Why Peace Corps?

Hey Everyone! I guess a good way to start this blog is to let you view my aspiration letter to the Peace Corps to get a feel of where I am coming from and why I decided to embark on this new adventure. 

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Jennifer Lowe and I graduated from Miami University in 2010 with my BA, majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Political Science and Global Perspectives on Sustainability. I attended law school during the 2011-2012 academic year where I gained experience in critical thinking and policy analysis. My education has always been internationally focused, and I am a self-starting individual who is interested in assisting in other countries by helping increase human understanding across cultural barriers.

My journey to the Peace Corps has been a windy one. I first decided that I wanted to join when I was 15 when I met my first Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV). She spoke of her adventures and how the commitment changed her life. I admired her. Then, my junior year of high school, I became best friends with the foreign exchange student, Danielita, from Bolivia. Befriending her was one of the most precious events of my life. We forged an unbreakable friendship and managed to stay in contact and visit each other often since she returned home. After my first trip to Bolivia to see her in 2005, my eyes were opened to the struggles of a developing country. That experience solidified my decision in becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer. 

Before I attended college, I do not think that I was properly educated on all the career possibilities because my intentions were to become a doctor and later a lawyer when neither of those options fit my personality.  Amongst my course work I found Anthropology. I went back and forth with other pre-med classes struggling to find the interest and passion that I found so easily in Anthropology. In the mist of that struggle, I decided to study abroad and broaden my horizons with a foreign education.

I studied abroad in Luxembourg in 2008, one of the highest GNP countries in the world, and saw a completely different view of foreign living and culture than I did in South America. Although I enjoyed traveling and experiencing the peoples in Western Europe, I wanted to experience something more remote and meaningful. During my senior year of college I participated in an applied anthropology, pilot Tibetan Studies Program, where I was in a low income and low amenity area of the world. I learned so much about the Tibetan community’s beliefs along with my own.  I experienced hand washing my clothes, hanging them up to dry outside my window, then to only be stolen by the wild monkeys. I experienced daily power outages, lack of bathrooms, showers and other basic amenities, including water. My limits were tested and my eyes were opened, but I cherished every day within the community because of the experiences I was able to share and gain from the people. I went there to help the Tibetan community, but I think they helped me more than they will ever know. I learned a lot about myself and what I truly value in life.

Since then, I have gauged my career choices on my experiences in India with the Tibetans. I chose law school because I thought I could make a difference with Human Rights. But, I quickly realized that the life of an attorney did not fit my personality. Thereafter, I returned to my hometown, vulnerable to quick and logical career suggestions. My mother, a nurse, suggested that I return to my medical roots and become a nurse through an accelerated BSN program. I thought it was a great idea at the time because I thought about the last time I felt accomplished and loved what I was doing: Conducting research to help Tibetan former political prisoners with PTSD coping mechanisms. That’s health related, right? Despite the health field correlation, after two years of classes and nine plus months of experience in a hospital, I knew that I would not be truly happy confined in hospital walls every day. I know now that I need to do what I am good at and what makes me happy: International Development.

I am excited to embark on this next chapter in my life: Serving in the Peace Corps in Senegal, West Africa. I hope to become fluent in French and in my assigned local language. I am looking forward to learning new cultural skills and values. And, I anticipate learning cross-cultural competencies that will assist me in my career when I return the United States. Moreover, I will aspire to teach the Senegalese what it is to be an American, and vice versa, by being the best Ambassador that I can be.

I know that I have the ability to establish successful human relations on all levels, so I look forward to connecting with my new community. I have patience, sensitivity, and a positive professional attitude, which are some of the key attributes of a successful PCV. I am aware that it will take immense organization and drive to promote new ideas and development, but I am a quick and eager learner that will have no trouble learning any skills that I do not already possess. I am a team player, but I also excel at working independently making me an ideal Peace Corps Volunteer.

Thank you for you this opportunity!

Sincerely,

Jennifer M. Lowe