there is an official connection between the agency
and the Volunteers personal website.
Cultural Sensitivity: The thoughtful and accurate insights that PCVs convey in
their communications with others can contribute substantially to bringing to the
U.S. a better understanding of other countries. However, given the broad access
to PCV-posted material on the Web, both in their country of service and
elsewhere, PCVs should remain culturally sensitive with respect to the material
they post to any blog or Web site. PCVs should be reminded that people in their
host countries and members of the U.S. public may make inferences about the
PC or the PCVs country of service based on the material a PCV posts to a blog
or Web site. PCV-posted material on the Web should not embarrass or reflect
poorly on the PC or the countries where PCVs serve.
Safety and Security: As a safety precaution, PCVs are urged to omit from their
blogs or Web sites information about their precise living location or those of
other PCVs, as well as information about events to be attended by a large
number of PCVs. For example, PCVs who live in remote areas should use care
before placing the name of their towns or villages on their blog or Web site and,
instead, should refer to the general area of the country where they live. For the
Volunteers own protection, it is also advisable not to provide information about
personal possessions. PCVs should be aware of the risk of identity fraud and
other security concerns connected with the posting of any personal information
about themselves, family members and others on blogs or Web sites.
Publication Policies: Consistent with PCs policy regarding publications, PCVs
may not accept payment for anything they write or photograph that appears on
the Web. Articles, manuals, teaching materials, and other work-related products
developed in connection with PC service or financed by PC funds are considered
part of the public domain and may not be copy-righted or used for personal
gain. PCVs should be advised that posting materials to the Web that they have

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not authored or created may violate U.S., host country, or other applicable
copy-right laws.
PCV Contributions to PCs official Web Sites: The Office of Communications,
which oversees the PCs official external Web site (http://www.peacecorps.gov),
welcomes the submission of essays, stories, and photographs from PCVs that
will assist in highlighting PC activities to prospective applicants and the general
public. All submissions should be reviewed by the CD and forwarded to the
Office of Communications for consideration.

4. Handling of Allegations
Volunteers and Trainees are encouraged to bring to the attention of Peace Corps
any allegations of misconduct, mismanagement, and violations of law or policy
that relate to Peace Corps staff, contractors, other Volunteers or Trainees,
programs and operations. Further, Volunteers are encouraged to discuss with
Peace Corps staff any allegations or concerns on topics or issues that are beyond
the legal jurisdiction of Peace Corps, such as behavior by a local national with
whom the Volunteer has regular contact but does not work for Peace Corps or
participate directly in a Peace Corps project or program. Volunteer allegations and
concerns will be given appropriate attention; no Volunteer or Trainee will be
retaliated against by Peace Corps for bringing forth allegations or concerns.
Management will take every step necessary to ensure the safety of Volunteers and
Trainees.
Per Peace Corps policy, you should report to the Office of Inspector General any
activity which you reasonably believe constitutes: (1) a violation of federal law, rule,
or regulation; (2) mismanagement; (3) serious misconduct; (4) gross waste of funds;
(5) abuse of authority; or (6) a substantial and specific danger to the public health
and safety relating to the programs and operations of the Peace Corps.
Allegations and concerns can be reported to any PC/C senior staff, or to Peace Corps
Regional Director, Associate Director for Safety and Security, Associate Director for
Global Operations, or other appropriate officer at Peace Corps headquarters in
Washington, D.C. Early in PST Peace Corps Colombia Trainees are provided a walletsize laminated card with this contact data. Any Peace Corps staff member who
receives or has knowledge of an allegation or concern must treat the information
with the utmost discretion and confidentiality consistent with appropriate handling of
such information and applicable law, including, where appropriate, referral to the
Office of Inspector General or other legal authorities. All allegations or concerns will
be given serious consideration and review, and will be handled, resolved or disposed
of, as appropriate, by Peace Corps management and/or the Office of Inspector
General.
Based upon the nature of the allegations or concerns and the totality of available
facts, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure the Volunteers or Trainees

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safety. If there is any uncertainty, managers will err on the side of caution and take
every measure to ensure Volunteer and Trainee safety.
Peace Corps staff is prohibited from retaliating in any manner against a
Volunteer/Trainee because the Volunteer/Trainee reported an allegation or concern.
Nothing in these policies, however, should be construed to exempt a Volunteer or
Trainee from the requirements to follow the rules and policies set forth in this
Handbook or the Peace Corps Manual, or to preclude Peace Corps from taking
appropriate action against persons who knowingly or recklessly make false
statements or accusations.
(Peace Corps Manual, MS Section 271)
H. STORAGE FACILITIES POLICY
The PC Office is designated as a business and a PCV support center, but is not a
holding facility for luggage or other personal belongings. PC has no budget to store
personal possessions, but recognizes that there are times when it is helpful to
assist Volunteers with temporary storage of personal effects.
The use of space within the PC Office for the storage of PCVs possessions is
limited, voluntary and at the option of the administration; it is not a PCV
entitlement. Therefore, when space is made available, PCVs store items at their
own risk. PC/CO is not responsible for the loss, damage, or theft of any stored
items. PC/CO will NOT reimburse PCVs for any lost items. PC/CO encourages PCVs
to take out insurance on their personal belongings. No money, credit cards,
travelers checks, passports can be inventoried as contents in items stored.
I. IN-COUNTRY RESOURCE CENTER (IRC)
The resource Center is managed by the Executive Assistant. The resource center is
slowly growing, adding texts and materials and being organized according to a PC
standardized cataloging system. We will communicate further guidelines regarding
use and availability of resources as the IRC develops.
Other resources, programs:
World Wise Schools liaison: Want to participate in World Wise Schools?
Experiencing a problem with your match? The DPT is your PC/Colombia World
Wise Schools point of contact and will be happy to handle all of your queries
and concerns.
ICE materials orders: Peace Corps Washington has a rich diversity of materials
available both electronically and in hard copy form. This is called the PC
Information Collection and Exchange (ICE). If you would like to see the
electronic catalog, contact the Executive Assistant and she can also place
orders for you.

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SharePoint: Is accessible to all volunteers. Schedules of cultural events,


library and mail room news, notices on various topics of interest, book checkout lists (updated regularly), birthdays of the month, and a myriad of other
Peace Corps Colombia information sources are located on SharePoint. In
addition, visa-related matters, local and international travel updates, and
information on Colombia are also included. The ITS specialist is the point of
contact for any SharePoint questions.

I. ADMINISTRATIVE ODDS AND ENDS


1. Cell Phones
All Peace Corps trainees and volunteers receive Peace Corps issued cell phones
with a SIM card on the CLARO network. The number that you are assigned is your
official Peace Corps emergency contact number. You may not change out the SIM
card for another network. If you wish to have a line on another network you will
need to purchase an additional phone and SIM card with your own money. While
you are a trainee you are on a Pre-paid phone plan and you will receive your phone
with $10,000 COP of credit. It is your responsibility to maintain some level of credit
on the phone so that you can make calls in an emergency, when necessary.
Minutes (credit) can be recharged at many places around town (grocery stores,
stands on the corner, etc) look for recarga de minutos CLARO.
Once you swear-in as a Volunteer you will be switched over to a post-paid plan. The
phone number that you were assigned during training may or may not be the same
once you become a volunteer. This will be explained at length in a later admin
session of PST.
The Peace Corps issued phone and SIM card are property of Peace Corps Colombia
and are being lent to you for the duration of your stay. You are required to return all
the items in proper working condition. You are financially responsible for any
loss or damage to a Peace Corps cell phone. If the phone is stolen you must
submit a police report (the SSC will help you with this) in order not to be charged
the replacement value.
Cell Phone Companies:
There are three major cell phone companies in the coastal area:
CLARO: identified by the prefixes 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 320, 321
Tigo: identified by the prefixes 300, 301, 302, 304
Movistar: identified by the prefixes 315, 316, 317, 318
Points to keep in mind:
Calls to numbers on other networks (i.e from your CLARO phone to a Tigo
number)
cost more than calls to numbers on the same network.
It does not cost you anything to receive a call
Calls to landlines are more expensive than calls to other cell phones

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When calling a staff member, ask them to call you back so as to not use up
your credit
How to make calls from your CLARO phone
All cell phone numbers in Colombia are 10 digits starting with a 3XX-XXX-XXXX (for
example Peace Corps duty phone number is 312-451-4301).
From your cell phone you dial directly the 10 digit number it does not matter
where in the country you are nor does it matter where the person receiving the call
is located.
Land line numbers are 7 digit numbers XXX-XXXX (PC office number is 385-1060).
When calling a land line from your cell phone you must first dial 03 then the city
code (see list) then the 7 digit landline number. So the Peace Corps Office from
your cell phone is:
03 5 385-1060
03 for call to land line from cell phone 5 for Barranquilla city code then the 7
digit number
When calling from a cell phone, you must always include the city code number
even if you are in the city which you are calling.
City Code
Bogota
1
Cali 2

Medelln
Barranquilla

4
5

Santa Marta
Cartagena 5

How to receive calls from your CLARO phone from the U.S.: You can receive
international calls on your CLARO phone. From the U.S. the number to dial is 01157- and the ten digit cell phone number.
011-57-3XX-XXX-XXXX
011 for international call 57 Colombia country code your 10 digit cell phone
number
1. Cell Phone Usage During Training
You must adhere to PC cell phone policy that the use of cell phones is prohibited
during PST working hours. This means that you must turn off your cell phone
between 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. You may use your lunch hour to check for missed
calls or text messages. Cell phones must be turned off again from 1:00 to 5:00pm.
Text messaging is also prohibited during working hours. Please know that this
policy applies for staff as well.
At Host Families: Please DO NOT make outgoing international calls to the U.S. from
your host familys house (no matter how much your family may make you feel like
you are en su casa). This applies to the use of phone cards or credit cards that
you may buy in the U.S. or have sent to you from the U.S. As with most developing

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countries the infrastructure is not always adequate and there is a fair amount of
fraud within the system. This could cause problems and hard feelings on both
sides. Please do not jeopardize the PC goals of cross-cultural integration with
problems that can be avoided from the outset. You may want to arrange with your
host family to allow your family to call you at their number at a specific prearranged time, but be sure to negotiate this arrangement well in advance with your
host family. In addition, please be considerate of your host family and do not talk
very long (30 minutes or more, for example), because this is their private phone.
You can make collect calls using the International Operator at 170, 150 (por
cobrar all or cobro revertido). This costs quite a lot more than using the Internet
or a cell phone, however.
2. Income Tax
Complete information concerning the payment of your United States Federal
Income Tax will be sent to you shortly after the first of each calendar year. This will
include the taxable percentage of your PC allowances, filing dates, and other
details. You are responsible for maintaining your own records of allowances
received in Colombia. No taxes are withheld for you by PC.
You should receive a W-2 form from Washington reporting on withholding from your
readjustment allowance which is taxable in the year it is earned (not delayed until
you actually collect it). If you do not receive the form by March 15 of each year
that you are here, please contact the DMO.
Taxable income includes the following: domestic help, clothing, recreation,
transportation and miscellaneous expenses. In addition to the Readjustment
Allowance on the W-2 form, leave (vacation) and special leave are also taxable, as
well as a portion of living allowance. PCVs are reminded that the filing deadline for
persons living overseas is June 15.
3. Fiscal Policies
The sale of any items that you brought with you to Colombia such as tape
recorders, cameras, books, clothing, etc., for profit is prohibited. This prohibition
applies to PC staff as well as to PCVs.
4. Currency Exchange
There are a cluster of Currency Exchange houses on Calle 76 between Carreras 46
and 47 in Barranquilla. Outlets can also be found at the Portal del Prado and
Buenavista malls.
5. Airport Exit tax

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There is a tax that must be paid when exiting the country. When a ticket is
purchased directly from Avianca or Copa it is normally included in the ticket price
(included in the taxes section). When the ticket is purchased through Expedia,
Kayak or any online discount site (or with Spirit airlines) it is not included and you
have to pay it at the airport. When PC buys a ticket for a PCV on official travel
(COS, ET, medical etc) we ensure that the tax is already included. When you are on
personal travel this is an additional cost that you will have to cover and should
take into account when planning international travel.
The visas that are issued to PCVs (son visas de cortesia) are not exempt from the
tax. Even though the visas are issued for multiple entries this does not exonerate
us from paying exit taxes. The amount of the tax to be paid depends on the time
that has passed since you entered the country.
For stays (or time since your last departure from the country) less than 60 days:
US$34 or $68.000 COP

For stays (or time since your last departure from the country) more than 60 days:
US$68 or $136.000 COP

These amounts are current as of August 2012 but are subject to change.
6. Absentee Voting
Voting information and absentee ballot applications are available both at the PC
Office and at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy. PC will forward your
absentee ballot mail for you through the American postage system. PCVs must
pay the cost of postage when necessary.
7. Weekly Check-in
PCVs/PCTs must check-in with the office each week, and the reporting is
conducted from midday Thursday to midday Friday. You may check-in by calling
the office, sending a text message or sending an email to Admin Clerk Johan
Villafae, the Duty Officer or SSC.

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SECTION IV PRE-SERVICE TRAINING


I. Peace Corps Training Philosophy
The Pre-Service Training program is part of Peace Corps overall training strategy.
This process begins prior to departure from the United States, and continues
through Pre-Service, In-Service Trainings and a Completion of Service Conference.
Peace Corps' Training philosophy emphasizes that training is:
An integrated process, with no single component conducted in
isolation;
A model of the development process promoting self-sufficiency,
problem analysis, problem solving and critical thinking;
Based on clear behavioral objectives, with minimum acceptance
levels, with a way of providing evaluation of and feedback to
Trainees; and
Based on adult learning methodologies and techniques, building on
individual experiences and skills, involving the Trainees in the
learning process.
II. Training components and competencies
The purpose of Peace Corps training is to develop self-sufficient Volunteers who
can access resources, work effectively, engage safely, adjust culturally and
communicate easily. Training supports Trainees and Volunteers in becoming
equipped to work as partners with their agencies and communities in order to
assist them in reaching their goals. The ultimate responsibility for learning lies
with you. To accomplish the above, we use an approach that integrates six key
concepts.
Competency-based training
Adult learning methodology
Respect for diversity
Focus on capacity building
Training as a collaborative process Training as a continuum of experiences
Training uses learner-centered, experiential, and self-directed approaches to
learning that augment what Trainees and Volunteers already know. Training
materials and activities include content that is built from the requirements of the
assignment and those skills that are necessary for Volunteers to be successful.
Furthermore, Peace Corps training supports an approach that honors diversity -diversity within Peace Corps staff, Trainees and Volunteers, and community
partners; and, promotes capacity building at all levels. Finally, training is a
collaborative effort that involves learners, trainers, other Peace Corps staff, and
host country nationals. As such, it is viewed as a cycle of learning opportunities
that build upon each other.

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Training lasts ten weeks with an additional 11 th week occurring after the Volunteer
has been at site for two weeks. This is a relatively short period of time for you to
learn, practice and demonstrate competency in all the skills and activities you will
need to successfully begin service as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
The components that make up your Pre-Service Training are:
1. CORE Training Component
2. Project Technical Training Component
CORE Training Component
The CORE component of PST is integral to your development and preparation for
Peace Corps service. We define the CORE common areas as:
1. Culture
Development
2. Spanish

3. Safety and Security


4. Medical

5. Role of Volunteer in
6. General Peace Corps information

The areas included in the curriculum provide you with an opportunity to develop
the skills, attitudes and knowledge base for successful cross-cultural adaptation
and interaction, while developing personal commitments, learning strategies and
appropriate professional skills to work effectively as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
Cross-cultural living is a personal learning process. As in learning a language, one
enters a culture at some point or level. Experience has shown that effective
Trainees and Volunteers actively engage in a process of learning and adapting to
patterns of the new culture. They find a source of joy and support within the host
culture; they immerse themselves in and appreciate the culture (even though they
do not personally adopt all of the values of this culture). Learning to live in a new
culture takes time. One will not automatically fit or not fit into the new milieu.
Well-prepared Volunteers develop a framework and a strategy for learning (and
learning how to learn) about another culture. Recognizing that you see the world
through your American culture and being aware of how you present yourself to
Colombians will be most helpful as you transition into the Colombian culture. The
development of this framework and practice begins during PST.
CORE training includes cultural adaptation and more. The following skill areas, as
identified by Peace Corps staff, Volunteers and counterparts, are essential to
successful completion of your responsibilities. You will be expected to demonstrate
knowledge of these areas and apply them to your work and lifestyle. CORE
includes demonstrating successful personal adjustment and appropriate cultural
adaptation as well as successful completion of all CORE learning objectives in the
Role of the Volunteer in Development work, Peace Corps country orientation
sessions and field visits.
To qualify for Volunteer service upon completion of training as demonstrated
through the satisfactory completion of CORE learning objectives.

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Components of CORE training:


Spanish Language Training Component
The Peace Corps Language training curriculum is based on communicative
competencies. It describes what you will be able to do and what functions you will
be able to perform using Spanish. Instruction is designed to provide you with
language practice based on real situations and in real-life contexts, which you will
encounter in your communities. Training is expected to mirror reality as close as
possible.
Our language curriculum is typically divided into topic areas based on your
immediate linguistic needs from your arrival in Colombia, to settling into your
assigned community, and performing your technical job in the workplace. This
communicative approach to language learning focuses not only on language
acquisition, but also on the cultural context, the purpose of communication, and
ongoing independent learning techniques.
Some communicative competencies reflect basic survival needs like buying food,
handling emergencies, and using local transportation; others are part of ordinary
social transactions, such as discussing relationships and family, requesting
information, or expressing likes and dislikes; still others are closely tied to job
tasks, such as explaining a procedure, facilitating a meeting, reporting on a task, or
making an appointment with a supervisor. Technical language (project specific) is a
higher-level skill, which is usually acquired after PST; however, language classes
integrate some technical language with vocabulary and communicative tasks
during PST.
Language Proficiency Interviews (LPI)
For many learning a second language is one of the most difficult challenges that
they will experience and it requires a strong commitment, and the discipline to
practice, practice, and practice. Peace Corps has assembled an experienced cadre
of Language and Cultural Facilitators, who will provide you quality language classes
and various opportunities to learn Spanish.
During PST you will participate in three Language Proficiency Interviews (LPIs) to
measure your ability to function with spoken Spanish. The interview is a face-toface conversation with a LPI evaluator and lasts 30 minutes. The interview will be
recorded so that the interviewer can review the conversation and ensure a correct
rating. The oral interview is a test of how well a person functions in the language,
not of what a person knows about the language. Trained evaluators are able to
guide the conversation in such a way as to allow the speaker to demonstrate the
strongest level of ability on a variety of topics as well as the limitations of a
person's oral competency.

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Trainees will enter PST at specific levels of Spanish language proficiency. The
following are the LPI levels that Peace Corps follows:
Novice
Intermediate
Advanced
Superior
Each LPI level is divided into a Low, Medium and High sub-level. Peace Corps
Colombia requires that all Trainees reach or surpass the Intermediate-Medium
Spanish language proficiency level.
Speakers at the Intermediate-Medium level are able to handle successfully a
variety of uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward social situations.
Conversation is generally limited to those predictable and concrete exchanges
necessary for survival in the target culture; these include personal information
covering self, family, home, daily activities, interests and personal preferences, as
well as physical and social needs, such as food, shopping, travel and lodging.
Intermediate-Mid speakers tend to function reactively, for example, by responding
to direct questions or requests for information.
During the PST language training there will be various Language Proficiency
Interviews, ongoing classroom observation, and formal and informal evaluations. If
by the end of PST, a Trainee does not reach an Intermediate-Medium level in the
final LPI, Peace Corps Colombia will:

Not swear-in the Trainee as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Or, if the Trainee has demonstrated active participation, motivation,


commitment, hard work and professionalism, in all aspects of PST, Peace Corps
Colombia will:

Conditionally Swear-in the Volunteer with a probation period for the Volunteer
to achieve Intermediate-Medium level, and

Provide the Trainee with an additional week of language training and/or

Provide the Volunteer with tutoring

Peace Corps Colombia will conduct another LPI at end of the probation period.
Safety and Security Training Component
The safety and security training of Trainees is a high priority. Therefore, our safety
and security sessions are designed with the greatest emphasis on helping you
make informed and safe choices during your training and period of service.
The curriculum follows 11 global topics recommended by the Headquarter office of
Safety and Security. These topics have the goal of enabling you to practice
behaviors that reduce the risk of a incident during your service. At the end of PST,

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a written exam on the 11 topics will be administered in which you will have to pass
before you can be sworn in.
Medical training component
During training you will have 7 medical sessions that will provide enough
information to ensure that you understand the basics on how to keep yourself
healthy mentally as well as physically.
Medical Competency test the exam will be based on all of the presentations
and this will confirm the knowledge you have attained with regards to medical
issues discussed during PST.
TECHINCAL COMPONENT
Project Technical Training Component
Your technical training is designed to prepare you to begin working at your site,
which for bilingual program Volunteers will be both the school to which you have
been assigned and the community where the school is located. Many of you have
arrived in Colombia with high expectations about what you can accomplish or
develop with your technical expertise. Therefore, we will ensure your experience
and commitment will match up realistically to community needs.
Development work is one of the most challenging, frustrating, and rewarding
professional experiences you will go through. It is our expectation that you will be
able to help local communities become more self-sustainable, transfer new skills
and knowledge and help them retain these new skills and knowledge after your
departure. However, in order to accomplish these goals you must build trust within
your community and have people be interested in what you bring to their
communities.
The technical training sessions are designed so that by the end of training, you will
have clearly demonstrated, to the satisfaction of your Project and Training
Specialist (PTS) and your Project Manager (PM/APCD), an ability to successfully
perform each of the project technical tasks, or performance objectives, defined for
your work assignment. Early in the training cycle these performance objectives will
be reviewed and discussed with each trainee by the PTS.
The project technical training is based on:
a. teaching skills that experience has shown Trainees may lack or need
strengthening.
b. enabling Trainees to demonstrate and apply their skills, whether newly
learned or from previous life experiences, within the Colombian context of
work.
c. hands-on experiential activities.

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d. the principle that responsibility for learning is shared by trainers and


Trainees.
e. the expectation that all Trainees will be ready to begin work upon arrival at
their site as PCVs.
To an extent, technical preparation is often as much a cross-cultural and
participatory experience as it is a technical one, with the learning arena being the
work environment. In fact, we have found that Volunteers are usually frustrated not
so much by deficiencies in technical expertise as by difficulty in working with
counterparts, inexperience with extension skills, impatience with local government
bureaucracy, and a difficulty in facilitating decision-making within a new culture.
Thus, the cross-cultural applications and experiences during PST are extremely
important and will help you prepare to begin your service as a PCV.
III: Qualifying For Volunteer Service
While you have successfully completed the first steps toward becoming a Peace
Corps Volunteer, you are not considered a Volunteer until you qualify for service. You
will need to demonstrate that you meet the qualification criteria to be sworn-in as a
Volunteer.
The training is designed to help you develop the necessary competencies to
facilitate your successful service. You will have to draw from your inner resources
and strengths, perhaps in ways that you have not done before. Peace Corps
service is an exciting, challenging, and rewarding experience for those who are
motivated and qualified for the job. For those who are not, it can be a dull,
frustrating, and miserable experience.
The training staff will do all that they can to help you meet the expectations of the
training program. While the selection of a Peace Corps Trainee to swear-in is the
decision of the Country Director (in consultation with the Training staff), ultimately,
it is your responsibility to demonstrate that you are qualified for Peace Corps
service. If a Trainees completion of learning objectives or his/her demonstration of
motivation, participation, and the ability to live and work in Colombia as an
effective Volunteer has been limited, the Training staff may not recommend that
person to swear-in as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
Finally, a PCT may not be recommended to swear-in as a PCV for inappropriate use
of alcohol or improper behavior as a professional within Colombian culture. Peace
Corps experience has shown that these actions are often correlated as negative
indicators in relation to safety & security. Therefore, any negative situations that
involve inappropriate use of alcohol or improper behavior will be documented and
reported to the involved PCT and indicated Staff.
To close, your effectiveness as a Volunteer is directly related to your enthusiastic and
committed involvement during the training process. PST will be as intensive a

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training experience as you are likely to ever have. In eleven weeks you will go
through what is essentially a highly condensed program in language, cross-cultural
relations, group dynamics, and management planning, among others. You must
bring to Colombia an open mind and a willingness to learn everything possible in a
very short time. During training, the harder you work, the more you learn, the more
finely you develop your skills (new and old), and the more effective you will be in the
field. Although you will be learning throughout your assignment in Colombia, when
you arrive at your site you will be expected to perform and conduct yourself as a
professional (culturally sensitive and skilled). Training will help you prepare for the
exciting and demanding job that awaits you. Your efforts and dedication during PST
will pay off during your two years as a satisfied, effective, healthy and safe Peace
Corps Volunteer.
How we will evaluate your qualifications for service:
Peace Corps will assess your completion of learning objectives within each of the
PST components by:
1. Evaluating your participation in activities.
2. Evaluating your presentations given during activities.
3. Evaluating your written exams.
The Trainee Assessment Process (TAP)

What is TAP?
The Trainee Assessment Process is based on the achievement of competencies and
learning objectives.
The process includes objective check-offs, language
interviews and monitoring Trainees progress toward completing learning
objectives. This is followed by informal and formal feedback, documentation, and
TAP interviews with the training staff. This happens at three points during the PreService Training cycle. The Trainee Assessment Process is shared with your Peace
Corps Project Manager, the Director of Programming and Training, and the Country
Director.
Why do we do TAP?
The Peace Corps Trainee assessment process is intended to allow both you and
staff to
mutually determine if it is in the best interests of you and the Peace Corps for you
to be sworn in
as a Volunteer. It reflects the Peace Corps commitment to Colombia and
Colombians to send out
qualified and committed individuals to serve in semi-urban and rural communities.
Who completes the TAP process?

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All Trainees and the entire training staf are involved in the on-going
assessment process.
IV. PST Policies
Please note, as trainee and Volunteer, you are responsible for adhering to ALL the
policies laid out in this handbook. Nevertheless, there are Pre-Service Training
specific policies that we will discuss below that apply during PST.
In the following section of this Trainee Handbook, you will find a description of the
policies that guide PST and apply to you as a Peace Corps Trainee. It is important
that you read these policies and understand them. Violations of policies can result
in disciplinary action ranging from reprimands that are placed in your Peace Corps
file to Administrative Separation.
Trainee Conduct during PST
Disciplinary action may be taken for:
1. Unexcused or recurrent absenteeism or tardy arrival to any all training
activities.
2. Failure to respond to feedback given on culturally appropriate behavior.
3. Consumption of alcohol that results in behavior that puts a Trainee and/or
Volunteer at
personal risk, endangers others, and/or is offensive to others. This includes
but is not limited to: public drunkenness in the training community or
consumption of alcohol during a training day.
4. Disrespectful conduct, use of insulting, abusive, or obscene language and
attitude to or about staff, Volunteers, Trainees and/or Colombian community
members.
5. Consistently dressing in a manner that is culturally and professionally
inappropriate.
6. Riding on motorbikes/cycles, or driving any motorized vehicle.
7. Romantic or sexual relationship with host family members during training.
Travel during PST
You cannot spend the night away from your host families, at any time (except
during the Volunteer visit) and site visit during your 11 weeks designated for preservice training. During the weekdays you are expected to be in the training area
in Colombo Americano or other places defined in advance for the training staff.
Day travel is allowed on Saturdays or Sundays per the guidance below.
You may travel in Barranquilla on a Saturday or Sunday, and it is advisable that it
be in the company of a host family member. If you plan to leave the city on a
weekend day you must advise the TM for approval in advance. When the TM
approves, then you will notify the SS coordinator in writing where you will be going,
with whom you are traveling, and when you will depart from and return to your

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home. This advance notice can and should be delivered during regular training
hours. If, after training has concluded on a Friday, you determine you will be
traveling away from Barranquilla, you must:
- contact the Duty Officer 312 451 4301 and provide all the above information.
Professional Dress
Please see a detailed section on dress in the Section IV of the handbook that
follows this section.
We strongly believe that your cultural sensitivity to the dress issue will greatly
enhance your ability to productively work and socially interact with the people of
Colombia. We expect you to observe these norms. Trainees arriving at
training activities inappropriately dressed will be sent home to change.
We view you as professionals and therefore accountable for respecting cultural
norms without having to be reminded.
Site Assignment
A more detailed discussion of how sites are developed is in the next section. As
Site Assignment is an important decision that impacts your service, we provide
numerous opportunities for you to express and demonstrate your skills, interests,
strengths and preferences with regards to characteristics of an assignment.
Opportunities for you to provide your input regarding site assignment include:

Individual interviews/meetings: Your Project Manager will meet formally with


you at least twice during PST. The PTS will also be part of these
interviews/meetings. The first interview will take place during the first week of
PST and it is the opportunity for the three of you to start getting to know each
other. Project teams will also use this opportunity to confirm and/or clarify
information you provided in your rsum. The second interview will take place
during Week 5. You are encouraged to use these opportunities to provide your
team with as much info regarding your skills, knowledge and experience as
possible.

Written input: Your project team will provide you a questionnaire/survey


aimed at gaining more details about you and your preferences. You will be
advised of the deadline for you to submit your written response.

Please keep in mind that in order for the project team to fully consider your
personal details and preferences, it is your responsibility to submit your
questionnaire/survey by the deadline.

Informal talks and e-mail messages: As your PTS will be present with you
throughout your PST you may speak with him/her at any time. Your Project
Manager will be visiting PST a variety of times and when present and available,

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you may certainly speak with her. If you feel you need to talk with your Project
Manager to further discuss a topic, you may request your PTS to set up a call or
perhaps a visit. You may also write your Project Manager an e-mail sharing
more info or details about your professional experiences and preferences.

Training staff input: All training staff (Language and Cross-Cultural


Facilitators, PTSs, Language Coordinator, Host Family Coordinator and Training
Manager) are expected to provide on-going feedback both to you and to your
Project Manager regarding your performance and progress toward acquisition of
training competencies. There are 3 formal times when your Project Manager will
meet with training staff and other senior staff to learn about and discuss your
performance. These are called round tables.

