Expectations of Service in Rwanda

Once a volunteer accepts their Peace Corps invitation, they are then asked to write an aspiration statement describing their expectations, strategies and professional and personal goals while in country. Below is an excerpt from my aspiration statement regarding my expectations of Rwanda.

Expectations

I expect my service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Rwanda to be far more challenging and far more rewarding than any expectations I can conceive of now. I expect my limits to be tested, my patience tried and my emotions spent. I expect to see a beautiful country, marred by tragedy but embodied with the perseverance to survive and press on. I expect to be surprised, shocked and fearful at times. Yet I also expect to be humbled, elated and energized. I expect I will be confused more times than not, but I know I will be constantly learning; language, culture and about HIV/AIDS. I expect I will face challenges emotionally, physically and mentally and to never be as prepared as I had hoped. I expect I will miss home, miss my family, miss my dog and most of all miss American culture. But I expect to come back with a different and hopefully better perspective on people and life. And above all else, I expect for this experience to not only change my life, but that I will love my time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Rwanda.