Peace Corps recruits older volunteers

Gallagher found advantages in being an older volunteer. "You get a lot more done because they respect age," she says. "They looked at my wrinkles and said, 'She's got to be very wise. She's got a lot of them.' "

Still, she does not minimize the challenges. "For an older volunteer, it's really a big commitment. You're giving up your way of life, but you're learning about another way of life."

Going through the medical exam process was "very hard," she says. She also calls the three months of in-country training "grueling," adding, "It's not a walk on the beach, it's not Club Med."

Mr. Tschetter acknowledges the challenges older applicants face in the medical clearing process. "It's very thorough," he says. "We can't compromise that."

Language presents a second challenge. Noting that the Peace Corps teaches 180 languages, he says, "We know older people can learn a language, but they learn it differently. We have to adjust our teaching style."

Then there is the complexity of older applicants' lives. "They own property, have grandchildren, and have investments and retirement portfolios," Tschetter says. "We have to give them a little more time to settle their affairs, and give them help."

For Jim Wilson, a retired Latin teacher in Barnet, Vt., the Peace Corps offered a welcome change. "My two kids had graduated and the university bills were paid," he says. "It was time for Dad to hit the road."

That road took him to a Peace Corps program in Namibia in southwest Africa, where he celebrated his 60th birthday. From 1998 to 2000, he taught English to children in elementary school and trained teachers. "I got so much respect as an older male," he says, noting that Africans called him "uncle."

Mr. Wilson describes his daughter and son as "very supportive" of his venture. His son even flew to Namibia for a visit. Calling the Peace Corps "a wonderful experience," he adds, "It broadened my world in the way I knew it would."

After the Peace Corps, Wilson, eager for another opportunity to help others, volunteered for AmeriCorps for two years. He drove a bookmobile in Vermont and read books to children.

Drawn by the allure of the Peace Corps once again, he signed up for a second stint in 2005 and in 2006. This time he taught English in Ukraine.

"The Peace Corps isn't for everyone, but if it's for you, it can't be beat," Wilson says. "It helps to be a low-maintenance person, open, welcoming, and with curiosity about other people. You've got to rough it a little bit. Being a hiker or a camper helps."

Other older volunteers are returning after serving decades ago when they – and the Peace Corps – were young. Now retired, they are eager for a new challenge.

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