An ongoing question I am wrastling with ("to wrastle"- a verb coined by Chaucer, apparently, and then used repetitively and irresponsibly by my high school principle) is whether or not I should join the Peace Corps. The question is not really whether or not the Peace Corps will be an amazing and life-changing experience, but more-so whether or not it really fulfills the goals I'm working toward with my travels and my life.
I've been pretty set on the idea, having made a few strategic moves to make my application even stronger, such as taking on a TESL class and getting certified with first aid and CPR. However, some of the aspects of serving in the Peace Corps do not appeal to me as strongly, such as the possibility of being in one remote place for the entire assignment. Also, it will be a challenge to work out how to get my student loans sorted out while I'm gone since I can't defer all of them.
I want to serve in another country, it is something I've felt drawn to for many years, but I have to really decide if the Peace Corps format is right for me. I've been reading several blogs about other options, such as finding volunteer opportunities wherever you are at. That idea sort of appeals to me. Mainly, I just want to get my hands dirty and do something that seems to make a difference for people who are really in need. But since I am not a trained nurse or architect or something, my options are sort of limited.
As you can see, I do not have it all figured out yet, but I will continue to push my Peace Corps application through since the process is known to take up to a year and I will continue to consider the idea as I immerse myself in world-wide travel.
No comments:
Post a Comment