Why I want to join the Peace Corps

So, I mentioned my amped up efforts toward researching and deciding whether or not to do the Peace Corps earleir today, which got me thinking. During these past couple weeks I've talked to a lot of people about this decision that I've got to make in the next little while, and I've found myself faced on more than one occasion with a specific question. "Sarah, why do you want to join the Peace Corps?" Now, I've wanted to do the Peace Corps so much for so long that the specific reasons have kind of melded into just a general feeling that this would definately be an experience for me, but when faced with the question, I often stumble and hem and haw, and leave out a lot of important things that I've thought about. So, in the interest of everyone else's interest (if that makes any sense), here is my best explaination for why I want to join the Peace Corps.

It really boils down to two different things. One: I want to help other people. Two: I want to help myself.

First things first, the fact that I want to help other people. I think I was born with a natural sense of empathy for people. As long as I can remember, I've always found it very important to help people out when they needed it, and to establish really solid personal relationships when I can. It could be argued that I'm already devoting my life to helping people by becoming a teacher, and that joining the Peace Corps is probably unnecessary and too extreme. The thing is, I've always kind of seen myself as a citizen of the world, rather than just an American. My obligation doesn't stop at the Canadian and Mexican border. Just because someone happened to be born across the Atlantic doesn't mean that they don't deserve help any more than someone living down the street from me. In fact, I would argue that the people that would benefit from my service in the Peace Corps probably need whatever I can offer them far more than most people in this country.

See, citizens of this country have a major head-start in the world merely by having the fortune of being a citizen of the US. We are all entitled to 13 years of free education in the best possible, and least restrictive environment. We are taught by professionals who have at the VERY least a 4 year professional degree under their belts. Most have or are working toward more. Throughout our education we have access to technologies and luxuries that other people can only dream of. We have the benefit of living in a country advanced enough and wealthy enough to provide its citizens with aid when they hit a rough spot in their lives. Granted that's not to say that we don't then expect those receiving aid to help themselves out of that spot too, but we are more than willing to give them a boost. We are all fortunate enough to live in a country that isn't devastated by famine or drought, or ravaged by civil war or epidemic.

I don't see any reason why we are more deserving of this than any other person on the face of this planet. For most of us, we were merely born into our good fortune, while others on this planet were born into much less than good fortune. I figure, since I've had an abundance of good fortune in my life, it is only natural for me to try to improve the fortunes of others who might not otherwise get that boost.

Secondly, my desire to help myself. After my experience the summer after my junior year in high school, travelling to Germany through a school group, I've caught an incurable travel bug. I want to GO places! I want to SEE things! I don't want to be stuck in the Midwest for the rest of my life without ever having experienced what life is like elsewhere. I think that it's incredibly important to experience life outside of one's own comfort zone for a while. The old philosophy of walking a mile in someone else's shoes couldn't be more relavant as this world becomes less compartmentalized and more globalized. I wanted to study abroad so badly during my college career, but with the transfer from GAC to MSU, and being an education major, the best I could manage was spending a month in Ireland. I don't feel like a month is nearly long enough to really get a taste of what life is like outside the US.

Now, I feel like I really have the chance to do that. Not only would I get the opportunity to live someplace else, but I'd get to do what I love doing! I'm young! When I graduate I'll have very few obligations and reasons to not go. I won't have a career established, I won't have a family started, I won't have put down permanent roots in any one city. What a perfect time for me to have such an adventure! What awesome stories I'll have to tell my kids and my grandkids some day. What awesome experiences I'll have for the rest of my life to draw upon! When I'm old and looking back on my life, I want to look back and think "Whew! was that GREAT or WHAT?!?" I realize that I'm awfully young to be thinking about what I'll be thinking about when I'm old, but I think, if I start now, I can fill my life with great experiences and great opportunities rather than squandering my time.

So that's the closest I can get to describing why I really want to do this. It's not exactly what I feel in my heart when I think about doing this, but it's as close as I can get with words.

A few more points of interest for those interested:
-The Peace Corps does everything it can to assure the safety of its voluteers. Each volunteer goes through a rigorous three month language and training session, most likely involving a home-stay and immersion in the language and culture.
-Volunteers in the Peace Corps are given a monthly allowance that allows them to live at, or a little above, the level of the people they are living with. Also, they are given 2 vacation days per month (a total of 48 over the 2 year period).
-The Peace Corps provides medical and dental care to all of its volunteers through regular check ups.
-Volunteers are checked on regularily throughout the time of their service by Peace Corps employees to ensure safety and a successful experience.
-Returning volunteers are give 6,000 dollars in adjustment money that can be spent however the idividual feels most appropriate
-There are scholarship programs available to Peace Corps vets as well as a program to earn a Master's degree while volunteering.
-Peace Corps vets gain numerous career building opportunities.