Medical considerations: PCMOs, while not disclosing personal medical


information or confidentiality, will advise the Project Manager if there are any
characteristics of a site placement that need to be considered. An example of
this could be guidance that a particular Trainee might need to be located within
a certain distance from a hospital.

Special project/programming strategies: There are several projects that may


cluster Volunteers geographically in order to meet a regional need or to
support the implementation of a regional project.

As you have read, the Project Manager considers staff observations and
recommendations, community needs and your input when s/he makes site
assignment decisions. We count on you to be flexible and understand that
while your project team aims to make the best match it may not be able
to meet your preferences. Our expectation is that you recognize it is your
responsibility to work to meet the needs of your community.
V. Colombia Home Stay Experience
The following section applies both to your PST experience as well as your
Volunteer experience. In PST, we expect the Host Families to play a crucial role in
your language and culture training. As a Volunteer, we are not requiring your
family to play such an active role, though we do ask that they make you feel
welcome as a member of their family.
One of the most valuable aspects of the training program is the experience of
living with a Colombian family; this home-stay experience is an important
component of your Peace Corps training and a vital step in your adaptation to the
Colombian culture. The home-stay can help you make the transition from the U.S.
to Colombia, not only in language but also in day-to-day living, making contacts in
the community, and giving you personal safety advice. To make this experience
rewarding requires work on your part. We encourage you to make every effort to
adapt and try to involve yourself as much as possible in the daily activities and

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events of the family and the community. Reserve time each day to talk with your
host family and to observe and participate in their daily routines.
The home-stay experience is a two-way street. Both you and your host family have
duties and responsibilities in order to make it work. Some of you will hit it off with
your families and by the end of training you will feel that you really have a "home
away from home". Others will feel more isolated, in extreme cases like a boarder:
well-taken care of physically, but not emotionally involved with your host family. To
minimize the latter, make every effort to reach out, but remember, personalities
differ; be realistic about your expectations, and flexible to the circumstances you
may encounter.
Despite the selection process and preparation of host families, it is important to
emphasize that training staff cannot possibly know what happens in each and
every household at all times. Therefore, during PST you should notify your LCFs of
any situation that is uncomfortable, and should consult them or the Language
Advisor for advice if you are unsure of how to handle a particular situation, or when
you are in doubt if a certain situation is acceptable or not. Do not wait for the
situation to resolve itself. Experience has shown us that it is actually much better
if you bring your concerns or questions to the LCFs earlier on, so they and you are
in a better position to adequately manage any situation that might turn into a
difficult one.
Your responsibilities:
1 Learn the names of your family members and use them.
2 Learn and respect the family's customs regarding hours, use of the telephone,
internet, smoking, etc.
3 Take care of the family's belongings (including the thermos or dishes they
provide for your lunch). If you lose or break your thermos, you will have to
replace it.
4 Keep your areas clean and tidy and odor free. This includes deep
cleaning of your bathroom at least once a week, flushing the toilet,
sweeping and mopping your room at least once a week, washing your
clothes at least twice a week. If you tend to accumulate sweaty
clothes, wash them at least twice a week. Clean up immediately in the
kitchen after you cook, do not allow dishes to accumulate. While this
may seem infantile for us to tell you, this has been a major complaint of our
host families and a major source of tension.
5 Entertain visitors or guests in the living room, never in your bedroom.
6 Advise the family of your schedule (i.e. if you will miss dinner or be home late).
7 Dress correctly when at home.
8 Share some of your time with the family and accompany the family when
invited.
9 Don't bring alcoholic beverages to the house.
10 Don't ask the family to buy you toiletries or U.S. food items.

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11 Dont make outgoing international telephone calls from your Host Familys
phone.
12 Always ask permission to bring home guests for supper.
13 Lock up your personal valuables, money, jewelry, etc. in your luggage or secure
bag.
14 Eat what your family eats without demanding special treatment. (Remember,
you are a member of the family, not a boarder).
15 Please conserve water whenever possible; you may have to take bucket baths.
16 Practice what you have learned in language class with your family and utilize
your family as a resource in learning about the culture.
17 Include Colombians in your spare time and give a positive image of North
Americans and Peace Corps.
18 Attempt to resolve your own problems and maintain open lines of
communication with your family, the Host Family Coordinator, as well as with
your LCFs.
19 Fully complete evaluations of the family.
Your Family's responsibilities:
1.
Be a source of information about the beliefs, culture and customs of Colombia
i.e., gender roles, safety in the neighborhood, boyfriend/girlfriend relationships,
etc.
2.
Provide a balanced diet and a clean room.
3.
Provide a homelike atmosphere, and treat the Trainee as if he/she were another
family member.
4.
Include the Trainee in the family's activities.
5.
Provide the Trainee with a key to the house and her/his room.
6.
Follow sanitary practices in food preparation and provide the Trainee with
purified/treated water.
7.
Help the Trainee improve their Spanish by correcting them as desired by
him/her and not speaking or practicing English with them.
8.
Take care of their belongings (with the Trainees cooperation).
9.
Maintain good communication with the Trainee and LCFs.
10. Establish the norms that govern the household.
11. Pets should not have access to the Trainees bedroom.
12. Advise training staff in case of sickness or accident.
Your Family, Host Family Coordinator and LCFs responsibilities:
1. Speak with the assigned family before the Trainees arrival. Obtain information
about the nuclear family, i.e., number of persons, employment, and family
activities, norms, and give this information in writing to the Trainee before
he/she moves-in.
2. Reexamine with the family the responsibilities and expectations of each of the
three parties involved the family, the Host Family Coordinator and the Trainee.
3. Conduct a training, with help from the SSC and PCMO, on the roles and
responsibilities of being a Host Family.

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4. Interview PCTs and match them with host families during the orientation
weekend.
5. Introduce the Trainee to the family on the day Trainees move-in.
6. Maintain open lines of communication with the Trainee, throughout training,
through informal conversations and promptly address problems that may arise.
7. Make periodic (two: before and during the first three weeks) visits to the family
aimed at assisting the Trainee to adapt to the culture and to make sure the
Trainee is fulfilling his/her responsibilities. Each visit should be followed by a
conversation between the LCF and the Trainee.
8. Communicate observations and concerns with the Trainee.
9. For problematic situations the line of communication is Trainee-LCF-Host Family
Coordinator-Training Manager.
10.
Encourage the Trainee to solve his/her problems and support him/her
with an attitude that demonstrates interest and availability.
11.
Give the Trainee the family evaluations, make sure he/she fills them
out completely and discuss the comments with him/her.
Adapting to the Homestay Experience
There are times during your living experience with a Colombian family that you
may become confused by household routines or annoyed by incidents, which affect
your daily experiences within the household. This is bound to happen, and it is
something that will require skill on your part to resolve.
As a beginning step in the development of these skills, we have polled the previous
experiences of Trainees and their families and have come up with some hints for
dealing with the most common areas of confusion or annoyance.
Privacy:
Most Americans thrive on privacy. It is one of your principal support systems.
Privacy just to lay down and reflect, privacy to read a book, listen to music, privacy
where you can be completely by yourself and know that nothing and no one will
disturb you. When you have your privacy support systems shattered, you may
become frustrated because you cannot satisfy what you view as your personal
need for privacy.
Most Colombians interpret the American need for privacy as an illness, discomfort,
bad manners or lack of courtesy. They have a difficult time understanding why
someone would want to be alone if family or friends could surround them. In the
majority of the cases you will find your privacy much more limited than it was in
the States. You will gradually have to accept and adjust to your new environment.
Perhaps a way of making the adjustment smoother is to question yourself sincerely
as to how great you really feel your personal need for privacy is. During your
family stay, your room may be your only private place, but often curiosity on the
part of your family will turn your room into a central meeting area.

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Noise:
One characteristic, which most Americans immediately detect about Colombian
culture, especially living in an urban setting, is how noisy it is. If there is not a
radio blaring full blast next door, undoubtedly someone will be honking their horn
for no apparent reason; cars, busses and even motorcycles and four
wheelers contribute to the noise pollution, the dogs will be barking, the TV
will be on even though no one is watching it.
Noise, noise, noise! It is all around you here, and it is not that easy to escape. One
important thing is that there is a certain innate liberty to make noise here even
though others may privately complain about it. But only very, very rarely, do you
request someone to turn the volume down. That would not be courteous.
As in the case of privacy, honestly question your own personal need for more or
less silence. You will have to adjust to the noise, whether it is the TV, dogs, radios,
horns, motorcycles, buses or just plain screaming little kids. Do not anticipate that
they are going to adjust to you.
Diet:
The Colombian diet is based on rice, beans, potatoes, plantain, yucca root. The
host Families generally complements this diet with meat, cabbage, tomato, and
other locally grown crops. This will probably be the case in your family. Rice and
beans form a perfect complementary protein that allows our bodies to take the
greatest advantage of their nutritional value. During the first few days try the
various foods offered to you, complimenting the Seora on the ones you especially
like. Then in a polite way you can make your preferences known. Do not say
directly that you do not like the food, for you may offend the Seora who may have
gone through a lot of trouble to try to prepare things you will like. It is perfectly
acceptable to ask for additional helpings, and it is likely that it will be taken as a
compliment. If you are a vegetarian, you should not have any problems because
animal protein (meat) is expensive and the staples are always readily available.
While host families are advised regarding options how to prepare a vegetarian diet,
do not expect your Seora to fix you distinct vegetarian dishes. You are expected
to adapt.
Laundry:
Personal laundry is your responsibility. Practically all clothes are washed in cold
water. Appearance here in Colombia is paramount; to that end most Colombians
iron their clothes, including T-shirts. The family will show you how to wash and iron
your clothes when you arrive. However, you are responsible for buying your own
laundry detergent and soap. The family will lend you the iron (plancha) when you
need it.

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Your Bedroom:
You are expected to clean and maintain a tidy room. Your host family will lend you
a broom, mop and cleaning supplies when you need them. Do not expect them to
clean your room. This is to maximize your privacy.
The Bathroom:
You are expected to provide your own personal toiletries (soap, towel, toothpaste,
etc.) and these should be kept in your room rather than in the bathroom. Your
personal towel is not normally kept in the bathroom, but rather hung in your room
or the backyard to dry. You should also keep the bathroom neat and tidy, empty the
garbage, clean (and flush) the toilet, etc.
Front Door Key:
Families are encouraged to give you a front door key. We ask you to understand
that we are working with some host-families that are new to hosting Trainees and
they may end up not giving you a front door key. Traditionally in Colombia only the
heads of the family have a front door key for the home. Nevertheless, the families
have been asked and are expected to arrange for you to have access to the home.
When the family knows they will be gone, they are expected to ensure you have
access to your home as well.
If you have special plans to spend the evening away, make sure that before you
leave you ask:
A qu hora puedo llegar por la noche?
At what time should I arrive home in the evening?
You will probably find that someone will wait up for you, so you should be
courteous in not making your late nights a habit. Most of the host families have
asked that Trainees be in by 9:00 pm as many have small children and/or need to
get an early start the next morning. In addition, for your personal safety and
security and following the Safety and Security Coordinators guidelines, you are
strongly encouraged to be back in your home by 9:00 pm.
Please remember that if you lose a key, you will have to pay for the replacement of
that key. Sometimes, this may even mean having to buy a new lock.
Meal Schedule:
You should always advise your family when you plan to eat away from home.
No voy a comer aqu esta noche.
I will not be eating here tonight.
Also, if you are away during a normal mealtime but plan to eat when you return,
please advise the family.
Hoy llego a las ocho, por favor gurdeme la comida.

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Today I will be home at 8:00 and I would appreciate it if you would


save dinner for me.
Visitors:
If you are going to have a guest over to visit, mention it to the seora or head of
household.
Hoy va a venir un amigo(a) a visitarme. Est bien con ustedes?
Today a friend is coming over to visit me. Would that be all right with you?
Visitors should not stay beyond a reasonable hour in the evening and never later
than 9:00 pm. Also, if you want to entertain friends of the opposite sex, make sure
you do it within the correct cultural context of living with a host family, which
means in the living room. Visitors of the opposite sex must never be invited to
come in to your room.
Guests at meals should be cleared with the seora beforehand, and you should
offer to pay for this persons meals.
Valuables:
The room in your host family is yours for the period of time you live there and each
family has agreed to view it as such. Nevertheless, it is important for you to
remember that people may come into the room without malice, or, if the family
has other visitors, they may come into your room by accident.
Thus, it is important for you to put your valuables, e.g. iPods, laptops, cameras,
extra money, etc, in a secure storage bag with a lock. You should try to mitigate or
remove any temptation in case someone comes into your room by accident. We
encourage Trainees to lock their rooms upon their departure each day.
Family Invitations:
There may be times when the family will invite you to participate with them in
certain activities. In the interest of furthering your cross-cultural experience and
learning more about your Colombian family, we expect you to take advantage of
these offers. If, you cannot attend the activity, refuse politely and give some
simple reason such as:
Muchas gracias pero tengo que estudiar.
Thank you very much but I have to study.
Muchas gracias pero tengo otro compromiso.
Thank you very much but I have another engagement.
But remember that if you refuse too often, future invitations will not be
forthcoming.
VI. Medical and Health Issues

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Throughout PST if you experience a safety and security incident or some other
non-medical emergency, you should either immediately contact the Safety &
Security Coordinator (SSC) or Emergency Duty Officer or seek out and speak with a
staff person.
Medical Problems/Questions During PST Training Business Hours (M-F, 8am5pm)
There are no medical personnel stationed at the training site Colombo Americano.
The Peace Corps Medical Officer (PCMO) is based in the Medical Unit at the
Barranquilla PC/Colombia office. The PCMO will administer vaccinations, conduct
necessary consultations and deliver health sessions at the PC building during the
day each week that you will be coming to the office. The Medical Duty Officer (310247-7200) and PCMO (312-451-4303) will also be available for consultation 24/7
via mobile should you need any urgent /emergency medical attention. In the event
of a serious accident or illness, the PCMO or Medical Duty Officer will consult/treat
when possible or arrange any medical treatment at certain medical facilities
already assessed and approved for your treatment or hospitalization.
Medical kits will be provided in the initial Orientation session and inside these kits
is a list of the different medications that you can use for treatment of a variety of
medical ailments from a simple cut to pain relief or allergic reaction.
Preventative health care is the key to a successful and healthy service and all
trainees/volunteers are reminded that YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
and adhering to all the Peace Corps Medical policies is very important.
If you feel sick during training hours
The training team is aware of how stressful PST can be, so if you feel sick at any
time please do not hesitate to inform any of the staff members around you and
they will let the PCMO know. Depending on what the situation is, the PCMO will
then put into action a plan of treatment. In some instances you may be taken for
treatment at the Peace Corps Medical Unit or advised to take medications from
your medical kit, or you may receive treatment from a pre-approved medical
facility nearby a staff member will accompany you should this be the case.
Medical EmergenciesAfter Hours (evenings & all day Saturday & Sunday &
holidays)
During training we will have a session whereby we will go through the contents of
your medical kit to identify the contents and discuss the use of each item. It is
advised that should you fall ill outside of working hours, you will need to call the
Medical Duty Officer of the PCMO so that you can be advised about medications
that can be taken to help relieve your illness.
The PCMO can always be reached at 312-451-4303, and the Medical Duty
Officer at 310-247-7200, which is the PC Medical Duty Officer cell phone. The
PCMO will talk to you and determine an action plan. If support is necessary, the
PCMO will then call the Duty Officer with instructions about what action is to be

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taken next. There is also a PC Duty Driver to help the PCV and PCMO with
transportation when necessary.
Please be aware that every other weekend, from Saturday 8:00 a.m. through
Monday 8:00 a.m., the PC Back-Up Physician, Dr. Freddy Farah, carries the PC
Medical Duty cell phone.
Contacting the PCMO for medical issues
If unable to reach the PCMO at the PCMO cell phone (312-451-4303), call:
The Medical Duty Officer at 310-247-7200 or
The PC/CO Duty Officer at 312-451-4301
If your host family does not have a phone, use a neighbors phone.
If phone lines are down, go to another Trainees house or try calling your LCF
so that he/she can contact the PCMO or the Duty officer
If you are incapacitated or cannot leave your home, send a family member to
bring the staff member to you.
How to Help Us Help You to Stay Healthy
Please report any illness as soon as possible to receive appropriate, timely
care and treatment.
Remember that your body needs time to adjust to new foods. Be gentle with
your stomach and make sure that you drink at least 2 -3L of water daily.
Its important that you eat three meals daily to maintain sufficient energy to
complete activities
You should have brought a three-month supply of any special/prescription
medications that you need. Please make sure that you have advised the
PCMO of any special medications that you need during your initial medical
interview on the first week of training.
Any illness should be reported before you leave for a field trip, Volunteer
visit, or site visit
VII. Administrative Odds and Ends:
You and your money
During PST you will receive a modest walk-around allowance to cover personal
daily living needs. Payment will be made to you around the 1st and 15th of each
month, though this may vary sometimes due to field trips, but payment is always
made in advance. During training, accrual of the readjustment allowance begins,
and medical costs and any emergency leave expenses are covered.
During the first weeks of training a local bank account will be opened at the Banco
HELM. This account should be functioning in about Week 4 of PST. Following
swearing-in your monthly living and leave allowances will be direct deposited into
your account. More specific information on this will be made available during the
two Peace Corps/Colombia administrative sessions.

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The US dollar to Colombian Peso exchange rate is around 1850 COP to U.S. dollar
and fluctuates daily. You are strongly encouraged to live on the amount provided.
This will help your integration into the training community, as well as create good
financial management skills when you move to your site after training. There are
no facilities in the training center to exchange your personal money to local
currency and Trainees may not request PC staff to exchange money for them.
During Pre-Service Training, you will receive the following payments:
Walk-Around: This money covers your personal incidentals or "pocket money"
during the Pre-Service Training period. You will receive $11,000 Colombian pesos
(abbreviated CP or COP) daily for walk-around money. Your walk-around allowance
will be paid out in installments in cash and in smaller bills directly to you. The
breakdown of how this amount was calculated will be presented during the first
few days of PST.
Field Trips and Field Training: When you are on field trips, you will either receive a
per diem or payment will be made directly to the service provider that provides
room and board. If you are on per diem you will be responsible for obtaining a
receipt (factura) for any authorized hotel lodging that you may need to use. If you
do not return this receipt to administration upon your return, you will be
responsible for reimbursing this money. You must return these receipts in a timely
manner. You do not need to turn in receipts for money used for food or
transportation on these authorized field trips.
Computers and Internet
Volunteer Computers:
Our Information and Technology Specialist (ITS) will discuss with you proper and
allowable use of the Volunteer computers located in the PC/C office. You may not
use these Volunteer computers until YOU have received training and signed the
appropriate form(s). Please note that during training hours, use of personal
electronic devices- cell phones, tablets, lap tops, etc. is STRICTLY PROHIBITED!
The facilitator of the session may temporarily remove the device if the trainee does
not store the device after repeated requests from the facilitator.
Finally, Trainees may not use Staff phones for personal calls.
Internet
There are a lot of internet cafes where you can pay by the hour for internet access.
The cost varies from COP 2,000 3,000 per hour. You should refrain from using
these computers to log on to bank accounts, and you should not make credit cards
purchases on public computers.
VIII. Centro Colombo-Americano Training Site

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All staff, Trainees and visitors should abide by the following regulations that help to
maintain the quality and effectiveness of training.
Colombo-Americano, Sede Norte is our training site. Therefore, it is imperative that
we always project an appropriate professional and cultural image and discourage
activities or behaviors that could be viewed negatively in a Colombian cultural
context. The degree to which we culturally assimilate ourselves within the local
community is a reflection upon Peace Corps throughout all of Colombia.
Peace Corps rents a portion of Colombo Americano as an office. This is where
staff comes together for meetings, preparing materials for sessions, using
computers or printing materials needed at the last minute. You are welcome to
come and visit, but please understand that it is indeed an office and appropriate
behavior and dress must be observed. Consumption of alcoholic beverages is
strictly forbidden at the Colombo campus. Please know that only staff is authorized
to use the equipment available at the office.
IX. Other Important Information
Identification
It is very important that you never be without an official document (no-fee
passport or official ID card) since you may be asked to identify yourself at anytime,
anywhere. Until you have received a Colombian Government Identification Card
you should carry a photocopy of your no-fee passport with you at all times.
The Peace Corps office will provide you with a photocopy.
You will be issued a Peace Corps Colombia Identification card during the first few
days of PST as well as a laminated wallet-size card with important security and
health related contact numbers. Please keep these with you at all times.
Should you lose any official document, you must notify training staff at once. You
should make it your responsibility to keep a list of important phone numbers with
you in case of unforeseen problems that may arise.
Transportation
Buses and Busetas are the common transportation means in Barranquilla.
There are buses that run from your home in the direction of Centro Colombo
Americano, the training site. There are different routes you could take, check with
your family and LCFs about them and schedules.
Taxis
A more expensive, more direct means of transportation: The following phone
numbers you could use to reach a taxi is 322-2222, 358-8888, 377-7777, 3191919,
386-8686 if done from a land line, if using a cell phone you should dial 035-3868686. This usually is safer than taking a taxi on the street.

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Shopping centers
There are several shopping centers that have shops, restaurants, movie theaters
and grocery stores throughout Barranquilla. Consult with your host families or staff
for logistics to arrive. Here are some of the more popular:
Centro Comercial Buenavista
Centro Comercial Portal del Prado
Centro Comercial Villa Country

Centro Comercial nico


Palmas Mall
Centro Comercial Americano

Where to buy food


Big supermarkets like Exito, Carulla, Jumbo, Olimpica are the major grocery stores.
Every neighborhood has several smaller stores that have the basic essentials and
often will deliver them to your house.

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SECTION V. PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER SERVICE


A. VOLUNTEER PHILOSOPHY AND LIFESTYLE
(Reference Peace Corps Manual Section [MS] 204)
1. General Statement
It is Peace Corps policy that Volunteers and Trainees conduct themselves in a
manner reflecting credit on the Peace Corps and the United States. Appropriate
Volunteer and Trainee (V/T) conduct is critical to the Peace Corps because it is
intimately tied to the reputation and effectiveness of the Agency's Volunteer
program and the safety and security of V/Ts and post staff.
V/Ts have responsibilities more complex than those of private citizens. While V/Ts
are expected to learn and respect host country culture and customs, they must
also conduct themselves in a way that reflects credit on the United States and the
Peace Corps. Indeed, the V/T is often the most identifiable, and frequently the only,
U.S. citizen in a community. Accordingly, V/Ts are expected to adopt lifestyles
sensitive to host country cultural norms, and exercise common sense and good
judgment to promote safety and reduce risks at home, at work, and while
traveling.
Serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer should be considered an honor and a privilege.
With that privilege come responsibilities to uphold a philosophy and lifestyle that
allows you to work effectively, safely and to represent the Peace Corps and the
United States in the best manner possible. Three guiding principles in fulfilling that
responsibility in Peace Corps/Colombia are:
a) Live and work as a professional.
b) Strive to be as effective as possible on the job.
c) Integrate yourself into your local community.
Your personal behavior as a Volunteer will influence the degree of success you
have in living up to these principles. Remember that you are a guest of the
Colombian people and that you should be respectful of and sensitive to their
values and ideas, without compromising your own. The Colombian government and
people have made requests to the Peace Corps for U.S. professionals who can
contribute to the development of their country. Your time is valuable and your
skills, dedication and creativity are needed. Each PCV also has the responsibility to
represent Peace Corps well so that the image and reputation of PC will meet the
high standard to which we are all striving. It is disrespectful to the people of
Colombia, to PC/CO and to fellow PCVs, to act or behave in any way less than an
adult and professional fashion.
The Peace Corps Manual and the PC/CO Volunteer Handbook cannot anticipate
every situation or scenario a Volunteer might face. Volunteers are expected to

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make appropriate decisions, based on the purposes and policies of the Peace
Corps, in protecting their own safety and in upholding the best traditions of the
Peace Corps.
2. Enforcement of Policies

Basic responsibility for enforcing Peace Corps policies regarding all aspects of
Volunteer and Trainee (V/T) conduct rests with the Country Director. The Country
Director, with the support of PC/CO staff, is responsible for providing V/Ts with
continuous guidance regarding social behavior throughout their terms of service.
When the CD becomes aware of infractions of the policies on V/T conduct, he or
she will take appropriate disciplinary or corrective action. All Peace Corps program,
training, and administrative staff, and contractors, are also responsible for
immediately reporting any infraction, or suspected infraction, of the Peace Corps
Policies on V/T conduct to the Country Director. In addition, Peace Corps Medical
Officers must extend confidentiality to the Country Director regarding actual or
possible drug use and excessive use of alcohol.

3. Penalties

Any violation of the policies in Peace Corps Manual Section 204 (MS 204) or the
post-specific policies on V/T conduct may be grounds for administrative separation.
4. Living Within Your Living Allowance
Volunteers should make every effort to live within their living allowance. The
Volunteer community is polled on a regular basis to ensure that the allowance
remains adequate for the basic needs that the PCV has in country. Volunteers are
encouraged to live in such a fashion so as to not alienate co-workers and peers.
Those PCVs who have other financial or material resources available to them are
requested not to use them, but rather live within their living allowance. If this
becomes a problem, administrative action will be taken.
While seeking to live modestly, each PCV should live, act and dress as a
professional. Each Volunteer is also responsible for managing his/her own
resources. Peace Corps will not be responsible for individuals who find themselves
with limited cash at the end of the month because of poor money management.
5. Adapting to Change

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Each Peace Corps Volunteer is expected to adapt to and respect the local culture.
Peace Corps is not asking you to deny your values and opinions. We are asking you
to view them through the eyes of your counterparts and clients in the field. When
you arrive in your site, each of you should become observers, to learn the rhythm
of life in your community or barrio and at your workplace. The PCV is in an
excellent position to introduce alternatives and options, but not to impose the U.S.
point of view or values. Be patient with yourself and your community.
Another point to keep in mind is that your social and working life cannot be
separated to the extent they can be in the United States. The saying its a small
world applies to life and work in Colombia, campo or city, where most will be
living and working. An indiscreet private life will likely get back to your host family,
community and/or your co-workers and may cause tensions during your service.
In keeping with the Peace Corps goals, Volunteers are expected to come to
Colombia to serve the needs of Colombians and to leave with a better
understanding of the country and the people. The best way to achieve these goals
is through integration into your site. When Volunteers leave their barrios or
communities and travel excessively they can create negative impressions of
themselves and other Volunteers in their communities, with their host agencies
and with other organizations or persons who may be observing them. Furthermore,
they miss the unique opportunity for real integration into their host site. The Peace
Corps Colombia vacation policy and out-of-community travel policy (Handbook
Appendix C) were developed with the goal of providing Volunteers with needed and
well-deserved time for travel while behaving as professionals, being accountable
and safe. Each Volunteer is expected to strictly adhere to these policies.
6. Personal Appearance
You will frequently be judged by the way you dress. This is true in the United States
and is especially important in Colombia. Two things to keep in mind regarding
personal appearance are cleanliness and neatness. Colombian professionals take
pride in their appearance. Taking pride in your appearance is a gesture of respect
to them and yourself.
Upon entering your community for the first time, a PCV often does not have the
linguistic skills to communicate much about him/herself. Appearance is often the
first very important impression that co-workers and the community have. PCVs
should look for a peer in the community from whom they can take a lead. For TEL
Project PCVs it might be a colleague schoolteacher. For Peace Corps Response
Volunteers it might be local community leaders or officials, a local NGO or
government extension agent.
Few, if any professional men and women wear shorts anywhere but in the comfort
of their homes. They do not wear shorts to attend any event associated with work

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or official travel. We ask that PCVs refrain from wearing shorts in anything but an
informal social setting.
Colombians for the most part take great pride in the way that they and their family
members dress. Even the most humble families will make every effort to have
clean clothes that are in good repair. PCVs should make no less of an effort. If
during a site visit or during a visit to the PC office in Barranquilla the appearance of
the PCV does not seem to be appropriate, staff and other PCVs will point this out.
Mens hair should not be long. It should always be neat and well combed. Clothes
for office work are generally more along the lines of sports shirts and slacks rather
than blue jeans and work shirts. Earrings are not culturally appropriate when worn
by men. Again, take the cue from your co-workers. In the emergency zone
activities or in the future when PCVs in Colombia may be working in the campo,
whether you are a male or a female Volunteer doing extension type work, chances
are that once people get to know you, formal dress becomes less important. But
remember to be clean and neat and keep your clothes in good repair. The
following list summarizes what is professional dress and provides
recommendations on what to avoid wearing:
Females
Blouses with collars or polo shirts
shirts
Skirts or dresses
Long pants in good condition (jeans, khaki,
(jeans, khaki, etc.)
Mid-calf and below-the-knee capri pants
socks
Bras
Sneakers or closed-toe shoes with socks

Males
Short sleeve or long sleeve dress
Shirts with collars or polo shirts
etc.)
Long pants in good condition
Sneakers

or

close-toe

shoes

with

Dont Wear
Shorts of any length
T-shirts with political, humorous or loud designs or messages
Sleeveless or low-cut-shirts or tank tops
Spaghetti strap tops (females)
Mini-skirts (females)
Torn or ragged clothing
Flip-flops
Earrings (males) at any time or any place; (females) no more than two in each ear
Other visible body piercing (including nose and tongue piercing) or tattoos
Hair length below the bottom of the ear, ponytails, or long untrimmed beards
(males)
Camouflage equipment/clothing

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The Peace Corps office and Peace Corps workshops held outside the office are
professional workplaces and should be treated as such. Volunteers visiting the
office or attending workshops are not permitted to wear shorts, flip-flops or
garments that are considered revealing such as spaghetti strapped tops or middrifts. Body piercings should be covered and, to the extent possible, tattoos as
well. Women are expected to wear bras. Volunteers who do not meet these
standards will be requested to change.
7. Planning Your Visit to the Office
Trainees/Volunteers are always welcome at the Peace Corps office. Family and
friends are also welcome during official business hours. We have a
Library/Resource Center, a Volunteer work area and computers for your use.
Peace Corps staff have flexible work schedules. Many travel a great deal and all
have a lot to do to support your work. Therefore, we recommend that if you need
to speak to specific staff persons, you call ahead of time to make sure they are
available to meet and answer your questions.
Additionally, Programming and Training staff have set up official office hours to
ensure that they can meet with Volunteers during their high travel times. While
staff is available at all times, due to travel schedules, it is during these hours that
they will be at their desks and in the office. Furthermore, keep in mind that staff
meetings occur on Mondays (or Tuesdays if Monday is a holiday) from 9:00-11:00.
P&T office hours are as follows:
PM and both PTS: Monday 1:30-5:00 PM
HFC: Friday 1:30-5:00 PM
TM- Anytime
DPT-Anytime
8. Telephone Policy
Local phone calls can be made from the Peace Corps office. For in-country long
distance phone calls, you need to ask for clearance in advance from the
receptionist. Personal, cellular or home phone numbers of staff and
Trainees/Volunteers will not be given out to strangers.
9. Office Attire
Trainees/Volunteers should always dress appropriately when visiting the office. We
reserve the right to refuse admission if you are not professionally dressed during
core office hours (8:00-5:00). (See details above in last paragraph of 6. Personal
Appearance.)

