Since my first blog post, I have been asked a lot about why I want to be a Peace Corps Volunteer so I thought it was only fitting that I include my motivation statement that helped land me the role. During the application process, each applicant is required to provide a motivation statement along with their resume. Think of it as a personal essay or a personal statement for graduate school. So without further ado here is my motivation statement and please forgive me if this post comes across as cheesy!
When I was younger I dreamt of being a pediatrician and going on big adventures serving in remote places of the world. With this dream I started university studying biology. However, my goal of being a global doctor had nothing to do with medicine and everything to do with the exploration and admiration of different cultures. So I set myself on a new academic and personal track towards an International Studies major where I learned about economic development projects in the rural Mississippi Delta, soul-sharing of the Nepali people, French Theatre of the Absurd, and women of the Irish Nationalist Movement. International Studies guided me to ask questions, research, and understand global perspectives. Soon this change in my life, coupled with my passion for volunteering, lead me to the Peace Corps.
I previously applied to Peace Corps and was put under consideration for an opening, but wasn’t invited to serve. At that point I wasn’t disheartened because I believed Peace Corps was something I would always come back to later in life skilled with more personal and professional experiences. And then fast forward a little more than a year and an incredible opportunity landed in my lap. A young French family moved to my city and one of the youngest children was assigned to my mother’s classroom. With the student’s zero knowledge of English and with a school staff that knew “next to none” French, my role in this student’s life quickly turned from “hey, would you translate his report cards?” to tutoring this student 1.5 hours three days each week. With my very rusty French skills, I got to work writing down everything I believed we could cover in 5 weeks with what we began to call “Survival English.” This opportunity taught me how a small amount of time can positively affect a child’s life and also that, despite coming from a family of teachers and saying I would never follow that path, I actually did enjoy teaching. I really believe that timing is everything and that it was by no coincidence that this student was placed in my mothers’ classroom, that I knew enough French to help, and that I was also in a position where I had the time.
And so equipped with new motivation and experience, I decided to apply for the Peace Corps again. Tutoring this young French student has taught me that friendship (despite language or even age) is universal. In some odd, bizarre “right place, right time” moment I was able to help someone else. Seeing my student’s cultural immersion has renewed my passion for connecting with others. For so long, my knowledge of global understanding came from a textbook when really it should have been from a human connection. I want to serve in the Peace Corps because I believe despite languages, cultures, religions, economic status, or gender; people are people and they have the same desires to learn, grow, and provide a better life rich with opportunities for their children.
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