They say the Peace Corps is the toughest job you’ll ever love; it’s difficult to truly grasp the full extent of that until you’ve lived it. I served as a Youth Development Volunteer in the desert town of Olmos, Peru, from June 2014 to August 2016. To say that the experience was life changing would be an understatement.
I primarily worked at one of the high schools, teaching sex ed and preparing the kids for life post-secondary school. We covered topics such as leadership, gender equality, and bullying. We talked about college and careers. On occasion, I would throw out some English phrases.
The teenagers weren’t the only ones learning in my classroom. I might’ve been the biggest student, taking away lessons in patience and compassion. I navigated the semester meeting the kids on their level, slowly figuring out how to relate, realizing that I was a role model to them, and understanding that the greatest impressions I could leave were my informal interactions.
In the end, I feel that I took away much more than I ever could have left.
Disclaimer: The opinions, views, and comments expressed on this website are my own and do not reflect those of the U.S. Government, the country of Peru, or the Peace Corps/Peace Corps Peru.
Brittany McGee 
Hi Brittany. I have enjoyed checking out your blog! My name is Michelle. I was a part of the PC Blog It Home contest a couple years ago and wanted to share a project I’m working on to help PCVs “level up” their online presence to promote cross-cultural understanding/Third Goal. We have a 10 week Blog Challenge as well as a monthly social media Photo Challenge going on right now (see http://bloggingabroad.org/tools). We also have a Featured Blogs Around the World page, and I would love for you to submit your blog! Just look for the “start here” link at the top of this page: http://www.bloggingabroad.org/blogs-around-the-world/. All the best to you!