About me
Growing up in La Crosse, WI, many of my friends enjoyed calling my house without the intention of talking to anyone. Actually, some friends hoped that no one would answer the phone so they could hear the message at the end of the call. In the voicemail my mom said, “Welcome to Winger World, where the fun never ends!” I can remember my friends from as far back as elementary school laughing, claiming that was embarrassing. They were right—I felt humiliated.
But I guess that philosophy of “never-ending fun” rubbed off on me. I have an optimistic, genuinely enthusiastic attitude, and I tend to apply that to everything I do: school, work, socializing, etc. During high school, I applied myself to show choir, sports, and learning foreign languages. While attending college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I continued pursuing foreign languages and eventually arrived at the realization that I wanted to pursue a career that incorporated those skills with the world of foreign affairs. I attribute any study habits or work ethic I developed during college to the UW-Madison men and women’s swim teams, whom I had the pleasure to work for as a student manager for three years. The team adopted me as if I was swimming alongside them on a daily basis, and I have yet to see another group of people match the team’s outstanding level of hard work and resolve. I had the opportunity to spend my last semester of undergrad interning in Washington D.C. with the International Center for Terrorism Studies. I assisted with research for publications concerning international security, and the ethnic, political, religious, and economic divisions throughout the world that prevent cross-cultural understanding and cooperation. After graduation, I interned on Capitol Hill with the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. I had the privilege to provide substantive support to Committee Staffers while deepening my understanding of the United States’ legislative process and its effects on foreign policy. I devoted a significant amount of time learning about U.S.-Asia relations: meeting with foreign delegations, assisting in legislation dealing with the region, and preparing materials for staff delegation trips to east and southeast Asia. As a prospective Peace Corps Volunteer, I am eager to promote cross-cultural understanding during a time that negativity and extremism impedes on those wonderful connections, and to build upon the knowledge I already have about the region. I spent a year and a half as a Staff Assistant with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. Finally in a paid position, I learned about the values of transparency and accountability in the U.S. Senate, and the importance those values are to the strength of our democracy. However, due to the monotonous work schedule and spending too much time in a cubicle, my mind wandered towards opportunities that exuded adventure, liveliness, and most importantly, no cubicle time. What opportunity exists, if any, where I could escape from an office setting, garner further knowledge of foreign affairs, and help stimulate international cooperation? The Peace Corps was an excellent option. I applied in spring of 2016, elected to leave my “location of service” and “job-type” preferences wide-open, and hoped that my yearning for spontaneity would get me accepted to the Peace Corps and lead me to an intriguing part of the world. Now, here I am preparing to leave for Indonesia for 27 months. I am excited to expand upon my (somewhat) familiarity with Southeast Asia and reflect on my aspirations. I am excited to share my adventures with friends, family, and others. The journey would not be nearly as important or meaningful if I did not have people to share it with. I expect there to be many boisterous interactions, erroneous decisions, delicious eats, impetuous changes of plans, and hopefully some spontaneous travels. An important goal for me is to remain positive, and as my friend says, to “embrace the suck”. Welcome to my blog Winger World, where the fun and adventures never end! |
"Going with the Flow"
While the primary objective of this blog is to educate people back in the United States about Indonesian culture, it also serves as a place to collect and store my Peace Corps memories so that I can revisit them for years after my service. Some details might seem trite and rather boring, but I include them in my posts because those specifics include conversations, interactions, and other moments that I don’t want to ever forget. Often times when I am at school, traveling around the country, or talking with people in my village, something memorable—funny, sad, profound—happens and I quickly write down a brief synopsis of that particular event so that I can include it in a future blog post. I don’t want to end my Peace Corps service with a collection of refined, clean anecdotes. I want to document and remember the smiles, smells, thoughts, words, and most importantly, every single ten-year-old driving a motorcycle that I come across during these twenty-seven months. The blog is for all of you, but the memories are for me.
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Why the Peace Corps?
Since graduation, I have made decisions regarding my professional career concerned with what I think other professionals would want to see from me. Will this internship boost my resume? Will this job improve my prospects for graduate school? Although I have been told these are great questions to consider, I end up pursuing opportunities for all the wrong reasons. I believe that once I have set foot down a specific path—one where my eyes are set on a dream career at the end of the road—then it is will be necessary to take a job that might not be ideal, as long as it works towards that end goal. But for now, I am uncertain of what that light is at the end of the tunnel, and until I find that out, I don’t think I need it makes sense to continue with uninspiring work.
I have been wandering in the sectors of foreign affairs and politics, and the Peace Corps is the culmination of those worlds coming together. The 27-month timespan in Indonesia, while often daunting, will provide many opportunities for me to reflect on what I have enjoyed about my work in Washington, and find inspiration for what comes next. I leave the United States with a mind full of different aspirations, but I hope to refine my interests and return to the States motivated and resolute. |