Tonight was the panel on alternative post-graduation opportunities. It was okay. I'm really glad that it was offered, and really really glad that so many people were interested enough to come. The Peace Corps representatives were cool, but it was weird that they had both done the program in the 80s... seems like they could have gotten a more recent corps member. I suspect that Peace Corps has changed significantly. It annoyed me when someone asked a question about safety, and the Peace Corps guy talked about how corps members are so safe in their communities because the community really wants the volunteers there. That obviously wasn't true in Shannon's experience. Hearing Shannon's horror story doesn't make me completely averse to doing Peace Corps, but it makes me cautious, and that's good. I would rather hear about these service programs from corps members who really struggled than hear about them from the recruitment director. Most of my annoyance here is directed at the Peace Corps guy, not the other panelists. And even the Peace Corps guy seemed like a really nice, decent person. Maybe just out of touch with the current Peace Corps experience.
Maybe I'm a different audience than the rest of the people who came to the panel discussion? Having done City Year, I'm more realisitic about the sometimes-suckiness of the whole experience? Or maybe as a result of City Year I've gotten to know people who have done other service programs, and have heard their personal experiences that are not always fit to print in a recruitment brochure. Did the panel offer what other Olin students were looking for? I wonder what I was looking for when I joined City Year. Would hearing horror stories about it have scared me off?
I'm still thinking about doing Teach for America after I graduate. It's kind of a safety blanket... even though I know that teaching for two years would/will be extremely challenging and draining for me, I'm confident that I can at least get accepted to the program. So if I don't have any ideas/offers by the end of next year, TFA will be there for me. Probably not the right way to think about doing service. Kathy's friend is graduating from Wellesley this May and joining TFA next year, so hopefully I'll be able to talk to her about her experience.
Maybe I'm a different audience than the rest of the people who came to the panel discussion? Having done City Year, I'm more realisitic about the sometimes-suckiness of the whole experience? Or maybe as a result of City Year I've gotten to know people who have done other service programs, and have heard their personal experiences that are not always fit to print in a recruitment brochure. Did the panel offer what other Olin students were looking for? I wonder what I was looking for when I joined City Year. Would hearing horror stories about it have scared me off?
I'm still thinking about doing Teach for America after I graduate. It's kind of a safety blanket... even though I know that teaching for two years would/will be extremely challenging and draining for me, I'm confident that I can at least get accepted to the program. So if I don't have any ideas/offers by the end of next year, TFA will be there for me. Probably not the right way to think about doing service. Kathy's friend is graduating from Wellesley this May and joining TFA next year, so hopefully I'll be able to talk to her about her experience.
Comments
It is fun reading your blog...been meaning to send a note to you.
Mark was in Africa with Peace Corps (of course that was a long time ago) but he would give you an honest accounting. Also, Kim (our friend that did AmeriCorp last year) has several friends in TFA in New Orleans this year, so I could get eddresses for you if you wanted to talk to someone in it now.
Mary and I went to a movie fest last night and wished you were there. It's called the Lunafest (think women's power bars)...a bunch of short films by/about women. It is supposed to be showing nationwide, so you may be able to get it there.
Cheers.