(MONEY Magazine) – The dissolution of the Soviet Union has sparked a surge of interest in the Peace Corps. Yes, the Peace Corps, the volunteer federal agency created 31 years ago partly to help blunt the spread of Communism. Ironically, the Corps' latest initiative is to send 310 volunteers this year to spend two years either developing small businesses or teaching English in the former Soviet republics. Since the program's December announcement, calls to the Corps have quadrupled -- to about 1,000 a day. Most of the prospects are seasoned professionals intrigued by the kind of capitalist opportunities that have been in short supply in the U.S. lately. For example, North Dakota insurance commissioner Earl Pomeroy and his wife Laurie Kirby, a banker, hope to quit their jobs to help start insurance firms and banks in Russia. ''The challenge of helping to build a free-market system is irresistible,'' says Pomeroy. If the notion appeals to you, be prepared to give up your VCR and microwave. ''You'll be living at the level of those in the host country,'' warns Peace Corps director Elaine Chao. Corps workers get a spartan living allowance of about $250 a month, plus free health care and housing (ranging from a rural hut without plumbing to a small city apartment). The Corps will send 60 workers to the Baltics in June and July; Russia is expected to formally request assistance by summer. Small-enterprise volunteers should have at least five years' experience in such areas as marketing, advertising and finance. There is no age limit: the average Corps volunteer in Poland is 40. To apply, call the Peace Corps (800-424-8580).