Could you repeat that??

A lot of places on my blog I’ve used (and plan to use) terminology or acronyms that I didn’t know before the Peace Corps so I figured I would make an easy guide so you can understand what on earth I’m saying. I’ll update this post as I think of more things to add.

PST: This stands for “Pre-Service Training” which is what I am doing my first three months in country. This training includes language, technical, and cultural training so I am better prepared for my service.

PC: Peace Corps

PCV: Peace Corps Volunteer (I won’t get this title until swearing in in December)

PCT: Peace Corps Trainee (my current title while I am in PST)

Cluster: My cluster is the four people I spend the most time with. We have language training together and all of our technical, cultural, and health days together.

Link: This is the other cluster in my town and we get together with for technical training.

Site: My site is the location where I will be for two years. The Peace Corps will choose my site based on the needs of the community and my skills. I find out my site during the first week in November and will move there in the beginning of December.

Staging: This was those two days that I was in D.C. Basically a time to go through some very basic universal Peace Corps information such as what is expected of us as volunteers, what we expect from the Peace Corps and a rough idea of what our schedule will be for the next few days.

Host Family: 1.) This is the family I will live with during PST and 2.) This is another family I will live with during the first six months (maybe longer) at my site.

LCF: Language and Cultural Facilitator. This is the person that teaches me the language and answers all the questions I have about Ukrainian Culture.

TCF: Technical and Cultural Facilitator. This is the person that teaches me how to be a teacher in Ukraine and also is able to answer all my questions about Ukrainian culture.

CD: Country Director. The person that is the head of Peace Corps Ukraine.

Tech Training: During technical training sessions I learn how to be a teacher in Ukraine and other useful information on how to survive in a Ukrainian community.

Swearing In: The ceremony where myself and other trainees will officially swear in as Peace Corps Volunteers.

Counterpart / CP: This is just what it sounds like - My Ukrainian counterpart. They are an English teacher and will co-teach classes with me. They will also be my primary contact within my school and in my community.

#PST #pcv #peacecorps