Aspiration Statement

**The following is a document that I had to send into the CD (Country Director) of Kampala. These five questions, along with my resume, is the only thing that they will know me by until meeting and working with me upon my arrival.

A: The professional attributes that you plan to use, and what aspirations you hope to fulfill, during your Peace Corps service.

A) My professionalism is exhibited within my reliable and responsible conviviality. My dedication and extensive attention to detail allows me to work well independently as well as in groups. I am able to maintain a keen sense of humor while remaining flexible. I am a proficient communicator with a strong work ethic, and continue to be openly receptive to constructive criticism. I am motivated by my strong sense of honesty and integrity, which allows me to remain highly adaptable because of my enthusiastic creativity. Using these key attributes, I hope to hone my communication skills and broaden my horizons by experiencing life in the colorful and unique culture of Uganda. I hope to enrich all facets of my personal growth, as well as to develop a new and humbling paradigm from which I may view myself and the impact I have on others. I aspire to be an attentive student, enthusiastically and compassionately absorbing all of the lessons offered to me by my co-workers and fellow community members. Most importantly, I look forward to expanding my current construct of life knowledge by the interactions and transactions that the people of the beautiful country of Uganda present, so that I may learn to live with no limitations and am able to offer to others the excitement and wonders of what this life has to offer.

B: Your strategies for working effectively with host country partners to meet expressed needs.

B) Some key strategies that I would employ that would enable me to work effectively with host country partners in order to meet the expressed needs include those strategies that comprise a clear and concise communication stratagem. Opening and enabling lucid communication channels to all parties involved ultimately fosters ideas and allows progression to flourish. While maintaining my own ideas and values, I believe listening to the people of the community and really listening to what they have to say, then acting upon that, is is of utmost importance. Collaboration and compromise are necessary elements when working with others to achieve desired goals. Empowering others is vital to work effectively with others. I would hope that by utilizing these powerful tools that a positive environment could be created from which effective decision making naturally could occur. Additionally, ascertaining a mutually agreeable agenda of shared goals and how to reach them, expressing expectations, as well as establishing boundaries are strategies that I strongly feel would facilitate effective team performance. Problem solving techniques, when needed, would establish a sense of belonging within the group or organization. This strategy would be enhanced by the range and depth of specialized skills that each individual possesses, as well as would increase motivation.

C: Your strategies for adapting to a new culture with respect to your own cultural background.

C) I believe that culture is a complex system that consists of interacting variables that function to maintain a community in a state of equilibrium with its environment. More specifically, these interacting variables socially define those groups of developing peoples, giving each person a sense of commonality. Culture impinges upon perception, in addition to affecting the role of identity among a society. Thus, a worldview is created, shared, as well as transformed, by the people who are united by these general, widespread beliefs. The multi-pronged strategies I would utilize to to adapt to a new culture with respect to my own cultural background consist, first and foremost, of adaptation, which is the process by which I would establish and maintain relatively stable, helpful, and mutually shared relationships with others upon relocating to an unfamiliar cultural setting including: physical, biological, and social changes. The physical changes would occur upon being confronted with the new physical stimuli; such as new food, water, different climate, and different housing. When exposed to these new components within a new culture, I may undergo actual physical and or biological changes. Dealing with new bacteria and viruses, along with other things of that nature, is going to have to take time. The combination of time, and a flexible attitude, and appropriate coping strategies will help me to adapt to the physical and biological aspect of living in a new culture. One strategy especially important to me is finding a fitting balance between using my cultural background as a learning guideline and as a constant standard. Obviously, my social relationships will change; and, as I create new ones, such changes will allow me to re-define my attitudes and values in accordance to the expectations of me by community. By sustaining intercultural contact, which will require total immersion in another culture, I will be forced to deal with a barrage of new perceptional stimuli, some of which I am aware will be difficult to interpret at times because of the rapid contextual and environmental change. The loss of predictability, coupled with the fatigue that results from the need to stay consciously focused on what would normally be taken for granted, can many times produce negative responses. However, by being aware of this, my strategies for adapting will consist of a mixture of maintaining a journal, of meditation and breathing techniques, and most importantly, of manifesting a positive and safe environment for my physical self, as well as my mental self. I feel that my most reliable and secure strategy will be to trust in myself and stay true to my journey. While I expect trials and tribulations, I know that the challenges will bring insurmountable rewards; rewards that may take the form of knowledge which can never be taken from me. Therefore, by absorbing and digesting my surroundings, and staying faithful to and respecting my own culture, I believe that I can successfully assimilate and adjust to my new culture.

D: The skills and knowledge you hope to gain during pre-service training to best serve your future community and project.

D) The skills and knowledge that I hope to gain during pre-service training that might best serve my future community and projects will be the tools that I will need to get me through any situation that I might endure throughout my service. I am a firm believer that one already has the tools ready and able to them through any circumstance; however, the individual is responsible to learn which tools to use when, and how to best utilize those tools. Therefore, I feel that I will gain that fundamental and basic knowledge: Proper nutrition information in my new surroundings; advice on how to handle common situations with community members that may arise; how to treat my drinking water; how to wash my clothes without electricity; culturally appropriate clothing choices for my community; as well as a new language,cultural values, etc. I hope to gain knowledge of what my service will require of me, and of the duties that will be expected of me. Additionally, I hope to learn personal narratives and stories of previous volunteers. I hope to learn from my fellow volunteer members how to deal with the rush of emotions so that I can positively impact my service; how to prepare myself spiritually for the journey ahead; and how to find comfort and support from within, as well as those who will become my new family, friends, and co-workers. Through this type of preparatory knowledge, and new coping mechanisms and working skills, I hope to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to approach new challenges with proper focus, zealous creativity, and intelligent responses.

E: How you think the Peace Corps service will influence your personal and professional aspirations after your service ends.

E) I believe my Peace Corps service will broaden my perspectives, providing me with a larger and more profound base of experience from which to respond to situations and circumstances more patiently, more deliberately, more effectively, and with a more complete understanding of the situation or circumstance. I believe that I will be more adaptive to change, as well as more receptive to it. I would like to believe that I would be more willing to stand up for what I believe, more willing to listen to others' perspectives, and more likely to realize when compromise is the best solution. I am certain that I will gain invaluable experience applicable toward my Master Degree in Public Administration with a Concentration in International Management. As my service for the Peace Corps will function as the internship for my degree, I believe the practical experience I will acquire will provide me with a substantial foundation upon which I may expand my educational, as well as my professional career with an open and compassionate heart.