First and foremost, welcome to my blog. In it I shall chronicle my experiences with the Peace Corps, but before I can begin that, I must cover the events that got me here. I won't go into much detail, although I would be more than happy to discuss the application process on an individual basis, but suffice it to say that I applied in August of 2011 after graduating from Gettysburg College, and shall begin my service in October 2012. My experience has proven, yet again, the dangers of procrastination, but thanks to the courteous staff of the Peace Corps I will finally be serving. One thing to keep in mind is that they are to help you make the most of your Peace Corps experience, and are not trying to find reasons to block your participation. I want to stop here to thank my family and friends, particularly my parents whose advice, while I won't always say it, but I will write write, was right (mostly). With your support I was able to overcome my frustration and I look forward to your continued support while I'm abroad.
This brings me to the biggest question of all, one that I have often been asked in the past year; why the Peace Corps? While there may be a few negatives (depending upon your view) such as not making any money, witnessing the devastating effects of poverty, health concerns and (a concern for me particularly) learning a new language, the benefits far outweigh these. I won't loose money, I get to see a completely different culture, the Peace Corps provides good medical care and the best way to learn a new language is immersion. Furthermore, I have much to gain both professionally and personally. The Peace Corps looks great on any resume. I would love to have a career in the National Park Service (at least that's my goal for now, two years of living in another country may change that). Since I was a history major the Peace Corps will give the experience I need to do that.
I could go on for days about my personal reasons for joining. As a U.S. citizen, I feel very lucky to have grown up in such a prosperous country. While I do not have a military mindset, I still feel that it is my duty to give back to my country. The very language used to discuss participation in the Peace Corps with words like"service" and "assignment" mimic the language we use to talk about the military. I feel as if I am giving back not just to my country, but to the world as well. I hope that my service can make some sort of a difference no matter how small. At the very least, it's the right thing to do.
I want to expand my world view. People are physical beings and as such learn best through experience. There is no book I can read, or news radio program I can listen to, that can completely make me see anothers' perspective. I might be able to understand it, but only on a mental level. I won't be able to feel it. True knowledge is tied to the Earth. The Peace Corps provides me a unique, once in a lifetime, opportunity to fully immerse myself in a completely foreign culture. I will be there speaking with people in their native language who come from very different backgrounds then my own. I will be entirely beyond my comfort level. The Peace Corps will support me, but I will be left on my own as I never have before. This prospect is both exciting and frightening because I can't entirely predict what I will experience. However, in many ways it is the very unknown that draws me forward. I don't know how this journey will affect my point of view, only that it will be expanded. Like many things in life, I am searching for answers without necessarily knowing the questions. As my mother is fond of saying, "It's not the destination it's the journey there". In the end, the important thing is making the most of my experience and I plan on doing just that.
OK, that's enough philosophy for now. On the other side, I must stress that as some of the PC literature has mentioned, I am going to Ghana to perform a job. As much as I talk about journeys and experiences, ultimately I have a responsibility to achieve the specific goals that are a part of that job. Although some goals are broad, it is important to keep in mind that this is more than just a personal walkabout. Thus, it comes down to what ultimately makes the Peace Corps so great. On a professional level I am there to teach or instruct, while on a personal level I shall learn at the very same time. That reciprocity is what makes the world turn.
