Peace Corps Essays

Peace Corps Essay #1

            My desire to help others was further planted in my heart when I received an e-mail informing me that a proposal I wrote for a non-profit organization, centered around children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, got funded. That was the most exciting news that I had ever received, thus far. At that instant, I knew for the rest of my life, it was my purpose to help others.

            The main reason I want to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer is because I want to help those in need. It is fulfilling when I have helped someone, and I see the look of appreciation on that individual’s face. I received that “look” many times this past year.

             In 2010, I was hired as an Educational Assistant. I chose to work at a school that had been the lowest achieving school in the city—I wanted to help turn that statistic around. A majority of the children in my class had parents of Mexican nationality; most could only speak broken English, others were high school dropouts, and some were in and out of jail. What I heard many times is that the odds were against the children. Myself, along with the other Kindergarten staff, worked hard all year long getting the children up to their level. By the end of the school year, most of the children were reading and writing at or beyond their expected level. The looks and thanks that I received from the parents and school principal were rewarding. I want to continue to make positive differences in the lives of others, for as long as possible.

            The second reason I want to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer is because I want to immerse myself in a culture that I have never seen. In doing this, Core Expectation #4 will be satisfied. But first, I must gain the trust from my host community. I know that this possibly may be the most challenging because of my past experiences, described in my cross-cultural essay. Also because many people may not have positive perceptions of the American people, which may make Core Expectation #9 a challenge, as well. If I do face these challenges, I will not let it affect my reasoning for being there. I will continue to do my work, in a respectable manner, to the best of my ability. I will continue to use my skills, while gaining new skills from those around me. I know that once those in my community trust me, they will realize how good my intentions are.

            Finally, I want to continue to push myself as far as possible, so that I can continue to grow as a person. I have pushed myself by facing my fear of heights; I rode in a hot air balloon and went skydiving. I pushed myself by doing the unthinkable: walking 27-miles, on a pilgrimage, to El Santuario de Chimayo. The next step in pushing myself is by becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer. The 27-months of service will certainly be a challenge and a test, but I am ready for it. I know that by being a Peace Corps Volunteer, it is unlikely that I will make a difference in the entire world, but if I can make a difference in at least one individual’s life, if I can get that look of appreciation at least one time, then I will leave my 27-months of service happy, knowing that my purpose was complete.

Peace Corps Essay #2

            In January, a church I regularly attend was traveling to Mexico, to do missionary work at an orphanage and around the town, and volunteers were needed. I thought, “Why not? I love being around children, I have a passport, and I've never been to Mexico… This seems like a great experience.” Five days later, I was in a van with other volunteers, making our way to Palomas, Chihuahua, Mexico.

            When the children saw the familiar faces of the other volunteers, they immediately ran up to them, greeting them with a hug. When one child saw me, she smiled, and began talking to me in Spanish. I do not know Spanish, and could only say “hola.” At that moment, I desperately wished I knew Spanish or she knew English; I wanted to communicate with her and with the other children.

            I am not a shy or timid person, so the language barrier did not ruin my reasoning for going on the trip. I knew that I had to get involved, and that is what I did, starting my day by packing bags of school supplies and bags of food. During this time, I took out my cell phone, and began taking pictures of the children who were helping me. The children loved getting their picture taken, and before I knew it, I had a group of children by my side, laughing, and making silly faces at the camera. I had no idea that my phone’s camera would be the icebreaker, but it was, and I was glad by this. The children now felt comfortable around me, and wanted to be by my side. I ended up spending the rest of the day outside with them, playing on the jungle gym, playing on the swings, and playing soccer.

            When we were not packing bags of school supplies and food, or playing, the children and I were teaching each other words in our native languages. We did so by pointing to an object. I told them how to pronounce it in English, and they told me how to pronounce it in Spanish. In addition, hand gestures played an important role in our communication, as well as the empathy we had for one another. The children and I were in the same situation (I could not verbally understand them and they could not verbally understand me), which was frustrating at times, but we did not get frustrated with each other. Instead, we respected and empathized with each other, which naturally brought out patience. If something was not understood, we found another way to explain it.

            I know that a language barrier will be faced during my Peace Corps service, but my trip to Mexico gave me skills that I will use during my service, and throughout my lifetime. I learned that it is possible to communicate with an individual, and bond with them, without knowing their language. All it takes is having an open mind, respect, patience, and interpersonal skills, all of which I will have during my service as a Peace Corps Volunteer.