Application statement, part 3
Personal and Professional Goals (2006)
"On the Peace Corps web page under "Who Volunteers?" there is a listing for "transition points." This certainly describes where I am at and a large part of why I volunteered. I have spent fifteen years as a college philosophy professor and one of theings I want to determine is whether this is the career path I wish to continue on. SInce I have been given a two year leave of absence by my university , it is open for me to return to my job or to go in another direction. I am truly hoping to use my time in the Peace Corps to gain some clarity on this issue.
But I am also tremendously looking forward to learning about and living in a culture that I have studied somewhat and always admired. One of the subjects I teach is Eastern philosophy, and I am certain my understanding of Eastern philosophy will be tremendously enriched by this experience. Inddeed, I may decided to direct my scholarship towards Chinese thought should I return to academia. At the very least, I will learn much more about China than I could ever hope to learn through books"
(2008)
Well, the first thing that comes to mind was that if I thought and/or hoped to be any clearer about my future, I am afraid that did not happen. Maybe part of the problem was that I essentially taught for two years and it wasn't really time away. Be that as it may I will return to teaching still wildy unenthusiastic about continuing along that path and keeping an eye out for other possibilities. So the time in the Peace Corps hasn't really helped to resolve that, although in my essay on why I joined in the Chronicle of Higher Education I was skeptical about whether anything would happen in this area over the two years. But even if it did not offer me a genuine break from teaching or grant me any clarity about the future, it was easily the most interesting two years of my life. If you had asked me one culture in the world that it would be fascinating to learn about, I would have picked China and still do, both for its five thousand year tradition and for the role it is playing and will play on the world stage. NO, there is no where else I would have been. It's been an incredible two years and if anyone is thinking about joining the Peace Corps I would encourage them whole heartedly.
It reminds me a little bit of when I spent a semster in Florence. My thought was in choosing to go there, I don't think anyone on their death bed says, 'you know, I really wish I hadn't spent that semester in FLorence.' And I don't think anyone who completes the service to the Peace Corps regrets it either.
"On the Peace Corps web page under "Who Volunteers?" there is a listing for "transition points." This certainly describes where I am at and a large part of why I volunteered. I have spent fifteen years as a college philosophy professor and one of theings I want to determine is whether this is the career path I wish to continue on. SInce I have been given a two year leave of absence by my university , it is open for me to return to my job or to go in another direction. I am truly hoping to use my time in the Peace Corps to gain some clarity on this issue.
But I am also tremendously looking forward to learning about and living in a culture that I have studied somewhat and always admired. One of the subjects I teach is Eastern philosophy, and I am certain my understanding of Eastern philosophy will be tremendously enriched by this experience. Inddeed, I may decided to direct my scholarship towards Chinese thought should I return to academia. At the very least, I will learn much more about China than I could ever hope to learn through books"
(2008)
Well, the first thing that comes to mind was that if I thought and/or hoped to be any clearer about my future, I am afraid that did not happen. Maybe part of the problem was that I essentially taught for two years and it wasn't really time away. Be that as it may I will return to teaching still wildy unenthusiastic about continuing along that path and keeping an eye out for other possibilities. So the time in the Peace Corps hasn't really helped to resolve that, although in my essay on why I joined in the Chronicle of Higher Education I was skeptical about whether anything would happen in this area over the two years. But even if it did not offer me a genuine break from teaching or grant me any clarity about the future, it was easily the most interesting two years of my life. If you had asked me one culture in the world that it would be fascinating to learn about, I would have picked China and still do, both for its five thousand year tradition and for the role it is playing and will play on the world stage. NO, there is no where else I would have been. It's been an incredible two years and if anyone is thinking about joining the Peace Corps I would encourage them whole heartedly.
It reminds me a little bit of when I spent a semster in Florence. My thought was in choosing to go there, I don't think anyone on their death bed says, 'you know, I really wish I hadn't spent that semester in FLorence.' And I don't think anyone who completes the service to the Peace Corps regrets it either.
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