ASPIRATION STATEMENT

Jordan Nall
Cameroon
September 2, 2016
A: Three professional attributes that you plan to use during your Peace Corps service and how
these will help you fulfill your aspirations and commitment to service.
Throughout my life, I have participated in numerous organizations that have enhanced my
professional skills in the areas of interpersonal communication, time management, and quantifiable
goal-setting. Working independently and as a team during my time at Iowa State lead me to discover
that good communication is not entirely dependent on the words you say. Interpersonal
communication involves actively engaging your entire self in a conversation by utilizing nonverbal
communication, body language, facial expression, and other factors. While these are important in a
domestic setting, they are of utmost importance when interacting with people from different parts of
the world.
Each semester at Iowa State, I tried something new and added activities to my already busy
schedule. Adapting to my new roles each semester and adding to my workload required careful time
management and organization skills. Ive had a tendency in the past to attempt to do everything on
my to-do list at once, but Ive learned to accept that progress takes time, patience, and daily
prioritized checklists. It was only until a few months ago that I learned that any task or goal that I am
striving to reach must be quantified into specific numbers or other specific ways to track
improvement of a particular objective. Merely stating a broad ambition, Ive found, is an excellent
way to overwhelm yourself. Ive learned to quantify my goals (for instance, research hours Ive
logged) in order to keep track of progress, to understand the value of my progress, and to analyze the
work to come. This will be especially helpful in the agricultural field, since I will be working to
improve crop production, and the first step to improvement is to know where we started and where
we need to be in a certain amount of time. I am looking forward to seeing these changes during my
service in Cameroon.
These skills will forever be invaluable to me in any setting Ill be working in. I am
particularly looking forward to putting them to the ultimate test during my time in the Peace Corps.
B: Identify two strategies for working effectively with host country partners to meet expressed
needs.
The most important aspect of working effectively with my host country partners will be to
study the culture of Cameroon before I depart America. Not only will I learn appropriate cultural
dress and customs, but specific mannerisms and behaviors that Cameroonians engage in. Immersing
myself in the culture immediately will convey a sense of true respect that will build trust and
goodwill between myself and my partners. Along with learning before my departure, I plan to learn
during my service in Cameroon. Throughout my five-month study abroad experience in England, I
was learning cultural norms and language differences until the day I returned to America.
Along with prior knowledge and immersing myself in the culture, I will practice effective
communication by listening to their experiences with agriculture and the methods they have used in
the past that have or have not worked well. My life experiences growing up on an industrialized rowcrop farm in Iowa will be much different than those of my partners agricultural experiences. I must
show them from the beginning that I acknowledge these differences and am eager to listen to their
experiences and implement their advice into my farm planning and technology transfer.

C: Your strategy for adapting to a new culture with respect to your own cultural background.

Jordan Nall - Cameroon - September 2, 2016

Growing up in a very small, agricultural-based community in Iowa, I have been
preconditioned to think inside the box and be afraid to embark on new adventures. However, I have
combatted this stigma by taking the initiative to gain international experience during my college
years. Although Englands culture is similar to Americas Western culture, my five-month study
abroad experience taught me how to adapt to a culture that was different than my own. A bigger
shock, however, was my week-long travel course to Uganda. As I mentioned before, extensive
knowledge of the culture was of utmost importance before our departure. Although Ive visited nine
different countries over the past year, I am well aware that there will be shock once I settle into my
community. As much as I can mentally prepare for it, it will hit me hard when it comes. Fortunately, I
enjoy hobbies that are enjoyed across many different cultures. I enjoy singing, learning new
instruments, knitting, and simply conversing with people to learn of new cultures. Ive been
extremely excited to share music and my love for life with the members of my community. This will
aide in my transition into the new culture while remembering who I am and where I come from.
D: The skills and knowledge you hope to gain during pre-service training to best serve your
future community and project.
During staging, I hope to gain further experience and knowledge of the French language.
Learning a language requires active participation, and I am looking forward to practicing with fellow
Volunteers and assisting in their learning as well. Learning the French language will be vital when
communicating in Cameroon. Knowledge and proficiency in French will be crucial to building
relationships throughout my time as a Volunteer. I am also extremely interested in learning how
agricultural technologies and techniques have improved and changed throughout time in Cameroon.
Gaining knowledge of the impact that past Volunteers have made in agriculture as well as goals for
future improvement will be extremely beneficial as I set goals for my time as a Volunteer.
E: How you think Peace Corps service will influence your personal and professional aspirations
after your service ends.
I am already looking forward to utilizing the skills I will gain during my 27 months when I
return to the United States. After taking a sustainable agriculture in England and learning of
indigenous methods of agriculture in Uganda, I have a passion for international agriculture and
sustainability. As a result, I am hoping to return to graduate school within a few years of my return in
order to study international agriculture. Ive also been considering the idea of obtaining a doctorate in
the field of agriculture and teaching at the collegiate level. My goal would be to work closely with
the study abroad office to coordinate travel courses to expose students to agricultural methods in
different parts of the world. Engaging in the Peace Corps will also have a profound impact on my
personal life. Whether I choose to return to higher education or not, the relationships Ill have made
during my years of service will forever change me. If Ive learned one thing in college, its that
friendships without borders are truly extraordinary and special. My experiences will also give me the
confidence that I need to make important decisions once I return to the United States.