Just why is it that way?
When I entered Peace Corps, the motto was "The toughest job you'll ever love". (Now it's "Life is calling. How far will you go?") I've been thinking about that motto over the last month or so. Everyone says that Peace Corps is really hard. But why is that? Trust me, it's not hard because of the change in living conditions (cold bucket baths, everything open). And I don't know that it's even hard because of the change in culture, although that does test you. I think that the people that are inclined to join Peace Corps tend to be self-motivators, self starters...people that like to control their lives. And when arriving in country, because we have no knowledge of ANYTHING (language, cultural norms, etc.), we have ZERO control. And the loss of control lasts and lasts and lasts and lasts-MUCH longer than you would think. So, the people that are strong enough to get through the experience lose it mentally. I remember an aunt of mine trying to explain what it was like to have a child for the first time and she said, "You know why it's hard? Because you have NO control. None. You have to do whatever he/she wants to do." (That was referring to the first few months right after birth.) That's pretty much a description of what it's like as a Peace Corps volunteer. THAT'S why we all leave with MUCH more flexibility than we came in with. And THAT'S why it's the "toughest job we'll ever love".
Click here to read about my experiences over the last few weeks.