Trade-offs

When I applied to the Peace Corps, I was single and didn't really have a plan for the next ten minutes much less for what I wanted to do with my life. I just got out of a long relationship and was working in a job that, while amazing, wasn't something I could do for a long period of time. There was nothing in my life that could keep me from doing the Core.

Since then, I've met a great woman who I care a lot about. I have also taught a public speaking class and enjoyed it so much that I'm pretty sure I'll end up a college professor and speech/debate coach one day. If I weren't joining the Core, I know exactly what I would do and there are numerous things in my life now that are reasons to stay here.

A lot of people have told me lately how great they think it is that I'm putting my plans on hold to help folks for two years. For a while that was funny to me because when I applied, there really weren't plans--or anything in my life, really--to sacrifice. Now there is, and leaving it all is harder than I realized it would be. I have this feeling that the Peace Corps is going to be one of the best things I do in my life, but also that it's going to come at the expense of some pretty good stuff too. The closer I get to leaving, the clearer those trade-offs become.