The Peace Corps ask you to answer questions in an aspiration statement that will be sent to your host country. I am placing it on this site to explain more of why I chose the Peace Corps and what my desires are as I venture to Africa.
Aspiration Statement
A:
As a trained professional social worker, I plan to enter my Peace Corps service with a sense of enthusiasm, a spirit of advocacy, and an appropriate level of beginner’s confidence. The experience that I have acquired in my many care giving employment opportunities, as well as from educational internships, has allowed me to expand my knowledge base. For example, at Johns Hopkins Hospital I was able to expand my knowledge and practice experience in the area of cultural competency. There, as a BSW social work intern I had clients from all socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds; I also learned to work from a strengths perspective when dealing with their medical issues. While working at a homeless shelter (that often had limited resources) I learned to be flexible and use my gift of innovation and creativity to engage my clients through poetry, story telling, music, as well as other resources that would help in their treatment process.
At that same shelter, I became an HIV outreach counselor and was able to attend several trainings on HIV/AIDS and work with those infected and affected by the disease. Later, I was promoted to the role of a supervisor where I acquired management skills. Those skills included managing people, leadership, delegation, problem solving, project planning, oral communication, as well as a host of other attributes. At my current MSW internship, The Stone Foundation, I have learned to refine my social work skills in active listening, accurate documentation, understanding human behavior, program assessment, evaluation and implementation.
While in my Peace Corps service I aspire to empower people as well as be empowered. There I plan to be just as open to teaching as I am to learning the culture and strengths of the people of Botswana. With my skills I hope to be able to positively add to the rich legacy that the Peace Corps has with the government and people of Botswana.
B.
My strategy for working effectively with my partners in Botswana is to be open- minded. While I have read several pamphlets, articles, and books on the HIV pandemic and the culture of Botswana I know that until I arrive I will not have a full grasp on the scope of work that we will set out do. I believe in teamwork and being a fully active member of that team. I know that I will have to be patient while learning the new systems and regulations that my partners in Botswana will teach me. I will also have to be appreciative of each step of that learning process because I know that difficulties may arise. I will listen attentively and also ask pertinent questions during the training process. I will applaud the efforts of my partners as we grow in this process together.
C.
As I adapt to the culture of the people of Botswana I plan to use my own African ancestry to help me through this process. As a child of parents from Sierra Leone, I am very open to people from different backgrounds. I am very eager to learn and interact with people from other cultures and ethnicities. I value differences between people, which I believe will help me to adapt. Growing up in America, with parents who were foreigners has allowed me to be very sensitive to diversity. I understand that while people have several religious and cultural differences, the common ground to dealing with people is respecting them. I have learned to be secure of my own beliefs without imposing my beliefs upon others. I believe that these abilities will help me to adapt comfortably in Botswana.
D.
During my pre-service training I hope to gain first hand knowledge of the people of Botswana. I would like to acquire an understanding of the values that those in Botswana hold dear to them. I anticipate learning basic words in their language, as well as the learning the culinary specialties. Developing the ability to navigate the town where I will be placed is something else that I look forward to; it will be an awesome adventure. I will use my social work skills to help me understand what is important to the people of Botswana; what they need me to help them do, what their goals are, and how they envision accomplishing their goals. I know that it is essential that I not impose my way of problem solving but rather I learn how problems are solved and issues are resolved by Botswanians. While in training I would like to get a grasp on the work that I will set out do. Beginning to form sustaining relationships with all those that I will be working with is important to me. I believe that positive networking will be the basis for all the work that will be preformed during my stay in Botswana.
E.
On a personal level I believe that the time I spend in the Peace Corps will forever change my perception of life. Just the mere thought of volunteering in another country for two years excites me, so I trust that the actual experience will multiply that feeling considerably. Upon my return I hope to be more aware of my strengths and values. I hope to be able to share this journey with family, friends, and colleagues, with the hope that they too will get excited about the opportunities that Peace Corps service offers.
On a professional level I will gain confidence and independence. There I hope to sharpen my leadership skills as well as gain the ingenuity to work in unfamiliar circumstances. Serving in the Peace Corps will make way for employment possibilities that are limitless. As an addition to my formative social work training, I will have first hand training with working with those outside of the United States.