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10.

Fraternization

Fraternization means any dating or intimate physical or sexual relationship


between any Peace Corps staff member and any Peace Corps Volunteer, or
between any Peace Corps staff member and any member of his or her subordinate
staff or between any Volunteer and person, including a student, over whom the
Volunteer exercises authority.
Staf means all direct-hire staff and personal services contractors, whether
U.S. citizens, third country nationals, or host country nationals.
Volunteer includes a Peace Corps applicant or Trainee.
Dating means a social/personal engagement as opposed to a professional
appointment or office social event. Having a group of Volunteers over for a
cookout or dinner does not constitute dating, but having an individual over or
taking an individual out for lunch, dinner, or movies where there is no
legitimate professional nexus to the activity does.
Fraternization is prohibited by the Peace Corps. Violation of this fraternization
policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination or
administrative separation.
B. VOLUNTEER SERVICE
1. Integrating into the Community
Peace Corps recognizes that Trainee/Volunteer success and safety are best assured
when you are well integrated into the local community, valued and protected as
extended family members, and viewed as contributors to development.
Trainee/Volunteers are expected to build and maintain respectful relationships with
sponsoring agency representatives, colleagues, and other community members.
These relationships help Trainees/Volunteers establish a presence in their new
homes, pave the way for many work and social opportunities, and become the
basis of their new support systems in country.
2. Volunteer Site Assignment
Peace Corps staff in-country are responsible for assessing and approving the
communities where Trainee/Volunteers will live and work to ensure that placements
are appropriate and safe and that secure housing and work sites are available.
Identification of potential site assignments is based on information received from
staff, PCVs, host country agencies, and the schools and communities themselves.
PCVs, both during service and at the time of COS, provide recommendations for
new sites in their area, and follow-up PCVs for their sites. This information can be
presented in termination reports, site survey formats (available from PM), or just as
additional comments on either positive or negative conditions. A database is kept

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with this information, which is reviewed by staff prior to any assignment. Agency
officials also request PCVs for specific sites, and schools have made direct requests
through the PM and through formal communication to the CD.
Once a potential site has been identified for TEL project Volunteers, a visit with the
schools director and coordinators is set up. The second visit entails visiting with
English teachers and completing a survey of the school, and a third visit to finalize
the plans for Volunteer placement. The PCMO and SSC are also consulted about
health and safety and security issues that exist or may arise. At the same time, the
Host Family Coordinator is identifying potential host families and selecting the host
family for the site.
This process takes about six months with sites prepared and identified by the
PM/PTS team prior to the arrival of PCTs for training. These sites are evaluated by
the programming team, which consists of the DPT, PM. PCMO, SSC and the CD.
Final approval is required from the Country Director. The process of assigning PCVs
to sites will take into consideration the PCV's/PCTs knowledge and skills,
demonstrated abilities, and preferences (as expressed in training interviews and
surveys). The PCVs/PCT's strengths and potential for effectiveness are then
compared to the needs and conditions of the sites in the project, and a final
assignment is made.
3. Policy On Site and Assignment Changes Within Colombia
PCVs are expected to serve their entire two years in the same assignment, and
approval for a site change will only be granted for very special circumstances.
Peace Corps/Colombia staff make every effort to ensure that the site selected will
be the best possible fit for you and your assigned community, and the commitment
made to the community is one we must honor.
However, PC/CO recognizes that site changes may, on occasion, be necessary, and
even desirable. Because PC/CO has a responsibility to the agencies and schools
with which we work and to which we have made serious commitments, site
changes are not automatic. Requests for site changes are considered on a case-bycase basis and take into account the best interests of the PCV, community where
the PCVs serves, HCA and PCs goals.
The following three examples illustrate criteria that must be satisfied in order for
an in-country transfer to be approved. If the criteria cannot be met, and if no other

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solutions are found to eliminate the need for a transfer, then the only alternative
may be the termination of a PCV's service:

The job to which the PCV was assigned either ceases to exist or becomes
modified to such an extreme degree that it can no longer be performed by the
PCV. Criteria for transfer: such cases should be clearly beyond the control
of the PCV. If this is true, suitable alternate schools will be sought.
The job and/or site to which the PCV is assigned have become unsatisfactory
due to any combination of technical support or personal factors. Criteria for
transfer: since these cases lie more within the control of PC and the PCV,
a transfer will be sought only if the staff and the PCV have exhausted all
attempts to resolve the problem, and both are convinced that a change in job
and/or site will in fact be productive.
Criteria for transfer: The security situation of the site has changed, and it is
believed that the PCV may be at risk if he/she remains in the site.

4. In-Service Training
It is PC/COs goal that every PCV reach his/her maximum potential as rapidly as
possible. As a result, while Peace Corps/Colombia provides a series of ISTs
throughout your service, many key IST activities are planned during your first year
of service. As you plan your annual calendar and vacation time, please take the
timing of the ISTs below into account.
The following are policies and procedures to help implement the IST program:
Eligibility: All PCVs will receive language training during their first
IST/Reconnect. Technical ISTs may be scheduled at other times, according to the
Project.
Attendance: Participation in ISTs is mandatory. Per-diem will not be paid for any
day in which a PCV does not participate in all scheduled sessions.
Schedule: All PCVs will be notified of the IST schedule currently in effect. You
may also check with the DPT or your PM if you have any questions.
Trainers: The Training Manger will be responsible for the reconnect IST while the
PM and PTS will be responsible for the delivery of the technical ISTs. Location for
each event will be determined prior to each event.
Per Diem: Depending on what PC covers for each event, per diem will be
provided. If PC does not provide food, or only provides one meal, per diem will
be adjusted accordingly.
a. Reconnect IST (after about three months in site)
Reconnect IST provides PCVs an opportunity to brush up on their language and
technical skills. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to reunite with your peers
and share your initial experiences. There also will be sessions with the PCMO, SSC,

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DPT and CD. Ideally, every PCV should reach an Advanced Spanish level and better
at the Language Proficiency Interview by the end of the first year of PC service.
Reconnect IST helps to achieve this goal. This training will be scheduled and
supervised by our Training Manager and commonly combines language with
sessions on programming, safety & security, technical and medical issues.
Reconnect IST is offered although PCVs with special language needs may request a
separate IST for Spanish with prior permission from the DPT and clearance from
the DMO to ensure availability of funds. This workshop for TEL Project Volunteers
generally takes place in March of each year.
b. Language Tutoring In-Site
Approval for payment of language tutoring in-site may be granted (provided there
are available funds) by the PCV's TM after completion of Pre-Service Training.
Please consult with your TM before scheduling language tutoring. In-site language
tutoring will not normally be approved after one-year of service for Spanish study
for those who have reached the Intermediate High level in Spanish. Also, payment
is not granted for formal language classes, but only for informal, one-on-one
tutoring.
c. Technical ISTs
The TEL project has one technical IST that focuses on technical aspects of the
project during a PCVs first year of service. Second-year PCVs often help to plan
and manage technical ISTs, or give presentations.
It is PC/COs philosophy to include counterparts in PC-sponsored training events
whenever possible. In this manner, counterparts receive the direct benefit of the
training program. Additionally, the joint attendance in IST event of a PCV and
his/her counterpart helps to promote a team approach to development and
strengthens the relationship between the PCV and his/her counterpart. These
workshops take place in late August/early September of each year.
d. HIV/AIDS Workshop
The goal of this workshop is to bring together Volunteers and counterparts to train
them on HIV/AIDS awareness as well as how to conduct HIV/AIDS awareness
workshops in their schools and communities. Counterparts are not necessarily your
work partners but could be a health teacher, school psychologist or community
leader. The Volunteer and school will work together to choose the best counterpart.
This workshop is led by P&T staff as well as the medical assistant. The workshop

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also will include leaders from local NGOs as well as second year Volunteers. This is
a sub-regional workshop, meaning that one takes place in each of the Santa Marta,
Cartagena and Barranquilla sub-regions. The workshops generally take place in
May of each year.
e. Project Management & Leadership Workshop (PML) Project Design &
Management (PDM)
Each PCV will bring a community partner, a leader or a potential leader, to the
PML/PDM training. Volunteer and partner will have the opportunity to experience
the value of organization, group dynamics and teamwork, the importance of
direction, leadership and accountability, and the process of designing and
obtaining support for, and then implementing and managing priority community
activities. This workshop will generally take place in June or July of each year.

f. Mid-Service IST
This training will be scheduled and supervised by the Training Manager and
commonly combines a couple of hours on language classes, with sessions on
programming, technical and medical issues. Mid-Service IST is normally offered at
the end of the first year of service. This IST may be combined with the annual All
Volunteer Conference (AVC). The workshop takes place late November/Early
December of each year.
g. All Volunteer Conference (AVC)
PC/CO makes every effort to secure resources for an Annual All Volunteer
Conference. The event enables PCVs in the field to exchange experiences and
share best practices with recently sworn-in Volunteers, staff and partner
colleagues. If the event takes place, it will happen around the Thanksgiving Day
holiday. This event will also combine the 11th week of PST and Mid-Service IST.
h. Completion of Service (COS) Conference
The COS conference occurs about three months before the groups COS date (late
August/early September of each year for TEL Project Volunteers). The goals of the
COS conference are to assist the Volunteer in transitioning from Volunteer life to
post Volunteer life. This will include sessions on the administrative, programmatic
and personal steps to be taken in closing out the Volunteers service. Additionally,

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time is spent in transitioning the Volunteer from Peace Corps Service into
readjusting to life in the US, including career advice, resume preparation and other
subjects.
5. Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation system
a. Planning & Reporting System
The basic purposes of the PC/COs planning and reporting system are:

To assist the Volunteer in his/her work by providing a structure for regular job
performance analysis and planning, and enable Peace Corps staff to better
support Volunteers in their work.

To enhance Volunteer/staff/host agency communications concerning


individual job assignments and inform cooperating agencies and institutions
about Peace Corps activities in Colombia.

To provide better monitoring of Peace Corps' own progress and challenges,


and facilitate better planning for future training programming.

Data from Volunteer reports is compiled and a final annual report is distributed to
Peace Corps headquarters and later, to Congress as part of an agency-wide report.
National and regional HCA counterparts receive annual, quarterly, or monthly
reports, depending on the needs of the agency. Your submissions are crucial to
increase communication and coordination with HCAs. Furthermore, with the receipt
of your progress reports, your APCD will better understand the status of your work
and be better informed concerning your needs and the successes and challenges
you are encountering.
The planning/reporting system is for your benefit, the benefit of Peace Corps, and
the benefit of Colombia. Reporting on Volunteers work keeps us accountable to our
partners, to Congress and to ourselves. The more information we have about the
work you are doing in the field, the better we are able to support your efforts and
align our project goals and objectives to meet the needs of Colombia. It also helps
us educate our stakeholders and promote the value of our work here in Colombia.
b. PC/CO Volunteer Reporting Tool (VRT) and Periodic Reports
As mentioned above, the quarterly completion of work plans by all PCVs are
mandatory and critically useful.
PC/Colombia has developed a project plan according to PC wide programming
guidelines. This plan, in addition to facilitating the definition of project goals and
objectives, provides an excellent mechanism for measuring progress and

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accomplishments. PCVs find that the project plan provides them with a sense of
where they fit into the overall PC/Colombia program. The Volunteer Reporting Tool
(VRT) is then the mechanism PCVs use to plan their activities and is the monitoring
tool to measure their progress. At the same time, the VRT serves as a vehicle to
provide feedback to the PM on the accomplishments towards meeting the overall
project goals and objectives.
For this reason, PCV work plans are extremely important. Work plans allow PC to
measure progress in terms of project goals. The work plan development and review
process also provides PCVs and their PM with the opportunity to evaluate PCV
activities and discuss plans for the future. Work plans are also invaluable for
ensuring that PCV activities are coordinated with Host Country Agencies and that
the activities are related to PC and Agency goals.
Work plans provide PCVs with the added advantage of structuring their work by
performing regular job analysis and planning (something which is easily put-off, or
forgotten, in the daily routine of things). Work plans also enhance communication
among PCVs, PC staff and HCA officials. While reports cannot replace site visits and
meetings, they do provide a comprehensive basis for discussion. Finally, work
plans provide PC with data concerning PCVs accomplishments which are useful for
the preparation of annual reports that are presented to HCA, PC/Washington, the
United States Congress, and funding institutions.
The work plan should cover anticipated work in the ensuing four months and the
progress report should include activities of the past four months. If the PCV
wishes to elaborate, he/she should feel free to attach additional, narrative
statements. To the extent possible, the PCV should work with his/her contact in
formulating the work plan and in evaluating progress. Please note the space on the
form for the comments of the contact and PM. Each person should suggest
changes or helpful ideas in the space on the form and should sign the report after
seeing the plan and recommending changes or suggestions. All VRTs should be
prepared in Spanish. Work plans must include the signature of the PCV's contact.
An unsigned work plan will be returned by the PM so that the contact may sign it.
In order to provide timely and useful feedback to your Volunteer Reports, it is the
policy of PC/Colombia that all members of the project management team (the two
Program and Training Specialists and Project Manager) divide the responsibility of
providing written or verbal feedback to Volunteers. On a quarterly basis,
responsibility will shift so that each member of the project management team will

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have an opportunity to provide feedback to each Volunteer over the course of the
year. It is the expectation that the feedback will be delivered no later than 30 days
after the last Volunteer Report is received.
Overall feedback to Volunteers is not limited to written feedback to your VRT.
Feedback may take place in the form of site visits, formal and informal meetings,
emails and phone calls at any time during your service.
Both in format and purpose, the work plan/progress report may differ markedly
from reports utilized by partner agencies, which some PCVs may also be expected
to prepare. Both reports are designed to help the PCVs be more effective in their
work.
6. Staf Visits
Volunteers receive site visits from various staff, including the APCD/PM, PTS, CD,
DPT, SSC, HFC, PCMO, as well as from other Volunteers, throughout their service.
Your PM or PTS will first visit you during the initial 4 months of service to assist you
and the staff in assessing how you are doing. They will address your community
assessment results, your work plan and your overall cultural and emotional
adaptation, and will allow time for visiting with counterparts and other members of
the community. Upon completion of a site visit, both you and the PM or PTS will
assess your progress to date and the usefulness of the visit itself. While the PM or
PTS will routinely plan future site visits, do not hesitate to request and coordinate
an appropriate time for a special site visit when the need arises.
7. Extensions
As you near the end of your service you may think about extending. If so, keep in
mind the following.
a. Project Related Extensions
Talk with your PM about your desire to extend your Peace Corps service. Your
interest may be in a special program support position or to complete a specific
project in your site or to do something specific that has yet to be proposed. In
those cases, submit a letter of interest to your PM including a description of what
you propose and a work plan, how it would benefit the program, the results you
expect to see at the end of the extension, and the dates you would like to extend.
You must have the approval of both your PM and the CD for an extension.
If you are asking to stay in your site, please include a letter from a host country
partner supporting the work and identifying the benefits to the host country
partners agency and/or community. Submit the request for an extension at least 4

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months prior to your COS date. An interview will be required with the PM and/or
Country Director prior to approval.
b. Volunteer Leader Extensions (For 3rd Year PCVs)
Peace Corps Volunteer Leaders will be an important component of Peace
Corps/Colombias support system for Volunteers when the PC/CO program grows.
One Volunteer Leader will be placed in each sub-region, currently the sub-regions
of Cartagena, Santa Marta and Barranquilla. This is generally a third year
Volunteer, but on exceptional cases we may consider a Volunteer in the second
year of their service. PC Colombia will formally announce the position in August of
every year. If interested, you should send a letter of interest with a resume.
Interviews will take place with the PM, PTS and DPT, and final decisions will require
the concurrence of the CD. Selections of PCV Leaders will be announced at the
COS conference.
The letter of interest must include your:
Motivation for the job
Specific skills you offer
Highlights of your PC service
You will be asked to include a reference letter from a host country partner, as
appropriate, supporting your work as a Volunteer Leader. An interview will be
required with the Country Director and DPT prior to approval.
Project related and Volunteer Leader extensions are approved based on the
following:
Motivation in seeking the extension
Previous conduct of the PCV
The quality of the PCVs service to date
Degree to which the host country officials support the extension
PM approval
DMO approval of funding for the extension
CD approval of extension
Medical clearance from the PCMO
Regional approval from PC/Washington for extensions over one year
c. Medical Clearance & Special Leave
For extensions more than six months in length, the Volunteer must be medically
cleared for the extension.
For approved extensions of 12 months, the Volunteer is entitled to a one month
special leave paid for by PC. This month of special leave is in addition to the 12
months of service, bringing the total extension period to 13 months. These special
extensions are reserved for Volunteer Leaders and Volunteers who have had an
outstanding service and will be working on specific projects to the benefit of

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PC/Colombia and our partners. In order to have final approval, there have to be
available budget resources as well as medical clearance. If approved, it is strongly
encouraged that special leave be scheduled at the conclusion of the two years. If
special leave cannot be taken at the conclusion of the two years, it should be taken
during the first three months of the extended period. Exceptions must be
approved by the Country Director and have the concurrence of the host country
counterpart/official.
Due to the time it takes to process extensions in the administrative system, all
extensions must be requested no later than four months prior to a Volunteers COS
date. As pointed out in PC Manual Section 281 In unusual situations an extension
request made during the last two months of a Volunteer's service may be
considered for approval by the Country Director. However, please note unusual
situations and may be considered.
With regard to the Readjustment Allowance, Volunteers extending less than 12
months may not receive a one-third check at the time of extension. Volunteers
extending for 12 months or more are entitled to a one-third readjustment
allowance check at the time of their original COS date.
Finally, PCVs that extend for a full year and take Special Leave are required to
complete the 13 months of service in order to COS. Volunteers who fail to fulfill
that commitment forfeit their right to special leave and, if they have already taken
special leave, may be required to refund certain amounts to the Peace Corps. If
they do not take special leave, they may be eligible for COS before they complete
the full year.
8. Termination of PCV Service
a. Completion of Service (COS)
PC schedules a mandatory group Completion of Service (COS) Workshop
approximately 3 months before a groups COS date to discuss personal preparation
for returning to the U.S. (e.g., administrative issues, reverse culture shock,
resumes, interviewing, getting a job, etc.), to assess support received during PC
service, and to provide recommendations as to how PC/CO could improve the
development and management of the country program. Information, instruction
and forms for regular Completion of Service (COS) will be provided at the COS
workshop. Finally, please refer to the loans section in this handbook for important
information regarding management of your student loans upon COS.
Language Proficiency Interview (LPI): Language proficiency interviews are optional
at a PCVs completion of service. For PCVs considering future international
employment or academic career, a high LPI rating can be an excellent addition to a
resume.

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b. Early COS
According to the PC Manual (MS 281 2.1), Each PC Volunteer is expected to honor
fully his/her commitment to serve the people of the host country to the best of
his/her ability for the period of time usually two years specified by the PC. If
the CD, with the concurrence of host country officials and the PM, determines that
an individual PCVs request is justifiable, that he/she will complete primary and
secondary assignments before the established COS date, and that there is no other
assignment which the PCV could perform in the period remaining before the COS
date, the CD may advance the PCV's COS date up to 30 days before the official
COS date. In order to advance the COS date by more than 30 days, approval must
be requested from the Regional Director at Peace Corps Headquarters.
c. Early Termination (ET)
Service in the Peace Corps is voluntary, but once the commitment to serve is
made, expectations are created on the part of the Peace Corps and Colombia. By
accepting enrollment, Volunteers commit themselves to serve the people of
Colombia to the best of their ability for two years within the framework established
by the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps, for its part, commits itself to select those
Volunteers who have the capacity and motivation for effective service, to train
them properly, to place them where their abilities and skills can be utilized, and to
support their activities to the extent feasible.
Nevertheless, there are circumstances under which it becomes apparent that in
the interest of the Peace Corps, the host country, or an individual Trainee or
Volunteer, the Trainee or Volunteer cannot or should not remain in service until his
or her completion of service. These circumstances may include, but are not limited
to the following: an inability to adjust culturally, inadequate job performance,
unacceptable personal conduct, the inability to resolve a serious personal problem
in country, or a medical problem. Should you be the one to have cause to consider
Early Termination, you should contact your PM or other appropriate staff member
at the earliest opportunity to help resolve the issues that are leading you to
consider termination. Problems which PCVs do not discuss with anyone for a long
period of time tend to inflate to the bursting point. Good discussion and airing of
the problem could help bring the situation into perspective.
Early Termination (ET) is defined as any event that results in the termination of a
PCVs/PCTs service prior to the completion of service date. There are four types of
Early Terminations:
Resignation: a decision by a PCV/PCT to end PC service, regardless of the
reasons, before the completion of service date.

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Medical Separation: a decision by the Office of Medical Services to separate a


PCV/PCT from PC service because the PCV/PCT develops, or is found to have,
a medical condition which requires medical disqualification at that time from
PC service.
Administrative Separation: a decision by the CD that a PCV/PCT will not be
allowed to continue in PC service, because of the PCVs/PCTs failure to
comply with PC policies or conditions of PCV/PCT service, or because of
unsatisfactory performance.
Interrupted Service: a decision made by the CD, in consultation with the
PCV/PCT, that continuation in PC Service is not currently practical for reasons
generally beyond the individual Volunteers control.

Because the regulations and procedures concerning each type of Early Termination
are complex and different for each type of termination, they are explained in some
detail below:
Resignation
A resignation is a decision by a Trainee or Volunteer to terminate Peace Corps
service, regardless of the reasons, before the completion of service date. There are
many reasons why Volunteers decide to end their service. Whenever possible,
PC/CO will work with the Volunteer to see if there is anything Peace Corps can do to
help him/her overcome whatever obstacles are in the way of having a satisfying
and productive service. If a Volunteer does not communicate to staff that he/she
feels frustrated or burnt out or worried about someone back home, the staff will
not able to provide support to that Volunteer.
Before a Volunteer makes a decision to resign, it is PC/COs sincere hope that
he/she has spoken to members of the staff so that the staff may support the
Volunteer in the best way possible to help make a final decision. Talking to another
Volunteer, while important, is not always enough. If a staff member is not aware of
the Volunteers struggles, it is almost impossible for staff to be of help. PC/CO staff
has experience in helping Volunteers negotiate some of the ups and downs that
come with service, and will explore with the Volunteer a variety of options, one of
which is resignation. Our motive is to help the Volunteer make an informed
decision, no matter what that decision is.
Detailed below are some of the common myths that exist around the topic of
resignation, and PC/COs clarifications.
Myths about When and How to Resign:
Myth: It is shameful to harbor thoughts about resigning. Staff will have a lower
opinion about me if they find out.

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That is false. It is normal to have doubts during your service. If your doubts grow
stronger, you need to talk them over with a staff member. If you keep these doubts
to yourself or wait until you cannot take it any longer, there is little we can do to
help you. Our goal is to support each Volunteer as his/her service evolves, even if
this involves an ET. We respect a Volunteers decision to ET.
Myth: If I ET I will make Peace Corps/Colombia look bad.
In the end Peace Corps service is a personal commitment and experience. As a
team, we at PC/CO seek to understand the reasons a Volunteer resigns so that we
can identify and correct any weaknesses in our support systems, should those
have contributed to the Volunteers resignation. We all take Volunteers reasons for
resigning very seriously and explore with other staff members how to improve PST
or site development or Volunteer support based on relevant feedback.
Myth: Peace Corps/Colombia will do almost anything so that you will not resign.
As stated, this is not entirely true. On the one hand, the Volunteer who is up front
about his/her misgivings or trials is more likely to get support that can turn around
his/her attitude about his/her service. We can provide counseling, facilitate a visit
with another Volunteer, grant a few days of leave, do an impromptu site visit to
help resolve a problem and provide follow up support. On the other hand, we as
staff might give you the encouragement you need to resign. This might surprise
some Volunteers but there are cases when a staff person recognizes and agrees
that the best decision for you (and perhaps for the community or partner
organization) is the decision you have taken to resign.
Myth: If I decide to ET, I only have 72 hours to leave the country.
This is untrue. You can inform a staff member of your plan to resign as early as you
like and they will work with you so that you have the smoothest possible exit. By
advising the PM or other staff, we have time to discuss with the Volunteer ways to
tie up loose ends, inform co-workers and community members, and make sure
matters are left in order, especially when it is decided that there should be a
follow-on PCV assigned to the site.
Myth: There is no right way to ET.

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False. A Volunteer should strive to end his or her service with as much care as he
or she began it. Concretely this means that the Volunteer should advise his or her
host family, cancel all debts, pack and transport all personal belongings, personally
inform counterparts and key community members and bring as much closure to
matters underway as possible. It is important that the Volunteer show respect to
community, family, friends and colleagues by saying proper good-byes and
expressing appreciation for their support.
Skipping town without the proper good-byes, without informing counterparts and
co-workers, and with projects and personal belongings in disarray is not the way to
leave. It is unfair to the community, to colleagues and counterparts, and to Peace
Corps and the people who have to pick up after the Volunteer leaves.
In short, we as a team want to do all we can to make a Volunteers service fruitful
and enriching. As Volunteers hit bumps in the road that threaten their
commitment, we want to be there to support them. If the Volunteer decides, after
conferring with others and exploring options, that he or she needs to resign, we will
work with him or her to have the smoothest transition possible. Volunteers who
resign are responsible for completing the same documentation as COS-ing
Volunteers (see following manual section).
Medical Separation
If a PCV/PCT has a medical problem so serious as to raise questions about
continued service, then a medical separation or evacuation will be effected. If the
PCV/PCT is determined to have a reasonable chance to recuperate and return to
service he/she will likely be medically evacuated; otherwise the PCV or PCT will be
medically separated. If the PCV or PCT is evacuated, the PC Office of Medical
Services will evaluate as soon as possible, and within 45 days after the PCV/PCTs
arrival in the United States, the PCV/PCTs medical fitness for further service. If
during this 45 day period Medical Services determines that the PCV/PCT is
medically unfit for further service, he or she will be medically separated. If the
PCV/PCT is cleared for further service, but not for return to the original country of
service, he/she will be referred to the Desk Unit from the country of original service
for a period of administrative hold while transfer opportunities are explored. If a
suitable assignment cannot be located the individual's service may be nondisciplinarily discontinued. Finally, a Volunteer may be medically separated while in
country if it is determined by both the PCMO and PC Office of Medical Services that
their medical condition cannot be resolved in a timely manner.

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Administrative Separation
Below are among the most serious offences that are grounds for the CD to
administratively separate a PCV/PCT:
Failure to meet either the Trainee selection standards or standards of
suitability, or the selection or suitability standards developed for a particular
program or country.
Supported allegations of use of illegal drugs.
Leaving Colombia for any reason without previous authorization from Peace
Corps.
Riding on a motorcycle (or any other two-wheel motorized vehicle) either as
a driver, or as a passenger, except for extenuating circumstances (such as
evacuation at risk of life or limb).
Arrest and/or conviction for any criminal offense under State, Federal, or host
country law, while serving as a PCV/PCT.
Violation of any policy set forth in the PC Manual, the PC Handbook, or any
other policy manual for PCV/PCT, whether PC-wide or developed for a
particular program.
Any conduct which presents a reasonable possibility of risk or injury, or
physical harm to the PCV/PCT or others or, in the judgment of the CD,
presents a reasonable possibility of loss or destruction of property.
Information revealed as a result of a National Agency Check, full field
investigation, or other source indicating either that the individual is unsuited
for PC service by reason of conduct prior to PC enrollment or would present a
risk to the national security of the United States if allowed to continue PC
service.
Unauthorized absences from work, training, and/or other assigned duties
when the individuals whereabouts are known and confirmed (when the
whereabouts of a PCV/PCT are unknown, the case is treated as a
disappearance which may also result in separation).
Unsatisfactory work performance, including but not limited to, failure or
refusal to perform a PCV/PCT assignment.
Active involvement with any (U.S., host country, or other nations)
intelligence gathering or counter-intelligence efforts including drug
enforcement or control programs other than an interview by U.S. or host
country officials about a specific incident.
Failure to take required immunizations or prophylaxes. The Peace Corps
Medical Officer should consult with VS/MS on all cases of refusal to take
required vaccinations or medical prophylaxis prior to recommending
administrative separation to the Country Director.
Providing misleading, inaccurate, or incomplete information during the PC
application process.

