PST The New Monster

PST = Pre Service Training

It's the new monster I dread facing. There is always some impending doom. First completing the application essay, seemed like a mountain and is definitely a mole hill in retrospect. Then will I ever, ever, ever complete my medical packet, while quite the task (that I'm still paying for) when it's done it's done. There are many imminent tasks that all seem more intimidating than the next that have arisen during this process, but I promise, PST seems like the mother of them all!!

PST includes the three months were I will be going through 12 days of extensive training in Ecuador. I will be living with a host family, speaking Spanish to the best of my ability, eating whatever is served up and sleeping wherever I am told! IF by the end of those three months the Peace Corps trainers feel that I am not a fit for the assignment due to my language, technical skills, attitude...a seemingly endless list of reasons why... then I will not be sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Can you believe it!? After all of this I STILL could be send home. I don't hear people making that big of a deal about their swearing in moment, but THAT is going to be one shining moment for me (if/when I make it)!

I know, I know, how dare I speak death and negativity over my situation. I have the heart, drive and determination to tackle whatever is put in front of me, but I do get a weeeee bit nervous over the fact that I took on the task of "learning a new language" as if it was similar to learning to ride a bike. Hey, maybe it is. Except for the fact that if you can't ride a bike, you can still ask for help, get directed to the nearest bathroom, get something to eat, tell you host family you appreciate their hospitality, express...well whatever... it's done now isn't it? lol.

Better get back to studying!!

Going Public!

May 30, 2009


Tomorrow...well today is my going away party in the Lou! That means I'm making my blog public for all to see. Up until this point I have not worried about grammar, spelling, content, nada...and clearly I still won't, but this little website that I have been updating at my leisure will not be read by those close to me. I was hoping to update my blog while going through this arduous of preparing to leave for two years, but I just didn't have the time. My time was better spent, making my to-do lists, learning spanish, visiting with loved ones, packin...well you get the idea.

A fellow blogger in Belize has a technique where she pre writes a post and pre dates it so that it appears days later. I am going to try to do that this evening as I do have some topics that I want to discuss and I don't want this to be an uber long post. I look at is as practice.

The Quickening: Staging Full Throttle

May 18, 2009

My whining and complaining is over. My head is more clear and I'm back to my old positive self appreciating the love and support I have around. For real I couldn't do anything of this without my "village" backing me up. Well it's a good think I'm back in the swing of things because I JUST got my staging information.

All this time everything I have states that I start staging June 17th. I was thinking that I would be going to DC or some other city for about 2 week, then you go train in your host country for approx 3 month. NO.WAY. I was wrong (again!). First of all it says my staging is in Miami (coulda just stayed there! jk) and it's on the 16th. One whole day early. That may not seem like a big deal to most, but my days are numbered and that shaved off even more time. We are in Miami from the 16th-17th and then we fly to ECUADOR!!! I cannot belive that this time next month I'll be flying to Ecuador. I.am.flippin.out. On the inside of course. I haven't even finished reading the email.

Holy toledo!

Drumroll Please....

May 10, 2009

I found out where I am going to be living for the next two years! Drumroll......

ECUADOR!!

I didn't even call it!...well kind of. I did find online the departure dates an locations. Ecuador departed in the middle of June of '08 but since I thought I was only eligible for Central America, I totally overlooked South America as an option!

You got me Peace Corps!

I actually found out days ago, but I was still in Miami. Now it's about 3 in the morning and I am reading through all of my materials FINALLY.

It's been agony being away.

I have so many things I'm thinking and feeling I will post more later, but how dare I let all this time pass without officially disclosing exactly where I'll be!

You've Been Invited

May 7, 2009

Incredible! Yesterday I found out that my status has been updated and it reads "Congratulations you have been invited to become a Peace Corps Volunteer". I found this out after calling the Placement Officer I had spoken to on Monday. It turns out it didn't take until Wednesday to decide if they wanted to invite me to the new program. They were really excited about my skills and actually accepted me on Monday and they mailed out an invite on Tuesday! That means that I should be getting something in the mail today or tomorrow. I'm still in Miami until Saturday, so I'm just going to have my mom open it for me. He couldn't tell me when exactly or where I'm going, but I'VE BEEN INVITED!

