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...
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