Peace Corps Week: Four (Honest) Reasons to Join the Peace Corps

Here's one for the millennials, a la Buzzfeed.

Obviously, these reasons are bound to vary by individual, but my top four reasons are as follows:

1. To gain some perspective: If you're like me and joined the Peace Corps from cubicleland, or if you're like most people and joined straight out of college, you're in for an eye-opening experience.  Newsflash--we live in a pretty self-centered world.  The first thing Peace Corps makes sure you know is simple enough: it's not all about you.  We come from a competitive society where we are constantly trying to sell ourselves.  Without realizing it, I was defining myself by my resume.  This year has been one of self-discovery for me.  Because the work environment here is unstructured, I can focus on activities to which I, personally, think I can contribute.  This is SO different than a boss asking you to do a task then completing it.  I've proved to myself that I can, in fact, do things I previously thought were out of my skill-set .  
2. For the follow through: For me, joining the Peace Corps went from a daydream, to a what-if, to an aspiration, then, finally, to a reality.   I really cannot think of a parallel experience in my life where I actualized a goal, by myself.  Don't get me wrong--I certainly have amazingly supportive family and friends, but I kept my application progress under the radar until I was sure that Peace Corps was a for-real thing.  I think part of me only wanted it to come to be if I did it alone.  I didn't obsess over my application, having everyone check my essays and the like.  I just tried to make sure my responses reflected my true sentiments, and hoped for the best.  When I finally decided to let everyone know, I got commonly got the response, "I had no idea, but I'm not surprised", which was comforting.  
3. To set a good example:  I think part of me pulled the trigger on the whole Peace Corps thing because I wanted to show people, especially my younger sisters, that if you want to do something, you can make it happen.  "Put your money where your mouth is" was a common saying in our house growing up, and I would never advise either of my sisters to settle for anything less than their dreams.  I guess, for me, this was walking the walk.  In a broader context, too, as a Volunteer, you will find yourself in situations where you will be the first American that someone has ever met, or, at least, taken the time to get to know.  Amidst a barrage of stereotypes, you have an enormous responsibility to portray Americans in a positive--but fair--light.
4. For the experience:  Already, after just six months in-site, I can safely say Peace Corps has changed my life. (Duh, you say, how could it not?)  Some of the ways are completely expected, like traveling to an unfamiliar location and getting to know a culture different from your own. Other ways are not-so-expected, like the amazing people that you meet and the relationships you cement with your fellow Volunteers that make you feel like, somehow, you have known these people for years.  

Love always,

Jess