I just had to pass this along. I haven't laughed this hard in I don't know how long. An RPCV put together a brief YouTube video of a conversation between a young man who just finished his Peace Corps application and a parent or friend who is all too aware of the cultural misunderstandings and frustrations and the emotional and physical challenges that the young man may encounter during his service.
The various bits on the gastrointestinal issues, picking out "worms like zits", the local, organic foods myth, experiencing what winter is really like without any heating, the occasional hermit phase that many volunteers go through, and the case of the overbearing and bureaucratic supervisors are so spot on. I had first-hand experience with a few of these and some others were expressed by fellow volunteers. So many memories flashed through my mind with each exchange.
Some people may feel that this video discourages anyone from joining, but I would beg to differ. I think a dose of reality is necessary, and I think glossing over the difficulties or side effects of serving is worse. I think a lot of young people need a sense of idealism to get through the rough patches, but they shouldn't be naive. In a way that quixotic idealism is perhaps what prompts volunteers to help build a school where there was no school, set up a computer lab where there was none, foster the growth of a small business despite its many naysayers, or raise the self-esteem of young women in a society that does not value their input. Sometimes you are able to accomplish the goals you set out for yourself and other times you fail miserably for a variety of reasons that may or may not be under your control.
Let's say hypothetically that I was able to go back to the past on a Back to the Future's DeLorean Time Machine (I've always wanted to, and yes, this movie reference is pretty old) knowing what I know now about my Peace Corps experience to the time when I decided to go. Would I still go? Absolutely! I was challenged personally and even professionally. I'm not sure how you can measure personal growth, but I do agree with French novelist Marcel Proust who said, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Living in Morocco and traveling through the Middle East and Europe have exposed me to different ways people have decided to carry out their lives, and the journey has obliterated the notion of what we Americans consider to be the normal, usual, or the customary way of life.
I think it's difficult to understand another vantage point unless one is fully immersed in another, but it doesn't take a trip or an extended stay overseas to notice differences. The U.S. is fortunate to have little pockets of people from all over the world that have established restaurants, businesses, and places of worship that reflect their values where one can get a taste of that culture. And I guess if one is still wanting more, then of course, one should head out and plunge in to get the full experience.
So you want to join the United States Peace Corps? If you have the time and the financial means to do so, do it! Beware of the hardships. Then, when you've had time to reflect a bit, come back to tell us what you've learned and what you've seen. Enjoy the video and go ahead and finish your application already!
More travel quotes at: http://thinkexist.com/quotations/travel/
The various bits on the gastrointestinal issues, picking out "worms like zits", the local, organic foods myth, experiencing what winter is really like without any heating, the occasional hermit phase that many volunteers go through, and the case of the overbearing and bureaucratic supervisors are so spot on. I had first-hand experience with a few of these and some others were expressed by fellow volunteers. So many memories flashed through my mind with each exchange.
Some people may feel that this video discourages anyone from joining, but I would beg to differ. I think a dose of reality is necessary, and I think glossing over the difficulties or side effects of serving is worse. I think a lot of young people need a sense of idealism to get through the rough patches, but they shouldn't be naive. In a way that quixotic idealism is perhaps what prompts volunteers to help build a school where there was no school, set up a computer lab where there was none, foster the growth of a small business despite its many naysayers, or raise the self-esteem of young women in a society that does not value their input. Sometimes you are able to accomplish the goals you set out for yourself and other times you fail miserably for a variety of reasons that may or may not be under your control.
Let's say hypothetically that I was able to go back to the past on a Back to the Future's DeLorean Time Machine (I've always wanted to, and yes, this movie reference is pretty old) knowing what I know now about my Peace Corps experience to the time when I decided to go. Would I still go? Absolutely! I was challenged personally and even professionally. I'm not sure how you can measure personal growth, but I do agree with French novelist Marcel Proust who said, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Living in Morocco and traveling through the Middle East and Europe have exposed me to different ways people have decided to carry out their lives, and the journey has obliterated the notion of what we Americans consider to be the normal, usual, or the customary way of life.
I think it's difficult to understand another vantage point unless one is fully immersed in another, but it doesn't take a trip or an extended stay overseas to notice differences. The U.S. is fortunate to have little pockets of people from all over the world that have established restaurants, businesses, and places of worship that reflect their values where one can get a taste of that culture. And I guess if one is still wanting more, then of course, one should head out and plunge in to get the full experience.
So you want to join the United States Peace Corps? If you have the time and the financial means to do so, do it! Beware of the hardships. Then, when you've had time to reflect a bit, come back to tell us what you've learned and what you've seen. Enjoy the video and go ahead and finish your application already!
More travel quotes at: http://thinkexist.com/quotations/travel/
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