You will likely be able to live a Paleo lifestyle easier in emerging markets than our own. You will be shopping local markets, walking A LOT, and with less resources will find a way.

My friends who've been PCVs (successfully) found additional jobs to pay for their desire to travel a little more and live a more comfortable life.

I've traveled extensively in developed and developing countries (Russia, Peru, Guatemala, Belize, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, UK, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Thailand, Malaysia) and discovered my health improved in less developed countries. This consistent 20 lb weight loss + better sleep + general improved moods + a myriad of physical issues that disappeared every time I left the US really pushed me to take ownership of my health and showed me there is a better way, the old way.

I encourage you to network with older generations (+60 y/os) in the country where you are assigned and to ask them to teach you traditional cooking. From Russia to Thailand, the food tastes sooo much better than what we can find here. You'll come away with some amazing insights to the local culture, improved language skills, and some incredible friendships that will last a lifetime.

Best of luck and look forward to the most amazing physical and spiritual journey you will likely take during your lifetime.

If I had the choice between not doing the peace corps and staying "real" paleo (TM) versus doing the peace corps and doing the best I could where I was, I'd definitely choose the latter.

For one, I would bet that the traditional diet of whatever country I was in, while not optimal, would have options to make the diet tolerable (though you might have to get over Western sensibilities). Also per Michael Rose's 55 theses, since you're young, you likely have a lot more tolerance for a grain-based diet.

Not sure what you could bring and/or have sent to you, but perhaps a couple of key foods or supplements (e.g., fermented cod liver oil, grass-fed jerky) would enable you to round out your local diet.

Join! It is a great chance to expand your views. You will find the food you need.

My son is currently in the Peace Corps, serving in Guatemala, following a paleo diet.

He posts on MDA under PeaceCorpsCaveMan. During training, paleo was pretty much impossible, but now that he living on his own and cooking his own meals he is closeR to paleo than many of us in the US. He is raising chickens, ducks and turkeys and has developed relationships with the local butchers, smokes his own bacon, etc.

From what I've heard from people who've done it, your menu is usually limited to what the poor people you're working with eat - often mostly a staple grain like millet, or rice, and you're lucky to get much protein at all. Quality meat and non-grain starches will not be available/affordable in many places you might end up.

That's not a reason not to do it, but you should be aware of the possibility of being forced to eat a rather crappy diet.

The peace corps has helped destroy a lot of traditional tribal ways.

I served in the Peace Corps in 2004-2006 in West Africa.

In the country where I served, it would have been nearly impossible to eat anything close to Paleo/Primal, unless you brought your own money and bought your own food and never ate with locals. (I would discourage you from doing that unless you want to live like an expat and not a PCV, in which case, just joint the Foreign Service.)

I ate almost every meal with my host family or other locals. Everything was cooked in vegetable oil imported from China. Meat was relatively expensive, and of low quality (sometimes rancid), and I never ate more than a few mouthfuls per meal. Fish was available in some parts of the country, but not plentiful unless you were rich. The greatest sources of calories were rice, pasta, cous cous, vegetable oil, sugar, and powdered milk (all imported, except for the cous cous). Fruits and vegetables were largely ignored.

I lost about 30 pounds (not a good thing for me) and was sick an awful lot.

You may have a different experience, depending on where you are placed. I remember reading on MDA about a PCV who was in Vanuatu and he seemed to be having a great time and staying Primal. In other regions, such as West Africa, your food choices will likely be "less than optimal," as you euphemistically stated.

If you want to do the Peace Corps, I think you should be willing to do it without staying Paleo. If your placement allows you to avoid vegetable oils and gluten and sugar, for the most part, great. If not, just roll with it for two years. Part of the immense value of the PC is that it forces you to live like the locals do. You drink their water, you eat their food, you don't act like the special American.

If you feel that being non-Paleo for two years is not worth it, then that's okay, too. Having done it myself, I don't know that it was worth it. However, if you get a good placement, you can easily end up with a much better experience than I had.

My advice would be to talk to as many PCVs as you can. I'm a little disappointed in the advice given here from non-RPCVs. Just because a country is a "developing nation" doesn't mean their diet will be any better than SAD. In my case, I would say it was much, much worse! Also, the PC is not always a magical experience that will be the most amazing journey of your life. It can be, but it can also be a terrible, nightmarish two years.

If you want to talk about your Peace Corps options, you are always welcome to email me (see my profile). I'd also be happy to put you in touch with many other RPCVs who had much better experiences than I did (and some who had it much worse), so you can get a complete picture of what you might be in for.

Best of luck.

Make sure you are careful while serving, my husband lost a good friend who was in the Peace Corp. He was serving in Lesotho. A local held him and a girl at gun point and demanded money, she got away but he didn't. It was a huge loss of such a wonderful spirited person who was really trying to help the world. His name is Thomas Maresco. Just be very aware of your surroundings especially in cities.