I know it's going to be a June departure (or I should say I'm pretty sure ) so I need to start cancelling trips..stacking some doe (more babysitting, and getting it together! This is exciting and surreal, I'll be posting in a few days with the location and departure time!! YAY!

Placement

May 5, 2009

Woke up this morning with a toolkit update... There is a check mark by the "Place" circle stating "Peace Corps has completed your placement review. There are no holds on your account at this time." I was hoping for a "Congratulations you've been Invited...but hopefully in a day or two that will be my news. I wonder if I'll be able to update while in Miami. In other news it appears my cell phone is broken...again. The little port where the charger goes appears to be cracked. I most certainly at this point will not be getting a new phone! I really hope it's the charger and not my actual phone that is broken!

What A Difference A Day Makes!

May 4, 2009

OMG!! This is unbelievable! So I just affirmed yesterday that I was going to be hitting my P.O. up hardcore until I got some answers! Well. I called her twice and only got her voicemail, I was starting to feel ridiculous and sad, like I'm not going to know anything all month long, this really sucks! THEN I get an area code 202 number phone call. I quickly answer thinking...snap, they have caller ID and they have figured me out. It was some one in the Placement Office calling to talk to me about and assignment. There were 3 "wrinkles" about the situation. First of all he described the assignment. Although he was talking 1,000 miles a minute everything he said was more on target for what I wanted than that next. I couldn't believe it! The rub? First "wrinkle" they assignment departs in June! Hi, it's May! I have a ton of trips to take between now and then. 2nd my language which is really a tough one. They want someone with 2 years of college spanish or the equivalent. I have plenty of Spanish in my past and I actually tested out of Spanish in college. I have taken some Spanish since and was enrolled in a class during the time I was interviewing. They took all of that into consideration and asked if they sent me Rosetta Stone would I commit to getting to the level they needed from me. ABSOLUTELY. The other "wrinkle" he stated was that I would be living with a host family the entire time. No problema (ha Spanish! lol) I think I would do well having a family structure around me, so that's no big deal.


Next steps? He is going to go back to "the board" and see if they can work with me under the condition that I brush up on my Spanish. He will let me know no later than Wednesday! Argh, this is more agonizing than waiting all of May to hear anything. I'm happy because I know that they are looking at my application, they have liked what they see and I'm in the running to be invited somewhere. I'm leaving for Miami tomorrow and I'm staying a week. Hopefully I can chill out for two days until I hear something.

June! That would be in.sane. More updates to come.

P.S. He did not say where...he was very tight lipped about the whole thing. He just said Southern Central America....

Pest Control

May 3, 2009

Happy Cinco de Mayo weekend. I will be in Miami for the actual holiday so I'm posting now. This weekend I found myself speaking with a stranger and somehow Peace Corps came up. He imparted a lot of wisdom and for some reason after speaking with him I felt more hopeful. I feel like he was a little Peace Corps angel sent from the heavens to encourage me to faint not. When I was describing where I was in the process and my plan of attack from this point forward, his advice was don't wait "you gotta really stay on those people". I was going to wait until after my Miami trip to start calling and checking my status, however now I'm most definitely kicking off Operation: Total Pest tomorrow. It can only speed things up at this point. He was saying not only is there so much red tape, bureaucracy and back log in the DC offices, but they also want to see how interested you are in your nomination. Some people apply for Peace Corps and go through the motions as a back up plan. They want to know who has their eye on the prize and is intensely serious about going. They don't wanna send someone somewhere for two years who has a lackluster attitude about the whole thing. I can agree... I do have examples in my process where I became quite the stalker and that IS when I got results. So if that's what I gotta do this last stretch of the process I have NO. Problem. doing that. So tomorrow is the kick off. One week "premature" so I'm interested to see if a) I am even able to reach anyone b) if I the response/attitude will be that I'm still worried about it too early in the game. Sheesh It's May! This waiting is agonizing!