A Bit About Me

The most frequent question I get asked when I tell people that I have applied to the Peace Corps is: What made you decide to do that?  This post is to (thoroughly) answer that question, as it is the start and the base for what I am doing and why I have this blog.  My apologies for the length, I will try in the future to keep them shorter - this is just a complete answer to a surprisingly complex question.  Although I suppose it could all be summed up by "because I care." ....But if you want more of an answer and want to get to know me better, read on.

As I mentioned in my first post, I have just graduating from college with a degree in Environmental Engineering - it has taken me five and a half years to get to this point and I am not finishing where I thought I would (I started in Civil Engineering at UW-Milwaukee and ended up in Platteville). And the journey to get where I am today has NOT always been easy - but I think that the good times have far out weighed the low points and I am SO excited about my future that in the end, I think, it will all be worth it.

I had chosen Environmental Engineering because I am EXTREMELY passionate about the environment and saving the the planet and its inhabitants.  I will try my best to not be preachy on this blog; that isn't what I am intending this blog to be and being preachy doesn't work, especially since the information that people get preachy about is often misguided or interpreted incorrectly...but I digress.  I care about the planet because I care about people and animals (we always had a houseful of pets growing up - a dog, bird, fish, frogs and lizards...), and its as simple as I just care about it all.  There are tons of ways to save the world and help people, but with my strength in math showing up at a young age (apparently I did my brother's math homework when we were in elementary school - he is a few years older than me), and my curiosity in everything, engineering seemed a fairly natural fit.  Mix those strengths with my passion, and you have a perfect fit for Environmental Engineering.

I am explaining all of this in this blog because those same passions - the caring about the world and drive to do whatever I can to make it a better place - are what lead me to be so interested in Peace Corps and AmeriCorps.  That coupled with my technical background - that few people have - means that I could really have a pretty positive impact on the world, even if its as simple (and complicated) as getting a sustainable water source to a small community in South America.

I first heard of the Peace Corps sometime between middle school and high school and thought since then that it would be a pretty cool thing to do, but always put it on the back burner - it would be cool, but is it what I really wanted to do? Aren't engineers supposed to graduate and go into industry? Make those high starting salaries that we are always told about (and are, unfortunately a driving force for too many people, but that's an observation/opinion of mine)?  In the Peace Corps I would "make" enough to cover the bills and then at the end get a stipend - nothing compared to what I could make.  Is it something that I really wanted to do after all my hard work?...

This summer I took a trip to Slovakia with my dance group (Slovak folk dancing). It was my second time going, and despite some drama on the trip, I LOVED being in Europe.  After some contemplation, I realized that it was because everyday was so different; every day was an adventure - and I loved it.  I don't speak Slovak, and this was a problem many times, but I didn't care, I loved the adventure, meeting new people, seeing new things, being so immersed in something that it was all I thought about - everything was so in-the-moment.  It was on this trip that I realized that I am not ready (and might never be) to sit in a cubicle 8 hours a day chugging away at engineering stuff.  I want to be out in the field (something I already knew), but more importantly, I want to be out of my comfort zone, and I want to see the world and forge new friendships, have new experiences, learn new things - all of that.  At that point it  became so blindingly obvious that I HAD to do Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or something that is related to them - so I signed up for both.

I do realize that serving is going to be quite different from travelling for fun, or for a short period, but I think that is what I am really drawn to.  Trips are never long enough, and I always want to experience more, so what better opportunity? I have gotten many stories from returned volunteers and from people in other organizations, such as Engineers Without Borders, so I am not looking at this through rosy colored glasses, but I am also still very optimistic about serving - I guess you could say that I'm optimistically realistic about it - I have some reality of what it might be like, but I am still very optimistic about it.

I have heard back from both organizations about serving, which is super exciting - but that is for another post. :)

Not sure how often I should post...what do you all think?  Maybe weekly and then as big events happen? Share your thoughts - and maybe a little on who you are?  I see I have had several views, but I don't think its all people I actually know, and honestly that kind of creeps me out.  I know I can change things, but now I am more curious than anything...

Start-up

Hey everyone! I have just graduated from college (as in two days ago) and am currently finishing up my final exams and projects (yes, finals and final projects are due AFTER graduation at my school), so start-up of all of this might be a little slow going this week.  I mainly wanted to just get something set up and out there, plus it allowed me to procrastinate on studying....I am hoping to have more of an introductory/this is where things are right now/what I've done so far post up in the next few days - so stay tuned!