You see, during my younger years I really looked up to my older brother. He was a patriotic person, and likewise I found myself very patriotic as well. He had always been interested in the military, and I was as well. It's not that I didn't have my own life, no, I just really wanted to be in the military as well. He graduated from Cornell and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. the year I went to American University. In high school I was friends with a group of guys who almost all wanted to be in the military: Vas - Air Force; TimmyN - Navy; QW - Army; Benji - Army (like how I messed with all your names?). We weren't those crazy military kids, though. I mean we had our fun playing manhunt and whatever, but who didn't?
So I go to get my medical review at Fort Dix in New Jersey. I needed this to get my ROTC scholarship (I had already selected American University as my school). I still remember, I had passed everything just fine, but then the eye exam came. As you could have read already I have a type of albinism, but it also gives my a nystagmus. Everything's going fine until she shines that stupid light in my eyes and tells me to follow it. She then says rather downheartedly "Hmm, seems you have a nystagmus". Four weeks later I get a letter from DoDMERB telling me I'm medically disqualified for my nystagmus.
Undeterred I went to American and still joined ROTC, but without the scholarship. The major there promised to get me set up just fine and we'd get it all sorted out. Well, he stalled, and stalled, and stalled. Basically, if they can keep me a long time, it looks good for them, even though there wasn't a hope in the world of me being commissioned. So grudgingly I left my short ROTC career after a semester. Though it was an awesome semester. So as you can see, I was pretty determined to serve my country somehow.
I wandered the next year or so, not really sure what to do with my life, and basically playing Halo. I still remember when my father picked me up from school for spring break. On the 4 hour drive back to New Jersey we had a very serious conversation. Turns out, he and my mom were concerned I had no plans, and was just wandering through life (I was). I really didn't know what to say, I had no back up plan after the Army. He asked me (keep in mind I'm 19 and a sophomore) what I wanted to do after I graduated from college. The first thing that came out of my mouth without thinking was "Peace Corps". His reply was relaxed and somewhat relieved as he said "That I think would be a great thing, and a great service". From there, I went home and started looking for everything I could about Peace Corps.
Peace Corps service went mostly forgotten junior and senior year while I sorted out my school life. By senior year I had decided to go to graduate school, and I had a girlfriend at the time I didn't want to leave. From 2008-2009 I went to graduate classes, I taught in schools, and I did my work. By the time I was done I was jobless, and girlfriendless... sooooo in other words: Free. Free to do what I wanted.
I started the Peace Corps application around April 2009 (3 months before grad school ended), but I didn't finish the whole application and essays until December 2009. When I told my brother I was joining Peace Corps, his only response was "Boy, why are you joining Peace Corps when you could join the WAR CORPS!" Silly, silly brother. From there everything went VERY quickly. Had my interview in January, turned in my medical forms by end of February (would have been sooner, but we had a lot of snow), medically cleared by early March, and placed by mid-March.
I started the Peace Corps application around April 2009 (3 months before grad school ended), but I didn't finish the whole application and essays until December 2009. When I told my brother I was joining Peace Corps, his only response was "Boy, why are you joining Peace Corps when you could join the WAR CORPS!" Silly, silly brother. From there everything went VERY quickly. Had my interview in January, turned in my medical forms by end of February (would have been sooner, but we had a lot of snow), medically cleared by early March, and placed by mid-March.
It all happened so fast I barely realized what was happening. No time to think. I just bought, and packed, and did. I was excited, I was scared, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I knew there was nothing for me back in Princeton. I remember asking my brother if this was the right choice and if there were other options. He sent a pretty strongly worded message back, that I wish I still had that basically said: "You filled the papers, you made the commitment whether you realize it or not. There's no turning back, so just do it." So on April 26, 2010 I got in my dad's blue Prius for the last time and we drove to Philadelphia. I signed my papers, and was committed to Peace Corps for 27 months in Georgia (if you don't realize it's the country, you dummies).
Everything after that you can read in my blog.
