It isn’t news, but I have to say that volunteering with Peace Corps is no walk in the park. Every day poses a myriad of social miscues, slow work, and feelings of isolation. I often take comfort and encouragement in messages from friends and family who appreciate my service. They remind me of the reasons why I chose this job, that I easily overlook the advantages of service, and why service outshines the entry-level office alternative I could have chosen. These messages -and the comments I received from strangers while on home leave- often emphasize the “do-gooder” nature of Peace Corps service. People imagine Volunteers as examples, paragons even, of virtue and self-sacrifice in the humanitarian struggle for a better tomorrow. We are imagined teaching earth-shattering lessons, feeding the hungry, and kissing the babies we vaccinate. Thinking of Volunteers as perfect do-gooders poses several problems. First, life is much muddier and the details of service more boring than people i