Ok enough's enough for now. It's bedtime for me. Let me know if you have any questions!

It is the light switch...of UTTER DEVASTATION!!

That, my friends, was spoken by a very wise man named Thundercleese (I'm not sure I spelled it right). He is the brash-on-the-outside-but-really-a-softie neighbor of my true boyfriend, Brak. I know, I know, all of you think my boyfriend's name is Marvin. In all honesty, he's just a cover for my true love, Brak. Why the cover? Well, not many people understand a relationship between an animated character and a human.

Alright, so I'm not REALLY dating Brak. Maybe someday ;) I just greatly enjoy the Brak show, which convieniently enough is on DVD now! So, if anyone ever needs a gift idea for little old me, there ya go.

Anyways, on with the show. So, somehow I blinked and a month went away. How does that happen? I don't understand it. I swear that it was just like a week ago that I was blogging about planning my trip to Colorado Springs, and now all of the sudden the trip has come and gone. And a good trip it was! I was reunited with my long lost partner in insanity for a week of glee. Ok, so Marvin really wasn't lost. I knew where he was the whole time, but still it had been a long time since I'd seen him. And now, a much longer time before I'll see him again. June 11th is the earliest projected date of the next reunion. Yucktastic to that. Although, if the next three months go by like this last one, all I'll have to do is blink three times and it'll be just about right. Lets give that a try *blink**blink**blink*. Damn. No such luck for me.

As I said, the trip was pretty good. The terrible grueling trips there and back via Nebraska notwithstanding, it was a good week. Ate some good food. Climbed a mountain to see some really REALLY beautiful scenery. Watched a really cool IMAX movie. Saw Marvin!!!! Drove back through Nebraksa :P.

Hmm what else is new with me? There is the amped up effort in getting information about the Peace Corps. For those of you know don't know, I've been toying with the idea of joining the Peace Corps (or Crops depending on what kind of learning disability you might have. The Peace Crops are places where Peace Farmers grow and harvest peace and then keep it all to themselves). I've been thinking about it kind of off and on since I started college. Now, it's become apparent that I need to think about it much more seriously if I'm going to make it happen when I graduate, since the application process takes about a year. This makes life a little more complicated and difficult, since this would require my two year absence from this continent. So, talks and negotiations are in process. More to come as this situation progresses.

Also, this Friday is the long-awaited field trip to the MN State Capitol, where I will have the joyful task of trying to keep 8 12 year-olds interested in politics and the democratic symbolism for 2-3 hours. If they make it through this experience they will all be rewarded with a six inch sub from Subway. A bribe yes, but since they don't get to miss school for this, I had to sweeten the pot somehow.

Soon comes the joy of planning a bridal shower in Sheboygan while I reside in Mankato. I've never planned a bridal shower before, nor have I liked any of the bridal showers that I've ever been to, so this also poses a unique problem. How do I plan and execute a party that even I don't want to go to?? Hmmm... Oh. And for those interested, or who might ever need to know. If/when I get married I do NOT want a bridal shower. I just want a party with brats on the grill, maybe a few beers, and perhaps it should be co-ed rather than just the ladies. I don't care. Call it a couples shower if you want, but don't have any dumb get-to-know-you games. The beer should provide all the get-to-know-you juice necessary. Gifts not necessary. Really, I'd rather hang out with a bunch of people than have a dumb bridal shower. So there's that rant.

Hmm..any other new news in my life?? Ah yes. My new job. And what a job it is. Here is a small sample of the more exciting things that I do in my job. On an exciting day, I would type things that resemble this:

Just as a seashell is unique

So is our love

Bobby Rae Sue Doe

and

Jimmy Joe Bill Smith

invite you to attend their celebration of love

on July twenty-seventh

Two thousand and five

at the Waffle House on route 5

Reception to follow at Perkins

FREE BEER!!

Ok, so I've never typed anything that ridiculous, but there's just a sample of my exciting line of work. I did get to try to type something in French the other day, which was interesting, since many of the letters and accents, we don't have on our keyboards.

In anycase, I think this is a good enough update for now. I'll leave you all in peace for a little while.

Hold me close young Tony Danza (a.k.a. Hold me close you tiny dancer)