Deciding to leave behind my friends, family, and home for 27 months was not an easy decision. When I first told my mom that I was thinking about doing the Peace Corps, her first response was, “Please don’t do that.” However, she and the rest of my family have all come around and are very supportive because I put a lot of time, effort, and thought into this decision.
My senior year of college, I was super stressed and was applying to several national scholarships, such as Fulbright and Boren. Throughout the entire year I put my everything into my applications and was very hopeful that at least one of them would come back with good news. Finally, at the beginning of April, I heard back from a couple of scholarships, but with negative results. However, I didn’t put all of my eggs in one basket. I also decided to apply to jobs, so that at least I had a plan for the next stage of my life. I made it to a last round interview for a local Pittsburgh company. Yet again, I was faced with rejection. That same day, I received the rejection email from the number one scholarship that I applied for. I began to spiral and panic about what I was going to do. I felt like everything that I had ever worked towards was for nothing, and I was very lost and scared for the future.
Luckily, I had one last hope that was low-key on my radar throughout the entire school year: the Peace Corps. I was considering it as an option after talking to people at various job fairs and learning more about the process and opportunities the experience provides. I became more and more interested, but still was unsure about the length of time and the fact that I wouldn't be making much money. Still, I thought the advantages outweighed the disadvantages and decided to start the application process (since it actually takes months). I applied back in the fall using the open application, with preferences for Latin America and Community Economic Development work. About a month later, I received a notification that I was being considered for a Community Economic Development position in Peru. I was very excited and began to consider this option more seriously, talking to everyone experienced and knowledgeable about Peace Corps that I could. Everyone that I spoke to, whether they had personally done Peace Corps or not, told me not only that it’s the experience of a lifetime but also that it is very highly regarded professionally. I started to think to myself that if everyone I talk to has such positive things to say and that I know it can lead to even greater things, why should I pass up an opportunity like that? However, I still had to wait to even have my interview.
Graduation day came and I, sadly, was not even excited because I still had no future plans, not to mention I had a sinus infection and pink eye (what luck, right?). Earlier on in my student career, I always thought that I would be someone who had their job lined up early on in the fall like all of the successful students ahead of me, but there I was jobless and disappointed on graduation day. A few days later though, I had my interview for the Peace Corps position. I felt that the interview went well, but after receiving so much rejection I really had no idea if it was going to work out or not.
Still feeling stressed and worried now officially being a college graduate, I needed to just escape my negative atmosphere. Luckily, I had been planning to visit two of my friends in
Vancouver for a solid 12 days. This vacation came at the perfect time, I got to “go off the grid” as I like to say, and spend lots of time exploring an absolutely beautiful place alongside friends that mean so much to me. I was feeling so much better, and began to turn my self-doubt into self-love, telling myself that no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay.
The day we got back from our camping trip, I checked my email, and there it was: my invitation to serve in the Peace Corps! I was absolutely elated. Without consulting anyone, I immediately accepted the offer. After everything that I had gone through, I had no doubt in my mind that this was what I was supposed to do. Here is an opportunity that will allow me to utilize my Spanish skills, build upon my experience in development work, experience life from a new perspective, and build bridges with people from a foreign place. Finally, I felt like I had a purpose again, and that all of my hard work had finally paid off and turned into an opportunity even better than I could’ve hoped for.
Knowing I have this big adventure ahead of me, I’ve spent the past eight months just working, saving money, and spending as much time as I can with loved ones. Now that 2020 is here and I officially only have three months until I leave, my next big life step is quickly approaching, and I cannot be more excited to see what it has in store.
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P.S. If you’re reading this and are in a similar situation feeling lost and unsure what’s next, just know that you are not alone. Don’t compare yourself to others; it is the absolute worst thing that you can do to yourself. You are your own person with unique experiences and knowledge, and you do not need to adhere to the boundaries of typical society. Everyone is on their own timeline in life. Keep your head up and keep going. The best is yet to come.
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