From Tourists to Peace Corps Volunteers
Nearly two years ago in February, my wife Jacqueline and I booked flights to Morocco to spend ten days exploring the country with a company called Citylife. Fast-forward to December 31, 2017, at 11:00 pm. It was an hour before the deadline, and we submitted our applications to join the Peace Corps as Youth Development Specialists in Morocco. Little did we know that when the idea finally did present itself, that our vacation to Morocco eight months earlier would ultimately influence our decision to apply.
During the trip, we spent time in Marrakech and Ouarzazate, and took a tour of Ait-Ben-Haddou, an ancient 7th-century city and UNESCO World Heritage Site now famous for its role in several Hollywood movies and shows, including Game of Thrones. Our trip also took us to the Sahara desert where we rode camels and slept in Amazigh-style tents. We had the privilege of exploring the cities of Fes, Rabat, Casablanca, as well as many other incredible places. Rounding out the trip we spent time in Essaouira, a port city and our favorite Moroccan city to-date.
While visiting, the idea to join the Peace Corps had yet to present itself. Up until that point, we only knew one volunteer and had not heard much about the organization in either high school or college. During the few months prior to our application to Morocco, we both were at turning points in our careers. I was eager to transition into a position in digital marketing. Jacqueline was looking into the process of becoming a wilderness law enforcement officer.
So you are probably wondering, “How did you go from going to Morocco in April to finally applying to the Peace Corps at the last minute?” That’s a very valid question. To be honest, I started applying for jobs soon after I finished my master’s degree in September of 2017. Dozens of applications, phone calls, and interviews over the course of three and a half months produced one unpromising job offer. With little other traction, I randomly started to scrolling through all of the Peace Corps volunteer openings, reading each of their descriptions and job requirements.
I honestly could not tell you how or why I got to the Peace Corps website, but I do remember the exact moment when I saw the Youth Development position in Morocco. I thought to myself, “Wow, what are the chances that the country that my wife and I fell in love with has a position that we are extremely qualified for?” At that moment, my worries about being jobless quickly turned to excitement about the opportunity to volunteer in Morocco. I discussed the position with Jacqueline, who shared in my excitement. We are not typically the people who make a decision this quickly, and even planning a vacation is done months in advance with nearly every moment accounted for in an itinerary.
We really started contemplating the decision to apply on December 15, 2017, not more than a day or two after I originally came across the volunteer opening. We got in touch with a recruiter on the 20th, who ensured us that although we were qualified for the position, it might be best to apply for other countries given Morocco’s competitiveness and our decision to apply as a couple. We later learned in pre-service training that there were over 900 applicants for around 110 positions. The main disadvantage of applying as a couple was that we both had to qualify separately before they considered us together.
December 29th was the day we officially began the process of writing our motivation statements, updating our resumes, and starting the application. Finally, on December 31st after completing the last parts, we submitted our applications. We were equal parts nervous and excited, but we had to be realistic. We thought our odds were well under 5% given the date of our application, the competitiveness of the country, applying as a couple, and our decision to apply for Morocco and Morocco alone. Despite one of the key pieces of advice for applying to the Peace Corps is to be flexible and exhibit a willingness to go anywhere, we knew that whatever the outcome was, it was meant to be.
The rest of our application timeline looked like this:
- Interviews requested: February 1, 2018
- My interview: February 6, 2018
- Jacqueline’s interview: February 13, 2018
- Couples interview: February 14, 2018Six days later, on February 20th, we received the magical “Peace Corps Invitation to Serve” email and accepted two days later on Jacqueline’s birthday. Even though our decision to apply came about quickly, a lot of research and thought went into it. If not now, when else would we have this opportunity? The timing could not have been more perfect, and we honestly believe this is what we are supposed to be doing at this moment in our lives. For us, there was no better way to give back to the country that we cherished so much than by working with the next generation of leaders in Morocco.
I did receive another job offer on February 9th and started working for an incredible company on the 26th, less than a week after accepting our invitation to serve. It was a weird feeling working for a company that I respected, while at the same time knowing I would be leaving six months later. I will always be grateful for my experiences there, but my passions were taking me in a different direction.
We spoke with several returned volunteers who now work in different industries. Regardless of what Peace Corps sector they worked in, their sentiment was the same. Their service had a tremendous impact on their careers. Although my background in marketing does not always relate to the work I am doing with youth, I know that it is up to me to make my service relevant for my future job search. In addition to developing countless soft skills like communication and flexibility, I will improve my technical skills by running a blog, joining the Multimedia Committee, and teaching media and technology to youth in camps and workshops.
We are no longer tourists, but volunteers living and working in Morocco. We are doing our best to integrate within our community, learn the language, and immerse ourselves in the culture. In the end, maybe we will have a lasting and meaningful impact here, but until then, we are right where we are supposed to be.
So, if you are second guessing your decision to apply because of the deadline, how competitive the country is, questioning whether it is the right thing to do or not, or for any other reason, you should use our story as inspiration and give it a shot. If you need advice, have questions about the application, or want to hear about what serving as a volunteer is like, please do not hesitate to reach out via Instagram or email!
If you enjoyed this story, please click the 👏 button and feel free to leave a comment below! For more about our Peace Corps service in Morocco:
Originally published at lankyadventure.com on February 19, 2019.
