The conflicts and problems that volunteers cause and experience overseas may be, to some, a compelling reason to criticize the Peace Corps viability and actions. But these problems, whether personal or political, the fault of the volunteer, or the host country national, are inevitable. Americans face conflict of interests in the United States too, and to think that it can be avoided abroad is absurd.
Human nature plays out regardless of geographical location.
Even if some of these problems are directly related to cross-cultural misinterpretations and such, there is much to be learned from them by all parties involved. In many instances these problems provide valuable lessons - whether in politics or cultural sensitivity. Being caught up in a riot, for instance, is first-hand experience that no news media could do justice to. The fact that volunteers are free to do as they please makes it less likely that they will act as the diplomats that the U.S. idealizes them to be. We can only hope that these volunteers become official diplomats themselves, keeping in mind the plight of those whom they served in the Peace Corps.