Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” So, I’ve taken that to heart and am officially leaving for Eastern Europe this summer to join the Peace Corps. Last week I was e-mailed an unofficial offer, and after recovering from the shock that I was actually supposed to leave in a month and that I had to decide in four days. I decided to take it and yesterday I was told that I am officially invited. Since everything is for sure now, I decided to start a blog to document my journey so that my friends and family can follow me, even if it is only through the virtual world. Who knows, maybe a future applicant will come across my blog and be able to better decide whether or not the PC is right for him or her. I know I read a bunch of people’s blogs before I decided to apply.
A big question that I have been getting ever since telling people that I was applying to the PC has been, “What does that mean and what will you do?” So, I’m going to describe the Peace Corps a little bit and what I’ve been invited to do when I get to where I am going. The Peace Corps started out as an idea of President JFK in 1960 when he was visiting the University of Michigan. He challenged students to serve their country and promote peace by living and working in developing countries. Since its establishment in 1961, the Peace Corps has been sending people out to third world counties with the goals of:
- Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women
- Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served
- Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans
The Peace Corps sends people out all over the world to countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands, and in my case Eastern Europe. I will be working in youth and community development, but other volunteers can work in education, health, business and communication tech, agriculture, and environment. As for my safety, the Peace Corps assesses the health and safety conditions of sites before establishing a program. This means that basically anywhere I end up going should be safe and I will be able to get medical care in the instance I do need medical attention.
So why would I want to leave the comforts of good old sunny California to rough it for 27 months in a far away country where I could potentially live without pluming (I’m kind of hoping to luck out with running water and internet service), surrounded by people who speak a language I currently do not know, eat strange foods, and be away from all the people I care about? I just want to do something good for the world. All I have ever wanted to do is help people. And I realize that the help I do may do abroad may not be revolutionary or anything like that, but I can still make a difference for a few. Plus, going out there and trying has to count for something too.
Where do I get these ideas? Well, I’m going to have to blame my upbringing. Yup Mom and Dad, it all started with you. Ironically the lady who is most hesitant about me leaving is one of my greatest inspirations for doing it. Let me explain, I’ve grown up with stories of my relatives from both sides of my family living their lives helping others while trying to make a difference in the world even if it meant a single individual at a time.
First of all, my family hails from one of those countries that Peace Corps Volunteers are sent to serve, but I am descended from many who have fought for the greater good. My mom’s side of the family is full of politicians looking to better the country, missionaries, foster mothers and those that will fight for others when they can’t fight for themselves. I have to give my mom credit too thought. She volunteers at soup kitchens and takes in strays when they have nowhere else to go (and when I say strays, I mean people). She once told me, “I don’t care what you do in your life. All that matters is that you’re a good person with a good heart.”
My dad grew up on a farm in the Philippines, put himself through school and came to America to make a better life for himself. That was an accomplishment in itself, but he wasn’t leaving anyone behind. He brought and housed his parents, all of his brothers and sisters and their families and help them set up their lives. He was also big on helping people getting on their feet when nobody else would. I once asked him, and this was a long time ago considering he hasn’t said much since 1998, after we picked up a little old lady who didn’t speak English hitchhiking to get to the supermarket or somewhere, “Why would you pick up someone you don’t know?” He said, “You always have to try to help others if you can and they can’t help themselves.” I was probably around 4, but it stuck with me. Hahahaha, I guess I did pay attention to my parents growing up.
Add that to 12 years of Catholic school and I didn’t stand a chance. I can’t help wanting to do good in the world. I mean my high school used to say, actually I think they still do “…not words but deeds our motto ever...” Yep, all I want to do in life is help people and if that means flying halfway around the world to do it, well, that’s what I have to do.
Now you’re probably thinking, “Wow, you are overly optimistic and sound kind of naïve about this whole thing.” Yeah, I realize my reasons for going are very optimistic and I do realize that I’m probably not going to save an entire village, but if I can give just a few people some tools to help better themselves and their community, then I will have done my job. I do realize that there are going to be some really difficult moments ahead of me. I will get lonely, feel isolated and very uncomfortable, but that’s all part of the journey and I have to believe that at the end, I’ll be better for it. And who knows, maybe I’ll make some lifelong friendships, and maybe the people I come across will make a difference in me too. I figure if I go out there with a big heart willing to help out and also to learn from my experiences, I’ll be ok. So while it is really tough leaving everyone I love, I’m kind of excited to find out what’s coming my way, so stay tuned because things haven’t even really started yet.
