(Peace College, Raleigh N.C.)I graduated from Peace College in May 2010 with a BA in Comunication. Peace is one of about 50 all-womens schools left in the United States. Peace College was founded on the values that empower women and give them a leg up from their male counterparts so that the students can be just as competitive in the world. I found the smaller classrooms and personal relationships with my professors aloud me to experience a unique learning environment that, in my case, was effective. I met life long friends that I now consider family during these four years of school. The common theme of Peace College is "
you don't go to Peace to find your husband, you go to find your bridesmaids."
(Roommates and suitemates sophomore year: Lanner, Candra, Brenna, Emily)
(Teammates, to friends, to family: Brenna, Karissa, Margaret, Megan B.)
(Teammates: Brenna, Brittany Lynn, Lanner, Margaret, Amanda, Lauren)
(Spring Break '10 - Brenna, Alyssa, Lanner, Megan S., Megan B.)
(Beach Music Festival '10 -Megan R., Lanner, Brenna, Megan B.)
I also just finished playing four years of college basketball. This is the reason I initially attended Peace College and although it was sometimes challenging, I wouldn't take back the experience for anything. Exorcise is a normal, daily routine and has been for most of my life. In the culture that I was brought up in, never once did it cross my mind that working out would not be part of my day to day routine (will be addressed later).
(2008-2009 Peace College Basketball Team, Junior Year)
(Starters @ Shenandoah: Megan, Lanner, Brenna, Margaret, Karissa)When I graduated, my world for the past 4 years ended. My friends would no longer living down the hall from me and my teammates would continue to play on without me. This made me begin to feel like a lost puppy without a home, without a purpose and in a few short months without a means to support myself. I applied for the Peace Corps in April 2010, one month before I graduated from school. Many asked why? and questioned my motives especially during this economy.
(Senior Basketball Players: Lanner, Candra, Brenna, Emma)
(According to my grandma, "the Lord chose me and lifted my hat off"The turning day for me to apply and pursue the Peace Corps was when I went to a required job fair for my senior seminar class. Every booth I visited politely said "We're not hiring" or "Apply online".. this obviously discouraged me and made me question why I wasted my past 18 years in school if no one wanted me to help their business with the skills and knowledge I had acquired. Then I saw the Peace Corps booth and added its brochure to the pile I was carrying around.
After I got back to my dorm that night I stayed up all night and thought about the possibilities that being a PCV would bring me.. world travel, total submergence into another culture, helping communities learn basic skills that so many in this country take for granted, and the list goes on.. I knew it was what I wanted to do. I could actually use my skills and knowledge I've learned in school to help people and make change?
So many people that I talked to said
"oh yea, I was going to do that, then I had a kid" or "
I thought about the Peace Corps but there's no way I could do it now, too many strings," I do not want to miss my opportunity of a lifetime to live in another country, learn their customs and not only teach others but learn from others. When studying abroad in school (
Yucatan & Japan) I realized that I felt the most alive when I was traveling. There is no other way to describe it but that it makes me appreciate the world so much more by seeing it myself.
(Ux'Mal Ruins, Yucatan Peninsula Mexico)
(Ashley and I with our host family in Anjo Japan)After reading not even half of the literature I'm responsible before I leave, I've read a lot about how as a whole, Albania still practices 'traditional' values where women aren't allowed to do all that men are. Women aren't to be seen in pubs after hours, coffee shops or sometimes even soccer games. Some volunteers testimonies I've read so far are split on whether or not they feel this repression or not. Exercising in any respect is unknown to the culture, especially for women. However different that these customs and ideas are of my own or the culture that I have grown up it, its obvious that I will honor each custom that I am faced with. I believe do believe that without the past 4 years of realizing the significance of women's empowerment, however, I would not be able to face such a drastic change with little concern but I feel strong enough to take it on.
The clock is running out on my time in America so I'm trying to see everyone and anyone I can before I leave for Eastern Europe for two years. Not being exactly sure on what type of communication I will have with people back in the states makes me realize the importance of seeing everyone before I leave. It really sinks in that I'm going to be gone when people are talking about planning beach trips this summer or what they're going to do on their birthdays in a few months. I haven't even began to pack yet, although I have been on a few shoppi
ng trips to try and knock out one of 100's of to-do-lists. I'm just going to get what I think is essential and hopefully will be able to get most of my necessities over there.
