It's been about two years since I left my job at Andersen Consulting (now known by the silly name of Accenture Consulting). If I hadn't quit I would have been able, during that two year period, to invest about $50,000. As a Peace Corps volunteer, I think I spent about $1,200 more than I earned during the same period. So, joining the Peace Corps, in a way, has cost me $51,200.

Assuming that the earning potential of that $50,000 was 10% per year (and ignoring the fact that I would probably have to remove some of that as part of a down payment on a mortgage) that $50,000 would have grown to just short of one million dollars by the time I turn 55. So joining the Peace Corps, in a way, has cost me $1,000,000.

That's an inspirational thought for any potential volunteers who are reading this.