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!

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....

Baby Steps

April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day! Just got back from a walk with my dog enjoying a nice sunny day. Thank you Mother Earth :) We will treat you better promise! Upon returning from my walk I had an email from who I know now is my Placement Officer's Assistant. She apologized for the delay in returning my message inquiring about my status. She informed me the the legal questions where a pending issue and needed to be addressed. Once I spoke with the legal department everything was good to go. So I am lead to believe if I hadn't asked her about my status...she wouldn't have looked into to see that I had some follow up questions for legal to follow up on...and then I wouldn't have heard from the legal department until God knows when. So once again I think that being diligent with the fine folks in DC I was able to get answers. She also said that if I don't hear anything in 2-3 weeks then I can hit her up for a status update. Consider it done. So things are progressing inch by inch. Baby Steps...

Above the Law

April 21, 2009

I should have known I was only going to get good news on my momma's birthday! I got a gift too. I stalked the guy at the Legal/Eligibility office and finally got him. He dug up my file (bless his heart) and talked to me for quite awhile. I really appreciate him. He asked me follow up questions about the out standing debts I had. It felt really good to say...yep paid that, paid that, that's taken care of, paid that. So he said that I was good to go. My "file is now complete" according Legal McNicerson..but those are words I have heard before. So I asked him just how complete was it really. Basically he's said the decision maker is the next step. The official placement officer will review my file and place me. However, in real life time, I wanna know now...in Peace Corps time...an August nomination is not even being considered right now. Therefore, my file is going to be sitting on someone's desk for awhile. Also, he confirmed that there are usually 2 people for every one opening. I know that I will be sent to the location that is best for me, so I'm keeping hope alive, it's just nerve racking!

We talked for awhile, I don't know how to act when I get someone on the phone!! I wanted all the info I could get. He also told me that since it takes time to get your passport, they have an 8 week minimum of how late they can send an invite. Therefore, if I don't know by the end of June (I'll say) then I clearly didn't get that nomination. I don't know if they send you a letter if you don't or not. I didn't concern myself with that, I don't see that happening. I wonder who the other soul(s) are that are nominated for the same spot? Do they talk about it allll the time like I do? Are there family and peers holding their collective breath as well waiting to know the outcome? I wonder...

I'll be traveling and visiting a lot during May so hopefully my mind will be off of this a little bit. I'm coming up with a schedule and a exercise/prayer/meditation regimen so that I have structure and have other things to focus on. Wow it's a trip my life could drastically change in the next 60 days!

P.O. to P.A.O?

April 8, 2009

Whew, so I finally, finally, finally completed all of my experience working with youth to build up my file. I have had a lot of experience and I didn't want to leave anything out. After awhile though I was getting weary and didn't even put everything. Hopefully it's enough. I got an email today from my P.O. saying she received all the information and she is sending it to my P.O....??? Wha? Aren't you my P.O.? Well she said, Placement & Assessment Officer...which is clearly a step abover ;oP So, progress. I just need to stay positive and visualize myself leaving in August. My P.O. said they will be reviewing my file over the next several weeks...sooo more of the waiting game...

I have been doing a pretty decent job of paying my debt down, but I still can use some more time, so I'm in no hurry just yet. I have gotten a ton of babysitting gigs for the upcoming months, so hopefully that keeps me busy and allows me to pay off the rest of the debt. Oh on that same page...I finally got all of my dental and medical bills together and I turned in my reimbursement form. Hopefully I'm still able to get that money back. It's not a lot but it is something. I just paid Quest Diagnostics over $700 for the labs I had to get...sooo any little bit will be welcomed whenever it comes.

I wonder what my next update is going to be about...only time will tell...

