HI READERS!
Okay so it's almost obligatory (I think) to start a first post with reasons about why I'm going to The Gambia with the Peace Corps (PC). I thought it would be really cute and creative to do an ABCs type writing exercise because my reasons for joining the PC is kind of like an impressionist painting - every little stroke painted a clearer path to me applying.
A is for Awareness. Cultural, geographical, musical, food, everything under the sun (which will be very hot in The Gambia). I want to be more aware of the inhabitants on this planet in exchange for other inhabitants getting to know more about me and where I come from.
B is for a Boring life - something I don't want at alllll.
C is for a Challenge.
D is for Direction.
E is for Exploring because I love a good adventure.
F is for Friends. I want to make SO many friends in the Gambia from the natives, my fellow American volunteers, and people from around the globe in the next 27 months.
G is for "Going big or going home". I think Peace Corps is one of the most intense service organizations at the core of its purpose and if the volunteers have the right heart for it.
H is for Helping people however I can and as much as I can. Cliche, I knowww.
I is to Inspire and to be Inspired.
J is for Jessica. I mean this in a sense that I have two names - the other being my Chinese name - and I'm ready for a new one (which I'll get in The Gambia) along with a new identity/slate.
K is for Kicking ass, a favorite past time of mine.
L is for Learning. Aside from the inevitable where I'll be learning from others, I can't wait to learn more about myself and what I'm capable of doing.
M is for "Make Me Proud" by Drake... I had to think for this one haha. I really want to be proud of myself when I look back at my 20's and I want to make others proud of me too!
N is for Normal. I feel like I take for granted a lot of things that are normal for us, as Americans, and that's a thing of privilege. I forget that what is normal for us is the extraordinary for the majority of the world. Time for a reality check!
O is for "Oh shit I'm 23, what have I done with my life?"
P is for Passion. For me, without passion there is nothing. Eventually, I want to go into Grad school but I would like to be fueled by experience to make the most of everything (and find a suitable program, school, etc etc).
Q is for the Queue of things on my bucket list I want to complete before I'm 30 - working abroad being one of them.
R is for Regret. I don't want to look back at this point in time and regret not doing something like Peace Corps while I had nothing holding me back.
S is for Stories. I like hearing other people's stories and I also want to be a part of someone else's - if that makes any sense. I want to complete my service with a million different stories to tell.
T is for Travel. I thought I would never need to until I studied abroad in Thailand and I've never proved myself more wrong.
U is for Utilizing my privilege purposefully for someone else's sake.
V is for Validating the space I take up on earth, as someone very wise once told me :)
W is for a Wish that I have. I want to be unforgettable to at least one person in another country - in a good way of course.
X is... jeez. Nothing begins with X aside from Xerox, Xylophone, and X-Ray. I want to live...X-tremely? I tried and you can't blame me for trying.
Y is for being Young - I want to take full advantage of this fact.
Z is for Zeroing in, finding a direction, a focus, a clearer vision of how I want to shape the rest of my 20's and set a super/awesome/exciting precedent for years to come!
Well, it's exactly 11:43 AM and Staging (orientation) is at 1 PM sharp. I've got to get some food in me, ASAP. Time for some good ol' chain restaurants before I don't see them again for the next 2 years.
:D
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