Motivational Statement

Motivational Statement for Service
by Nathan James Danielsen

I view Peace Corps volunteer as a way to better myself and better prepare for the future. Serving as a volunteer is just another step towards the type of life I want to live: that of being a conscientious influence on the world.

I have spent months- nay years considering why I want to serve. I have found that a strong basis for my desire to serve in the Peace Corps comes from being raised as a Mormon. One of the key tenets is that of service to others. This service is best shown by the two years that young men serve on a mission. A mission means traveling far away from local comforts and into another world. This type of service is something that I consider a rite of passage. It is something that has weighted on my heart for my entire life. As I became older and secular, I disagree with service for proselytisation. I believe that service to others is an end in itself. Volunteer service in the Peace Corps is an opportunity that I feel I have been preparing for my entire life. It is a rite of passage for myself and just one more step in the type of life I want to lead.

Ever since I was young I have always taken great pride in helping others and giving back. At that young age I did not realize why I helped others but I knew that it felt good. Now I realize that I take joy in the beauty of progress and the optimism that it creates it others. So few people take the initiative to do meaningful actions but it often takes someone to take those first hard steps to allow others to over come their fears and join in.

What people do not realize is that taking the risk or showing some initiative is often well worth the risk. I have gained a wealth of skills, confidence and friends from service experiences. Service always has rewards in itself. I know that Peace Corps Service will allow me to serve others and also will serve me in the future. One of my aspirations is to some day become a US Foreign Service Officer. As a Peace Corps volunteer I will become a figurehead or a cultural ambassador for the People of the United States. I can think of no greater preparation for being a career diplomat.

Currently at Cloyne Court co-op, I have watched myself bloom as a person due to painful 'crucibles of leadership.' I do not have the space here to describe all of the incidents, trouble and heart break that I have endured in this experiment in student-run housing for 149 persons. I signed up for my positions at Cloyne Court with full knowledge of the risk and heartbreak I was facing. I felt an obligation to serve my community because no one else wanted the job. Knowing that doing this position would make me a more competitive volunteer candidate was the tipping point to my initial (and perhaps rightful) reluctance. It is a risk I am taking again with my desire to be a Peace Corps Volunteer and eventually a US Foreign Service Officer.

I am one for introspection. I think about my actions, my past and where it is leading. Introspection has allowed me to question who I am and where I am going. It has allowed me to refine and improve who I am. When I think of Peace Corps service I know that it will greatly break my heart. It will profoundly change me. I know that volunteer service to others will fix my own heart. I know that it will be similar to my experiences at Cloyne Court but on a whole different plane of difficulty. I will start off small such as being the garden manager where I gained peoples grudging respect by my dedication and hard work. As people trust me more, I will take more initiative. In the process of living with the people, I hope to learn how to add value to their lives. I realize that I probably will not seen much of the benefits of my work. The real value of my work will show after I have left. The great grand children of these people will live a better life. I will be in a position after service to facilitate a more peaceful world.