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Interrupted Service
The CD may discontinue the service of a PCV/PCT, as a non-disciplinary action,
based upon a determination that one of the following circumstances exists:
Lack of a viable assignment in Colombia for which the PCV/PCT is qualified.
Inability to meet technical or language requirements.
Circumstances in Colombia or at the PCVs/PCTs assigned site which make it
reasonably certain that the PCVs/PCTs safety is, or may be, endangered.
Circumstances which may affect the effectiveness of the individual PCV/PCT
or the credibility or effectiveness of the PC program.
Removal from Colombia is requested by the Colombian Government or other
cooperating agency to which the PCV/PCT is assigned for reasons which
would not be grounds for Administrative Separation.
Termination of the PCVs/PCTs spouse.
The CD shall, upon making a determination that a non-disciplinary discontinuance
of service is warranted, initiate a transfer request in coordination with
PC/Washington in order to locate another assignment for the PCV/PCT. If another
assignment is not available, the PCVs/PCTs service may be discontinued.
9. Protect Act Guidance
Inappropriate sexual behavior by PCVs/PCTs is addressed in the PC Manual section
on Volunteer conduct, MS 204. Staff, PCVs/PCTs should also be aware that the
Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today
Act (Protect Act) authorizes prosecution of Americans who sexually abuse minors
abroad. A minor is defined as a person under the age of 18. Even if the age of
consent in the host country is lower than 18, it is the legal age of consent set out
in the Protect Act that controls. Staff and PCVs/PCTs are strictly prohibited from
having sexual contact with any person less than 18 years old. Sexual contact is
not limited to intercourse.
Violation of the Protect Act is a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. In
addition, it is PC policy that dating or having contact of a sexual nature with
anyone under the age of 18 will be cause for termination or Administrative
Separation. Anyone in PC, regardless of nationality, should immediately report to
the Office of Inspector General if they have reason to believe an American in PC
has had sexual contact with anyone under the age of 18.
10. Marriage
a. Marriage between a Volunteer or Trainee and a Non-Volunteer or NonTrainee U.S. Citizen

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A PCV/PCT who wishes to marry and continue service as a PCV must, in advance
of the proposed marriage, consult with the CD and receive written
authorization to do so and remain a PCV/PCT. The CD will not authorize that a
PCV/PCT marry until the country Name Check and National Agency Checks have
been completed. This process can take up to 120 days. A PCV/PCT who marries
without written determination by the CD that he/she may continue in service after
the marriage may be administratively separated.
This procedure is neither an attempt on the Peace Corps part to interfere with the
PCVs/PCT's right to marry, nor to pass judgment on the choice of spouse. Rather,
the CDs concern is whether the PCV/PCT will be able to serve effectively once
married. Therefore, the CDs decision is a "clearance to continue PC service,
rather than an "approval" of the marriage.
Because PC is not authorized to provide support of any kind, including allowances,
health care (except for pregnancy), or transportation to a non-PCV/PCT spouse, or
to increase a PCVs/PCT's allowance for this purpose, the CD must be satisfied that
the PCV/PCT will be able to support a dependent. At the same time, it must be
clearly understood that once married, the PCV/PCT and spouse must live at the
same economic level as other PCVs/PCTs.
PCVs/PCTs should seek guidance on the effects of a marriage to a foreign citizen on
his/her legal status, citizenship and property rights. PCVs/PCTs are also encouraged
to visit a counselor, with the prospective spouse and at PCs expense, to explore
the issue of marriage and to assure that they have asked themselves the hard
questions. PCVs/PCTs who have done so have reported that it was a beneficial
experience and recommend that others do so.
As stated in MS 205, the CD must request that a National Agency Check be done
on a prospective spouse who is a non-US citizen, or who is a non-PCV US citizen
(unless that person is an RPCV or PCT who left PC within the last year, or has a
current security clearance granted by an entity of the U.S. Government). The check
must be requested at least 120 days prior to the intended date of marriage.
However, the marriage may not take place (and the PCV/PCT continue in service)
until the checks are completed.
If a PCV/PCT wishes to marry a non-U.S citizen, the CD must also request that the
U.S. Embassy conduct a Country Name Check (CNC) and submit the results to the
CD for his evaluation before clearance is granted for continued service.

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In order to request permission to marry and remain a PCV/PCT, you should:


Write a memo to the CD asking for authorization to marry and remain a
PCV/PCT. This memo should state how your future spouse will be supported
and whether or not you will be able to continue with your primary and
secondary activities.
Submit a Standard Form 85P (available from the Admin Unit) on the
prospective spouse at least 120 days prior to the date of marriage (but
keeping in mind that it could take longer for the clearance to be completed,
before which you may not marry and remain a PCV/PCT). The CD will then
request in writing that the appropriate department of the United States
Embassy perform the check, and will be advised of the results.
Provide the following information about your fiance so that the CD may
request that the Country Name Check be performed:
Full Name
Country of Citizenship
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Current residence (and telephone number if applicable)
Occupation
Cdula Number
Fathers Full Name
Mothers Full Name
b. Marriage between a PCV/PCT and another PCV OR PCT
In addition to considering the issues listed in Peace Corps Manual Section 205
paragraph 2.2.1 (a) through (c), a Country Director shall not authorize a Volunteer
or Trainee who intends to marry another Volunteer or Trainee to continue service
unless the prospective spouses are able to resolve differences in service dates
consistent with Section 3.0 of this same Manual Section.
c. Determination on Continuation of Service (2.2.1)
The CD shall determine in writing whether the Volunteer or Trainee who has given
notice of his or her intent to marry may continue in service after the marriage. The
determination shall be based on consideration of the following issues:

Whether the marriage would prevent or diminish the ability of the Volunteer
or Trainee to serve effectively;

Whether the marriage would require the Volunteer or Trainee to transfer to a


new site or assignment and whether a transfer would be feasible and
acceptable to the host country;

Whether the marriage would financially burden the Volunteer or Trainee or


the Peace Corps program; and

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When the prospective spouse is not another Volunteer or Trainee, whether


the prospective spouse's background and lifestyle are consistent with the
Agency's goals and philosophy.

d. Accommodating Volunteers Who Wish to Marry (3.0)


When two Volunteers who wish to marry each other have different completion of
service dates, they may choose one of the following two options:

Each PCV may retain his or her original completion of service date as long as
the date of one Volunteer does not interfere with the effective service of the
other; or

The PCV may "split the difference" of their remaining time, if they are
authorized to do so by the CD. To "split the difference" means reducing one
Volunteer's service time and extending the other's so that both PCVs have
the same completion of service date. This option may be authorized by the
CD if the proposed extension of time for one PCV is consistent with the
criteria for extensions of service in MS 281 (Completion of Service Date
Advancement and Extension of Service), and the reduction in service time for
the other Volunteer in no way jeopardizes Peace Corps' ability to fulfill its
commitment to the host country's Peace Corps project.

11.

Volunteer Pregnancy

A PCV/PCT who suspects she is pregnant must report this to the Medical Officer
immediately. The Office of Medical Services of PC/Washington has determined in all
cases to date, that PCVs/PCTs in Colombia may not give birth in-country. PCVs/PCTs
for whom this determination has been made, must be medically evacuated
(medevaced) before the 12th week of pregnancy, and medically terminated.
12.

Volunteer Paternity

According to Manual Section 204.3, a PCV who fathers a child by a woman to whom
he is not married may be administratively separated if the CD determines that the
PCV's action has impaired his ability to perform in his assignment or the credibility
of the PC program, or has violated host country law or custom. Regardless of any
disciplinary action taken by the CD, the PCV, prior to his departure from the host
country, should be encouraged to fulfill, or arrange to have fulfilled, his
responsibilities for providing support to the mother and child. To that end, he must
provide the CD with a written statement describing his plans for meeting these
responsibilities.

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13.

Alcohol and Drugs

a. Alcohol
The use of alcohol is common in Colombia, especially at social and family events,
and among PCVs/PCTs when they gather in central locations or at special events.
We understand that alcohol is often an integral part of these activities, and that
you may face significant pressure to drink. However, excessive drinking may affect
your health, your work performance, and the image you project. Furthermore, as
you are working in schools, it can affect your reputation and ability to serve as a
role model for the students. It may also affect your safety, contributing to your
getting into high-risk situations or being unable to deal with them if they occur.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you limit your alcohol consumption, in
public as well as in private, in your communities, in Barranquilla, Santa Marta and
Cartagena, and at organized events.
If you feel that you could have a problem with alcohol, we encourage you to seek
advice from the Medical Office, which can provide confidential support and
guidance. Additional resources could include your Program Manger, PTS, PCMO or
any other PC staff and, of course, your friends. We also encourage you to provide
support to other PCVs/PCTs who are at risk of excessive alcohol use. If your
consumption of alcohol begins to affect your health, work performance, or ability to
project a positive image of PC, you may be subject to administrative or medical
separation.
PCVs/PCTs are encouraged to avoid situations in which Colombians are drinking
heavily (such as at fiestas, estaderos, bares, licoreras y cantinas), since these
often generate arguments that lead to violence.
PCVs/PCTs should be aware of the fact that the legal age for drinking in Colombia is
18 years of age; therefore, it is prohibited to sell alcohol to minors, or to provide
alcohol to minors in public places. PC/Colombia asks that you remember the power
you have as a role model, and that you demonstrate respect for the law by not
encouraging minors to drink. Finally, alcohol may not be consumed at the PC Office
or at the training center.
b. Drugs
The PC Manual states that: "A PCT or PCV found to be involved with drugs,
including marijuana, in any way, will be terminated immediately and
encouraged to return to PC/W for consultation. The PC enforces this strict policy
not only because the cultivation, manufacture, traffic, and use of drugs, including

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marijuana, is illegal in most countries, but also because the consequences of drug
involvement by PCVs/PCTs in any country could seriously jeopardize the entire PC
program." This is especially the case in Colombia, a country that has seen more
than its share of violence fueled by the drug trade.
Because of the potentially serious social, political, and legal impact of such
incidents, every case of PCV/PCT drug involvement is brought to the personal
attention of the PC Director.
The primary purpose of the policy is not to punish the drug user. Rather, it is to
protect the PC from the damaging impact that allegations of drug use among
PCVs/PCTs could have on our programs, both by alienating host governments and
the local citizenry, and by presenting a negative image of PCVs/PCTs to Congress
and the American people. Thus, enforcement of the regulations must be looked
upon as a deterrent and as a means of removing PCVs/PCTs who have endangered,
or may in the future endanger, PC/host country relations or the PC image because
of their use of marijuana or hard drugs.
Due to the magnitude of the potential for harm to our programs, regulations
require the mandatory termination from PC for PCTs/PCVs found to be
involved with marijuana or drugs in any way. The policy is deliberately broad
in its application. Involvement could consist of sale, use, possession, or cultivation.
Mere suspicion of drug use, including marijuana, could also be grounds for
Administrative Separation.
As mentioned above, in Colombia drug issue is particularly sensitive. Mutual efforts
between the U.S. and the Government of Colombia are on-going to avoid the
smuggling of marijuana, cocaine and heroin into the U.S. Accusations of
involvement with drugs in Colombia could result in years of imprisonment with no
trial. Therefore, immediate Administrative Separation is taken, in part, for the
PCVs/PCTs own protection.
14.

Political Activity

One of the chief reasons for PC success is the fact that it attracts people who are
interested in public affairs and who want to do something about the things they
think need improving. Political activity is often an effective response to these
challenges. However, it has always been and will continue to be a guiding premise
that PC is strictly non-political. This means as an organization and as individuals,

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whether staff or PCVs, we avoid any involvement whatsoever in political matters of


the host government.
To the extent that we are able to speak and act as private citizens, we are free to
do so. A PCV overseas, however, is an extraordinary citizen -- one whose views are
accepted by others as representing "The PC position. PCVs must exercise
discretion and caution, and not make any statements that could be interpreted as
PC policy.
Just as PCVs must avoid the appearance of participation in political activities,
concerns for safety and security dictate that PCVs should avoid involvement in
political manifestations, strikes, etc. It is not uncommon that bystanders at such
activities are injured by randomly flying stones or bottles, and the reaction of
security forces at such demonstrations is unpredictable as well. All PCVs should
give a wide berth to such activity wherever it is encountered.
15.

Funding For Community-Based Projects

During the process of doing community development, the need may arise to seek
funding for projects that were generated by that process. PCVs should first
encourage and assist their communities, schools and groups to raise the money
themselves locally. Looking for support within a community, from a local
community/regional NGO, or governmental sources is another option. Only after
the process of working to raise funds locally should communities and PCVs look to
outside funding sources.
There are many factors that you should consider before becoming involved in
pursing outside funding. Depending on your site and working situation, you may be
quickly approached, or even pressured, to assist the school or community in
securing funds for a school or another project. The needs may be visible and vast;
often a small input of financial aid could make the difference between the success
or failure of a project.
Such monetary assistance can have debilitating effects, on both the PCV and the
community. Fund procurement may appear to be the easiest route to credibility
and a sense of usefulness for the beginning PCV, but s/he may later wonder --with
cause -- whether s/he has any credibility beyond that as a conduit for outside
material help. The community, in turn, may begin to view external assistance as
the only means of completing a successful project. This prevailing mentality of

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dependence may effectively hobble any local initiative to embark upon or to


complete community improvement projects if outside funds are not forthcoming.
Also, funding agencies tend to view the PCV as a "safe way" to distribute resources
at the local level. In view of all of the above and advice from PCVs, PC/CO has
established a policy that no PCV should pursue outside funding until s/he has been
in site for at least six (6) months.
If you do chose to go forward with finding funding, please keep the following in
mind:
Do not become involved in a request for funding until you know the people
with whom you are working, and have surveyed the relative needs and
support available for projects in the community.
Emphasize community and school fund-raising or in-kind contributions as the
basic resources for project implementation.
If a request is to be made to an outside agency, the PCV should work as
facilitator, not as go-between or money manager. Assist community and
school project leaders in planning the project, in preparing and presenting
the request, and in the management of grant funds, but be sure that they
are the principals in name and fact.
If feasible, encourage a system for further projects through a plan of repayment by project beneficiaries into a community-controlled rotating fund.
The planning and organization for a continuing loan fund should begin at the
planning stage of the project.
Avoid direct involvement in large grants for projects in which the potential
pressures and misappropriation of funds is great.
In general, avoid any projects that rely too heavily on one person, require
management, or administrative skills of a sophisticated nature, were not
developed by the community and are not presently accepted, or in which the
procurement of funding is the main force driving the project.
Also, remember to only undertake a project that can be completed before the COS
date of your original two-year assignment. Extensions will not always be granted to
complete an unfinished project; you are responsible to plan wisely and ensure the
project is completed before the end of your service.
PCVs frequently ask if it is appropriate to seek or to receive funding directly from
family friends, church groups, or others from back home. It is important that
PCVs realize that while PC is one of the few federal agencies authorized to accept
donations and gifts from the public, PCs gift acceptance authority is subject to
legal restrictions that apply overseas as well as in the U.S. PCs Office of Private

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Sector Initiatives (OPSI) is responsible for coordinating the acceptance of all


gifts to PC. As such, PCVs may solicit funding support for community-initiated
projects, but they may not accept gifts-in-kind or money directly from groups,
friends, or family members in the United States or from individuals and
organizations in Colombia. The OPSI does, however, manage the PC Partnership
Program that serves to link in-country projects with U.S. contributors or project
sponsors; this is the venue through which communities/PCVs should receive
donations from the U.S. Advantages of this system include the fact that PCs
financial management system is used to transfer funds to post, which is faster and
safer than mailing checks, and that the donor may receive documentation for tax
purposes.
The PC does not provide shipping services or pay for costs related to the shipment
of gifts-in-kind to overseas Posts. Costs may include shipping, processing fees,
storage and customs duties. Donors who wish to give a gift-in-kind will be required
to sign an agreement (available through OPSI) stating that they will assume all
responsibility for such costs. PCVs who are offered a gift-in-kind for their
community or the PC should refer the donor to the Office of Private Sector
Initiatives (OPSI) at pcpp@peacecorps.gov or via telephone at (202) 692-2170.
PC/CO makes available to communities through their assigned PCVs two agencysponsored funding programs. They are:
The USAID/PC Small Project Assistance (SPA) Grant Program which is
administered by PC.
The PC Partnership Program (PCPP), which matches financial needs for small
scale development projects with U.S. contributors or project sponsors.
a. USAID/PC Small Project Assistance (SPA) Fund
The SPA Program was established in 1983 between the USAID and the PC. The
program's purpose is to assist communities, acting in collaboration with PCVs, to
identify common community concerns, develop strategies to address these
concerns, and design and implement small-scale, sustainable community-level
projects. SPA makes grant funding available for community-initiated projects that
transfer skills or otherwise strengthen the communitys ability to carry out
activities that will improve their quality of life. SPA funds also support training of
Host Country National (HCN) partners, NGOs, and Community Contacts to enhance
their skills and empower them to assume greater responsibility for their own
development.

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SPA grant funds can be used for:


Community-based training projects
Community development projects
Technical exchanges
Projects funded with SPA grants in PC/Colombia must follow basic criteria that
require that the project must:
Be conceived and implemented by a local community organization or group,
in conjunction with a PCV.
Promote sustainable community development activities.
Involve a clear capacity-building or hands-on training component, even when
project activities include production or construction efforts.
The projects target population is primarily underprivileged groups such as
youth, Afro-Colombian communities and service providers who work with
underprivileged groups.
Include the local community organization or groups commitment of its own
resources, in cash or in-kind (minimum 25% or more of the total budget
cost), to the activity.
Have the PMs approval prior to submission.
Be scheduled for completion within one year of the establishment of the
obligation, and within a reasonable period of time before the PCVs COS (at
least one month).
Build local self-reliance and not encourage future dependency on continued
external assistance.
Successful projects rely on well-developed professional and personal relationships.
Therefore, Volunteers may not apply for a SPA grant during their first six months of
PCV service. Nor may Volunteers apply for a SPA grant during their last three
months of service due to the need to complete the project prior to your COS date.
For detailed information, guidelines, and all appropriate application and reporting
forms, PCVs should get a copy of the PC/Colombia SPA Program Handbook from the
SPA/PCPP Coordinator. The handbook can also be found on the PCV computers.
i. Successful SPA Projects
The success of a SPA project is determined by more than the end product. The
process of a community working together to address an identified need is as much
a part of the success as the end result. Successful SPA projects should build
technical capacity and enhance a community's ability to organize, plan and make
group decisions. They should result in a community being more confident and able

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to transfer organizational and technical skills to other aspects of their work and
community efforts.
PCVs may play an important role in helping to ensure that a SPA project is
successful. A PCV who assumes the role of a "facilitator" rather than a "doer" of a
project, helps to transfer technical skills, enhance leadership capacity, and
increase self-reliance.
PCVs who have worked with SPA projects have identified the following as crucial to
the accomplishment of a project and to the process of skill transference and
capacity building.
ii. Ownership of the Project
A successful project is conceived and "owned" by the school or community
organization. A PCV brings skills that can help the community to define a problem,
identify a solution, access resources, and implement the activity. It is the
school/community, however, who must have identified the project as a priority and
who must take ownership of the project.
iii. Problem Identification
A successful project addresses a clearly defined problem, one that can be broken
down to basic causes. A PCV's analytical skills can be extremely useful in helping
the community to identify possible causes of a problem and thereby select the
most appropriate solution and implementation strategy.
iv. Planning
Successful projects depend on thorough planning before implementation. PCVs can
help in the planning process by introducing simple planning methods and asking
clarifying questions. The community group, however, needs to be involved in and
take responsibility for the planning.
v. Implementation
Projects that have significant contribution from the community, both in-kind and
financial, are more likely to succeed. During the implementation phase of a project
a PCV may be instrumental in training participants in new and/or improved
technical skills related to the project. The transfer of skills during this training is
essential for the long-term success of the project.

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vi. Record Keeping


SPA projects are funded with U.S. government money and must, therefore, be
accounted for with proper receipts and vouchers. Before a project request is
submitted, arrangements are made for handling the project money.
vii. Monitoring and Evaluation
Throughout the life of the project, the community group and the PCV should
monitor their progress towards the project's goals. By this process, the community
organization can make any adjustments necessary to ensure the ultimate success
of the project. For each SPA project, the community is required to submit a final
report which reviews the project to see whether the original goals were met,
identifies lessons learned, and discusses benefits of the project.
b. Peace Corps Partnership Program
The PC Partnership Program is one of PCs primary channels for your host
community and you to obtain financial support for community-based, small
projects. Unlike other sources of funds, however, the Partnership Program does not
directly fund projects, but instead serves as your link to interested individuals,
groups, foundations, and service organizations in the U.S. private sector who would
like to contribute to the valuable work that you and your host community are
doing. The program helps to establish a direct communication between groups and
individuals in the United States and communities overseas to facilitate an
understanding of different cultures and ways of life.
Guidelines for Partnership Program
Project meets a pressing community need;
Project is community initiated and directed;
A well-developed plan for project implementation and sustainability exists for
the project;
The community contributes at least 25% of the total project cost;
Indicators for success have been outlined in the proposal;
A well-developed budget in local currency and U.S. dollars detailing both the
community contribution and requested funds;
The proposal contains a statement to the effect that the community has
been informed and understands that there will be no additional funding
beyond the authorized amount on the proposal as submitted.
The Partnership Program may help meet needs across a wide spectrum of project
areas, from constructing schools to developing environmental education materials,
from digging wells to enhancing small business development programs.

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Partnership projects range widely in their scope of objectives and amounts


requested. While there is no set limit to how much may be requested through the
Partnership Program, it is strongly recommended that no project exceed US$5,000.
Historically, projects kept under the $5,000 limit have proven the most successful
in terms of achieving full-funding, implementation and management. Generally
speaking, it can take an average of 1 month to raise $1,000 USD, so please take
this into account in your planning.
Your first step should be to discuss the idea with your PM. After you and your
community group have written a proposal, it is reviewed by the SPA/PCPP
committee, approved by the CD and then sent to PC/Washington. Once a proposal
has been accepted, it is put on a list of projects posted on Partnership Programs
website: www.peacecorps.gov/contribute/partnership.html. Any referrals (family, friends,
church groups, etc.) that you provide are then contacted. Donors may then donate
to PC via web, phone, or mail. The average time needed to fund a project is three
months, but this depends greatly on the amount of funds requested. The PCV is
responsible for accounting for all funds, and facilitating on-going communications
with the community, Partnership Staff, and the U.S. Partner. PCVs are permitted to
send thank you letters to donors of SPA and PCPP grant projects via the Diplomatic
Pouch (DPO). The letters will be sent from Washington D.C. to the marked
addresses. PCVs (not Peace Corps Staff or PC/CO) are responsible for providing the
appropriate U.S. postage and envelopes as well as addressing the letters.
For detailed information, guidelines, and all appropriate application and reporting
forms, PCVs should see the SPA/PCPP Coordinator, or look in SharePoint.
i. Guidelines for Peace Corps Volunteer Solicitations (Peace Corps
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.)
Volunteer Solicitation Defined
For the purposes of these guidelines, solicitation is defined as, The personal
request, written or oral, by a Volunteer for gifts in support of a specific project
initiated by their host community, school or organization.
Solicitation is one of the ways to help Peace Corps Volunteers financially support
community-based projects. While Volunteers are not permitted to solicit gifts on
behalf of the Peace Corps as an organization, they can and often do request
financial support for community-initiated projects from friends, family and contacts
in their host countries.

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Gift Defined
A gift is defined as, a gratuitous transfer of property, money, or voluntary
services. (See Manual Section 721, Section 4.0 Definitions).
Raising Funds for Project Support
Solicitation for community-based projects is a means of facilitating community
development, but should not become a Volunteers primary activity or a measure
of a Volunteers success.
Volunteers should be concerned with money only to the extent that it is needed to
fund local, community-initiated projects that meet Peace Corps defined standards
of sustainability, community involvement and community need.
Accepting Gifts on Behalf of Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is a governmental agency with gift acceptance authority. Those
who may accept a gift on behalf of the Peace Corps include the Peace Corps
Director, the Director of the Office of Private Sector Initiatives (OPSI), and Country
Directors (who may accept donations up to a specified limit). Although Volunteers
are official representatives of the Peace Corps, they are not among those who may
accept gifts. (See Manual Section 721, 5.0 Policies, for complete list).
ii. Volunteer Solicitation vs. OPSI Solicitation
What is the Diference? Why Choose OPSI?
Volunteers play a pivotal role in helping the Office of Private Sector Initiatives
(OPSI) staff identify potential donors for community-based Peace Corps projects.
While it makes sense for Volunteers to solicit support for community-initiated
projects among friends and family, it is often preferable that the volunteer defer to
OPSI staff to solicit for project support for a number of reasons:
OPSI is the only designated office within the Peace Corps that has authority
to accept gifts on behalf of the Peace Corps and for Peace Corps projects.
Volunteers do not have the authority to accept gifts;
OPSI has systems in place that guarantee Volunteer referrals are contacted
and followed-up with in a timely manner, unlike Volunteers who must often
depend on unreliable or erratic means of communication;
OPSI ensures that gifts are received and disbursed in accordance with Peace
Corps policy;
OPSI is able to ensure that donors are aware of all of their options with
regard to making gifts to Peace Corps;
Gifts made through OPSI are tax deductible, while those made directly to a
Volunteer or his/her host community are not; and

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OPSI is able to guarantee that all gifts meet the criteria set forth in Peace
Corps manual section 721, 5.0 Policies.

In their commendable efforts to raise funds for their projects, Volunteers


sometimes contact donor agencies or corporations with whom OPSI is in the
process of developing a formal partnership. This unintentional interference may
make a potential donor feel overwhelmed and decide to contribute elsewhere or
could result in negative Peace Corps relations. Therefore, we recommend that
Volunteers coordinate any planned solicitation activities with OPSI and their
Country Director.
In summary, while Volunteers are not prohibited from soliciting support for their
community-initiated projects, they are prohibited from accepting gifts.
iii. Who Do Volunteers Solicit for Support?

16.

Volunteer friends, family and professional contacts


Corporations
Private individuals
Civic & Community groups
Foundations
Faith-based groups
Clearances for Press Interviews, Articles and Letters

Even in the short time we have been in Colombia re-establishing the Peace Corps
program, facts regarding Peace Corps purpose and activities have been distorted
and published in the media. As a result we all need to take necessary precautions
and be sensitive to how our comments can be interpreted.

Trainees or Volunteers are free to discuss their role in the Peace Corps with
media representatives. However, they should notify their Country Director of
such discussions before they take place. In no case should you grant an
interview with the press, radio or television without prior approval from
the Country Director. Trainees and Volunteers must be aware of, and be
sensitive to the impact their personal comments may have on themselves,
their coworkers and program, and the Peace Corps worldwide.
The Peace Corps encourages Volunteers and returned Volunteers to share
their stories and experiences with the media, as this is part of the third goal
of the Peace Corps and bringing the world home.

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17.

However, please keep in mind that in todays age of digital information, what
you say will be read by a large audience of Americans and Colombians. While
you may think you are only speaking for yourself, remember that readers will
take what you say or write as a reflection of your fellow Volunteers, the
people of Colombia, the Peace Corps program here, and also the Peace Corps
program as a whole.
Peace Corps' credibility and hence its ability to perform its mission is
contingent on your keeping in mind the responsibility you hold as an
ambassador for the organization and your country. You should also remember
as stated above - that Peace Corps policy requires you to inform your
Country Director of all media opportunities. In addition, you are asked not to
make any public statement regarding politics or other controversial issues in
your host country, as this could impair the effectiveness of the Peace Corps
program in Colombia and the effectiveness of other Volunteers serving today
and in the future.
Once again, all publications within or outside of Colombia must be previously
authorized by the CD.
Otherwise, relax and share your stories and experiences. In the end, honest
and detailed stories will help others learn about other peoples and cultures
their traditions, values and challenges - and the Peace Corps experience.
Volunteer Support Systems

American Diversity
In view of both the visible and invisible diversity among the PC population in
Colombia, staff and PCVs will receive ongoing training to provide each other with
needed support and celebrate the richness of our diversity. Support groups at
Peace Corps posts are often established to attend to the needs of the variable
groups of PCVs who look to each other for their primary support. Volunteers in
Colombia have set up a Diversity Committee to help Volunteers with diversity
issues as well as do trainings for staff and Volunteers. You can communicate with
them via Lindsay Thielmann (lthielmann89@gmail.com).
18.

Volunteer Support and Work Groups

The following are examples of Volunteer support and work groups that are found at
many PC Posts. PC/Colombia strongly encourages Volunteers to take the steps to
form such groups when the interest and need exist. Please contact the DPT or CD
for guidance in the formation of these Volunteer support groups and the
procedures to follow.

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a. Volunteer Advisory Council (VAC)


The primary mission of the Volunteer Advisory Council (VAC) is to promote an open
line of communication between staff and volunteers by presenting volunteer
concerns and needs to the administration as well as addressing staff concerns that
relate to Volunteers.
The VAC is made up of regional Volunteer representatives, elected by the PCVs.
They generally meet quarterly and in a departmental capital. VAC officers then
share the results of the meetings with the Country Director and other office staff
and address action pending issues at national VAC meeting in the PC Barranquilla
Office. The frequency of the national meetings is agreed to jointly by the CD, DPT
and the VAC officers. The VAC sends the VAC officers and one additional
representative from each sub-region to the national meeting to present regional
concerns, openly discuss and search for resolutions to these concerns, and share
other news of interest from each area. Volunteers are encouraged to contact VAC
officers or representatives of the VAC with any issues that they would like
addressed during future meetings. The VAC is also responsible for assisting with
the planning of the All-Volunteer Conference (AVC), which is held annually, budgetpermitting.
b. Women in Development/Gender in Development (WID/GAD)
The GAD, or Genero en Desarollo (GED), committee is a group of Volunteers
committed to promoting women's rights and gender awareness among Colombian
men, women and youth and the Peace Corps community through training
conferences and workshops. The two principal activities of GAD are:

Train PCVs and HCNs and provide them with a network of contacts and
information in order to execute gender development activities at the
community level.
Facilitate seminars to promote GAD vision and related topics, as well as
bridge cultural differences among participants.

c. HIV/AIDS Awareness
While HIV/AIDS rates among Colombians, especially on the Caribbean coast, are
relatively low, especially compared with other countries in the region, the rates
among vulnerable populations are worrisome. Adding to that the fact that the cities
we work in are port and tourism cities, there is opportunity for working with service
providers, community members, teachers etc. to implement HIV/AIDS prevention
and awareness activities. Furthermore, PC/CO will provide a training for all

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Volunteers and at least one counterpart in your first year for designing and
implementing HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention trainings and activities. This
work group brings Volunteers together and works with staff to design and
implement the posts strategies for training counterparts, youth, and community
members in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention.
d. Youth
This work group promotes youth work through the design of variety of activities
such as trainings, manuals and camps. Many of you will naturally work with youth
via your primary assignment. This is a priority target population group for us as we
seek out opportunities to develop the potential of young people and help prepare
them for an increasingly competitive work place in Colombia. There are a number
of NGOs and community-based groups working in this area and a youth work group
could help serve as a liaison between these NGOs and the youth in your
communities.
e. OISTE?
OISTE? is the Peace Corps/Colombia Volunteer newsletter that was started by a
small group of Peace Corps Response Volunteers in 2010. The Volunteer work
group compiles the OISTE? newsletter largely from articles submitted by
Volunteers and office staff, and in addition to being a source of important
information regarding Peace Corps, has been a fun publication. It can be an
effective tool to document Peace Corps/Colombias continuing dialogue on
development as well as a great place for exchanging ideas and thoughts on work
and life in Colombia. Contact the DPT if you are interested in joining the OISTE?
work group.
Other groups may be formed depending on interest and need. Again, please
contact the DPT or CD if you have any questions or ideas.
19.

