The Peace Corps provides five statements. There is no page or word limit. Mine was just under two pages.
Aspiration Statement
The professional attributes that you plan to use, and what aspirations you hope to fulfill, during your Peace Corps service.
I love business. I love how a business operates. I love that a business is like a person with a heart and soul. An organizations growth is a tangible and fascinating process to be a part of. I appreciate and acknowledge all the fabulous little nuances of a business entity. I plan to use this passion to motivate myself and others during my Peace Corps service. I plan to use my understanding and passion of strategic planning and execution, financial management, organizational development, and project design and management. I plan to use my unique ability to be both a leader and an active follower.
I have a deep desire to strengthen my knowledge of international development and humanitarian aid. I have a desire to fulfill my aspiration of completely immersing and integrating into a culture and community entirely different from my own.
Your strategies for working effectively with host country partners to meet expressed needs.
Meeting the needs of an organization or project often has more to do with expectations than goals. A person, a community, and a business will grow and the needs of all parties involved will change. My strategy for working effectively in all situations is having a full understanding of both the immediate and the long term needs. My continued strategy for working effectively is having a great command of the language.
My ability to be a good listener will give me the opportunity to understand my neighbors and colleagues. And understanding the needs and challenges of the cultural environment around me will require my observation, thoughtful processing and asking meaningful questions when the opportunity arises. My working strategy to find solutions has always been effective for me and will continue to be during my service in the Ukraine.
I hope to be able to work with colleagues and find solutions that are effective, allowing the organization to achieve goals and move forward for lasting change. My projects will have sustainable solutions to continue to be effective for the Ukrainian people long after I am gone.
Your strategies for adapting to a new culture with respect to your own cultural background.
It is always exciting for me to experience new cultures and I do not expect my initial experience with the Ukrainian culture to be any different. All cultures are different and as fascinated as I am with my new home of the Ukraine and its people, I also understand that many of the Ukrainian people will be interested in my American culture. As I work to adapt to a new environment I try to stay strong to my core values: honesty, compassion, kindness and helpfulness.
I believe that I can use similar strategies for adapting to the Ukrainian culture as I do in America. After moving to a new community I often have to extend myself to make friends and adapt to my environment. In the past I have tried the following: joined a church, joined a community sports team, invited the neighbors over, hosted a dinner party or a game night, or volunteered at a children’s hospital. I have found that extending myself into a new cultural environment in such ways makes me a stronger individual and adds to my diverse background.
The skills and knowledge you hope to gain during pre-service training to best serve your future community and project.
Language skills are priceless. The knowledge a person can gain from a culture when they understand the language will complete their integration. Learning and understanding a language is the greatest asset a person can acquire and utilize to integrate into a community. I plan to use my current Russian language skills and work diligently during Pre Service Training to extend my ability to communicate effectively. I look forward to not only the language training, but the cultural training, especially the cooking part. My sister in law is Russian and has introduced me to some great foods, pelmeni is a family favorite.
I am looking forward to researching and discovering the market structure and business operating procedure within the Ukrainian economic culture. I desire to continue my growth in both my social service and business background. If I had the opportunity to choose a country to serve in during my time with the Peace Corps, Ukraine tops the list. I can appreciate the newness of a free market economy and the background of a planned economy.
How you think Peace Corps service will influence your personal and professional aspirations after your service ends.
Personally, I am already enjoying the positive effects of the Peace Corps in my personal life. So many people in my life are shocked and are finding that they want to extend themselves also. The Peace Corps certainly is not the answer for everyone, but I am delighted to see the profound effect that my decision is having on others around me. Most of all I truly appreciate what this experience is doing for my family. I am looking forward to sharing this experience with them and already I believe my sisters are overwhelmed with amount of reading material I have given them. But I don’t want this experience to be just about me, I want those I am close with to enjoy this experience.
Professionally, I would like to someday work for the United Nations or work for an organization that has a focus of humanitarian aid and/or global economics. Throughout my life I have had the opportunity to be heavily involved in service organizations and I desire to continue working in the same capacity upon my completion of Peace Corps service. I am looking forward to taking my lifetime of experiences, and folding them into a career that is both fulfilling and rewarding.
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