A world of possibilities
Student travels the world, learns while helping others
Claudia Lozano
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: Student Life
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She remembers that he spoke like he was from a different country and had to go to classes to improve his speech. His mom said the speech impediment didn't bother Corey at all and it took him a year to overcome this predicament. It wasn't until high school that Corey really wanted to become a foreigner, travel the world and learn about other cultures.
Since beginning college, Corey's passion for travel has led him to teach English on the other side of the world and commit his life to helping people in another country.
Packing the bags…
Donna said Corey is very adventurous. She remembers Corey mentioning to her he wanted to do some traveling around the world.
Corey said his mom told him he should wait until he is in college to travel abroad, so he did.
"I thought it was a really good idea," Donna said. "He adapts well to different cultures and it would be a good experience for him."
In the spring of 2006, Corey went to Sweden because he is of Swedish descent and also because the university in Sweden had an economics field that allowed him to double major in economics and math he said.
"Sweden was very enjoyable," Corey said. "It was my first time abroad. It wasn't a large change and the majority of the country knows English."
He was there for five months and spent another month traveling around Europe.
Donna said as any parent would feel, it is hard when a child is away from home, but she felt fairly comfortable with Corey going to Sweden.
"There are always apprehensions as a parent because of distance," Donna said. "He would fit in well wherever he went."
No speak Japanese
In the summer of 2007, Corey decided he wanted to travel once more, this time to teach English through the Guy Healy program.
"It was much (more) of a culture shock than Sweden," Corey said.
This time Corey didn't go alone. Alumni Justin Aukema went with him, although they didn't plan it, Corey said.
Corey looked at the program as an interesting way to spend a summer and he wanted to make the program entertaining for the children he was going to be teaching English to.
"I can be as crazy as I want to and have fun with the kids," he said.
Aukema and Corey met when they lived together in Sutherland Hall and later on became Resident Assistants in the hall.
"He made some crazy, spicy Thai food which I found very interesting," Aukema said. "Eventually we started cooking some things together in Sutherland Hall's kitchen. His curry was better than mine."
When Corey went to Japan he didn't know any Japanese.
"Justin knew a lot of Japanese, so in my days off I would be very interested in language acquisition, but I only learned a couple of words," Corey said laughing.
Donna said she didn't worry about Corey when he went to Japan.
"He finds a way to adapt," she said. "I'm sure there were other Americans that didn't speak Japanese either. Of all the kids I know, and I'm not just saying this because he is my son, but he has a way of learning to adapt."
New travel plans
Donna said that Corey first mentioned joining the Peace Corps when he was in high school.
"It's something he has wanted to do for a long time," she said.
Corey said he first heard about the program in high school. He said he investigated the requirements and thought he would get his bachelor's degree first to figure out a plan to apply. Once he graduates in December, Corey will have a double major in business administration and economics. He said they might put him to work as a business administrator between two organizations in the community where he is placed.
"I really wanted to move to a country for an extended period of time," he said. "It fit it with my goal of living in a different culture and helping other people."
He said he remembers telling his mom about the idea before applying.
"She was like, 'maybe you can go to grad school and then go,'" Corey said. "She tries to push it back a little bit every time."
He said the Peace Corps programs are a minimum of two years, but people can extend it if they want to.
"You have to commit to it from the beginning," he said.
He applied to the Corps a year in advance and said he was glad he did because he felt less rushed. In January he turned in his application and had to set up an appointment for an interview in the Minneapolis office.
Aukema said he remembers Corey talking about joining the Peace Corps.
"Corey has wanted to join the Peace Corps for quite a while," Aukema said. "He told me it was something he was considering while we were RAs together."
Corey's mom said she feels very proud of him.
"It's a wonderful thing to do," she said. "It's just a part of him, giving up himself and trying to make the world a better place by helping others."
She said it was in Corey's nature and that joining the Peace Corps was a very natural thing for Corey.
"He wants to go places where people are not as well off as we are," she said. "He wants to put his skills and education to use."
After his interview in Minneapolis Corey received a nomination and was told he should wait for them to call him back with more information.
They called him the next day.
"They told me there was one requirement," he said. "I have to (be) physically and willingly able to ride a bicycle seven miles a day."
Corey laughs at this because he doesn't have a car, so he bikes seven to 10 miles every day, even for recreation he takes longer routes to go places.
Bumps on the road
After his conversation Corey got his legal background checked, as well as do some physical tests.
"It was one of the biggest hassles of the application process. I took a week off in the summer to take care of this medical paper work," Corey said.
"You have to do a lot of appointments, make sure all paper work is filled out right. I took a piss test for the first time," he laughed.
Once all his paper work was turned in they told him he'd be receiving a letter with the exact location of his placement. For now, Corey knows it is somewhere in Eastern Asia.
Corey said he is checking his mail diligently as his letter had to come between September and October, but he is still waiting.
"I feel a little bit of questionability," he said. "The Peace Corps have had budgetary problems, so they don't have enough money. Certain people who were expected to leave in the fall where pushed back."
Corey said his placement might be pushed back indefinitely, maybe until the next presidency makes a new budget, he said, adding he does feel optimistic about it.
"A small percentage of people got turned down," he said. "So there's a good chance that I'll still go, but a small chance that it will get postponed."
Donna said Corey is very close to his family and he is very true to himself and he overcame lots of challenges, especially completing college on his own financially and also by taking a lot of advanced placement classes in high school. He might soon be away for two years and Donna said she will feel much more comfortable with the idea once they know exactly where he'll be going.
"He just enjoys a whole learning experience," she said. "He is very open minded, he adapts well wherever he is at and where ever the Peace Corps send him I know he'll do well, just because of his nature, he has no fear."
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