Essays

[aggienaut]

   Notwithstanding that I'm an avid blogger and general fan of writing, I HATE application essays. I hate applications in general, but I have a special loathing for essay sections.

From the Peace Corps Application:

Cross-cultural Experience
Peace Corps Volunteers must be open to ideas and cultures different from their own and may need to modify their appearance or behavior appropriately. Give an example (between 250-500 words) of a significant experience that illustrates your ability to adapt in an unfamiliar environment. Please highlight the skills you used and the perspectives you gained. You may draw from experiences in your work, school, or community in the U.S. or abroad. Please list the date(s) of your experience.

Motivation Statement
Peace Corps service presents major physical, emotional, and intellectual challenges. You have provided information on how you qualify for Peace Corps service elsewhere in the application. In the space below, please provide a statement (between 250-500 words) that includes:

1) Your reasons for wanting to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer; and
2) How these reasons are related to your past experiences and life goals.

   I've lived in three countries, but Ireland, Sweden, and the United States are similar enough that I can't think of any way in which I had to "adapt" to fit in. For that matter I can come up with a lot more ways I've purposefully flouted cultural norms (e.g. having a mohawk, etc).
   And I've always enjoyed the culturally interesting aspects of everywhere I've gone, but the thought of talking it all up cheesy style in a 250 word essay just makes me gag.
   The motivational statement sounds easier, but still, gag.


   Also I answered my questions in my earlier Friendzy post. I'm not gonna link directly to it though, you're gonna have to wade into the comments to find it (=

Comments

[nibot.livejournal.com]

This post is 303 words. Maybe you could submit it?

[magsmom.livejournal.com]

How could you shy away from essays? you write really well.(And here's a little secret, many people applying will not write well)

Just let it fly.

You have to fit in with the bees and wear a wild suit there.

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

Are you joining the Peace Corp?

I think about this every time I don't know what to do with life...which is more and more often lately. I prefer to dream that things like mortgage will just solve their self when I run away to Asia or something...probably not, though.

[baxaphobia.livejournal.com]

Sounds like an exercise in slinging the bull. Sigh.

[fsk8ing-judge.livejournal.com]

ROFL. I love this comment. Well stated.

[fsk8ing-judge.livejournal.com]

Gag away and just type. You are an excellent writer. Pretend it's an LJ post.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Hahaha I was thinking about doing literally just that. Someone please tell Gary (the LJ Idol moderator) to make "Cross Cultural Experience" next week's official topic ahahaha.