the first negative reactions

Like I said in my last post, I've been at this Peace Corps thing for awhile. I set my heart on it freshman year and have been working toward it ever since. Everyone I talked to was supportive and not really surprised because of my intense wanderlust. Once I finally started applying and stepped up getting experience, people started asking more specific questions other than "why?" And the thing about these question is that they were generally smart questions. Like "where will you go?" "what will you do?" and "will you be safe?" Those questions are expected and show general curiosity (I think so anyway). Now that I've accepted my invitation, the questions are getting even more specific: "what will your living situation be?" (don't know yet), "do you pay your own airfare to get there" (nope), "do you even speak Mongolian?" (not yet, but they'll teach me!). I expect these things and I even expect (and accept!) the people that look at me like I have three heads for even contemplating this, mainly because most of those people have the mindset of "I'd never do it, but hey that's awesome."

But last night I experienced my first honestly negative reaction to my decision and it was one of the worst things ever. I was out with a couple friends and one of their friends who I had never met before met up with us. When the topic of me going to Mongolia came up, I got an incredulous look (nothing new), a "what, for the Peace Corps or something?" (yes), and a very uncomfortable next hour. I can understand people not understanding why I would choose to do this, dismissing it as something that will never be on their life plan, or even thinking I'm crazy but I cannot understand people who think it's okay to attack and mock what I have chosen to commit myself to, and therefore by extension, attack and mock me.

Absolutely everything I mentioned as a possibility was seized and excessively mocked by some guy I had never met before. If you're going through the Peace Corps process, you're not expecting anything lavish, generally you expect to barely make it. Okay, maybe not barely make it, but you're going to be in poor conditions. But being told it was stupid that I would consider this and hearing general ignorance of the world hurt. Not knowing where Mongolia is exactly isn't what I mean, I mean saying rude things about people who live in tents when I'm mentally preparing myself to spend 27 months in a ger wasn't exactly what I was expecting on a night out with friends. And I think the worst part with people like that is that there's nothing you can say to make them realize just how ignorant they are.

I really hope this is the only incident I have like this because I need to focus on buying copious amounts of long underwear and reading books about Genghis Khan and Mongolia. I understand now why Peace Corps is so concerned about the reactions people have throughout the application process because if this is the reaction I had gotten from everyone, I'm not sure I would have had the spirit or will to keep going. So a huge thank you to everyone who has been there for me (slash haven't been rude, ignorant jerks) during this whole thing! :)