April Fools

April 3, 2009

I had started writing this on the 1st, but true to form I'm finishing days later. STL has been such a time vacuum for me. I just can't seem to get a rhythm going. My PO has emailed me saying she needs to me update my resume with specific dates and durations I have held each position that is posted on my res AND I need to fill out this detailed "report" about all related experience I've had. She sent an attached word doc. What I think is going on is my full time work doesn't reflect work with youth, but I have a ton of volunteering with youth, that's my passion. I think right now they are trying to build me up to the site. It just has me thinking was it smart to push for Youth Development cause now I have to work that much harder to be considered? It's worth a shot right? My nomination isn't until August, so there is no time crunch....however, I NEED to send her those updates, so she can update me sooner. I am about to go back in time and list EVERYTHING I have ever done related to kids and non-profit work and let my PO decide what she wants to keep and what should be thrown out. I also emailed me recruiter to update her and ask her some questions and as always she was speedy with a response and always great advice. My goal is to complete the update by Monday. Of course my goal was to send it off by today...but Monday is a realistic goal...hope I don't do the fool.....

March Madness!

March 22, 2009

March is almost over and boy have I been out of the loop. I caught my alma mater win a game today, but that is NOT what has been holding me up all this time. I wrapped up my life in LA and made the trek to STL at the beginning of the month. I've taken two weeks to get back into the swing of things. I have managed to pack a lot in the past 14 days (per usual) but I am back on it. I exhaled after being medically cleared and I needed a bit of a break. So I just sent an email to my P.O. with and updated resume and some other updated information about myself. I hear from this point on it's nothing but a waiting game so I wanted to get that information in her hands as soon as possible. I'm not sure if she's just going to receive the information and say nothing, or if she's going to hit me back and we are start dialog. We shall see. Hopefully I have at least one more update this month!

It's On & Poppin!

February 26, 2009

Had an email from Peace Corps telling me my Toolkit had been updated. Sure enough it says that I'm medically cleared (sweet!) and that I have a letter coming in the mail that is going to give me more details. I wonder what it's going to say? I know the woman at OMS gave me a few suggestions and things to do before I leave (check-ups and what not) I'm thinking maybe it's going to reiterate that notion. I see I'm back to updating everyday, so I'm probably obsessing again, I had cooled off for awhile, but I'm extremely eager to know where I'm going. Since I'm nominated for August, I understand that the chances of me knowing anything before June are slim... So why don't I just chill out and have a seat....I'll do my best.

UPDATE!!

Holy Cow, I was just about to starting to stalk people's pages again and was obsessively checking over my toolkit. I appeared that it took approx 2 weeks for people to get a placement officer, so I was trying to calm myself down. THEN I received another email from the Peace Corps...open it up... WAHOO!! I have been assigned a P.O.! hoorray.

The email tells me to send updated resumes, transcripts and work or volunteer experiences. THIS apparently where it gets competitive. Who knew? (sobbing softly). The letter informs that there are approximately two people nominated for each stop. That does turn up the heat a little bit. The good news is if I send these assessments early (March is early to have med clearance if I'm nominated for August departure) I am at a bit of an advantage I think. There could be something I'm more qualified for that opens up earlier...or later... either way I don't think I will be flat out rejected...I think my worse case scenario is that my assignment will change a little bit. I wish I had been studying spanish so I can send her a certificate or something, like BAM advance spanish baby! Not so much. I can see what I can do when I go home. I'm going to include that I took a class at the end of last year.

Other items I'm going to update.
1) I started working full time with youth (that was an issue during my nomination because I wanted Youth Development, but only volunteered with youth)

2) continued doing volunteering with youth

3) took Spanish in the fall last year (it was with my church, I wonder how they'll view that...it's not accredited in anyway...)

4) Hmm, Oh I am a Certified Empowerment Coach. That has to be good for the Youth Development programs.

I think that's it for now.. I'll see what else I can think of. I'm trying to put anything I can..they shouldn't have told me it was a competition!

I heart OMS!

February 25, 2009

The lovely lady who I have been in contact with just called me and said that I have successfully jumped through every hoop and my medical screening is over! YAY!! I still have to receive an official letter and I need to see my tookit updated. Until then I won't believe anything. I'm SO happy and excited. The next step is I will be getting assigned a Placement Officer. (P.O.). That's when we start talks of departure dates, locations etc. I really need to get home so I can get a job real quick and start paying off things and putting some money away! I hope March throuhg July is enough time!