I felt early on in my life that I wanted to contribute to making the world a better place, and the Peace Corps’ grassroots, hands-on approach was very appealing to me. I think I knew before I even started my undergraduate program that I wanted to join the Peace Corps once I received my degree and many of the classes I took at the UO furthered that ambition. I believe that I can draw a direct line from my experiences at the UO to my experiences in the Peace Corps, to where I am today, working for the United Nations.

Many of the skills that I apply on a day-to-day basis are ones that I learned during my time teaching English as a foreign language in Klouekanme, Benin: the values of patience, determination, and creativity being at the top of the list. These values have helped me problem-solve, overcome bureaucratic hurdles, and maintain an upbeat attitude through it all.

I am most proud of the relationships I was able to cultivate during my service and feel lucky to still keep in contact with my students and friends from Benin, which has proven to be an invaluable perspective in my post-Peace Corps professional life working in international development. It’s a very tightly-knit community and I would encourage anyone who is interested in joining the Corps to reach out to a former member, as we love to talk about our experiences. It’s true that the Peace Corps is the toughest job you’ll ever love, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.