Aspiration Statement

So, the Peace Corps would like to know what I aspire to over the next twenty-seven months. I did not really want to tell them that I aspired to not being woken up by roosters every day and a hot shower every now and then. So, instead I am packing earplugs and heading off!

ASPIRATION STATEMENT
Jenifer Bubenik
Honduras
June 22, 2010

The morning of March 16, 2008 is one that constantly replays in my mind. After spending the night in Copan, Honduras, I rose early and decided to eat at the marketplace for breakfast. The colors of fruit and vegetables were radiant, although I was first greeted at the door by a man with a machete chopping off any type of meat I could ever imagine. Taking a seat on a small, plastic blue stool, I ordered scrambled eggs and black beans with a side of tortillas. I accompanied my meal with a Pepsi; Pepsi was everywhere in Honduras and I thought Jeff Gordon could be an ambassador to Central America. All of this cost me less than $2. Across the table from me sat the mother of the cook. Throughout breakfast I made conversation with her, and she shared with me her life story. Living an hour-and-a-half away, her profession was the town midwife. In the last five years she had delivered sixty-five babies. During the day she also worked in the coffee fields for less than $2/US per day. Astonishment took over, and I found myself doing the math for every $4 mocha I threw down for at a corner coffee shop. Over tortillas and beans, she told me that she was hoping to save enough money to purchase a passport and move to Guatemala where the wages were higher. I was amazed; while so many people were crossing the border to the United States illegally, all this woman wanted was to move to Guatemala, a country almost as poor as Honduras, and one for which most Americans would never see. It was at that moment that I knew I would return to Latin America and fight for equality among all its citizens.

A. With my background in government and public policy, I am confident that I will make a very successful and creative Municipal Development Advisor. Having worked in numerous government positions, including as a Senate Campaign Manager and Field Representative for the United States Senate, I have been exposed to a number of aspects for developing legislation, objectives, and policies. My experience with Senate leadership demonstrates my capability of working with others through the creative process of legislation while meeting the numerous challenges presented to me. As a Campaign Manager and board member with Mama’s Kitchen, I have successfully fundraised and sought grants to support clients. It is with all this experience that I hope to work with the women of Honduras, educating them on working with local government to open their own businesses and become strong leaders within their community.
B. When volunteering in the Cotopaxi region of Ecuador, I learned how difficult it was for women to gain respect and leadership within Latino communities. I tried to put myself in the shoes of successful international policy women, such as Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton. While admired in their home country of the United States, I found that they may not gain the same reception when traveling abroad for meetings and found that adopting this mentality helped me to effectively work with area leaders on a more successful level. In Honduras, I expect more ‘machismo’ factor, and plan to best adapt by respecting the Latino culture, while effectively expressing to the community that women are smart, intelligent thinkers, whose ideas can be shared on an equal playing field.
C. During March-July 2008, I spent my life backpacking from Belize to Ecuador. Both my American and Latino friends called me crazy, but I was ready for an adventure. I rode the chicken bus through every country, often with machete-totting men and gun-wielding banditos nearby. I learned to hide my blonde locks beneath a baseball cap, and stuff money in every corner of my backpack. When I did have water to take a shower, it was often cold and barely running; many nights I brushed my teeth with water from my Camelback. My belly began to grow from lack of exercise and weight training, accompanied by numerous tortillas and sweet juices. In the Peace Corps, I know I will have to find my patience again for the electricity being sparse, cold showers, outside toilets, stray dogs on the street, my diet becoming more unhealthy then I am used to (along with café con leche and no French Vanilla Coffeemate), and the lack of outdoor exercise due to safety. Over the next 27 months, I look forward to once again embracing the new culture, laughing about what I have no control over and taking the opportunity to find new ways of health and wellness, including healthy cooking recipes and practicing more yoga and Pilates. I would be excited to introduce these classes into my community.
D. Three times I have been fortunate enough to live with Latino families and immerse myself in their culture; Nicaragua, Panama, and Ecuador. Each family taught me something completely different and I made friendships to last a lifetime. During pre-service training, I hope to continue strengthening my Spanish-speaking skills so that I can succeed in my Peace Corps role, I want to listen and hear what are the top issues facing local Honduran families so that I can work with NGO’s to find solutions, and finally I would like to gain a true understanding of what a day in the life of an average Honduran is, so that I can see through their eyes what it is like to live in the country I will call home.
E. There is no telling what I will decide 27 months from now; 27 months ago I was working at the United States Senate when I decided to quit my job and ride the chicken bus through Latin America. This decision led me to a volunteer opportunity in Ecuador and an application to the Peace Corps. It has always been my intent in life to help those that can not help themselves; if I find that my work in Honduras is not done in 27 months then I will continue to work with local organizations towards bettering the country. Without a doubt, the Peace Corps will strengthen my Spanish-speaking skills and could lead me to return to the United States and help the Latino population in a leadership role.