hint, hint.

after making the last post, i've received a few signs regarding my future...

let me fast forward to today, first.  i went to the site for usaid.  usaid employs civil service and foreign service officers at home and abroad to carry out the government's international development missions.  positions are held in the fields of environmental, educational, project development and management, and crisis, stabilization and governance, etc.  awhile ago, when i last visited the site, working for usaid seemed out of reach for me.  i didn't have the credentials or experience to work there.  now that i'm looking into a master's degree in international development, it all seems attainable now.

knowing that working for usaid is still a few years in the future, i somehow redirected my research back to americorps which is basically like the peace corps but all the missions are done on u.s. soil.  that sounded a lot more  like me.  though i'm looking into a degree in international development, what i really want to do is help america first.  though we are a rich country, so many corners of our own country need help.  reading about previous volunteers' experiences, i became more and more interested.  volunteers only need to serve a maximum of one year, unlike the peace corps which is two.  after completion they are given an education award, a small stipend to pay off student loans or to help pay for future studies.

thinking about it, anyone would tell me i should just do it.  as always,  i have doubts and fears.  i recently spent six months living abroad.  almost a year and a half later, i am still unemployed.  taking another year off to do something like this will have to wait.  the more project descriptions i read, the more i realized it is not much different than what i am doing now at the club.  perhaps i should switch tracks and start tutoring kids with their homework or help them learn how to read instead.