The following excerpt from the Foreign Service Journal is beautiful worded, written by former Peace Corps volunteer turned Foreign Service officer Erik J. Schnotala:
Every time I hear the phrase “transformational
diplomacy,” I cannot help thinking of my former Peace
Corps colleagues, who taught me to recognize two distinct
types of idealism, a lesson I’ve carried with me
into the Foreign Service.
First, there is the naïve sort of idealism, the kind
that people often associate with Peace Corps
Volunteers. This variety expects the best from people
but needs the adulation of others to sustain itself, so it
seldom lasts long. And when the world doesn’t change
overnight, these idealists are disillusioned — as happened
to many volunteers in my former host county.
The second kind of idealism is more enduring
because it understands human shortcomings and does
not expect too much from people. It is hardened by
real-life experiences and knows that partnerships take
time to develop. This kind of idealism still dares to
make the world a better place, but it has a longer horizon
and is not expecting praise or even tangible results
along the way. It sustains itself with nothing more than
a belief in its mission and unshakeable perseverance.
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