18 months ago, I was a in the middle of my senior year at Stanford University. Like many of my peers, I was quite stressed about choosing something to do after graduation, wishing I would the right choice to find a fulfilling career, but mainly just hoping I would be able to support myself in a very tough job market. I majored in environmental science, which is a rather broad field, all things considered, and trying to pin down a specific career with a feasible path to get there seemed quite daunting. The school did host a large, general career fair, but, being in the middle of Silicon Valley, I felt intimidated by all the tech companies present- I was uninterested and unqualified for that field. Feeling overwhelmed and a bit disheartened as I wandered around the career fair, I noticed the Peace Corps table and thought, "I could do that." I hoped to be able to join right after I graduated, but as it turned out, the application process takes a good deal longer.
With an extra year of waiting to see if I was going to get assigned to Peace Corps, I learned that post-graduation life was not exactly what I was dreading. Yes, I shared a very small apartment, worked two jobs to pay for it, and relied on trains, busses, and a bicycle for transportation, but in general, I enjoyed myself. My floor staff job at a children's museum was greatly enjoyable (and as it turns out, getting a PAID entry-level job at a nonprofit is no easy thing- many other places only wanted volunteers). I continued to work with the theater company I had been very involved with as a student, I made new friends and kept the old, and I built a reasonable life for myself. So it was harder than I expected to say yes when, 4 months ago, I finally got my Peace Corps letter.
My assignment wasn't quite what I had hoped for, or expected. My biggest and unlikeliest hope was wildlife conservation, something that would lead to a career in that field. But I knew that most Peace Corps assignments were in education. I knew I would enjoy most kinds of environmental education projects, though I had already decided through my earlier education jobs (tutoring, teaching science camps, and museum floor staff), I much preferred informal education over classroom teaching. The regional recruiter with whom I had interviewed said he was nominating me to environmental education, and even when I got an email asking a few last-minute questions just DAYS before my invitation, it said Science Education. So, I was somewhat surprised, and a bit less enthusiastic when the invitation came and said "Math Education".
While I had some strong preferences about my project, I had very little preferences about location. I had spent 3 months doing ecology in Hawai'i, and thought another Pacific Island could be a nice extension of that experience, but I have not traveled many places outside of the US, so I had few notions about country assignment. When I found out I was going to Liberia, I had to do a good deal of research, but I think there are certainly some things about it that make it a good Peace Corps post: the people there are extremely welcoming, and most Liberians really appreciate the Peace Corps. While the infrastructure is damaged and I likely won't have access to amenities like electricity and running water, a good attitude and a welcoming community will likely help me overcome those difficulties.
The last four months have been an emotional roller coaster. Even after I officially accepted my invitation to serve, I wavered on whether it was what I really should do with the next two years. Sometimes I felt like I was continuing with the preparations because I felt I HAD to, not because I WANTED to. But I kept at it, knowing that if I backed out, I would regret it forever (and I was assured that second thoughts was normal- moving to another country for two years is a HUGE decision not to be taken lightly). Not everyone stays on for their assignment after training. I hope I will feel immersed in the experience, get to know the people I serve, and enjoy it once I am there. I hope I will hardly believe that I ever doubted the decision. But if I don't stay, at least I will have tried, and will still have some understanding of the experience.
So, here I am, two days before I leave for two years. I am enjoying my last fast internet for a while, have a huge pile of stuff in my living room that needs to be condensed into two suitcases and a backpack, and have, it seems, for the moment, stopped second-guessing my decision to join the Peace Corps. So, I suppose, it is time for an adventure!
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