I have long had idealistic goals for the path I wanted my career to take; I've known since I was a teenager that I wanted to engage in public service, working to improve the lives of others, doing something bigger than myself. What I had in terms of great aspirations, however, I lacked clarity. After completing my undergraduate studies, I was destined to enter the workforce with no real vision of what career path I wanted to take, other than this vague idea that I wanted to serve the public good in some way. I studied history, with specializations in political science and classical studies. This gave me a foundation in the liberal arts and social sciences, teaching me how to conduct research, critically analyze problems, and synthesize my thoughts and analyzes into original writing. This extensive education has greatly influenced my interest and understanding of the importance of public policy. What it certainly didn't do was give me the strong quantitative skills and industry-specific knowledge needed to pursue a career in the industry. I was interested in pursuing a career in public service, but I didn't have a clear path to follow. Joining the Peace Corps was a logical, if cliché, entry point into public service; after some time spent in various internships and a short stint with the Peace Corps in Burkina Faso, I came to Tanzania, where I serve as a health extension volunteer. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay It offered me the opportunity to do substantive work in public service that was rewarding in itself, while providing valuable experience for future educational and career opportunities. My experiences in the Peace Corps clarified my goals and reaffirmed my desire to work in the political field. The opportunity to work with communities at the grassroots level, implementing small-scale projects that are the end result of high-level political decisions, showed me how impactful public policies can be. Rather than have a general idea of ​​where the aid money goes, I participated directly in the process, implementing a USAID-funded project and a PEPFAR project (smallholder poultry production and hygiene kit distribution and education respectively menstrual) with the aim of improving economic well-being. well-being and health outcomes. In the community where I live, in southern Tanzania, most residents derive almost all of their income from the annual cashew harvest. In 2018, the Tanzanian government purchased the cashew crop at above market price; The price of cashews was much lower than expected that year, and local farmers' cooperatives lobbied the government to do so. However, the government did not have this money, and instead of receiving payments within about a month of the harvest, as they normally do, local farmers had to wait about 3 months. For farmers living in poverty, who have budgeted the income from their latest harvest for a year, a two-month delay is almost disastrous. People struggled to feed themselves. They could not buy medicine or afford medical bills. The government, both in an attempt to fight for the economic well-being of its citizens and, more cynically, in an attempt to gain their favor, implemented a policy (which probably had little in the way of rigorous analysis to support it) that it had a significantly negative effect on a large number of people. That got me.