Why International Service?

The question has come up many, many times about why I am joining the Peace Corps to serve internationally instead of doing service to my own country. I would like to state that the Peace Corps is a program funded through the United States Government, in my opinion, to increase visibility of United States culture, increase global literacy, and to build positive relationships globally. Although I will physically be serving in another country the benefits are awarded to the host country and the United States through the success of the relationships I create and programs I work on.

In terms of choosing what is best fit for me, it is a hard choice as the United States provides many diverse opportunities for each person and it is our responsibility to find what fits us best. However, I want to reiterate that this is my reasoning for why I choose to do international service instead of another program like AmeriCorps that solely serves needy people and communities in the United States. Each person has their own set of needs to feel fulfilled and my response may not make any sense to you and that is okay. You have chosen your path because it best fulfills your needs as this will mine.

The United States, formally through government initiatives and informally through the third-sector (non-profit organizations) provides an optimal amount of services and programs to people in the United States. Although I can not argue that there is plenty of social injustice in this country—we all have the opportunity to strive and be the best people that we can—whether we take the opportunity or not. I believe that the chance to see a country whose government and people can not provide opportunities, hence why the Peace Corps is placed there, will humble me to a point that I can return to the United States to inspire others to utilize the programs that are available to them as well as encourage others (and myself) to be thankful for what the U.S. provides for us. We are a country of “never enough”—never enough money, never enough food, never enough services, never enough health care…but once we become more aware and less ignorant to the state of the rest of the world, maybe we will begin to understand a tipping point of “satisfaction.” Perhaps in my network, I will be the tipping point.

I do not advocate for the inability to strive for more or to stop trying to be better but I believe that it is only helping myself, my community, my network of people, my family, and my nation to become more aware of the culture of another nation who is also striving for better but may not have the resources to do so. The positive relationships that have been built between volunteers and international communities has helped bridge an information gap between ourselves and the communities in which Peace Corps volunteers serve. These relationships create a mutually benefiting understanding of the U.S. and the host country.

As the world grows smaller and smaller, my experience abroad will only assist me in a future career with a full understanding of how to work and think globally with sensitivity to differences between cultures. An experience domestically would not provide me with this opportunity and would only reinforce the United States culture and needs without account to others.

I may not ever have a lasting impact on the community in which I will serve, but I will return with so many things that most U.S. citizens will never have including: a better understanding of the cultural diversities that exist in the world, fluency in at least one new language, the ability to speak intelligently about communities across the globe, experiences to share to decrease the ignorance we hold about people not like ourselves. The last thing I will return with is two years of experience in program planning that I can apply to a career in the United States. So, am I just serving internationally, no….absolutely not…..I will be able to return and have an even better ability to serve my own country. I hope that this answers some questions about why I'm choosing to serve internationally, if not, please ask a specific question and I'll try to answer.

So I may turn this and ask, what are you doing to better your community for today and tomorrow? As well as, what needs are you fulfilling in your life to feel proud of your life accomplishments?

And…If you haven’t done so already be sure to check out the Peace Corps Core Expectations to better understand the expectations of volunteers in the Peace Corps.