Why did I join the Peace Corps?  It’s a question that gets asked of me all the time, and one to which there are as many answers as there have been volunteers.  Some people wanted to serve.  Some wanted an adventure.  Some didn’t know what else to do.  But what about me?

I graduated from Harvard in 2013, studying the Middle East and Central Asia with a minor in Global Health and Health Policy, with a stint of thesis research in Iran.  I spent the summer after graduation in Tajikistan studying Farsi, and it cemented my interest in the region.  After Tajikistan, I worked for a year at a global health consultancy in New York, and then I worked at the Senate in Washington, DC, but after a lot of thought, I felt myself being drawn back towards Central Asia.  I wanted to work on health issues here, but I wasn’t sure how, since so few NGO’s work here, and those that do generally have strict language requirements.

I also knew that I wanted a bigger challenge than I had found in my previous professional experience.  Coming from such an intense and challenging academic background, I knew that I do my best work under pressure.  Having previously lived and worked overseas for over two years, I thought maybe, just maybe, working in a foreign language might create the additional challenge I was seeking in my work, while simultaneously building my ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically across cultures.

Then, I saw a job opportunity online working on high-need health areas in Central Asia, and it sounded like a really good fit for my background and interests.  That job happened to be as a Peace Corps Volunteer here in Kyrgyzstan.  I would be working exclusively in a foreign language in a program that I often describe as the “ultimate start-up.”

In July 2014, the same month that I applied, Peace Corps revamped its application to reduce the time needed to apply, and for the first time in its over 50-year history, you could apply to specific openings in specific countries.  The change shortened an 8-hour application to 2 hours, and has led to application numbers more than doubling to their highest level in 40 years.  In addition to plenty of people who are looking for a “Peace Corps Experience,” there are plenty of other skilled professionals whose experience makes them especially qualified for specific posts.  For others, linguistic or family ties might make a specific region particularly appealing.  Excited at the prospect, I wrote an application to work on health projects in Kyrgyzstan.

A lot of people choose to not apply to the Peace Corps because they have specific ideas of what they want to do, or of where they want to go, or where they will be sent.  Let’s be honest, most people still picture Peace Corps Volunteers living in huts in Africa, even though the Peace Corps’ largest program (until recently) was actually in Ukraine, and less than half of Peace Corps volunteers are actually in Africa.

With the new application system, I was able to apply directly to work on health issues in Kyrgyzstan.  Of course, program and country are where your say ends – you still will get placed in the site where your skills are in greatest need, and Peace Corps expects you to be flexible in that regard.  In February of 2015, I got my final clearances and finally confirmed that I would be heading to Kyrgyzstan in April of that year, only 8 months after submitting my application.

This revision to the Peace Corps application brought me into a pretty incredible organization when I would not otherwise have ever considered joining.  It also got me four months of rigorous professional and language training that is unparalleled in the entire world of international development.  Most importantly, it connected me to locally-led organizations here in a community where I have the chance to have a huge impact on people’s lives.

And here I am.  I am living in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, working on health promotion and NGO development directly tied to issues that I know a lot about and that I’m extremely passionate about.  I’ve taught health lessons, I’ve organized a massive HIV/AIDS Stigma Reduction Training, I’ve taught business skills, I’ve taught English, I’ve run a marathon to set an example for my students.  I’m traveling out to villages to do trainings, I’m training health workers in the cities.  It’s valuable to my community, but its also valuable to me.

I even had the great privilege to meet with and have my work reviewed by Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet.

I’m working hard, and I finally feel that thrilling challenge I had sought in my work, the same challenge that helped me thrive at Harvard.  And, I’m doing exactly what I want to be doing at this stage in my career.  The Peace Corps made it possible.

You can learn more about the Peace Corps at their website.  They just launched a new rebrand that has a lot of great new information about the work we do and how it might be the right next step in your career.  Read stories from other volunteers, find out about the over 60 countries where volunteers serve, and find out if the Peace Corps is right for you.

Got more questions about my Peace Corps experience?  Let me know in the comments or send me an email!

The content of this post represents my views and experiences alone and does not represent the views of the Peace Corps.  However, I have a hunch that the Peace Corps probably does want you to visit their website and learn more!

This blog is part of the BloggingAbroad.org blog challenge, responding to the prompt “My Why.”  Learn more at BloggingAbroad.org.