8/20/2016
Welcome!!
You have stumbled upon my first blog post - and to get things started I will be explaining why I chose to dedicate my near future to the Peace Corps and give everyone a bit of logistical information. Firstly, please bare with me as I am sure I will learn a lot about my own writing style as I continue to blog and write more and more.
I am going to explain why I choose the Peace Corps with a story. The past two years I have set myself up to enter a PhD program within the field of Computer Science. After my experience working in the Human Robotic Interaction (HRI) Lab at the University of Southern California (USC) last summer, I had every intention of entering into a PhD program in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI). I had finally found a field that intersects my passion for people with my love for developing unique solutions and algorithms. Applying to PhD programs requires a substantial amount of research into different labs across the country, the professors in those labs, and various other attributes of the lab. As such, I had set aside a 3-4 hour block of time on a Saturday morning last September to continue my research. At this point, I had already compiled a list of 9 different schools/programs to look into. The 10th item on my list was the Peace Corps. I remember not wanting to go to bed Friday night. Dreading the morning block of research time, I brewed a pot of coffee and went straight to the Peace Corps website. Healthy procrastination I told myself. After all, it was on my list. I spent the next 2 hours compiling a list of Peace Corps programs and sites that were of interest to me. As I went to the kitchen to finish the pot of coffee (whoops), I became aware of my exhaustion concerning PhD programs. I had not changed my mind or passions, but rather I was, and still am, burnt out of school. So, I spent the rest of the morning beginning the process of my Peace Corps application.
Here's the executive summary to my decision:
1) Burnt out of school
2) Passion for learning, people, challenge, and growth
3) Cultural experience and immersion
Any abroad experience between a few weeks to several months is enough to experience and taste another culture. 27 months is enough time to live within another community and culture. Looking ahead, I could not be more excited to enter into a new culture and societal paradigm.
Okay, time for a few logistics.
-On August 28th I fly from Seattle to Philadelphia for pre-departure training. On August 31st, our group flies to Maputo, Mozambique through South Africa.The first three months I will be in training living with a host family. After that, I will be a high school math teacher.
-Sometime during my three months of training, I will be placed in a high school. Once placed, I will know my living standards for the following two years. As a high school teacher, I could be placed in an urban city or rural town.
-The national language of Mozambique is Portuguese. So yes, I will be fluent in Portuguese by the time I return to the States. I have not been able to make as much time as I had hoped to study Portuguese this summer. However, I view it as a sink or swim scenario. Good thing I have three months...
Lastly, I should have access to internet while I am in training for three months. If you would like to send me letters, here is my mailing address:
Daniel Bladow, PCT
Peace Corps
C.P. 4398
Maputo, Mozambique
When writing letters, number the letters. Aka put a (1) in a corner of your first letter you ever send me, and a (2) for your second ... Additionally, write "Airmail" and "Par Avion" on the envelope. Lastly, if you send me a letter just shoot me a Facebook message or email so I know to expect it.
Thank you for taking the time to read my first post. If you continue to follow my journey, I hope you are able to learn and grow alongside me. We may not have the same experience, but maybe - just maybe we can all learn to engage more fully in our shared humanity.
Daniel
"In every place in our lives we are more the same than different" - Judge Mary Logan at Spokane's Community Court