Vacation and Related Leave Policies

a. Vacation Policy Philosophy


PC Colombia believes in the commitment of Volunteers to their project, and the
organizations and community members with whom they work. Based on this belief,
PC/CO expects all Volunteers to dedicate their time and effort to the Colombians
they have come to serve in their respective project locations. PC/CO believes that

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vacation time should be utilized as a complement to PCV service, not a primary


focus.
PC Colombia emphasizes the importance of PCVs understanding the implications of
vacation days, and the need for PCVs to utilize these opportunities with care and
professionalism. Over the years at Peace Corps posts a frequently heard complaint
is that Volunteers come and go from their project locations as they please, all too
frequently, and without the approval of the counterpart organization. Whether this
is true in all cases or not, it has been the perception in many cases - a perception
that reflects poorly on the PCV and the Peace Corps. Please understand this, and
respond with the appropriate level of professionalism by following the criteria and
parameters outlined here. If there is some doubt about the policy, consult with
your Project Manager, DPT, or Country Director to clarify the situation.
Vacation leave provides Volunteers the opportunity to increase their understanding
of the host country and region, while allowing time for rest and relaxation. Because
Volunteers are deemed to be on duty seven days a week, all types of Volunteer
leave are computed in terms of calendar days rather than work days.
b. PC Colombia's Criteria and Parameters for Taking Vacation
i.

Volunteers accrue two vacation days per month of service. The Project
Manager (PM) and Project Training Specialist (PTS) tabulate and monitor
accrued and taken leave. Check with them ahead of time to ensure you have
the available days for your planned leave.

ii. To ensure that vacation leave is an integral part of a Volunteer's service,


annual leave is discouraged during the beginning or end of service, and should
not be taken during the first three months or last three months of service,
except when the Country Director approves leave under special
circumstances, or in conjunction with an authorized emergency leave.
c. Leave Authorization: Vacation plans must complement the Volunteer's work
schedule and be approved by his/her Colombian supervisor and Project Manager, in
writing. An example vacation request form, "Solicitud de Vacacin", is located at
the end of this handbook for your use and reference (Appendix D). Additional
copies are available youre your PTS.
An electronic copy is available via
SharePoint.
A departure on vacation without first securing the approval of the host agency and
the Peace Corps is a violation of policy, which could result in administrative
separation from Peace Corps service. To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and
delays, PCVs should discuss with the agency Supervisor and Project Manager
before making vacation plans when would be the most appropriate time to take
vacation. If the Project Manager is not available, PCVs should consult with the PTS.
Both the Vacation Request and In-Country Travel Request (for travel inside of

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Colombia outside the sub-regions of Cartagena, Barranquilla and Santa Marta)


must be submitted to OM/EA Sandra Macias no later than 15 days before
departure. Sandra will route them through for approval, verify the documentation,
calculate vacation days and provide the Volunteer with final approval.

All vacations must be approved at least 14 days before departure. That


is to say, all vacation requests must be approved by the Volunteers agency
supervisor and received at the Barranquilla office at least 15 days in
advance of the planned vacation for your PMs review and consideration.

A specific itinerary, as detailed as possible, must be submitted for each trip, so


that PC can locate Volunteers in case of emergency. For the same reason, when
traveling outside Colombia on an international trip PCVs will need to check in
with PC offices or U.S. Consulates in the countries visited.

Travel Days: For international trips and some local trips, travel days (the
departure and arrival dates) will not be included in the calculation of vacation
days. The calculation of these days is at the discretion of the Country Director.
For example, if you are planning a trip to Bogota with departure at 8:00 AM, the
day may be counted as a vacation day. However, if the departure is after 5:00
PM, the day may not be counted as a vacation day.

Each time a PCV returns from vacation, he/she must call or notify the
Barranquilla office by the day the approved vacation period ends, otherwise
vacation days will continue to be deducted.

Volunteers must notify the Peace Corps office if health, money, transportation
problems, or other unforeseen circumstances prevent them from returning on
time. This allows Peace Corps staff to know where PCVs are in case of an
emergency, and to advise contacts in your site and the counterpart organization
of your delay. Usually, PCVs can notify PC/CO free of charge by contacting the
nearest U.S. Consulate, Embassy, or PC office.

Volunteers who travel to countries where Peace Corps is present must adhere to
that host countries travel policy.

On occasion, certain countries will be off-limits for Volunteer travel due to


temporary disturbances, either natural or otherwise. The Country Director will
provide communication to Volunteers when travel restrictions are in place.

Volunteers who travel outside the country without authorization, either in


conjunction with approved vacation (such as leaving early or returning late) or
otherwise, are subject to administrative separation.

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The Country Director has the discretion, upon the recommendation of the PM or
in his/her absence of the PTS, to advance annual leave, not to exceed the
amount accruable during the Volunteers service.

Vacations are limited to a maximum of 21 continuous vacation days away from


your site. It has been determined that longer absences can have detrimental
effects on your work, and inhibit effectiveness in your community. Education
PCVs are expected to take vacation during school breaks. A maximum
of one week vacation outside of school breaks may be granted under
exceptional circumstances.

Holidays & Weekends: Host country holidays that co-workers observe are
also holidays for Volunteers without charge to leave if the Volunteer is spending
the vacation time in Colombia. Weekends during any vacation period spent
within the country are, however, counted as vacation time. If a Colombian
holiday or weekend falls within any vacation period spent outside the country,
both the holiday and/or weekend will be counted as vacation time.

Please refer to the holiday list on page 15 of this handbook for a guide of
Colombian holidays recognized by PC/CO. Also double check with the office to
confirm the holidays when you submit your vacation request. Colombian holidays
are subject to revision or decree and will be simultaneously posted at the office in
Barranquilla and communicated to all Volunteers and staff. Please note that during
Semana Santa, some host country agencies close their offices for the entire week;
those employees are given Holy Thursday and Good Friday as holidays while the
rest of their days off are counted as vacation time.
Other types of Leave:

Examination Leave: According to the Peace Corps Manuel, Section 220.7.4, a


Volunteer may be authorized up to three days of Administrative leave to take
exams related to post-service activities. Examples may include graduate school
entry exams or the Foreign Service exam.

Leave Without Allowance (LWOA): All Leave Without Allowance (LWOA) must
be approved by the Country Director. LWOA is reserved for exceptional
circumstances that require a V/T to be absent from their training or project
site for personal reasons; LWOA is not to be used to extend the vacation limit
beyond the 21-day maximum. LWOA absences for up to 30 days can be
approved at the discretion of the Country Director. The Country Director's
decision must be based on a determination that a Trainee's absence will not
adversely affect his/her training, or that a Volunteer's absence will not adversely
affect the Volunteer's project unduly or Peace Corps' effectiveness in the host
country. In all circumstances, PCVs must first solicit LWOA from their PM who
makes a recommendation for consideration to the CD. While on LWOA status
PCVs receive no allowances or readjustment allowance accruals. The monthly

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living allowance is discontinued except for amounts needed to meet on-going


expenses at the project site such as the rent or an electric bill.

Emergency Leave: The Office of Special Services (OSS) in Washington may


authorize emergency leave and travel, at Peace Corps' expense, for V/Ts in the
event of a family medical emergency, as defined below (see more in Section III
Peace Corps Volunteer Service B.16 regarding Back Home Family
Emergencies). A medical emergency is defined as: (a) a terminal illness; (b) a
critical, life-threatening illness or injury; (c) onset of para/quadriplegia;
(d) death; (e) a situation in which the personal presence of the V/T is required to
make new living or care arrangements for an ill or injured family member.

The term family medical emergency means a medical emergency directly


affecting: (a) a member of the V/T's immediate family, i.e., a parent, spouse,
sibling, child, or grandchild related to the V/T by blood, marriage, or adoption.
This definition includes step-relatives, e.g., step-mother, but does not include inlaws, e.g., mother-in-law. A Country Director may authorize a V/T spouse to
accompany a V/T who is authorized to take emergency leave; (b) a caregiver
who, in the absence of one or both parents, lived with the V/T and performed
parental duties in the absence of parents.

OSS will evaluate the situation to determine whether a family medical


emergency exists, including verification of the emergency with a third party (e.
g., doctor, nurse, funeral director, coroner), and then authorize or deny
emergency leave. Neither the Country Director nor his/her staff has the
authority to approve emergency leave. Emergency leave is limited to a
maximum of 14 days, plus travel time. After confirming a continuing medical
emergency, the Office of Health Services/Counseling and Outreach Unit
(OHS/COU) may authorize, with the concurrence of the Country Director, an
extension of 14 days' additional leave to be charged to accrued annual leave or
to leave without allowance (LWOA)

Extended absence from critical periods of service, such as pre-service training


and the first three months in-site, may not be advisable. Although OSS may
authorize 14 days emergency leave, the Country Director has the authority to
set a shorter limit to the number of days a Trainee may be absent. In some
cases, it may be necessary for a Trainee to resign from Peace Corps and reenter at a later time.

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Please take special note:

A PCV may not leave Colombia or travel to any parts of Colombia outside the
sub-regions of Santa Marta, Barranquilla or Cartagena for any reason without
previous authorization from PC/CO. As a result, even for day travel outside
the greater city areas of Cartagena, Barranquilla and Santa Marta, the
Volunteer must submit the In-Country Request Form for clearance to travel
to that location. Circumstances may make it necessary to submit the request
form with less lead time, but should normally be submitted through the CD at
least 15 days in advance for the purpose of assessing the security situation
at the location to be visited.
A V/Ts well-being is PC/COs greatest concern. A V/T will be considered
missing if after 48 hours of trying (or less should there be clear reason for
concern) the Peace Corps is unable to locate or otherwise make direct
contact with the V/T. PC/CO must notify PC/W when the Volunteer or Trainee
is considered missing.

d. PC/CO Whereabouts Policy (Revised August 2013 )


(For the complete PC/CO Whereabouts Policy and Annual Leave Policy, see
Appendix C)
For security and communication reasons Volunteers are required to inform their
host family and the Peace Corps office any time (including official Peace Corps
events) they will not be spending the night in their communities.
PC/Colombia has established a process whereby Volunteers can notify the Peace
Corps office of any and all absences when they spend the night(s) away from their
home/community.
This process is put in place so that PC/Colombia staff can support your safety and
security while serving in Colombia. It is not meant to hinder your freedom or to
check-up on you, but rather to ensure that we can contact you as soon as
possible in an emergency. Reasons for needing to contact you are:
Family or other emergencies in the U.S.
Local emergencies (natural disasters, etc)
Activating the Emergency Action Plan (alert, standfast, consolidation and/or
evacuation)
Testing of the Emergency Action Plan
To aid/communicate with other Volunteers regarding accidents, medical or
security events.
Plan your trips away from your community wisely, using your time effectively, and
minimizing the total time away from your community. When you are away from
your community for work or medical reasons, take care of personal needs as well.

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The focus of a your service, especially in the first months, needs to be settling and
integrating into the community, being accessible to new work partners, host
family, neighbors; and, building personal familiarity and professional credibility
with the community at large.
Time away from your community solely to take care of personal needs should be
taken infrequently, and must not be abused. What is a reasonable period of time?
When the days are taken over a weekend - for example, departing your community
on a Friday and returning on a Sunday - three consecutive days - two nights/three
days may be a reasonable length of time to be away from your community solely
for personal reasons. A reasonable length of time is normally different when
personal days are taken during a normal work week. In these circumstances the
personal days should never interfere with ones work and professional duties.
Furthermore, when a Volunteer wishes to be away from the community for more
than three consecutive days (2 nights/3 days), solely for personal reasons, he/she
must request and use annual leave for the entire period. Personal time cannot be
tacked onto annual leave. They are different and should not be confused or
combined.
Personal time away from your community may be spent anywhere within Peace
Corps Colombias work territory which is the sub-regions of Cartagena,
Barranquilla and Santa Marta, but not outside of these areas and you must inform
via whereabouts if you visit them overnight.
If you feel a desire or need to be away from your community frequently then you
should talk with your Project Manager to examine your work activities and
community integration. From experience, when Volunteers think they may be away
from their community too much, then they probably are.
In summary, the purpose of this policy is to be able to locate you in case of an
emergency or a safety and security issue.
We take our responsibility seriously to notify you immediately if there is an
emergency in your family or if there is an issue affecting your safety and security.
PC/HQ and often your families expects us to know where you are at all times.
We need your cooperation to do this.
Your Accountability for Notifying Peace Corps of Your Whereabouts
Who to Notify
In all cases, it is the responsibility of the Volunteer to inform their host family and
the PC/Colombia Barranquilla office if he/she is going to be away from his/her
home/community overnight or multiple nights.

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The email for notification is whereabouts@co.peacecorps.gov, or alternatively


you can call or text the Duty Officer with your whereabouts: 312-451-4301.
When to Notify
With as much lead time as possible but no later than prior to departing your site
and knowing that you will be spending one or more nights away from your
home/community, you must call by phone or text message or e-mail your
whereabouts to the PC/Colombia office. This means that for any reason personal,
work, medical, IST, PST, safety and security, brigade work, professional exams,
etc., and including at the start and end of pre-approved annual (vacation) leave
Volunteers who leave their community for one or more nights, must notify the
Peace Corps office of their absence from their community and of their
whereabouts. [All departures from Colombia must be pre-approved. See the
Annual Leave Policy.]
If Volunteers depart their community with the intention of returning back to their
home that same day, but then find that, for whatever reason, they will be away
from their community that night, they must contact the PC/Colombia office or the
Duty officer and provide the above detailed information. They should also let their
host family know that they are going to be away longer than anticipated.
If Volunteers find that for whatever reason they are not going to return to their
community on the day they had originally communicated, they must contact the
PC/Colombia office or the Duty officer and provide a new return date and update
any contact information as may be necessary. They should also let their host family
know that they are going to be away longer than anticipated.
Please note that ANYTIME you are out of site overnight you must notify the PC
office, even when you are at PC-sponsored events. It is not the staffs responsibility
to report your whereabouts if PC-Colombia has asked you to come into the office or
attend a training. It is yours.
What Notification Information to Provide
Volunteers must provide the following information, when notifying the PC/Colombia
office of their whereabouts when they are absent from their community:

their full name

the date they are departing their community

the date they are returning to their community

the purpose of the absence from community, their personal cell phone
number and any other phone number at which they can be reached

all locations (aligned with the dates) they will be at while they are away from
their community

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A contact location (the hotel/residence address and landline phone) or/and


contact name and contact number (name of other Volunteer and their
phone/contact number, name of Colombian organization/colleague and their
contact number) for all locations the Volunteer will be at while they are away
from his/her community.

Example email whereabouts notification:


I am letting you know about my whereabouts.
1. John Doe
2. departure date: May 27
3. return date: May 29
4. to visit the beach
5. my cell phone: 315-672-8644
6. 5/27-5/29: Santa Marta
7. contact: Hotel Verde cra 5 #70 - 100 Phone: 656-7231

How to Notify
PC/Colombia has designated Duty officer phone number 312-451-4301 as its
official whereabouts phone number and whereabouts@co.peacecorps.gov as
the official whereabouts email address.
Methods for communicating your whereabouts with PC/Colombia include:

During PC/Colombia work days and hours (8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.) you may
call 385-1060 to provide your whereabouts information. When you call the
office, explain that you are calling to provide your whereabouts info and the
SSC or other staff person will take down the above detailed information. If
you would like, the staff person will call you back. After hours, call the Duty
Officer to provide the required information.

At any time, you may send a text message to 312-451-4301. You must
provide all the required information.

At any time, you may send an email to whereabouts@co.peacecorps.gov.


You must provide all the required information.

If you send an email or a text message and you have not provided all the required
information, then you have NOT fully complied with your notification responsibility.
You must provide all required information.
This notification process is not negotiable. If you do not comply with this process,
disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including administrative separation.

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Consequences If You Dont Notify


We expect all Volunteers to be honest, forthright, and professional about their time
away and notify the PC/Colombia office about their time away from their
community.
If you leave your community and do not notify the PC office of your whereabouts,
the consequences are severe. A Volunteers failure to report his or her
whereabouts in accordance with PC/Colombia procedures may be grounds for
administrative action up to and including administrative separation from Peace
Corps.
For example (but not limited to this), if you are away from your community and
have not reported your whereabouts, and an emergency event occurs or a
communication test is conducted, or you have not returned to your community at
the time that you have stated you would, you will likely be administratively
separated. Note that Peace Corps policy states that Volunteers who are not where
they have stated they will be considered missing. This includes Volunteers who
have not returned to their community on their specified return date.
If you are not administratively separated, disciplinary action may include:
continued service only under conditions outlined in individualized performance
improvement plan
being restricted from traveling to certain places and/or at certain times
the requiring of pre-approval of all future absences from community prior to
departure from community
staff not providing letters of recommendation and references for future
employment and graduate school admission
e. Visitors
In order to foster integration into a PCVs new site, the PCs worldwide policy
discourages vacations during the first three months of service. PC/CO also
discourages international visitors during the first three months of service (after
training), and suggests that families and friends delay visits until six months after
the PCV has sworn-in for service. Consistent with PC world-wide policy not
permitting non-married couples to serve together, PC/CO will also not permit nonPCV significant others to establish permanent residence with the PCV during
service.
When parents and relatives visit a PCV, the time spent in-site is not counted as
vacation time provided the Volunteer continues with a normal work program, but
time spent outside the site (even if still in the country) is considered to be
vacation. Long-term stays of friends or relatives at the Volunteers site

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(over two weeks) are strongly discouraged and must be approved by the
PM.
PCVs are asked to schedule visits from family and friends in such a way that they
do not conflict with events at which Volunteers must participate, such as In-Service
Trainings.
VI. SAFETY & SECURITY
Safety & Security of the PCV/PCT is a top priority of the Peace Corps. PCV/PCT
safety is also a shared responsibility. PC will take every precaution to not put PCVs
in sites or situations that are known to be dangerous or potentially dangerous.
However, in day-to-day living as a Volunteer personal safety is primarily the
responsibility of each individual.
The importance of personal safety is not something new, nor is it unique to
PC/Colombia, though the country does present special safety and security
considerations for Peace Corps. As Volunteers you come to Colombia with personal
safety knowledge gathered over the years, but here you will face new, barely
understood social and cultural challenges which can be frustrating, confusing and
sometimes frightening. Again, personal safety is a learning process and as you live
in Colombia and learn more about its history and culture, you will also develop new
personal safety skills and learn when and how to apply them. In the end, in
addition to the valuable skills you develop, common sense will always serve you
well!
As Volunteers in this initial phase of Peace Corps re-entry to Colombia, most of you
will be living and working in urban and peri-urban areas that increase certain
safety risks and call for strong mitigation strategies. PC/COs policy to have you
live with a host family (required for your entire service), as well as other
precautionary measures that will be shared and discussed with you, will help make
you safer but can never hope to reduce risks completely.
A. PERSONAL PROPERTY/THEFT AND BURGLARY
PCV/PCTs are personally responsible for safeguarding their personal property
(including property purchased with PC allowances), PC property in the PCV/PCTs
possession, living and other allowances, and personal cash.
The PC is not an insurer of personal property or cash and, except as provided
herein, will not replace or reimburse personal property lost by PCV/PCTs. It is

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recommended that PCV/PCTs purchase insurance to cover property items of value


they bring to country, and keep personal funds in a bank account. Peace Corps will
provide personal property insurance information to PCV/PCTs and will, upon
request, arrange a withdrawal from a PCV/PCT's readjustment allowance account to
pay the insurance premiums.
You should adopt recommended measures to safeguard your money and goods
against loss or theft: locking your room or house when you leave, and being
watchful of your backpack, purse, camera, cell phone and billfold on crowded
buses (best to hide money, credit cards, etc. on your person, not in your pocket).
We also recommend that you purchase a lock for a bag (could be one of your travel
bags) to keep valuables.
Peace Corps will not replace or reimburse V/T property if lost, damaged, or stolen,
except for special circumstances such as the following:

When the lost item is essential to the health, welfare, or continued service of
the V/T;
The V/T will not be able to meet some or all of his or her anticipated living
expenses prior to receipt of the next living allowance;
The unusual circumstances surrounding the V/T's loss (other than a living
allowance) lead the Country Director (CD) to determine that full or partial
reimbursement is appropriate and fair.

Only in very unusual cases or where the PCV/PCT will not be able to meet their
living expenses lost or stolen living allowance money may be reimbursed in an
amount that equals the stolen portion of a living allowance that corresponds to the
days remaining until the next living allowance deposit, at the discretion of the CD.
There can be no reimbursement for lost or stolen vacation money, readjustment
allowance, or COS payments in lieu of travel costs, or for money stolen which was
not living allowance.
The procedures for receiving reimbursement are as follows:
A copy of a police report must be obtained from the nearest Estacin de Policas
(police station) and delivered to the Admin Unit.
1 Report the incident to the Safety and Security Coordinator (SSC), and fill out
a) the PC Incident Report Form, and b) the PC Property Claim Form with the
related information.

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2 Deliver the Incident Report Form to the SSC and the Property Claim Form to
the Admin Unit
3 In all cases, whether a claim is filed or not, the PCV/PCT needs to report the
incident to the SSC and fill out the PC Incident Report Form and deliver it to
the SSC. This includes incidents such as attempted theft or similar crime in
which you actually lost nothing, and crimes committed while you are out of
the country on vacation.
Lost, damaged, or stolen property purchased with allowance money, may be
considered for reimbursement only if the PCV/PCT has a continuing need for the
lost allowance or property in order to function effectively as a PCV/PCT and/or to
assure PCV/PCTs safety & security.
Loss of other property may be reimbursed if the loss is deemed of primary
importance to PCV/PCTs health and safety.
Finally, PC/CO cannot hold personal cash for Volunteers at the PC Office. To
safeguard personal cash, it is recommended you deposit it in your personal
account at the Helm Bank.
B. POLICE
In case a uniformed police officer or uniformed military officer should stop you, you
should present your documents when asked. Do not resist, question or argue, even
though it may be an inconvenience. In case you are arrested, make every effort to
inform a PC staff or fellow Trainee/Volunteer that you have been arrested. Make an
effort to explain that you are a Peace Corps Volunteer and that Peace Corps is a
part of the U.S. Embassy Mission in Colombia. Insist on calling the Duty Officer or
Peace Corps.
In the case of serious accident or hospitalization, contact the PCMO and/or the
Duty Officer. If you cannot make the call yourself, have someone else make the call
for you.
C. INSURANCE
Since Peace Corps will not reimburse for stolen items, it is strongly encouraged
that you purchase insurance if you have not already done so. Clements is generally
the company many use for overseas coverage ( http://www.clements.com/) but there
are others as well that you may use.
D. FIRE ARMS
No PCV is to own or control the use of a gun or other firearm. No firearms or
ammunition are ever, under any circumstances, to be present in a Volunteers
living quarters.

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E. EMERGENCIES
PCV Emergencies and Accidents
Here in Colombia, as anywhere, good communication and careful advance planning
are essential for handling an emergency. Please prepare yourself for the
emergency that may never happen by adhering to the following instructions.
If an emergency occurs during office hours, the PCV/PCT should call the PC Office.
During evenings, weekends and holidays, PCVs/PCTs should call the Medical
Emergency Duty Phone 310-247-7200 for medical emergencies, or the Duty Officer
Phone 312-451-4301 for non-medical emergencies. If for any reason you cannot
get through to these numbers, call the Country Director, the DPT or DMO, or any
other staff member for assistance. You will be provided with a card with these
numbers, but you should also program them into your cell phone and share them
with your host family, counterparts or other close contacts in your site.
F. SITE LOCATOR FORMS (SLF)
Site Locator Forms (SLF) are the most important tools we use for staff to quickly
locate a Volunteer in case of an emergency. A poorly done or not updated site
locator form delays communication with the PCV and may delay the amount of
time it takes to notify the PCV in case of a family emergency, or other kind of
emergency.
The fundamental building block of the communication system is the SLF. Each
Volunteer is responsible for maintaining his/her SLF with accurate updated
information. It is the SSC who receives all Volunteer SLFs and ensures that VIDA is
updated to include new SLF information. It is the SSCs responsibility to distribute
the SLFs (new and revised) to the EAP Warden/Coordinators and make them
available for senior staff.
Within 30 days in your site, you should know: (1) the best as well as alternative
means of getting to and from the PC Office; (2) the means of transportation to
Barranquilla from your site, including, when applicable, at least two Puerta/Puerta
providers, and the Berlitur terminal to terminal alternative; (3) two or three people
with vehicles who could take you to Barranquilla or the nearest hospital in the case
of an emergency; (4) the PC-approved medical centers and their locations in Santa
Marta, Cartagena and Barranquilla; and (5) your closest PCV neighbor and how to
reach him or her by phone as well as by bus.

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Within the same 30 day time period, you must fill out and return the Site Locator
Form (SLF) to the Safety and Security Coordinator (SSC) for review and to ensure
completeness. The SSC will retain the original SLF and distribute copies to
appropriate staff. The SLF must include the above information, plus a map showing
the location of your host family home, best means of transportation to and from
your site, nearest medical care, and any other pertinent information. Please be
sure the site locator form is as accurate as possible, and that someone
will be able to locate you using only this form. Whenever necessary, and
particularly in the event of any site change, please also ensure that the SLF is
updated with the clearest and most accurate data. Vacations will not be approved
if you do not have an accurate SLF on file.
In summary:
1. Complete a SLF Immediately upon arrival to your site.
2. Submit a new SLF if you change residence and move to another host family.
3. Submit a revised SLF every time you need to change any of the information
requested.
G. SEXUAL ASSAULT
Sexual assault is as severe a problem in Colombia as it is anywhere else. To avoid
it, try to remember that this is a culture of sheltered women and act accordingly.
Women, especially, should never be alone on the street after 9 p.m. Do not camp
out alone under the stars. If you must be out late make sure you are accompanied
-- preferably by a male you know and trust, or take a taxi you have ordered to the
house, not hailing one on the street.
Please read carefully the following section on Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and
Response.
Commitment to Sexual Assault Victims
Peace Corps is committed to providing a compassionate and supportive response
to all Volunteers who have been sexually assaulted. To that end, the Peace Corps
makes the following commitment to our Volunteers who are victims of sexual
assault.
1. Compassion: We will treat you with dignity and respect. No one deserves to
be a victim of a sexual assault.
2. Safety: We will take appropriate steps to provide for your ongoing safety.
3. Support: We will provide you with the support you need to aid in your
recovery.

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4. Legal: We will help you understand the relevant legal processes and your legal
options.
5. Open Communication: We will keep you informed of the progress of your
case, should you choose to pursue prosecution.
6. Continuation of Service: We will work closely with you to make decisions
regarding your continued service.
7. Privacy: We will respect your privacy and will not, without your consent,
disclose your identity or share the details of the incident with anyone who does
not have a legitimate need to know.
Peace Corps staff worldwide will demonstrate this commitment to you through our
words and actions.
All reports of sexual assault are handled with the utmost confidentiality and the
PCV/T has the choice of restricted reporting where PII is only provided to
designated staff, and standard reporting where PII is provided to the CD, Police,
RSO, and OIG. All reports of sexual assault are treated initially as restricted reports
with the PCV/T contacting the PCMO immediately.
Peace Corps
Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and Response Program
General Description of Peace Corps Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and
Response Program
Peace Corps has in place a comprehensive Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and
Response (SARRR) Program that reflects its unwavering commitment to reducing
risks for Volunteers and responding effectively and compassionately to reports of
sexual assault and other crimes.
The program takes a two-pronged approach. The first is to reduce risks through
training for Volunteers, including bystander intervention, risk assessment, and
other skill-building sessions during Pre- and In-Service Training; the second is to
ensure that Peace Corps staff responds effectively and compassionately when
incidents do occur, through staff training, the Office of Victim Advocacy, and the
appointment of trained Sexual Assault Response Liaisons (SARLs) at each post.
The Peace Corps offers a wide variety of support services to victims of sexual
assault. If you are the victim of sexual assault or even if you are unsure if you have
been victimized, we strongly encourage you to report this to staff at post so that
you can get the services that you need to aid in your recovery. No one deserves to
be the victim of a sexual assault. We are committed to treat you with dignity and
respect and to respect your privacy.

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The SARRR Program includes new and updated policies, extensive training for
Volunteers and staff, and clearly defined procedures for reducing risks and
responding to Volunteers who are victims of sexual assault. It reflects Peace
Corps ironclad commitment to the physical and emotional well-being of every
single Volunteer and our desire to create an environment where Volunteers can
feel confident seeking support from Peace Corps.
Below are descriptions of the critical training, policies and procedures related to
the SARRR Program.
Volunteer Training on Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and Response
Peace Corps wants every Volunteer to have a safe, healthy and productive
service. To that end, Peace Corps has designed four comprehensive personal
safety and security training sessions for Pre-Service Training centered around
Personal Safety and Risk Reduction, Sexual Assault Awareness, Sexual Assault
Impact, Reporting and Response, and a peer-based support model widely used in
the United States called Bystander Intervention.
In addition, each Peace Corps post integrates critical information into language
and cross-cultural training sessions in both Pre-Service and In-Service Training.
These
trainings
cover
topics
such
as
dealing
with
unwanted
attention/harassment, gender issues and dating, site entry and integration, and
how to report incidents and access support from the Peace Corps.
A Volunteer-Centered Approach to Reporting Sexual Assaults: Restricted
and Standard Reporting
If a Volunteer is sexually assaulted, she/he has the option to make either a
restricted or standard report. Volunteers may, for a variety of reasons, be
reluctant or unwilling to report sexual assaults. As a result, the Peace Corps has
developed two confidential reporting options to provide Volunteers with a choice
when reporting a sexual assault. By giving Volunteers these two options, we hope
to encourage all Volunteers who are the victims of sexual assault to come forward
so they receive the services that they need.
Restricted Reporting: A Volunteer who wishes to make a restricted report
about a sexual assault should contact the PCMO or the other Designated Staff
(SSC, SARL or Victim Advocate) directly. Restricted reporting strictly limits access
to information about an assault to only those providing support services
requested by the Volunteer. Under restricted reporting a Volunteer has the ability
to request medical, counseling, advocacy and legal services without sharing
personal information or the details of the assault beyond those who directly
provide services, and without triggering an investigation. Peace Corps service
providers at post, called Designated Staff, include the PCMO, the SSC, and the
SARL. Service providers at Headquarters are also Designated Staff and include an

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Assigned Security Specialist in the Office of Safety and Security, and the Victim
Advocate.
Standard Reporting: A Volunteer who wishes to report a sexual assault should
contact the PCMO or other Designated Staff (SSC, SARL, or Victim Advocate)
directly. Standard reporting provides a Volunteer who has been sexually assaulted
the ability to seek criminal, legal or administrative action against the offender.
Standard reporting also allows a Volunteer to widen the circle of support by
including the Country Director or other staff as needed. Standard reports are
confidentially shared with the Country Director, and may be shared with other
staff who have a specific need to know the information contained in the report in
order to perform specific tasks that are part of their official duties.
Restricted Report Services

Standard Report Services

1. The option to make either a


restricted report or a standard
report, including an explanation
of Peace Corps reporting
options.

