Two articles in the fall Spark prompted me to respond with thoughts about the United States Peace Corps (“Christians and Cultural Difference” and “On a Mission”). My daughter served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Indonesia for 27 months, imbuing in her insight, growth, critical-thinking skills, problem-solving skills, grit, resiliency, interpersonal skills and more. Even my brief two-week visit there opened my eyes and mind to the many dierent ways of thinking and living in that part of the world.

Being exposed to cultural differences helps you learn and believe that your normal is really not the world’s normal, it’s just your normal in your little piece of the world. Just because someone else’s normal is dierent than yours does not make it better or worse than yours, just different. Greater exposure to different cultures results in less judgment of differences and more acceptance. Peace Corps service, for some students, may be a valuable step in planning their “Lifework” and preparing for a productive and meaningful life after college.

Evanne Hoolsema ’86, Elgin, Illinois