Grace Eickmeyer, BA ’06 (political science)
Peace Corps location: Crimea, Ukraine
Current position: Senior Director, Organizational Effectiveness, Amnesty International USA
Current Location Washington, DC
I wanted to join the Peace Corps for an immersive, international experience and the chance to learn a new language. I did not serve immediately after graduation because I did an internship with the Better Business Bureau and worked as a classroom aide for students with special needs.
My country of service was Crimea, Ukraine. In Ukraine, it was established practice for many Peace Corps volunteers to organize summer camps for high school and university students. I directed one of these camps for girls. For many of the participants, it was their first time leaving their communities and gathering intentionally to learn about leadership, feminism, and sexual and reproductive health.
Serving in a post-Soviet country, I was confronted by the lack of understanding I had about the role the United States has played globally. I think if volunteers really allow themselves to listen and learn from their communities, it puts paid to the myth of American exceptionalism and creates space for more cultural humility and authentic human connection. Serving the full length of time also sort of necessitates a certain amount of self-reliance, and confidence.
Peace Corps can be a great training ground for "adulting." That's not to say that prospective volunteers should be cavalier with their communities. But Peace Corps service is an excellent teacher and provides countless opportunities for new experiences where you can practice relating to the world and learn who you can be outside of certain expectations about how things should be.
Before joining the Peace Corps, consider your motivations carefully. If you are willing to put in the effort to establish trust and integrate into a community for two years, you should go for it. Don't think of it as a break from your life in the US but a great opportunity to live life very intensely.