I was an unusual child...Where most kids want to become a princess, astronaut, or a football star, I wanted to become a paleontologist and often played in the dirt that was my backyard, burying my plastic dinosaur figures and trying to find them again. (The Triceratops and T-rex were always my favorite.) Soon that progression of a love of really, really old history evolved into the love of people and their history. I wanted to discover old relics, clues really, left in the past that give us valuable insight into how people lived their lives before us. Almost like Indiana Jones, but without being chased by fearsome indigenous tribes or Nazis. However, my interest evolved in college into the study of cultures and their rituals, their belief systems in particular.
Like many questions in life, "What I want to be..." is not an easily answered question, but a progression of interests and passions that eventually culminates into a career. My main academic interest has always been history, but I now find that I am most interested in studying religions, or belief systems, within a culture. Religion is such a powerful force that can drive its believers to do the most benevolent things yet also the most malevolent. My ultimate goal is to become a professor and explore the shaping, evolution, and application of many beliefs for the purpose of creating cultural awareness, tolerance, and understanding. The epitome of peace makers, Mohandas Gandhi, once said, "It is the duty of every cultured man or woman to read sympathetically the scriptures of the world. If we are to respect others' religion as we would have them respect our own, a friendly study of the world's religions is a sacred duty." This wisdom rings so true in our world where advancing technology brings people of many cultures and faiths in closer proximity of one other.
Though the question may be difficult, I can now say with confidence and assurance, I want to be a social anthropology professor when I grow up and encourage peace and tolerance.