1. All restricted report services.

2. Provision of a Sexual Assault


Response Liaison (SARL) and a
Victim Advocate.

3. Assistance in any legal


proceedings related to the
sexual assault.

3. Provision of a sexual assault


forensic exam in accordance
with host country laws.

4. Retention of legal counsel to


represent the Volunteer in
legal proceedings.

4. Provision of emergency health


care, to treat medical
complications from the sexual
assault.

5. Consideration of site or hostfamily change.

5. Provision of counseling and


psychiatric medication, if
necessary.
6. Completion of a Safety Plan
and a Medical Treatment Plan.
7. Evacuation for medical
treatment accompanied by
Designated Staff at the request
of the Volunteer.

2. Assistance in filing a report


with law enforcement
authorities.

6. Ability to report to, and


receive assistance from, the
Office of Inspector General or
the Office of Civil Rights and
Diversity.
7. Ability to initiate formal Peace
Corps administrative
processes, including initiating
a complaint of sexual
misconduct if the assailant is
another Peace Corps
Volunteer.

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8. An explanation of law
enforcement and prosecutorial
options, including, for this
purpose, legal representation.

8. Support and assistance from


the Country Director and
other non-Designated Staff,
as needed.
9. Any other services deemed
necessary in the particular
circumstances.

If you have any questions about services provided under restricted or standard
reporting, contact the PCMO, SSC, SARL or Victim Advocate.
Conversion of Restricted Report into Standard Report: A Volunteers
report of sexual assault is presumed to be a restricted report until she/he
exercises the option to make the report a standard report or until it is otherwise
converted into a standard report in accordance with Peace Corps procedures.
Under no circumstances may a restricted report be converted into a standard
report without the consent of the Volunteer or unless the Office of the General
Counsel, in conjunction with the Assigned Security Specialist or the Office of
Health Services, has determined in accordance with Peace Corps procedures, that
an exception applies.
Exceptions to Sharing Personal Information from a Restricted Report: In
cases where Volunteers elect restricted reporting, disclosure of personally
identifying information (PII) is authorized to the following persons or organization
when disclosure would be for the following reasons:

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1. Peace Corps staff or law enforcement when authorized by the Volunteer in


writing;
2. Peace Corps staff or law enforcement to prevent or lessen a serious or
imminent threat to the health or safety of the Volunteer or others;
3. SARLS, Victim Advocates, or health care providers for the provision of
services;
4. State and Federal courts when ordered, or if disclosure is required by
Federal or State statute.
If you have any questions about exceptions to sharing PII from a restricted report,
contact your PCMO, SSC or Victim Advocate.
Immunity from Peace Corps Disciplinary Action for Victims of Sexual
Assault
The Peace Corps policy is to encourage reporting of sexual assaults and to not
focus on the victims behavior or otherwise blame the victim, either directly or
indirectly, for the assault. In furtherance of this policy, the Peace Corps will
provide the victim of a sexual assault, as well as any witness who provides
information or assistance in relation to the sexual assault of a Volunteer or
Trainee, with immunity for policy violations related to the incident. No victim of a
sexual assault or any such witness will be subject to any disciplinary action for
any violation of an agency-wide or post-specific policy that may have taken place
in connection with, or in the same general time frame as, the assault.
There are certain exceptions to this policy. While policy violations will not be
handled as disciplinary matters, any implications that such violations may have
for the ability of the Volunteer or Trainee to continue to serve in a safe and
effective manner may be addressed in professional counseling. Also, if a case
involves particularly severe conduct that has an impact on a Volunteers or
Trainees ability to continue to serve safely and effectively or that has a
significant impact on the programs or operations of the Peace Corps, it may be
addressed through consultations among the Victim Advocate, Peace Corps
headquarters and the post, with a final decision to be made by the Deputy
Director.
This policy only applies to disciplinary action by the Peace Corps. It does not
grant immunity for criminal or civil liability for violations of U.S. or local law.
Sexual Assault Response Liaisons
Two Sexual Assault Response Liaisons (SARLs) have been appointed at every
Peace Corps post. SARLs provide services at the request of the Volunteer and

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may assist Volunteers making Restricted or standard reports. When requested, a


SARL acts as a member of the Designated Staff whose primary purpose is to
respond to and support Volunteers who report a sexual assault. A SARL works
collaboratively with other Designated Staff to ensure the Volunteer is safe and
then provides a comforting presence throughout the in-country response,
including meetings with Peace Corps staff or law enforcement, appointments with
medical providers for sexual assault forensic exams, and court proceedings.
SARLs may also accompany a victim of sexual assault on medevac.
SARLs receive comprehensive training about the dynamics of sexual assault and
its impact on victims, effective and compassionate response to victims, and the
importance of confidentiality and privacy. To request the services of a SARL, talk
to your PCMO or contact your SARL directly.
Office of Victim Advocacy
A Victim Advocate based in Washington, DC is available 24-hours a day for any
Volunteer who has been a victim of a crime, including sexual assault. The Victim
Advocate can assist Volunteers/Trainees in understanding their medical and legal
options, accessing support services and making informed decisions. A Victim
Advocate is one of the Designated Staff for restricted reports and will proactively
reach out to every victim of a sexual assault. The Victim Advocate may be
reached
by
calling
or
texting
+1-202-409-2704
or
emailing
victimadvocate@peacecorps.gov.
Sexual Misconduct
The Peace Corps strives to create a respectful, non-threatening environment
between Volunteers/Trainees. The Peace Corps Volunteer/Trainee Sexual
Misconduct policy describes a broad range of behaviors that are deemed
inappropriate and will not be tolerated. Sexual misconduct includes nonconsensual sexual activity, non-consensual sexual contact, sexual exploitation,
sexual harassment and stalking.
The Peace Corps Volunteer/Trainee Sexual Misconduct policy encourages prompt
reporting of all types of sexual misconduct by Volunteers and Trainees and
provides for a timely and fair resolution of sexual misconduct complaints. The
policy establishes an administrative process to manage a Volunteer/Trainees
allegations of sexual misconduct against another Volunteer. As long as the
accused Volunteer/Trainee continues to serve in the Peace Corps, there is no time
limit for bringing a complaint of sexual misconduct. However, Volunteers/Trainees
are encouraged to report sexual misconduct immediately in order to maximize
the Peace Corps ability to obtain evidence and conduct a thorough, impartial and
reliable investigation.

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The administrative process under the Volunteer/Trainee Sexual Misconduct policy


is only available under standard reporting of sexual assault. If the complaining
Volunteer is not sure if she/he wishes to make a report of sexual assault under
standard reporting, she/he can discuss her/his options with a PCMO and a Victim
Advocate before making a decision. Once the Volunteer has decided to make a
complaint under the Volunteer/Trainee Sexual Misconduct policy, the first step is
to bring the complaint to the attention of the Country Director.
The Volunteer/Trainee Sexual Misconduct policy applies only to complaints of
sexual misconduct by other Volunteers or Trainees. A Volunteer who is the victim
of a sexual assault committed by a Peace Corps staff member or contractor, or
any other person who receives funds from Peace Corps, can make a Restricted
Report and receive support services. However, if the Volunteer wishes to report
the incident to law enforcement authorities or to the Country Director, the Office
of Inspector General or the Office or Civil Rights and Diversity, it will have to be
converted into a standard report.
Stalking
Stalking is serious and can escalate over time. Incidents of stalking should be
reported like other crimes and post staff will quickly respond with appropriate
action to ensure the Volunteers safety and well-being.
Stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific Volunteer that would cause
a reasonable person to fear for his/her safety or the safety of others, or to suffer
substantial emotional distress. Volunteers who are victims of stalking, including
cyber-stalking, are strongly encouraged to report the incident to Peace Corps.
Confidentiality Protection
Peace Corps will ensure that the confidentiality of Volunteers who raise
allegations of wrongdoing and other concerns is protected. Peace Corps staff
must take appropriate measures to ensure the Volunteers safety and
confidentiality, and to ensure the allegation is given serious consideration,
including referral to the Office of Inspector General, as appropriate. Retaliation
of any kind against the Volunteer is prohibited.
Peace Corps Confidentiality Protection policy describes the right of a Volunteer
or Trainee to report activities which may constitute: a violation of federal law,
rule, or regulation; mismanagement; serious misconduct; gross waste of funds;
abuse of authority; or a substantial and specific danger to the public health and
safety relating to the programs and operations of the Peace Corps. Volunteers
and Trainees have the right to report an allegation to the Office of Inspector
General, senior staff at headquarters, your Country Director or other senior staff
at post regarding any activity which you believe falls within the categories listed
above. This policy also encourages you to discuss with Peace Corps staff
allegations or concerns that are beyond the legal jurisdiction of Peace Corps,

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such as behavior by a host country national not directly involved in a Peace


Corps program.
To make an allegation or raise a concern, contact the Country Director. You may
also contact the Office of Inspector General at +1 202 6922915 or toll-free in the
United States at (800) 233-5874; or at OIG@peacecorps.gov.

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COMMITMENT TO SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS


Peace Corps is committed to providing a compassionate and
supportive response to all Volunteers who have been sexually
assaulted. To that end, Peace Corps makes the following commitment
to our Volunteers who are victims of sexual assault.
1.

COMPASSION
We will treat you with dignity and respect.
No one deserves to be a victim of a sexual
assault.

2.

SAFETY
We will take appropriate steps to provide for
your ongoing safety.

3.

SUPPORT
We will provide you with the support you need
to aid in your recovery.

4.

LEGAL
We will help you understand the relevant legal
processes and your legal options.

5.

OPEN COMMUNICATION
We will keep you informed of the progress of your
case, should you chose to pursue prosecution.

6.

CONTINUATION OF SERVICE
We will work closely with you to make decisions
regarding your continued service.

7.

PRIVACY
We will respect your privacy and will not, without
your consent, disclose your identity or share the details

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of the incident with anyone who does not have a


legitimate need to know.
Peace Corps staff worldwide will demonstrate this commitment to you through our
words and actions.

H. EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN


PC/Colombias Emergency Action Plan (EAP) was developed to ensure the safety of
PCVs/PCTs in the event of civil unrest, natural disaster, or other emergency. Its
purpose is to identify the type of emergency situations anticipated by PC/CO, and
to plan contingencies to meet those emergencies.
Every PCV/PCT should have a copy of the PCV Short Version of the EAP. In the event
of an emergency, please refer to this document for further information.
An integral part of PC/COs Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is the PCV/PCT Emergency
Contact System, which is made available for communication with all PCVs/PCTs.
The PCV/PCT Emergency Contact System is also designed to mobilize PCVs and
direct them to Embassy approved evacuation points in the event that evacuation
of all U.S. citizens becomes necessary.
In implementing a PCV/PCT Emergency Contact System, PC has assigned each
PCV/PCT to an Emergency Contact Group (ECG), which is a cluster of PCVs/PCTs
that live reasonably close and with relative ease of communication (also referred to
as a nucleus for integrated programming purposes). For each Emergency Contact
Group (ECG), PC designates a Regional Warden/Coordinator and an alternate in
case that person is not available. Regional Warden/Coordinators are selected
principally on basis of location, ease of communication, and availability of public
transportation.
PC/CO will send all Regional Warden/Coordinators (and Alternates) up-dated
information concerning their responsibilities and contact information concerning
each PCV/PCT in his/her ECG at the end of each training cycle.
During an emergency, PC/CO will rely on the Regional Warden/Coordinators to
communicate with PCVs/PCTs, and to receive status reports concerning each
PCV/PCT within each of the PC zones. Steps are as follows:

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PCVs/PCTs should maintain contact with the Regional Warden/Coordinator


during an emergency.
If the Regional Warden/Coordinator cannot be located, PCVs/PCTs should
contact the alternate.
If the Regional Warden/Coordinator and the alternate cannot be located,
PCVs/PCTs should contact the PC/ CO office directly or the Liaison for their
Emergency Contact Group.

If a PCV/PCT receives a message from the Regional Warden/Coordinator or office,


he/she must return the call to confirm that the message was received and
understood. If a PCV/PCT first hears of an emergency, it is his/her responsibility to
communicate with the Regional Warden/Coordinator to seek further instruction. If
this is not possible, the PCV/PCT should communicate with the PC Office or the U.S.
Embassy. In an emergency situation, it is imperative that PC/CO has a complete
status report on all PCVs/PCTs. A listing of the status of each PCV/PCT will be
maintained and updated at the PC Office.
1. Warning Phases
Based upon the severity of the emergency, PC/CO will use a system of four warning
or emergency phases. The decision to activate any phase will be made in
consultation with the Embassy. The phases are as follows:
Phase I
Alert

This means:
PCVs should notify PC if they leave site, and
provide contact information in case additional communication is
required. PCVs may need to seek permission to leave their sites,
depending on the situation.

Phase II
Stand Fast

This means:

Phase III
Consolidati
on

This means:
Go to pre-arranged consolidation point and await
further instruction.

Stay in your site until further notice.

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Phase IV
Evacuation

ALL CLEAR

This means:
Move to designated evacuation point.
Contact your Regional Warden/Coordinator or the PC Office to
receive instructions on the most appropriate evacuation route for
the situation. Different options include:
Evacuation 1: Move to Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta
Evacuation 2: Move to neighboring country.
Evacuation 3: Move to airport/airstrip for air evacuation.
This means:
The danger has passed. This code would probably
be used to call off a stand fast. If in consolidation or at evacuation
point, there should be phone communication in order to transmit the
all-clear message.

2. Safety & Security: City Specific Information


Arroyos in Barranquilla:
Since Barranquilla does not have a storm drainage system, when it rains,
dangerous flash flooding quickly takes place. There are several streets where this
flooding in severe and renders the streets impassable as they become raging rivers
or Arroyos. Generally when it is threatening to rain, the citys citizens quickly get
to the safe side of the known arroyos. And when the rain starts, people stay put
until it clears and the arroyos recede. We highly suggest when in Barranquilla or if
you live here, take the following chart into account, especially if you are here
during the rainy season (essentially May-December) or need to be someplace at a
set time. Remember, culturally it is acceptable to miss a meeting or be late due to
the rain. Everyone will understand, even at the PC-office.
SECTION VII. GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION IN COLOMBIA
National Authority
Ramas del Poder Pblico:
Poder Legislativo

Poder Ejecutivo

Poder Judicial

Congreso
de
-Senado
-Cmara de Representantes
Constitucional

Presidente

Corte Suprema

Vice-Presidente

Justicia
Corte

Ministerios

Consejo

Interior

Consejo

Justicia y del Derecho

la Judicatura

Estado
Superior de

de

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Relaciones Exteriores

Tribunales

Juzgados:
Hacienda y Crdito Pblico
Civil
Defensa Nacional
Comercial
Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural
Criminal
Salud y Proteccin Social
Laboral
Trabajo
Minas y Energa
Fiscalas
Comercio, Industria y Turismo
Educacin Nacional
Vivienda, Ciudad y Territorio
Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible
Tecnologas de la Informacin y Comunicaciones
Transporte
Cultura
Departamentos Administrativos

Decentralized Authorities
Colombia is divided into Departments. Each department has a capital city
and is further divided into districts or municipalities. Each district has an
urban center (or casco urbano), often surrounded by peri-urban barrios or
rural villages. Key authorities at each level are as follows:
Department Level:
Gobernador (similar to a Governor in the U.S.): elected by the Departmental
electorate
There is one Governor in each Department. A Gobernador is the top authority
for the Department. He/she holds office in the capital city of the Department
at a building called La Gobernacin.
Secretarios: Heads of cabinet offices or Secretariats; appointed by the
Gobernador.
District Level:
Alcalde (Mayor): As of May 1991 elected by the community by direct vote.
Secretarios: Heads of cabinet offices or Secretariats; appointed by the
Alcalde.
Comisario (Police Chief): Police chief responsible to a departmental head and
the national police head in Bogota.

132

APPENDICES

133

Appendix A - VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK SUPPLEMENT


VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK SUPPLEMENT
We encourage trainees to be familiar with the Volunteer Handbook. It is the
most comprehensive collection of Peace Corps Colombia policies for
Volunteer work and conduct. But for those of you who like short, crisp
summaries of what is important, or if you are easily distracted, a synopsis of
the major dos and donts of Peace Corps Colombia is provided below.
For other information about how to work the administrative minutia of Peace
Corps Colombia, like vacation request procedures and emergency leave, you
will want to read the Volunteer Handbook more closely.
TOP ELEVEN HIGHLIGHTS OF THE VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK
1.

Follow all Safety & Security guidelines and policies

2.

Do not do drugs ever!

3.

Do not ride a motorcycle ever!

4.

Do not leave country without permission ever!

5.

Do not drive (except on vacation days).

6.

Do not ride a bicycle without a helmet or ride in a boat without a


lifejacket.

7.

Do follow Whereabouts Reporting procedures whenever you leave


your residence site overnight. Also make your whereabouts known
to family, neighbors or counterparts - where you will be and when
you will return (write it down).

8.

Do build a strong relationship with your APCD/Project Manager send monthly calendars; touch base frequently by email or phone
calls..

9.

Do attend all Regional Meetings (March and September). These


meetings are mandatory and a great opportunity to share ideas and
receive support from colleague PCVs and staff.

10.

Do comply with all medical requirements vaccinations, malaria


prophylaxis, etc.

11.

Do raise the bar as a role model and representative of the Peace


Corps. This includes a demonstrated commitment to your
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community and the work of Peace Corps. Behavior unbecoming a


PCV may lead to administrative separation.
Appendix B
PC- Colombia Transportation Policy
February 2013
Peace Corps Colombias Transportation Policy is based on criteria set forth by
Manual Section 450 and is applicable to Peace Corps Colombia Volunteers
and Trainees, Peace Corps Response Volunteers, and Peace Corps Volunteers
travelling to Colombia from other posts. Where the term Volunteer is used, it
is applicable to all. Manual Section 450 requires that Volunteers adhere to
the transportation policies of their country of service while they are in their
assigned country. Volunteers on official travel or personal leave to another
post outside of their country of service must adhere to that post's
transportation policies. Volunteers are also responsible for following the
restrictions on travel destinations of the post in the country being visited.
PC/Colombia staff (primarily the SSC) will assist the Volunteer in obtaining
the policies of the destination country. This policy will be reviewed on an
annual basis as to ensure that it is kept current and relative to Volunteer
needs.
Volunteers must adhere to this policy and failure to comply may be
grounds for administrative separation. This transportation policy is
consistent with and complementary to Posts Out-of-Site Policy and
Volunteers must abide by them at all times.
Peace Corps Office Colombia
Calle 77B # 57-141, Suite 713
Centro Empresarial Las Amricas
Barranquilla, Colombia
Switchboard: (035)385- 1060, ext.
100
whereabouts@co.peacecorps.gov

Director
of
Management
Operations:
Casey B. Welch
Cell: 312-451-4293
cwelch@peacecorps.gov

Country Director:
George Baldino
Home phone: (035) 301-4513
Cell: 312-451-4292
gbaldino@peacecorps.gov

Colombia phone country code: 57-5

& Safety & Security Coordinator:


Viviana Ardila
Cell: 312-451-5503
vardila@peacecorps.gov
whereabouts@co.peacecorps.gov

Back up Safety& Security


Alberto Maldonado
almaldonado@peacecorps.gov

Phone(035)385-1060, ext 502

135

Medical
Duty
Officer
Number: 310-247-7200
Peace Corps Medical
(PCMO):
312-451-4303

Duty Officer Phone Number


312- 451-4301

U.S. Embassy Consul Office


Barranquilla
(57-5) 353-2001
U.S. Embassy Bogota
(57-1) 275 0811
RSO: (57-1) 275-2903
Mobile: 313 870 1518
ARSO: Cartagena Mobile: 314-3592660
Office phone: (57-5) 664-9369 ext
2229

Police and
Number:
123/112

Emergency

Phone
Officer

Phone

Barranquilla: 321-394-3979
Cartagena:
320-304-6557
Santa Marta: 320-295-2489

Transportation risks are some of the more serious safety and security
concerns faced by Volunteers in Colombia.
The Safety and Security
Coordinator (SSC) is the staff person responsible for monitoring
transportation issues, for providing recommendations and updates on
transportation companies, carriers, road closings and conditions, and for
responding to questions or concerns about transportation safety.
General Travel Guidelines
Failure to fully comply with any part of this Peace Corps Colombia travel
policy may result in Administrative Separation for PCVs/Ts.
The entire travel policy applies equally to both Peace Corps Volunteers
(PCVs) and Peace Corps Trainees (PCTs), and applies to PCVs/Ts at all times
(including vacations) while they are in Colombia.
Public Transportation
In order to ensure Volunteer/Trainee safety on public transportation, PCVs/Ts
are encouraged to get to know buses and drivers that travel scheduled
routes at assigned sites. PCVs/Ts are encouraged to get off a bus or colectivo
when feeling unsafe.
Due to the risk of an accident or sudden evasive action by the driver, which
could result in death or serious injury, Volunteers may not ride in the back of
any regular pick-up or on top of any vehicles.
Other transportation safety rules for Volunteers to follow include:

136

Where multiple options exist, the safest transportation option that is


within the Volunteer living allowance should be used;
Seat belts should be worn whenever available.
Whenever possible, a radio dispatch taxi company for taxi pickups in
Barranquilla, Santa Marta or Cartagena should be called.
Taxis must not be shared with strangers in the PCVs/Ts assigned city or
other urban areas.
Night travel along the coastal highway, between Barranquilla, Santa
Marta, and Cartagena is prohibited (night is defined as any period of
darkness).
In recent months there has been an increase in armed robberies on
buses in the metropolitan areas of Colombias major coastal cities.
Volunteers should consult with the SSC or other senior staff for special
guidance if intra-city or inter-city bus transportation is deemed
necessary.

Buses, Colectivos
For inter-city bus trips between Cartagena and Barranquilla and between
Barranquilla and Santa Marta, Volunteers have two options for inter-city
travel: the vans popularly known as Puerta a Puerta (which is door-to-door)
and Berlinatur Van Service. Note that the Berlinatur Van Service operates
from terminal to terminal, not door-to-door, for inter-city travel. The terminals
are located in safe zones of Barranquilla, Santa Marta and Cartagena, and
the addresses and phone numbers are listed in Appendix A. Only after
arrival to Barranquilla, Santa Marta or Cartagena, are Volunteers permitted to
use the regular intra-city public buses.
For safety reasons, PCVs/Ts should always sit on the right side of the bus, on
the side opposite the driver, from the second through the 8th rows. In case of
accident, this is typically the safest part of the bus, as the left side is most
often impacted. PCVs/Ts should never sit in the last row on either side, due to
the danger of an impact from behind. Also PCVs/T should sit close to the hall,
not in the corner, for getting out the bus if necessary and avoid the risk of
robbery or sexual assault..
While major accidents involving inter-city buses occur with some regularity,
buses are also sometimes targeted for attack by armed actors, a factor that
raises special concern. Many illegal groups from the decades-long civil
conflict continue to operate to varying degrees throughout the country.
These groups can and do present a legitimate threat on the countrys
highways. Therefore, it is necessary to place specific restrictions and provide
guidelines on traveling within and between cities throughout Colombia.
Volunteers must use air transportation for any inter-city travel outside of the
north coast highway area. Volunteer bus travel is limited to the bus lines
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listed in Appendix A. If Volunteers are interested in visiting other Mission


approved cities in Colombia, they must consult PC/Colombia staff to confirm
what travel options are permitted in that area, prior to travelling. Volunteers
may not travel on overnight busses anywhere in Colombia.
There are no general restrictions on utilizing intra-city buses. However,
Volunteers must comply with site-specific restrictions on bus routes which
pass through the following high-risk neighborhoods:

When traveling to the south Atlntico area of Campo de la Cruz and


Suan, or in Barranquilla to the Ernesto Cortissoz Airport along the
corridor (Calle 30) between Soledad and Malambo and the Circunvalar,
Volunteers are not allowed to transfer to another bus along the corridor
itself. When transfer to another bus is required, the transfer should be
made at the SENA bus stop across from Carrera 4, or at the police
station, Coca-Cola, and Jumbo supermarket locations between Carrera
18 and 20. These locations offer a better security environment.

Further, if required to support a work-related activity or attend a workrelated function in off-limits inner-city locations such as Malambo or
Soledad in Barranquilla, approval must first be requested from the
PC/Colombia CD, with details provided on travel plans and coordination
with the PC partner or community organization.

Travel Chart
The chart below will help Volunteers understand which types of land travel
are authorized at different times of day and in different locations.
Travel
Location

Day Road Night Road Use


Travel?
Travel?
Buses?

Intra-City
Yes
on Coast
Inter-City
Yes
on Coast
Inter-City to No
other
Mission
approved
cities from

of Puerta
a
Puerta
&Terminal to
Terminal
(Berlinatur
Vans
Service)
N.A.

