I have long had idealistic goals for the path I want to take for my career; I knew since I was a teenager that I wanted to get involved in public service, to work to improve the lives of others, to do something bigger than myself. However, I lacked clarity on what my big aspirations were. At the end of my undergraduate studies, I was about to enter the workforce with no real vision of the career path I wanted to follow, other than this vague idea that I wanted to serve the public good of one way or another. I studied history, with minors in political science and classical studies. It gave me a foundation in the liberal arts and social sciences, teaching me how to conduct research, critically analyze issues, and synthesize my thoughts and analyzes into original writing. This broad training strongly influenced my interest and understanding of the importance of public policy. What it certainly didn't do was give me the quantitative skills and domain-specific knowledge one needs to pursue a career in this field. 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 clichéd, entry point into public service; after some time spent in various internships and a brief stint in the Peace Corps in Burkina Faso, I arrived in Tanzania, where I volunteer in health extension. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay It gave me the opportunity to do substantive work in public service that was rewarding in its own right, while also providing valuable experience for the future. study and career opportunities. My experiences in the Peace Corps clarified my goals and reaffirmed my desire to work in politics. The opportunity to work with communities at the local level, implementing small-scale projects that are the end result of high-level policy decisions, showed me how impactful public policies can be. Rather than having a general idea of ​​where the aid money was going, I participated directly in the process, implementing a USAID-funded project and a PEPFAR-funded project (poultry production of smallholder farmers and distribution and education of menstrual hygiene kits respectively) with the aim of improving economic well-being. their well-being and health. In the community I live in in southern Tanzania, the majority of 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 agricultural cooperatives lobbied the government to do so. However, the government did not have this money and, instead of receiving their payments within about a month after harvest like they usually do, local farmers had to wait about 3 months. For farmers living in poverty, who have budgeted for a year's income from their last harvest, a two-month delay is almost disastrous. People had difficulty feeding themselves. They could not buy medicine or pay clinic fees. The government, either in an attempt to fight for the economic well-being of its citizens or, more cynically, in an attempt to win their favor, has adopted a policy..