Wednesday, May 1, 2013

A little summary of why I want to live in Africa for two years.



Hello friends! So many people have asked why I joined the peace corps, and for some reason this is a really tough question because my initial response is "well, why not?" but then I realize they want a legitimate response, so here is a little bit of how I became interested in PC and I'll try to answer a few more common questions! One and a half years ago I was sitting in my Food Issues class with my friend Joselin. The whole class is about food issues globally, and focused a lot on food shortages, GMO's, and first world countries.  Well, I was not particularly fond of that class (or any class for that matter) so Joselin and I joked around saying how we were sick of school and "I'm just going to join the peace corps". Well, after joking around for a few weeks, I really started to look into it, and I fell in love with the idea. I applied the next semester while I was studying abroad in New Zealand, had my Skype interview while I was there, and was nominated in July. It took me a full YEAR, almost to the day from the day I applied, to be invited to serve in Botswana. I checked my email roughly ten times a day waiting for that damn invitation. Initially, I did not really tell anyone for fear I would realize this isn't what I wanted to do and have my family get used to the idea and then me back out. So basically I applied because...
1. I like the idea of getting to help people. 
2. I will *hopefully* get to do some sort of medical type work which will help me in the future if I do end up going back to school.
3. It is awesome.
4. I get to learn a new language (Setswana) although they speak a lot of English there.
5. Everyone needs a picture surrounded by adorable African children (You know the one I'm talking about)
6. I want to see if Tom is really giving out $60 shoes.

Would you like to know where I will be living? ME TOO. I could end up in a house with running water and electricity, orrr I could end up in the opposite. Do not know yet, and won't know until until September-ish.

So far I've had three blood draws, four shots, one dental exam, one physical exam, and numerous calls to the insurance company. There is many more of that to come! Knowing I'm going to be leaving has made my motivation to do school work drastically plummet. Only 9 days......just 9. I'm starting to see the light at the end of this dark tunnel they call "senior year". I know that this was the best four years of my life, and I truly have loved pretty much every minute of it, but I am definitely ready for the NEXT best four years. Bring it on Bots.

P.S. I am not a great writer, or a consistent one. Buuut, I will try to post them as much as possible once I get over there in August, it all depends on my living situation.