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

No

No

No

138

the Coast
In
and Yes
around
Mission
Approv.
Cities
outside
Coast

No

Yes
(but Yes
(but
consult
PC consult
PC
before trip)
before trip)

Taxis
Taxis are relatively inexpensive and plentiful throughout the Caribbean Coast
region of Colombia and are often the only practical means of transportation
between two points. Volunteers should become familiar with reputable taxi
services in their communities.
If a Volunteer needs to take a street taxi, the Volunteer should be careful to
take a duly registered taxi, with the license number painted on the side, and
a taxi decal permanently attached to the roof. The Volunteer should note the
license plate number of the taxi, and is encouraged to make a cell phone call
from the taxi or send a text message to the Duty Officer, SSC or the Project
Manager indicating the license number. Volunteers should never take a taxi
that only has a removable taxi placard on the windshield. Volunteers have
been robbed in such taxi bambas.
Volunteers should be aware that taxis (usually small vans) that function as
colectivos are often crowded, putting passengers at risk of petty theft and
pick pocketing. These vans normally wait for, or pick up multiple passengers
along a fixed route
For intra-city travel during nighttime hours, it is recommended that
Volunteers use radio dispatched taxis whenever possible.
Bicycles
Volunteers should be aware of the challenges of bike riding in Colombia,
given the lack of respect shown to bike riders by drivers of other vehicles and
the conditions of many streets and roads. Volunteers are required to receive
prior approval from the Country Director to ride bicycles in Colombia,
whether for personal or work-related reasons. If approved, a Volunteer must
wear a helmet at all times when riding a bicycle, and failure to do so will
result in disciplinary action, up to and including administrative separation.
For a Volunteer who must ride a bicycle to carry out his/her assigned work,
PC/Colombia will provide an appropriate helmet.
Motorcycles
A PCV/PCT is not allowed to drive or ride as a passenger on a motorcycle. A
"motorcycle" is any two-or three-wheeled motorized vehicle (including
139

"mopeds" and ATVs) intended for transportation of passengers. This includes


motorcycles used as taxis and counterpart-owned motorcycles. The only
exception to this policy is for specific motocarro use described below.
Volunteers who drive or ride motorcycles will be subject to disciplinary
action, including immediate administrative separation.
Motocarro (Taxi)
Volunteers are allowed to ride a Motocarro (a three wheeler motor vehicle) in
specific communities where heavy congested traffic is not an issue.
Volunteers may currently ride this type of transportation in the communities
of Campo de La Cruz, Sun, Galapa, Juan de Acosta, Pioj, Tubar, La Playa
and Puerto Colombia. This list may expand as additional communities are
approved for PCV site placement. However, Volunteers are not allowed to use
a motocarro service motocarro or bicitaxis - on major highways, even
when close or adjacent to the communities mentioned above.
Boats
Volunteers sometimes travel by boat in tourist destinations or may need to
travel by boat in certain work sites. Whenever traveling by boat, Volunteers
must use lifejackets and ensure that appropriate flotation devices are
available. Boats range from large riverboats to small craft on lakes or the
ocean. For Volunteers assigned to sites that require water travel,
PC/Colombia will provide a type IV USCG approved lifejacket to the Volunteer
site. These lifejackets can be used for work related travel or for travel
associated with approved leave.
Horses
In unusual circumstances, Volunteers may need to utilize horses for
transportation. Since the purchase and care of a horse can be expensive and
time consuming, Volunteers should normally rent or borrow instead of
purchasing horses. If a Volunteer wishes to purchase a horse, they are
required to seek CD approval.
Volunteers should be cautious about where they ride. Isolated trails are
locations vulnerable to assaults and robberies. Further, Volunteers must wear
bicycle helmets or similar riding helmets when riding horses. For a Volunteer
who must ride horses to carry out his/her assigned work, PC/Colombia will
provide an appropriate helmet.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking in the American or European sense is unknown in Colombia and
is prohibited for Volunteers. Even when offered a ride by a community
colleague, friend or acquaintance, a Volunteer should exercise caution,
prudence and good judgment.
Peace Corps vehicles
140

Only staff members may drive vehicles, except as provided for in Peace
Corps Manual Section 522. Peace Corps vehicles are for transporting staff,
Volunteers, and others on official business. PC vehicles may not be used for
personal reasons except in approved exceptional circumstances
contemplated in the Peace Corps Manual Section 522. All drivers and
passengers must use seat belts, even for short trips. Enforcing this regulation
is the responsibility of the vehicle's driver.
Trips to the Tayrona Park
Tayrona Park is a heavily visited tourist area with various activity attractions,
including hiking, horseback riding, scuba diving, rafting and kayaking, among
others. After receiving prior CD approval, a Volunteer must take extra care to
comply with a detailed and complete whereabouts notification, including the
names of persons traveling with the Volunteer, lodging information if
applicable, the best means of communication, and the departure and return
date and type of transportation to be used (public or private). In addition,
when travel is approved, the traveler must comply with PC/Colombias
Tayrona Park monitoring requirement by sending a text message on a daily
basis to the Duty Officer or SSC. As with all requests that require prior CD
approval, the necessary travel request form is to be submitted at least
fifteen days prior to the start of the trip. Further, if the trip involves vacation
days, the vacation request must be submitted to the Program Manager for
approval at least 15 days prior to the planned vacation.
Volunteer driving in Colombia
Volunteers may not drive in Colombia. They may not own, rent, or borrow a
motor vehicle in Colombia (including an automobile, motorcycle, or threewheeled cycle).
Air travel
Air travel will be authorized for Volunteers when necessary to attend official
Peace Corps events. Volunteers may also travel by air for vacation purposes,
and such travel must be in conformity with PC/Colombia in-country travel
policies. When for emergency or other special purposes, travel in noncommercial charter or private planes, or helicopter is deemed necessary,
prior CD approval is required.
Approved Travel Locations
The security situation in Colombia is improving, though significant challenges
still exist. Personal security continues to pose serious risk to Colombians and
foreigners alike. In order to ensure that Peace Corps Volunteers are best
positioned to serve successfully and safely, the Peace Corps, in collaboration
with host government and US government partners have determined the
following list of cities and towns to be approved for Volunteer travel. Any
town, city or department not specifically listed in the table below is
considered to be off limits for Volunteer travel. Any proposed travel to a
141

location not listed below must be approved in advance by the Country


Director.
Caribbean Coast
Any PCV Site &
Others that require
Places
Whereabouts
Travel Request Form
Reporting for
overnight
Cartagena,
Tierra
Bomba, Cao de Oro, La All other sites near
Greater Cartagena
Boquilla,
Pasacaballos, Cartagena, Barranquilla
Manzanillo del Mar
and Santa Marta, or near
Barranquilla,
Tubar, cities
in
other
Pioj, Campo de la Cruz, departments these
Greater Barranquilla
Juan de Acosta, Suan. include fincas or family
& Atlntico
Others:
Puerto homes of colleagues or
Department
Colombia, Salgar and friends
even
for
a
Santa Vernica
Saturday,
holiday
or
weekend
Greater Santa Marta Santa Marta, Minca
Other Mission Approved Cities/Departments
TRAVEL REQUEST FORM REQUIRED
Cities in the coffee triangle departments of Risaralda, Caldas, and Quindio
Medellin and southern Antioquia
Bogot and Cundinamarca
Cali, Bucaramanga
Boyac
Leticia (Amazon tour itineraries)
San Andrs and Providencia
Tayrona Park (special requirement)
Special guidance: While visiting the sites listed above may be allowed with
prior CD approval, Volunteers are required to use air transportation for
travel to these destinations. After arrival, ground transportation may be
permitted to travel from these locations to immediate surrounding areas.
However, Volunteers should note that in some sites, travel to immediate
surrounding areas may be restricted. Therefore, it is the Volunteers
responsibility to determine whether prior approval is required for a specific
itinerary before purchasing airline tickets. Further, in every case, including
142

day trips, a full itinerary is to be submitted, indicating time of arrival and


departure for each location.
The above are approved locations as of December 2012 and are subject to
change. All requests must be submitted at least fifteen days prior to travel.
For this the Volunteer will need to complete the Travel Request Form to be
reviewed by the SSC and approved by the CD. The SSC, Back-up SSC or CD
will provide upon request the Travel Request Form to be used. If invited to
visit a farm or community located in a restricted area, a Volunteer must also
submit a request for approval at least fifteen days prior to travel.
If a Volunteer is unsure if a certain area of Colombia is approved for travel,
the Volunteer must contact a PC/Colombia Staff member (preferably the SSC,
Back-up SSC, DPT or CD) prior to traveling to that area, in order to confirm
the status of the area. When necessary, the Volunteer completes the Travel
Request Form with detailed information: where, with whom, when, the route
of travel, and the best contact data; and submits the request to the
PC/Colombia staff at least fifteen days prior to the planned travel in order to
allow sufficient time to conduct a security review and process the request.
Special Note: As a result of a recent security incident in Santa Marta,
effective October 31, 2012 and until further notice, the open air market in
the city of Santa Marta (Department of Magdalena) is off limits for all
Volunteers, including those visiting Santa Marta from other areas of Colombia
or from other countries.
To implement this approval procedure Volunteers are reminded that all
Annual Leave requests must be submitted to the Peace Corps Office at least
15 days prior to plan travel. Volunteers are cautioned not to finalize travel
arrangements or purchase tickets for travel until all approvals are received.
Safe /Danger Of-limits zones:
Likewise, there may be areas of Colombia that at the last minute are
declared off-limits because of political demonstrations, a natural disaster, or
some other occurrence. In such cases, all Volunteers will be notified, and
Volunteers may have to change their travel plans, even if already approved.
Special note regarding coastal beaches:
Beaches along the coast are places where Volunteers and the general public
are vulnerable to theft, and, especially when alone and at night, to an
assault. Volunteers should take extra precautions to protect themselves and
their belongings on any of the coastal beaches, including Santa Marta and
the Tayrona National Park, Puerto Colombia, and the Cartagena and Bar
beaches. A Volunteer must never be on the beach when alone after dark.
Travel to Third Countries
Since Peace Corps is responsible for the health and safety of Volunteers
143

throughout their service, Peace Corps may disapprove Volunteer travel to a


particular foreign destination where there may be high health or safety risks
or foreign policy concerns (e.g., travel to Cuba, only with the necessary legal
documentation). Volunteers must have Country Director approval before
making plans to travel outside Colombia.
It is Peace Corps worldwide policy that Volunteers visiting a country that has
a Peace Corps program follow the travel policies of Peace Corps in that
country. This includes not traveling to any parts of the country that Peace
Corps has declared off-limits for Volunteers serving in that country. Before
traveling to a country that has a Peace Corps program, Volunteers are
responsible for obtaining from the Country Director or Safety and Security
Coordinator the travel policy information of Peace Corps in that country and
following that policy after arrival.
Monitoring and Review
The Safety and Security Coordinator will be responsible for regularly
monitoring transportation issues and disseminating relevant information,
such as recommendations on bus companies or updates on road conditions.
At the close of every calendar year, posts SSC will coordinate a regular
review of transportation and related policies. Changes to these policies will
be made by the Country Director only with concurrence of the Embassy
Regional Security Officer (RSO) and the PC/South America Security Officer.

144

Transportation Policy: Transportation services.


(Please note: PC/Colombia does not endorse any specific transportation
company.)
Puerta-Puerta Door to Door Van Transportation
All the Puerta Puerta services in the Caribbean coastal region have a cost of
$30,000 pesos (approx. $14 USD).
Marymar Transporte: Barranquilla Carrera 43 # 84-74, Local 1
Phone: (57-5) 378 6780/ 304 12 68
Santa Marta Rodadero, Mobile: 300 207 4665 /312 675 6089
Cartagena, Mobile 300 539 0711/312 675 7355
Marsol Transportes: Barranquilla Carrera 55# 74-169 Local D
(57-5) 369-0999/368 -3272; Mobile 300 808 3147
Cartagena (035)656 -0302; Mobile 300 8083 3151
Santa Marta (035) 422-2683; Mobile 300 808 35 25
Trancell Transporte: Barranquilla Carrera 45 # 70-162 Local 11
Phone: (57-5) 378 7718 /358 4365; Mobile 300 815 0091
Cartagena: 300 833 6613
Berlinatur Van Transportation - Terminal to Terminal Service
Scheduled departures leave every 30 to 40 minutes. Cost: 17,000 pesos
when between each of the three major cities of Cartagena, Barranquilla and
Santa Marta. (The fare for direct service from Cartagena to Santa Marta is
$30,000 pesos.)
Barranquilla, Barrio El Poblado
Carrera 46 # 93-151; Phone: 373 8530 / 378 3932
Mobile: 318 354 5454
Carrera43# 74-133; Phone: 369 1914 / 369 1868; Mobile: 318 396 6969
Cartagena, Barrio Crespo
Avenida 1# 65-129; Phone: 663 0454, Mobile: 318 724 2424
Santa Marta, Barrio El Rodadero
Carrera 3 #8-69 Mobile: 318 743 4343
Taxi Service: Taxi service is generally safe to use; however, situational
awareness is essential to avoid victimization by theft or assault in crowded
places and at bus stops. When traveling to and from airports it is
recommended to use taxis dispatched by taxi cooperatives or taxis stationed
at major hotels. When calling, the taxi dispatcher will provide a code number
145

which must be verified by the taxi that arrives. If the code does not match,
the taxi should not be used.
A Volunteer/Trainee should always ask the price of the fare before
getting in a taxi. The fare from Barranquilla airport to the Northern area of
Barranquilla is normally $25,000 pesos (approx. $13 USD) In Cartagena the
fare from the airport to the old city is approximately $6,000 pesos and to
Bocagrande $8,000 pesos.
Barranquilla:
Taxi ejecutivo: (5) 322 2222, Taxis 3191919 or PuntoTaxi: (5) 386 8686
(from a cell phone dial only #386)
Cartagena:
Comunicamos Tele Taxi: (5) 660 0000
Santa Marta:
Rodadero taxi service: (5) 422 7255
Taxi Ltda: (5) 420 1345
Air travel: Avianca, Copair and LanChile provide services to all major
Colombian cities.
Offices in Barranquilla:
Avianca:
(5) 334 8396
LanChile Air
(5) 358 9473
Copair
(5) 358 4261
Transportation Policy: National Police phone assistance:
A Volunteer/Trainee should carry a photocopy of his/her passport,
but not the actual passport. It is actually against the law to walk the
streets in Colombia without proper I.D., but a copy will suffice in most
situations. The Colombian Cedula is the only legal document needed to carry
and show. One should never hand over ones passport to anyone who does
not produce a convincing official government I.D.

146

National Police hotlines: 123/ 112


From landline: 018000 910600, 018000 - 910112
From a cell phone: (035) 315 91 12
From a cell phone: (035) 315 91 11
Barranquilla: 312-394-3979
Cartagena:
320-304-6557
Santa Marta: 320-295-2489

147

Transportation Policy: Medical Emergency Services - Peace


Corps/Colombia
Medical Emergency Barranquilla
Clnica Bautista: (5) 369 6700 / 7700 Contract Clinic
Carrera 38 & Calle 71 corner, Barrio Delicias
Emergency Room: (5) 369 6719
Clinicabaustista.org
In Barranquilla other medical facilities in the area:
Hospital Metropolitan
(5) 365 5109 / 358 7275
Hospital Universitario ESE CARI
(5) 330 9000
Hospital Nazareth
(5) 365 0360
Medical Emergency Cartagena
Medihelp Medical Center Barrio Bocagrande
Contract Clinic: Phone: (5) 665 9400
Carrera 6 # 5-101
Contact person: Sr. Jaime Ibez; Mobile: 313 574 1421
Hospitalization: Mobile: 313 574 1425
Cuidados Intensivos: Mobile: 313 574 1420
Consulta externa: 310 621 3549, Vernica Negrete, Enfermera
In Cartagena other medical facilities in the area:
San Juan de Dios
(5) 667 5088
Universidad del Caribe
(5) 665 0072
Naval de Cartagena
(5) 665 1073
Medical Emergency Santa Marta
Clinica El Prado, Barrio Prado
Phone: 432 9200 Emergency (5) 432 9202 - Carrera 5 calle 26 Esquina
Centro de El Rodadero: Phone (5) 422 1806 - Carrera 4 # 7A 12,
Other Medical Emergencies
Contact information for the five major cities.
Cartagena
Hospital Bocagrande, Phone: (5) 650-2800 Ext. 113, 665-5270
Hospital Naval de Cartagena, Phone: (5) 6651073/7073/5360/61/62/63/64
(5) 655-5360 and (5) 655-8405
Bogota
Santa Fe Hospital (24 hours) Phone: (57-1) 603-0303
Clinica de County, Emergency Room Phone: 343-6600 Ext. 1105

148

City Emergency Medical Service (24 hours), Phone: 123


Prevention and Medical Emergencies, Phone: 310-7087
Accidents and Transit, Phone: 123
Red Cross Ambulance (24 hours), Phone: 437-6369, 310-260-2323
SETELMEC (24 hours), Phone: 634-9457/58
Cali
City Ambulance Service; Phone: (2) 123 or (2) 132
Clinica Fundacion Valle de Lili (24 hours), Phone: (2) 331-9090/7474 Ext.
3276
Clinica de Occidente (24 hours), Phone: (2) 660-3000 and (2) 608-3200
Medellin
City Ambulance Service; (4) 123
Clinica las Americas (24 hours); Phone: (4) 342-1010 Ext. 1170
Emergency: (4) 342-2262
Clinica Soma (24 hours): (4) 567-8400 Option #4, (4) 576-8480/8555
Barranquilla
City Ambulance Service; Phone: (5) 132
Police; Phone: (5) 123
Cruz Roja; Phone: (5) 358-8514
Defensa Civil; Phone: (5) 144
Clinica del Caribe; (24 hours) Phone: (5) 3564861/340100
Dr. Freddy Farah; Phone: (5) 358-6590, (5) 356-4291; Mobile: 315-721
6246, Cra. 51 B #52-41
Transportation Policy: Banking
For security reasons one should use ATM machines only at large shopping
centers or inside bank lobbies.
One should change passwords regularly and avoid using ATMs located on the
street. To report the loss of a Helm Bank debit card, one should contact
customer service by calling (5) 385-1818.
Transportation Policy: Safe/Danger Zones:
North Caribbean Region of Colombia: Santa Marta - Barranquilla Cartagena
The North Caribbean Corridor is one of the safest regions of Colombia.
However, the three main cities, Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena,
are dealing with typical big-city crime and have high-risk crime areas that
should be avoided. The following are basic recommendations about
neighborhoods within each city considered safe or dangerous.
Inter-City Routes
149

The route between Barranquilla and Cartagena is well maintained and safe.
There are two routes but the only approved route for Volunteer/Trainee travel
is the coastal road (Via al Mar). The second route is La Cordialidad, which is
not CD approved, and requires special approval from the CD when travel is
deemed necessary.
There is only one road between Barranquilla and Santa Marta. The route
takes the traveler through urban and crowded neighborhoods, and traffic can
be very heavy when entering or leaving Barranquilla. It should also be noted
that the neighborhoods on the outskirts of Barranquilla are high crime areas.
The traveler should not make stops and be alert when passing through the
areas of *Soledad,*El Bosque, *Chinita, *La Luz and *Rebolo. (Travel on this
route is limited to daytime travel, since nighttime travel involves undo risk
and is therefore not allowed.)
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is generally considered the safest of the three major cities of the
coastal region. There is little to no pandilla activity, but there is a presence of
drug trafficking and organized BACRIM groups. The northern parts of the city
are typically less safe; and the following areas should be avoided due to a
heightened risk of crime.
Danger Zones in Santa Marta
*11 de Noviembre (known to be the
area
where
many
of
the
demobilized guerillas live)
*Pando
*Maria Eugenia
*Pastrana
*San Martin
*Bastidas
*Juan XXIII
*Chimila
*San Fernando
*La Encenada

*San Jorge
*Nacho Vives
*Bolivariana
*17 de Diciembre
*San Martin
*El Pantano
*El Oasis
*Las Murallas
*La Teneria
*Correa
*Tayrona
*Gaira (PNC advised that this place
is safe
enough to work but due to
increased drug trafficking, and
drug and alcohol abuse, not a
desirable place to live)

*Pescadito & Centro (Mercado area)


*El Boro (Considered by the PNC to
be the worst area)
*Villa Tabla

Eastern National Park Tayrona, Cabo San Juan or Cabo Beach, (1


hour north of Santa Marta)
150

Travel to this area requires prior CD approval. When travel is approved, the
traveler must comply with a PC/Colombias monitoring requirement by
sending a text message on a daily basis to the Duty Officer or SSC. Entrance
fee to the park is currently 35,000 pesos (approx. $16.00 USD). Van
transportation to the park costs 5,000 pesos and is available at Carrera 16
and Calle 14 (Avenida Libertador) near the Villa Country mall. In addition,
vans are available at Carrera 11 with Calle 11 near El Mercado.
Safe Zones in Santa Marta
Nightlife: Historic Center near downtown area.
Beach: The preferred and safest options are approximately 20 minutes
outside the city at Rodadero and Taganga - communities frequented by
backpackers and scuba divers.
Barranquilla
Barranquilla with a population over 1.8 million is a much larger city than
Santa Marta, and therefore, has more inner-city urban and industrial areas
that present higher risks for visitors. Barranquilla also experiences powerful
flash-flooding during the rainy season, closing roads and carrying debris
through the streets. Travelers should pay close attention to road conditions
and avoid flash-flood areas, when storms occur. Barranquilla also has a
presence of pandillas, BACRIM and drug activity. The Municipality of Soledad,
located near the airport in the southern area of Barranquilla, is considered a
particularly dangerous area.
Arroyos in Barranquilla
Barranquilla lacks a drainage system, and the city often comes to a halt
during a storm. Some of its streets can turn into flash floods, strong enough
to drag vehicles. When cars or people are avoiding an area, one must do the
same and wait until the waters recede.
Danger Zones in Barranquilla:
Barrios
*La Paz (This is a squatter
settlement,
which
has
been
deemed safe enough to live and
work in, but is surrounded by high
crime barrios.)
*Evaristo Sourdis
*Los Rosales
*Las Malvinas
*La Chinita
*Rebolo
*Barlovento
*El Bosque

*Santo Domingo de Guzman


*Carrizal
*Las Americas
*Me Quejo
*La Pradera
*Montes*Las Nieves
*Barranquillita* La Luz
*Siete de Agosto
*San Pedro 1
*California
*La Esmeralda
*El Romance
*Por Fin
*La Manga
151

*Los Olivos Primera Etapa


*Nueva Colombia
*Siape
*Las Flores
*Lipaya
*Siete de April
*San Luis
* Las Americas

*Ciudad Modesto
*Los Angeles
*Los Olivos Segunda Etapa
*La Cangrejal sector (lower end of
La Playa)
*Cuchilla de Villa
*Villa Flor
* Siape

Safe Zones in Barranquilla:


Nightlife: In general, the advice from locals is to stay in the neighborhoods
north of Calle 76. (The historic zone in Barranquilla, also referred to as El
Centro, is not a safe destination for going out in the evening.)
Beach: Puerto Colombia is approximately 20 minutes from Barranquilla, on
the way to Cartagena. It is a safe community and the closest beach area to
the city of Barranquilla. The bus service is excellent and operates on 15minute intervals. The bus fare is less than 2,000 pesos and the charge for
direct taxi service is 20,000 pesos (approx. $10.00 USD)
Cartagena
Cartagena is the biggest draw for tourists on the north coast. With many
large historic centers that offer shopping and dining options, Cartagena is
crowded with both Colombian and international tourists. However, Cartagena
does have pandilla activity, drug activity, BACRIM and neighborhoods that
are known for high crime levels. Several gangs operate in these areas,
including the two principal gangs comprised of late-teen members, Los
Tanconeros (Olaya) and Los Panela (Lbano, sic).
Danger Zones in Cartagena:
*La Candelaria,
*Olaya Herrera
*Boston
*Lbano
*Nelson Mandela
*Las Faldas de la Popa
*20 de Julio
*Petare
*Loma Fresca
*Paulo VI
*Paraiso
*Santa Rita (known for a lookout
point at the top of the hill. This hill
is controlled by pandillas and is

considered
an
dangerous area)
*Marlinda
*Villa Gloria
*Paseo Bolivar
*El Pozon
*Fredonia
*Las Americas
*Las Lomas
*La Esperanza
*Pie del Cerro
* La Campia
* Castillete
*La Maria

Safe Zones in Cartagena:


152

extremely

Nightlife: Colonial Historic Area (to include neighborhoods of Boca Grande


and Castillo Grande)
Beach: Areas of Bocagrande, and La Boquilla, 10 minutes before Cartagena
along the coastal highway (Via al Mar).
Transportation Policy: Traveling Sites

SANTAMARTA
SANTAMARTA
MINCA
MINCA
BARRANQUILLA

PEACECORPS
Colombia

(TAYRON
(TAYRO

Tubar,Pioj,CampodelaCruz,JuandeAcosta,Suan.Others:PuertoColombia,SalgarandSantaVernica)
Guajira
Guajira
Atlntico
Atlntico
Magdalena
Magdalena

CARTAGENA
CARTAGENA

(TierraBomba,CaodeOro,LaBoquilla,Pasacaballos,ManzanillodelMar)
(Bar,TierraBomba,CaodeOro,Turbacoy

Sucre
Sucre
Crdoba
Crdoba

Cesar
Cesar

Bolvar
Bolvar

Nortede
Nortede
Santander
Santander

Santander
Santander
Antioquia
Antioquia
BUCARAMANGA
MEDELLN
MEDELLNBUCARAMANGA

BUCARAM
BUCARAM
Arauca
Arauca

BOYAC
BOYAC

Choc
Choc

Boyac
Boyac
Caldas
Caldas
Risaralda
Risaralda
Cundinamarca
Cundinamarca
Quindo
Quindo
BOGOT
BOGOT
Valle
Valle
Tolima
Tolima
del
del
CALI
CALI
Meta
Meta
Cauca
Cauca

MEDELLIN*

SouthernAntioquia*
COFFETRIANGLE*
CALI*

Cauca
Cauca

Casanare
Casanare

Vichada
Vichada

CUNDINAM
BOGOT
BOGOT

Guaina
Guaina

Huila
Huila

Nario
Nario

Guaviare
Guaviare
Putumayo
Putumayo

Caquet
Caquet

Vaups
Vaups

LETICI
LETIC
SITES

Whereaboutsovernight

ONLYCITY
DEPARTAMENTO
*TravelRequestForm
(TAYRONA)COSTACARIBE

Transportation Policy: Maps

153

Amazonas
Amazonas

154

155

Appendix C - PC COLOMBIA WHEREABOUTS POLICY AND ANNUAL LEAVE


POLICY
PEACE CORPS COLOMBIA WHEREABOUTS POLICY AND ANNUAL LEAVE POLICY
(revised August 2013)
I.

Preface to Whereabouts Policy and Annual Leave Policy

[Peace Corps Manual Section 220]


Peace Corps has made a commitment to the government and people of
Colombia to provide technical assistance and exposure to the culture of
Americans. Because Volunteers are promoting the three goals of Peace
Corps 24 hours, 7 days a week, you are expected to spend as much time in
your community as possible to enable you to meet Peace Corps goals. Your
consistent presence enables you to build positive, trusting, professional
relationships with the people associated with your primary assignment,
demonstrating that you are serious about your commitment and diligent
about your assignments.
Beyond work activities, secondary projects and community integration are
hallmarks of successful and satisfying Volunteer experiences. It also enables
you to develop relationships with Colombians, establish credibility within the
larger community, better understand the opportunities for the transfer of
skills, and become involved in other community and Volunteer initiated
activities.
Further, Peace Corps' strategy for the safety and security of Volunteers is
based on the belief and proven experience that Volunteers are safest when
they are well integrated into their communities; and, apart from the
Volunteers themselves, friends, neighbors and other members of the
community are the most important guardians of their safety and security.
Successful integration requires being in your community, embracing it, and
learning to love it.
From experience, we know that Volunteers who stay in their communities
gain the confidence of counterparts and community members, maintain
contact with the activities of the community, and strengthen their language
learning. Absenteeism has an adverse impact on effectiveness and job
satisfaction.
Moreover, Volunteers who are frequently out of their
communities will create a negative image (Cuerpo de Paseo) for Peace Corps
in Colombia and make it more difficult for other Volunteers to gain the
respect of their communities and host country agency counterparts.
If it is found that excessive absence from community is limiting your
contribution or impairing your effectiveness, your Project Manager and/or
156

other senior staff have the responsibility to investigate it. We all need to get
away occasionally, but if you feel you must leave your community frequently,
something is not working, and you have the personal and professional
responsibility to seek counsel from a Peace Corps staff member. Sometimes
a staff or fellow Volunteer visit will help energize or refocus you on the
possibilities for expanded involvement in your home community.
The reason for the Whereabouts Policy and the Annual Leave Policy is to
ensure that we are fulfilling our commitment to serve the people of
Colombia, that your experiences is as full and rewarding as possible, and that
we are able to locate you for safety and security reasons or in the event of
an emergency. Therefore, we all must take these policies very seriously. All
violations will be subject to disciplinary actions up to and including
immediate separation from the Peace Corps.
Time Away from Community
We recognize there are appropriate reasons for Volunteers to occasionally be
away from their communities. Reasons include, but are not limited to:
Participate in functions sponsored by Peace Corps, such as in-service
trainings (ISTs), project workshops and conferences.
Visit Barranquilla or other locations related to work, project, training,
administrative and medical reasons.
Take care of personal needs including: personal shopping, checking email, mentally re-energize, visit other Volunteers and/or Colombian
colleagues and friends, and attend local cultural events.
Visit other sites within Colombia to provide or benefit from professional
development with fellow Volunteer and Colombian colleagues.
Visit other sites within Colombia to better appreciate Colombia and its
culture.
Conduct
assignment-related
travel
required
by
your
host
agency/organization.
Take annual leave vacation in order to come back to your primary
assignment with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
Go on medical leave or medical hold.
Take care of emergencies that may arise back in the U.S.
II.

Whereabouts Accountability Policy

For security and communication reasons Volunteers are required to inform


their host family and the Peace Corps office any time (including official Peace
Corps events) they will not be spending the night in their communities.

157

PC/Colombia has established a process whereby Volunteers can notify the


Peace Corps office of any and all absences when they spend the night(s)
away from their home/community.
This process is put in place so that PC/Colombia staff can support your safety
and security while serving in Colombia. It is not meant to hinder your
freedom or to check-up on you, but rather to ensure that we can contact
you as soon as possible in an emergency. Reasons for needing to contact
you are:
Family or other emergencies in the U.S.
Local emergencies (natural disasters, etc)
Activating the Emergency Action Plan (alert, standfast, consolidation
and/or evacuation)
Testing of the Emergency Action Plan
To aid/communicate with other Volunteers regarding accidents, medical or
security events.
Plan your trips away from your community wisely, using your time
effectively, and minimizing the total time away from your community. When
you are away from your community for work or medical reasons, take care of
personal needs as well.
The focus of a your service, especially in the first months, needs to be
settling and integrating into the community, being accessible to new work
partners, host family, neighbors; and, building personal familiarity and
professional credibility with the community at large.
Time away from your community solely to take care of personal needs should
be taken infrequently, and must not be abused. What is a reasonable period
of time? When the days are taken over a weekend - for example, departing
your community on a Friday and returning on a Sunday - three consecutive
days - two nights/three days may be a reasonable length of time to be away
from your community solely for personal reasons. A reasonable length of
time is normally different when personal days are taken during a normal
work week. In these circumstances the personal days should never interfere
with ones work and professional duties.
Furthermore, when a Volunteer wishes to be away from the community for
more than three consecutive days (2 nights/3 days), solely for personal
reasons, he/she must request and use annual leave for the entire period.
Personal time cannot be tacked onto annual leave. They are different and
should not be confused or combined.
Personal time away from your community may be spent anywhere within
Peace Corps Colombias work territory which is the cities of Cartagena,

158

Barranquilla and Santa Marta, but not outside of this area and you must to
inform to whereabouts if you visit them overnight.
If you feel a desire or need to be away from your community frequently then
you should talk with your Project Manager to examine your work activities
and community integration. From experience, when Volunteers think they
may be away from their community too much, then they probably are.
In summary, the purpose of this policy is to be able to locate you in case of
an emergency or a safety and security issue.
We take our responsibility seriously to notify you immediately if there is an
emergency in your family or if there is an issue affecting your safety and
security. PC/HQ and often your families expects us to know where you are
at all times. We need your cooperation to do this.
Your Accountability for Notifying Peace Corps of Your Whereabouts
Who to Notify
In all cases, it is the responsibility of the Volunteer to inform their host family
and the PC/Colombia Barranquilla office if they are going to be away from
their home/community overnight or multiple nights.
The email for notification is whereabouts@co.peacecorps.gov. Alternative
you can call or text the duty officer with your whereabouts: 312-451-4301.
When to Notify
Prior to departing your site and knowing that you will be spending one or
more nights away from your home/community a Volunteer must call by
phone or text message or email their whereabouts to the PC/Colombia office.
This means that for any reason personal, work, medical, IST, PST, safety
and security, brigade work, professional exams, etc., and including at the
start and end of pre-approved annual (vacation) leave a Volunteer who
leaves their community for one or more nights, must notify the Peace Corps
office of their absence from their community and of their whereabouts. [All
departures from Colombia must be pre-approved. See the Annual Leave
Policy.]
If a Volunteer departs their community with the intention of returning back to
their home that same day, but then finds that, for whatever reason, they will
be away from their community that night, they must contact the
PC/Colombia office or the Duty officer if necessary and provide the above
detailed information. They should also let their host family know that they
are going to be away longer than anticipated.

