Shoemaker’s Spanish students, do the Peace Corps one day? It is an incredible opportunity for cultural exchange: to experience another country and culture(s) outside of your own and share your culture(s), to strengthen language skills, to get hands on work experience in and exposure to careers you might be interested in before committing to graduate school or a job, to travel, to meet an awesome community of people and most importantly, in my opinion, to become more open-minded and respectful of other cultures. These experiences of integrating into another culture, respecting and utilizing new ways of doing things and meeting incredible people will make you better and more open-minded people. I know that it is making me a more conscientious, empathetic and globally-minded human being.
The opportunity to travel and explore the world can seem expensive and daunting, but with the Peace Corps, it does not have to be. As a Peace Corps volunteer, you receive a living allowance, and your travel is paid for. Although leaving loved ones and home is scary, the connections and friendships you make with other volunteers, host families and community members will make you feel confident in your ability to push yourself and be brave in this new experience.
It has been such a pleasure to get to know all of you virtually during these past 12 weeks, and I have loved seeing how engaged you have been and hearing all of your questions and ideas. I wanted to join Reach the World because patojos like you inspire me to keep wanting to be a part of positive change that makes our world a better, more just and loving place. I believe in all of you, and I do not mean to put pressure on you when I say this, but you are the future!
