Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Peace Corps Invitation

Let's hope by the time I start the Peace Corps, I'll update this blog more regularly. Now that my 9-month application process is over, I'm sure I'll have more to write about. Not that I haven't had anything exciting to write about lately, as I've been in Europe backpacking for the last 9.5 weeks and haven't blogged once about it, but people change their ways sometimes, right? Anyway, the exciting news commences...

In mid-June, I received my invitation to serve. In Mali! A few weeks into my trip, I received an email from my Placement Officer requesting a phone interview so we set up a time for me to call him since I can't receive calls while I'm abroad. I thought he was just going to ask me more tedious questions about where I stood in my decision to continue with the application process since we had previously had a phone conversation about a month prior where he was informing me of Peace Corps's changing financial situation and how that might affect my nomination. It was also the point I told him that my September nomination probably wasn't going to be feasible anyway (see below post) and that I would be out of the country for the next 3 months. I was in Salzburg, Austria at the time and I called him via Skype using my hostel's WIFI. The connection wasn't strong enough because the call dropped twice so I ran around the corner to the nearest internet cafe and called him from there. Little did I know he was offering me a position in the Mali program at the end of October. I'm not a squealish, overly-excited person by nature (plus I was in the middle of this cafe and the only person on Skype); he totally caught me by surprise with the offer (after the normal Q&A) so all I could say was, "Wow. That's great." Most PC Invitees have to wait a week or so to find out where they're going (or so I'm told), as the normal invitation comes by snail mail, but being in Europe for 12 weeks made my situation unique, so he sent me the official inviation letter by email along with sending the normal package to my house. I found out later that night, from the email, that I would be going to Mali if I accepted that invitation. I knew right away that I would be accepting because it's a French-speaking country (the Peace Corps required me to take French for my original nomination that didn't happen so might as well put the courses to use) and it's in Africa, where I've wanted to go all along.

Now I've officially accepted and will be departing for staging at the end of October. I'm kind of lagging on my pre-service duties, however. When I got notice that PC received my acceptance, they said in the email that I have 10 days to submit an aspiration statement and something else to the country desk. That was about 50 days ago and still no submission. I'm a bit pre-occupied Europe-ing and being lazy. I will do it first thing when I get back though. I have about 11 or so days to apply for the special passport from the time I get back home so I'll have a busy few days.

I also got an email a few days ago saying a Facebook group had been made for my program so I joined the group and find some of the postings amusing. Some people are already PACKING!!! And we don't leave for staging for another 10 weeks or something. My fellow invitees are also discussing amongst each other what they've been buying and what they'll be bringing with them, and should they buy or bring this, etc. In other words, they're VERY excited and I haven't even really let it sink in yet. I guess when I'm back stateside I'll have more time to think about it. I'm for sure not bring tents and handlamps and sleeping pads with me though. I probably won't buy much of anything and instead have those sent to me once I get there if I deem them necessary. Plus you never know what you can find cheaper in Mali or get for free from current volunteers. Better not to have to schlep what you don't need.

I think that's it for me for now. I'm getting the stink eye from people waiting to use the computers. But I promise more updates! Oh, and Croatia is fantastic!!! Cheers.

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