159

If a Volunteer finds that for whatever reason they are not going to return to
their community on the day they had originally communicated they would,
they must contact the PC/Colombia office or the Duty officer if necessary and
provide a new return date and update any contact information as may be
necessary. They should also let their host family know that they are going to
be away longer than anticipated.
Please note that ANYTIME you are out of site overnight you must notify, even
when you are at PC-Sponsored events. It is not the staffs responsibility to
report your whereabouts if PC-Colombia has asked you to come into the
office or attend a training. It is yours.
What Notification Information to Provide
Volunteers must provide the following information, when notifying the
PC/Colombia office of their whereabouts when they are absent from their
community:

their full name

the date they are departing their community

the date they are returning to their community

the purpose of the absence from communitytheir personal cell phone


number at which they can be reached

all locations (aligned with the dates) they will be at while they are
away from their community

A contact location (the hotel/residence address and landline phone)


or/and contact name and contact number (name of other Volunteer
and
their
phone/contact
number,
name
of
Colombian
organization/colleague and their contact number) for all locations the
Volunteer will be at while they are away from their community.

Example email whereabouts notification:


I am letting you know about my whereabouts.
1. John Doe
2. departure date: May 27
3. return date: May 29
4. to visit the beach
5. my cell phone: 315-672-8644
6. 5/27-5/29: Santa Marta
7. contact: Hotel Verde cra 5 no 70 - 100 Telephone: 656-7231

160

How to Notify
PC/Colombia has designated Duty officer phone number 312-451-4301 as its
official
whereabouts
phone
number
and
whereabouts@co.peacecorps.gov as the official whereabouts email
address.
Methods for communicating your whereabouts with PC/Colombia include:

During PC/Colombia work days and hours (8:00am 5:00pm) you may
call 385-1060 to provide your whereabouts information. When you call
the office, explain that you are calling to provide your whereabouts info
and the SSC or other staff person will take down the above detailed
information. If you would like, the staff person will call you back. After
hours, call the Duty Officer to provide the required information.

At any time, you may send a text message to 312-451-4301. You must
provide all the required information.

At
any
time,
you
may
send
an
email
to
whereabouts@co.peacecorps.gov. You must provide all the required
information.

If you send an email or a text message and you have not provided all the
required information, then you have NOT fully complied with your notification
responsibility. You must provide all required information.
This notification process is not negotiable. If you do not comply with this
process, disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including administrative
separation.
Consequences If You Dont Notify
We expect all Volunteers to be honest, forthright, and professional about
their time away and notify the PC/Colombia office about their time away from
their community.
If you leave your community and do not notify the PC office of your
whereabouts, the consequences are severe. A Volunteers failure to report
his or her whereabouts in accordance with PC/Colombia procedures may be
grounds for administrative action up to and including administrative
separation from Peace Corps.
For example (but not limited to this), if you are away from your community
and have not reported your whereabouts, and an emergency event occurs or
a communication test is conducted, or you have not returned to your
community at the time that you have stated you would, you will likely be
administratively separated.
Note that Peace Corps policy states that
Volunteers who are not where they have stated they will be considered
161

missing.
This includes Volunteers who have not returned to their
community on their specified return date.
If you are not administratively separated, disciplinary action may include:
continued service only under conditions outlined in individualized
performance improvement plan
being restricted from traveling to certain places and/or at certain times
the requiring of pre-approval of all future absences from community prior
to departure from community
staff not providing letters of recommendation and references for future
employment and graduate school admission
e. Visitors
In order to foster integration into a PCVs new site, the PCs worldwide policy
discourages vacations during the first three months of service. PC/CO also
discourages international visitors during the first three months of service
(after training), and suggests that families and friends delay visits until six
months after the PCV has sworn-in for service. Consistent with PC world-wide
policy not permitting non-married couples to serve together, PC/CO will also
not permit non-PCV significant others to establish permanent residence
with the PCV during service.
When parents and relatives visit a PCV, the time spent in-site is not counted
as vacation time provided the Volunteer continues with a normal work
program, but time spent outside the site (even if still in the country) is
considered to be vacation. Long-term stays of friends or relatives at
the Volunteers site (over two weeks) are strongly discouraged and
must be approved by the PM.
PCVs are asked to schedule visits from family and friends in such a way that
they do not conflict with events at which Volunteers must participate, such
as In-Service Trainings.
III.

Annual (Vacation) Leave Policy

Peace Corps Volunteers are development professionals; and our


expectations for compliance with professional behavior are high.
Vacations during service should be planned around your work obligations. We
strictly uphold professional expectations and standards for all Volunteers. We
expect your primary commitment to be to your project, your site and to

162

integrating into your community.


complement your service.

Your

vacations

and

plans

should

Peace Corps Manual Section 220 states the following with regards to
Volunteer Annual Leave.
-

Annual leave, also known as vacation leave, generally provides


Volunteers the opportunity to increase their understanding of their host
country and region, or to travel to areas outside of their country or
region, while allowing time for rest and relaxation. However, Volunteers
must comply with the transportation policies set out in MS 450,
Volunteer and Trainee Transportation, and Interim Policy Statement, 505, Restrictions on Volunteer Travel Destinations.

Volunteers accrue two days of annual leave allowance for each month
of Volunteer service.

To ensure that annual leave is an integral part of a Volunteer's service,


annual leave is discouraged during the beginning or end of service,
and should not be taken during the first three months or last three
months of service, except when the Country Director approves leave
under special circumstances, or in conjunction with an authorized
emergency leave.

Annual leave must be taken any time a Volunteer travels out of the
country of assignment for vacation purposes. Annual leave for out-ofcountry travel is computed in terms of calendar days, including
weekends and host country and U.S. holidays. The day after departure
from the country of assignment through the day of return to the
country of assignment are counted as annual leave days.
The
computation of annual leave days does not include the necessary
minimum time to travel between the Volunteers site and the point of
exit out of or entry into the country of assignment.

When annual leave is taken within the Volunteers country of


assignment, host country holidays are not counted in computing
annual leave days. All weekends and U.S. holidays that fall within the
annual leave period are counted in computing annual leave days.

Volunteers may be excused, according to Post policy, from work on


holidays during which their host country counterparts do not work.
Volunteers are not ordinarily excused from work on U.S. holidays, which
are not observed by their co-workers. During host country vacation
periods, Volunteers, unless otherwise permitted in this manual section,
are expected to take annual leave or use this time to work on Peace
Corps activities.

PC/Colombia annual leave policy has been established as follows:

163

Annual leave cannot be taken in the first three months or the last three
months of service, except when the Country Director approves leave
under special circumstances, or in conjunction with an authorized
emergency leave.
Assuming that a Volunteer serves their full two year tour, this means that
their 48 days of annual leave must be taken between the beginning of
their 4th month of service and the close of their 22nd month of service.

Annual leave may not be taken for three months following a site change.
Leave request forms must be filled out completely with your
designated Colombian supervisors signature and full itinerary prior to
submission.
Annual Leave requests must be received at least fifteen (15) days
prior to your anticipated departure. This means that you must plan well
in advance.
Leave is not permitted during official Peace Corps training events and
conferences at which your presence is mandatory.
Leave will not be granted if it interferes with your primary project related
work. Leave will not be granted when school is in session.
Volunteers are expected to turn in their Volunteer Project Reports, which
may fall due during their annual leave, prior to their departure.
Leave days must be requested and claimed for all travel outside of Peace
Corps Colombias work territory which is the cities of Cartagena,
Barranquilla and Santa Marta.
When a Volunteer is requesting annual leave outside of Colombia, leave
days are counted from the day after the Volunteer departs Colombia
through the day the Volunteer returns to Colombia. This computation is
contingent upon the Volunteer traveling directly from their community to
the point of exit (airport/border/port) from Colombia and returning directly
to their community from the point of re-entry (airport/border/port) into
Colombia. If, as part of their annual leave request, a Volunteer is visiting
locations within Colombia for vacation purposes prior to and/or after their
international travel, these days will be counted as annual leave. Personal
time as described in the Whereabouts Accountability notification policy
cannot be tacked on to international annual leave requests.
When a Volunteer is requesting annual leave wholly within Colombia,
leave days are counted from door to door meaning that it starts when
you leave your community inclusive to when you return to your
community. Personal time as described in the Whereabouts
Accountability notification policy cannot be tacked on to domestic annual
leave requests.
In determining leave days, weekends must be included.
In determining leave days, official Colombian national holidays when
spent in Colombia are not counted. Colombian national holidays spent
outside of Colombia must be counted.
164

In determining leave days, official U.S. national holidays must be counted


whether they are taken in or outside of Colombia. This means, that when
a Volunteer is taking annual leave, during which time an official U.S.
national holiday occurs, the holiday will be counted as annual leave.
Leaving
Colombia
without
administrative separation.

permission

grounds

for

Leave days must be requested and counted when friends and relatives
come to Colombia to visit, unless you remain in your community and
honor your work routine and schedule. Days traveling and touring with
your friends and relatives away from your community are considered
annual leave.
Volunteers may not be out of their communities for more than 21 days
consecutively.
A maximum of 24 days of annual leave may be taken during the
Volunteers first year of service. At the one year anniversary of the
Volunteers swearing-in date, the second years 24 days of annual leave
will automatically be advanced.
When your leave occurs in countries where a Peace Corps program exists
(i.e., Ecuador, Peru, Panama, etc.) you will be sent an electronic copy of
that Peace Corps Posts Transportation Policy. You are required to adhere
to that Posts policy when you are in their country.
You are responsible for notifying PC/Colombia via email at
whereabouts@co.peacecorps.gov or the whereabouts phone at (57) 312-4514301, of any delay in your return to your community beyond the date
listed on your leave request form.
While you are on annual leave, if you are going to a country that has
malaria (ask the PCMO if you are not sure), you must take malaria
prophylaxis. If, while you are on leave, you think you have symptoms of
malaria, you should try to contact the PC/Colombia medical unit to advise
them and get guidance. You should also contact the local PC medical unit
if you are in a country that has a PC program. If you are in the U.S. then
you should contact the PC Office of Health Services in Washington, D.C. If
you are in a country that does not have a PC program then you should get
tested by a local doctor.
Some countries may require you to present your WHO card upon arrival.
Your WHO card is kept by the PCMO and you should arrange to obtain it
prior to departure.

How to Request Annual Leave

is

Fully complete an Annual Leave Request Form.


165

Have your designated Colombian supervisor (typically the Coordinator)


sign the completed form indicating their agreement.
Submit your leave request form to your Project Manager and/or PTS at
least fifteen (15) days prior days before the period of leave you are
requesting it to start.
All requests for leave within Colombia that are outside of PC/Colombias
work territory (the cities of Cartagena, Barranquilla and Santa Marta)
must be approved by the U.S. Embassy.
Many Volunteers begin planning international trips months in advance.
You are strongly encouraged to submit your annual leave request well in
advance of when you wish to take your vacation.
Submit your request form by faxing it to the PC office or by scanning and
emailing it to your PM/PTS.
If you have not received any response from your PM or PTS one week prior
to your intended departure from community then you should seek a
verbal update re the status of your request from your PM/PTS. If they are
not available, then you should speak with the PTO (or CD, if PTO is not
available). Do not assume your leave request is approved without
prior approval notification.
Do NOT purchase plane, bus or boat tickets or pay for hotel
reservations until after you have learned that your annual leave
has been approved.

Consequences If You Dont Request Annual Leave


PC/Colombia expects all Volunteers to be honest, forthright, and professional
about their time away from their community and requesting annual leave.
If you leave Colombia without obtaining PC/Colombia permission, you will be
administratively separated.
If anywhere within Colombia you are on leave without having requested and
been granted the required annual leave approval, you will be subject to
disciplinary action, up to and including administrative separation.
Failure to return to your community on the approved date, or to
notify/request PC/Colombia of a revised return date, or any extended
unaccounted absence from your community will result in administrative
separation. Note that Peace Corps policy states that Volunteers who are not
where they have stated they will be will be considered missing. This
includes Volunteers who have not returned from annual leave on their
specified return date.

166

Appendix D - PCV VACATION REQUEST FORM


PCV VACATION REQUEST FORM
Itinerario de este Formulario, en este orden:
para:
Contacto
CUERPO DE PAZ

Comunitario:
Colombia
Executive

Assistant
Director del

Sector:
Director del

Cuerpo de Paz:
Executive

Assistant
S O LI CI TU D

DE

Copias
Director del
Sector:
Caja del
Voluntario:

V A CA CI O N E S

Nombre:________________________________________
E-mail:__________________________________________
Fecha:__________________________________________

Solicito vacaciones desde el _____/_____/_____ hasta el ______/______/_____


inclusive. Total: ______ das

Fechas de Viaje:

Saldr de mi sitio:

Regresar a mi sitio:

Firmas necesarias que autorizan el uso de las vacaciones solicitadas, en este


orden:
Firma del Voluntario:______________________________________________
Firma de Contacto Comunitario:___________________________________
Control (Admin): _________________________________________________
167

Le quedan____________________________________ das de vacaciones


Formulario de Informacin sobre el Sitio (Site Locator Form) actualizado:
NO
Director del Sector:_______________________________________________
Director del Cuerpo de Paz:_______________________________________

168

SI

Appendix E- MANDATORY GUIDELINES FOR VOLUNTEER COMPUTERS


MANDATORY GUIDELINES FOR VOLUNTEER COMPUTERS
As part of the Agencys effort to improve the computer systems in overseas
offices, you will notice that new computers have been installed for Volunteer
use. Please take time to review this memo that includes some helpful
information for using the computers as well as some mandatory guidelines
to follow while using Peace Corps provided computer equipment.
Applications
All new computers include licensed copies of basic applications that meet
Volunteer needs. These applications include the Microsoft Office XP Suite
including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as well as Internet Explorer for web
browsing.
Printing
In addition to the computers, Volunteers have been provided with a highcapacity workgroup Printer. All Volunteer computers are able to print to this
printer.
Email
Peace Corps does not provide Volunteers with local email accounts; however
Volunteers will be able to set up and access a web-based email account via
the Internet, using email providers such as Hotmail or Yahoo.
MANDATORY GUIDELINES

FOR VOLUNTEER COMPUTERS

Please keep in mind that these computers are Peace Corps-owned and are
shared by many Volunteers, thus they will be different from what you may be
accustomed to either at home or other places of business. The computers
have been set up in a standard way to ensure that the data are secure and
that the computers are stable.
Volunteers should not attempt to change the computer setup in any way,
including installing applications and/or changing settings. Any changes to the
setup in any way may cause instability, security vulnerabilities, licensing
problems, incompatibilities, and other problems that make the computer less
productive for other Volunteers.
If any changes are made, Peace Corps staff will reformat and reconfigure any
computer at any time in order to restore them to the standard setup. If such
action is required, Volunteer data will be lost on that particular
computer and Volunteers may lose access to the computers and/or
the Internet. In order to ensure stable, secure computers for ALL
Volunteers, you must adhere to the following basic guidelines:
169

1. Under NO circumstances are Volunteers allowed to use staff


computers, computers of Volunteer Leaders/Coordinators, the general
workstation and loaner laptops. Volunteers may only use the Volunteer
Workstations.
2. Read and follow the Peace Corps Internet Usage Policy (for example:
Do not download large documents from the Internet - i.e. MP3 songs or
other large documents).
3. Volunteers are not allowed to install Software on the Volunteer
Workstations. This includes Games, Instant Messenger, Internet Chat
Programs, Utilities, etc.
4. When finished using the computer, please logout
unauthorized use and to protect your documents.

to

prevent

5. Any violation of the mandatory computer system guidelines is grounds


for possible Administrative Separation.
I, ______________________________________________ (print name):
Have read the Mandatory Guidelines for Volunteer Computers;
Verify that I understand and will abide by such rules of behavior;
Understand that I may be subject to penalties for non-compliance and
that, depending on the severity of the violation and at the discretion of
management, I may be administratively separated.

170

SIGN:_____________________________
DATE:______________________Appendix
VOCABULARY LIST

SURVIVAL

SPANISH

SURVIVAL SPANISH VOCABULARY LIST


For your host family:
DON, DOA:

Historically signified of noble origin.


Old Castillian ways of showing respect that came to
America with the Spanish conquerors. Used widely in
Colombia with people over age 35 approximately. Some
Colombian married women dislike being called Doa
because it implies advanced age.

VARN:

Male baby, female baby is niita. Other words for baby are,
nene, beb.

MUJER:

The female or wife of a marido in a common law union


(
Directly translated into English, it means woman; however,
if you refer to a woman in a conversation in Spanish, it is
advisable to use the terms seora or seorita. It is
much more respectful.
Also, with the term for man
(hombre), when referring to a man in conversation, it is
more acceptable to use seor.

MARIDO:

Husband or companion. May refer to the husband in a legal


marriage, or in a common law union. Generally the term
esposo is considered more dignified for husband.

PADRINO:

Godfather.

MADRINA:

Godmother.

AHIJADO:

Godchild. For example, Juan is the ahijado of his


godparents.

LA MUCHACHA:

Person employed by a family to clean, cook, wash, etc.


Literally translated, the
worker means worker (feminine gender), but is not
considered degrading; it is like maid. Most middle class
families have a trabajadora as the large migration of
unskilled, rural women to the cities provides an ample
pool. She receives a salary, may live in the house, and
usually is not related to the family. Other terms that may

(Empleada)

171

be used include sirvienta or criada, both of which may


be considered somewhat demeaning.
NIERA:

Person employed to take care of the small children; family


baby-sitter.

HIJO DE CRIANZA:An adopted son or daughter, usually not legally, but raised
by the adoptive family. The child may have been
regalado by a relative or friend.
HIJOS NATURALES:
Traditionally used for children born out of wedlock; or
born into the second family of a man.
COMPADRES:

Godparents. Establishes or affirms a special relationship


with the parents of the godchild. Compadres are
frequently a relative or close family friend. Entails a set of
responsibilities for the compadres including providing
gifts for the godchildren for birthdays and Christmas, and
the baptismal outfit. The responsibilities assumed are also
long-term and considerable. Godparents may be chosen
due to their power, prestige, or economic level.

More Spanish that will be helpful:


ESPAOL

ENGLISH

Buenos das
Buenas tardes
Buenas noches
Hasta luego
Chao, adis
Don
Doa
Seorita
Por favor
Permiso
Gracias
Perdone
Desayuno
Almuerzo
Cena
Comida
Ensalada
Refresco
Cerveza
Sal

Good morning
Good afternoon/evening
Good night
See you later
Bye
Mister
Mrs.
Miss
Please
Excuse me
Thank you
Sorry/Excuse me
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Food/meal
Salad
Soft drink
Beer
Salt
172

Azcar
Agua
Leche
Carne
Huevo
Pan
Caf
Cama
Bao
Silla
Cmo se llama usted?
Cmo se dice...?
Qu es sto?
Dnde est?
Dnde queda...?
Yo necesito
Yo quiero
Yo tengo
Tiene usted...?
Le gusta...?
Me gusta
Tengo hambre/sed
Tengo fro/calor
Yo me llamo...
Cunto cuesta?
Qu hora es?
Qu hay para comer?
Dnde hay...?
Chevere

Sugar
Water
Milk
Meat
Egg
Bread
Coffee
Bed
Bathroom
Chair
What's your name?
How do you say...?
What is this?
Where is...?
Where is...?
I need
I want
I have
Do you have...?
Do you like...?
I like
I'm hungry/thirsty
I'm cold/hot
My name is...
How much is it?
What time is it?
What is there to eat?
Where can I find...?
Cool

173

Appendix G - PEACE CORPS ACRONYMS & LINGO


PEACE CORPS ACRONYMS & LINGO
A
Admin Sep

Adminstrative Separation

APCD

Associate Peace Corps Director

APCD TEL

Associate Peace Corps Director- Teaching English for


Livelihoods

AVC

All Volunteer Conference

CBT

Community-Based Training

CD

Country Director

COS

Close of Service / Completion of Service

Director's Office

DMO

Director of Management & Operations

DOS

Description of Service

DOW

Description of Work

DPT

Director of Programming & Training

EH

Environmental Health

EL

Emergency Leave

174

EOD

Enter on Duty

ET

Early Termination

EXT

Extension

FODA

Fortalezas, Oportunidades, Debilidades, Amenazas


(assessment tool)

FY

Fiscal Year

GAD

Gender and Development

HC

Host Country

HCA

Host Country Agency

HCC

Host Country Contribution

HCN

Host Country National

HOR

Home of Record

HQ

Headquarters

IAP

Inter-America and the Pacific Region

ICE

Information Collection And Exchange

ICT

In-Country Training

IG

Inspector General

175

IRC

In-Country Resource Center

IST

In-Service Training

IT

Information Technology

LCF

Language and Cultural Facilitator

LPI

Language Proficiency Interview

Medevac

Medical Evacuation

MI

Master's International

MOU

Memorandum of Understanding

NGO

Non Governmental Organization

P&T

Program And Training

PA

Programming Assistant

PACA

Participatory Analysis for Community Action

PC

Peace Corps

PC/CO

Peace Corps/ Colombia

PC/W

Peace Corps/ Washington

PCMO

Peace Corps Medical Officer

PCMS

Peace Corps Manual Section

176

PCPP

Peace Corps Partnership Program

PCR

Peace Corps Response

PCRD

Peace Corps Response Director

PCRV

Peace Corps Response Volunteer

PCT

Peace Corps Trainee

PCV

Peace Corps Volunteer

PCVC

Peace Corps Volunteer Coordinator

PCVL

Peace Corps Volunteer Leader

PD

Position Description

PML

Project Management and Leadership

PDM

Project Design and Management

PLWHA

People Living with HIV/AIDS

PSR

Project Status Report

PST

Pre-Service Training

PS

Program Specialist

PTS

Program Training Specialist

RA

Readjustment Allowance

177

RL

Regional Leader

RPCV

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

RSO

Regional Security Officer

RVS

Returned Volunteer Services

SLF

Site Locator Form

SPA

Small Project Assistance

SSC

Safety and Security Coordinator

SWOT

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats


(assessment tool)

TC

Training Class

TCN

Third Country National

TD

Training Director

TEL

Teaching English for Livelihoods

TEFL

Teaching English As A Foreign Language

TESL

Teaching English As A Second Language

TOT

Training of Trainers

Ts

Trainees

TT

Technical Trainer

178

U
UNDP

United Nations Development Program

USAID

U.S. Agency for International Development

VAC

Volunteer Advisory Council

VAD

Volunteer Assignment Description

VS

Volunteer Support

Vs

Volunteers

V/T

Volunteer /Trainee

WFP

World Food Program

WID

Women In Development

WWS

World Wise Schools

179

Appendix H- VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM


VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
PEACE CORPS COLOMBIA
VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

I have read and I understand the contents of the Peace Corps/Colombia


Volunteer Handbook. I agree to abide by the policies and procedures
outlined therein. I understand that any violation of these policies may lead
to disciplinary actions, up to and including Administrative Separation.

____________________________________________________
PCV Name

___________________________________________________
PCV Signature

____________________________________________________
Date

180

Appendix I YOUTH CAMPS


YOUTH CAMPS
Youth Camps could be an integral part for successfully working with youth.
Nevertheless, they do come with some risks. While all may be well planned,
accidents do happen. As a result, our policy regarding PCVs and Youth Camps
coincides with what is dictated by Peace Corps Washington Guidelines (listed
below). PCVs can work with HCAs, NGOs, Host Country Counterparts to set
up and supervise youth camps. PCVs, however, are not allowed to 1) take the
lead in organizing and supervising youth camps or 2) be the sole supervisors
at a youth camp. As you are planning your youth camps, the two points
above must be taken into consideration before PC/CO will allow you to carry
out a youth camp. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may lead to
administrative separation. If you have questions about how to adhere to the
guidelines, please feel free to consult your PM, DPT and/or CD.
Peace Corps Guidelines for Youth Camps
Importance of youth camps
Peace Corps Volunteers successful work in developing the assets and
capabilities of youth is well known. Volunteers and their local counterparts
decide on the most appropriate and effective approaches, such as:

Promoting positive attitudes and life choices;


Acquiring leadership skills; and
Becoming better prepared to assume future roles in society.

Youth camps can be seen as one method for developing the assets and
capabilities of young people with the benefits of Peace Corps 50 years of
experience in the field. In addition to more traditional sports and recreational
activities, training in a camp setting creates a safe learning environment for
youth (often between the ages of 13 and 18) to engage in activities around
leadership, health, language, information and communications technology,
and environmental education. Camps are a culturally accepted and versatile
method of delivering youth-focused training that provides multiple benefits
to youth, local partners and communities.
The Peace Corps-developed youth camp model is intended to strengthen
broad relationship building and participation by both youth and related
communities or organizations. The role of Volunteers is to collaborate with
host-country organizations that sponsor the camp programs; it is not to
assume primary responsibility for organizing or sponsoring camp programs.
Thus, Volunteers may collaborate with local counterparts, teachers, and
NGOs to share responsibility for organizing the camps, to build the planning,
181

fundraising and management skills of the local organizations, and to ensure


appropriate content, curricula, and safety during the camp training
itself. Volunteers may also work with parents, community leaders, service
providers and youth to help them plan and manage camp training activities.
Numerous Peace Corps publications provide guidance and examples for
choosing camp-related trainings, developing the content and curricula for
camp trainings and subsequent follow-up, and providing advice on cofacilitating and securing funding for camps.
Liability
A Peace Corps/Washington Legal memorandum, dated July 22, 2003, outlines
the liability policy for Volunteers involved in camp activities. In summary, a
Peace Corps Volunteer should not assume principal responsibility for
sponsoring and organizing a camp but should work with local groups, that
may include government entities, NGOs, Community-Based Organizations
(CBOs), a local association of individuals or parents, or youth service
organizations that are sponsoring the camp.
Funding
Volunteers may train their communities to identify and mobilize local
resources for camps. In addition, two Peace Corps sources of funds are also
available. The two sources are:
The USAID-Colombia funded Small Project Assistance (SPA) Program
The Office of Private Sector Initiative (OPSI) Partnership Program.
While each of the two programs have specific funding guidelines, all of the
Peace Corps funding sources share two common required elements for
funding: sustainability, and monitoring and reporting.
Sustainability
The key questions to consider in addressing sustainability concerns:
How will youth camp participants demonstrate that they have acquired
knowledge and skills as a result of attending the camp? How will
participants apply the new information or skills in their communities?
Are there opportunities for the local host organization to increase their
capacity to plan, design, fund, and implement a camp in the future as
a result of their collaboration with Peace Corps?

182

Monitoring and Reporting


Key questions to consider in designing a monitoring and reporting plan:
What does the post want to achieve? Have the camp objectives
been clearly defined? What would a successful camp look like? Did the
post assess the needs and resources with youth, parents, and
community partners?
What is the plan to get there? What steps will ensure success?
How will the post follow up? Have partners outlined ways to follow
up with camp participants to see how new skills have been applied?
Available Technical Resources
The Center has partnered with the Regions to develop a number of resources
to assist with the assessment, design, implementation, and monitoring of
camp related activities. The ICE Catalog has many publications that can be
used by staff and Volunteers in planning such activities.
Follow-Up Support and Assistance for Camps
Several offices within Peace Corps headquarters can assist posts to ensure
their involvement with camps is consistent with Agency recommendations
and guidelines.
For information on camp alternatives, lessons learned, and how camps are
used in particular sectors, contact a Center Specialist in your sector. For
questions related to youth development content, gender and development
approaches, technical resources available in ICE, or practices from other
posts, contact:
WID/GAD Coordinator at the Center for Field Assistance and Applied
Research;
183

Youth Development Specialist at the Center for Field Assistance and


Applied Research;
HIV/AIDS Programming and Training Advisor in the Office of AIDS Relief;
PC/Colombia SPA Coordinator or OPSI.

184

Appendix J- SITE LOCATOR FORM

SITE LOCATOR FORM

SLF VOLUNTEER SITE LOCATOR FORM (SLF)


Please complete form and email to: SSC at vardila @peacecorps.gov
within 30 days of arrival at your site.
PCV Name:

Date completed:

Your Spanish name at site:

Email:

Cedula #

Cell Phone:

Residence phone:

Address: City:

Barrio:

Department:

Atlantico

Bolivar

Magdalena

Host Family Mom


Landline:

Cell Phone:

Host Family Dad


Landline:

Cell Phone:

Host Brother
Landline:

Cell Phone:

Host Sister
Landline:

Cell Phone:

Host
Landline:

Cell Phone:

Host
Landline:

Cell Phone:

Residence mailing address at


Phone:

USA Emergency Contact Person &


1.
2.
3.
4.
185

Work Site Name:


School /SENA:
Landline Phone:
Address:
Barrio:
School Rectors Name:

Cell Phone:

School Coords Name:


Cell Phone:
Landline:
Site Key Contacts: Who are the best people in your site who will pass on a
message on to you or who will seek you out in case of an emergency?
Name
Relationship
Cell
Landline
During the day?
During the evening?
Another good contact?
Closest Medical Center within your site:
Address:

Phone:

Emergency Transportation:
List two people in your community/barrio who have vehicles and who have said they
would be willing to drive you to medical facilities within your site or possibly to
Barranquilla in an emergency? (Peace Corps can reimburse the driver for the cost of
your transport in an emergency)
Name
Relationship
Cell
Landline
1.
2.
Radio Station: What are the radio stations in your city? (Colombian radios: La W &
RCN for emergency messages)
1. FM
2. AM
Other:
National Police Unit (CAI):
Address:

Barrio:
Phone:
186

Detailed Barrio/Community Map and Travel Instructions:


Describe how a person in a vehicle, who has never been to your site, can most easily arrive at your
home. Use barrio and street names; carefully note right and left, distances and landmarks.(Please
use MAPS.GOOGLE.COM )
Draw a detailed map that identifies your home, your school/SENA location and other easily
identifiable landmarks (i.e. church, store, park, etc.) within the barrio or community you live and work.
Include street names.
Please use MAPS.GOOGLE.COM

Appendix K TRAVEL REQUEST FORM


187

IN-COUNTRY TRAVEL REQUEST


REQUEST DATE:
INSTRUCTIONS: Complete in full and submit directly to S&S office 15 days before you depart on planned travel.

Name(s) of Traveler(s)

Section

Ext.

Home Telephone

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

DESTINATION:
DEPARTURE DATE AND TIME:
RETURN DATE AND TIME:
TRAVEL:

Official

SUPERVISORS NAME/SECTION:
SUPERVISORS HOME TELEPHONE #:
MODE OF TRANSPORTATION:
AIR/Name of Airline and Flight # (or USG):
CAR/Route:
Make/Model/Color/Year/License Plate #:
NAME/ADDRESS/TELEPHONE # OF
HOTEL:

Notes:

188

Personal

Cell Phone

189

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