Ask a Volunteer
Q: What inspired you to volunteer for two years of service in the Peace Corps?
A: The truth is, I wanted to be a more interesting person at dinner parties. I wanted my life to count for something, and to look back and not feel like my youth was wasted. I wanted some real, raw experiences. I hoped to become fluent in a language and to learn to navigate another culture. And now that I have, I can casually throw out in conversation, "Well, when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer…"
—Emily Crawford, Public Health and Sanitation Peace Corps Volunteer, Guatemala
A: I think that my husband and I were inspired to join the Peace Corps for two reasons. First, we are entering a new phase of our life—retirement. While we are both more than ready to give up the hustle, bustle, and endless demands of full-time employment, we aren't quite ready to give up feeling as though we are living productive lives. The day will come in the future when bridge, golf, movies, and travel will happily fill our days. For right now, we still want to feel useful. The second reason is that neither of us had ever "served" our country in any capacity. The Peace Corps provided us with a service venue that we could embrace.
—Dorothy Colcord , Urban Youth Development Peace Corps Volunteer, Azerbaijan
A: I was raised to have an appreciation for what I had in life and always to provide help in any aspect to those who were not as fortunate. What inspired me to become a volunteer was the opportunity to have a hands-on experience living and working in another country and to be completely devoted to sharing the struggle to improve lives everywhere. The world is bigger than just one person, and we always need to remember that.
—Meaghan Conlisk; Children, Youth, and Families Peace Corps Volunteer; Costa Rica
A: I wanted to be involved in a job that meant something and allowed me to live an interesting life; a 9:00-5:00 desk job didn't seem to do that for me.
—Laura Coberly, Urban Agriculture Peace Corps Volunteer, Senegal