Me in the peace corps

So I graduate in August (whooooooooo hoooooooo!!!!) and can't wait because being in school is so old. I'm weighing my options as to what I will do afterwards. I've thought of working for the government, private industry, heck maybe even helping someone with research (if I'm desperate enough).

However, my mind has started going back to conversations I've had with my mother from time to time. She would tell me stories of when she was my age. How she'd tell her mother she wanted to join the Peace Corps (PC) and her mother (my grandmother) would cry, "Oh baby don't go over there to Africa..those Africans killing each other baby..please don't go over there!" Listening to grandma, my mother didn't go and deferred her dream. It made me think how awesome it would be to be able to help people and get to travel all at the same time. But I quickly dismissed the idea because I thought it would be foolish to join after finishing graduate school. The most common occurrence is joining following completion of a undergraduate degree.

However, I've been thinking again about applying. I actually have started my application on the website.

Why, you may ask...I've got several reasons.

1. I would love to be able to aid in the development of a developing country. To know that I had a hand in starting or continuing a program which would aid the people of a village/town would be amazing. It's like affecting change on a bigger, more visible and tangible scale. The problem with most volunteer opportunities is that you sometimes don't feel like you're affecting change in a big way.

2. Being able to learn about a different culture. They say the best way to learn something is through immersion. Boy, is the PC the ultimate immersion program. Although they do teach you basics of a language they also put you in the home of a host family with which you have to learn to communicate. And, once the 3 months of training are over, a volunteer is basically a member of the community in which they are serving. It's great! I could just imagine it now...

3. I'm a glutton for the basics...well not really. I love a nice warm shower, air conditioning, indoor plumbing, and microwave meals as much as the next gal. However it would be refreshing to experience life stripped down to only the things I really need. I'm sure this is how it would be for me since my industry is agriculture. I will most likely be placed in a farm village or something. That could mean...using a squatting latrine, pumping my water at a site any distance from my home, taking bucket baths, falling in love with mosquito netting because I'd have to keep the windows open at night to avoid drowning in sweat, having to sweep out my house every day because dust will be a daily occurrence...the list could continue for days. But, nonetheless, it would be a worthwhile experience.

4. I'd absolutely love to be placed in Africa. Not only because it's the homeland of my forefather (literally), but also because it is where his relatives currently live. If I could use my vacation time to visit my family in Nigeria I would be so grateful. I'm not sure if another opportunity would arise to finally see them.

5. This isn't my primary focus, however it is a truth (at least I think it is). The PC would look great on my resume and will hopefully be some of the required "experience" job applications desire.

Okay, that may be all. I just need to get together my recommendation letters and write my essays for my application and I'll be starting my journey although there's a lot of waiting..I'm willing to do so.