Quick(ish?) Application Timeline

November 2007: I decided to apply and started my application. More on this later.

January 2008: I found an essay in my closet from 10th grade that said one of my long-term goals was to serve in the Peace Corps. I said that specifically. Weird, because I remember always thinking I wanted to do something like this but don't remember ever voicing it.

April 2008: I completed my application and was fairly immediately contacted by my recruiter. She wanted me to attend an info session, so I did. Then I had my interview. At the end of the interview, my recruiter said she thought I would be a great volunteer and nominated me as an agricultural (cuz I can grow vegetables!) volunteer in French-speaking, Sub-Saharan Africa, departing October 2008. She told me I would need to take the equivalent of a college semester of French. As of now, mid-June, I have yet to learn any French. I plan to start by July 1, use a private tutor (hello craigslist!), free iTunes lessons and a beginning French book to meet this qualification. Also, I did all my medical exams as my insurance ran out May 1, 2008...man, not being a college student anymore is a real inconvenience! (I graduated June 1, 2007.)

May 14, 2008: Peace Corps Washington received my medical forms (according to the USPS), though they did not admit they had received them until June 9, making me insanely paranoid they had lost it.

June 2 - 22, 2008: I made the rounds to visit family as I did not think I would have time to do any visiting between July 1 and when I am scheduled to leave in October. I start working full-time again July 1, and that job ends at the end of September. During that time, it would clearly be impossible to take 3 weeks off to visit the fam. I hit Carbondale, IL, where my dad, stepmom, 3-year-old half-brother, 5-week-old half-sister, and Aunt Sue (mom's side) live. I then proceeded to Advance (near Winston-Salem), NC to see my grandparents on my mom's side, who I hadn't seen in at least 2 years if not longer (I think it was longer). I then headed to Orleans, Cape Cod, MA (where I am right now) to visit my Aunt Linda (mom's side). From here I go to NYC where I will see my cousin Maggie (Sue's daughter) before cruising back to LA. I'm missing Mema (dad's mom), Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Greg, Cousin Neil and Uncle Bruce in Little Rock, AR. Also skipping cousin Evan in Phoenix (expecting a baby next month) and cousin Clay in San Francisco (may find time for a weekend in that heavenly town). I have seen all of those people much more recently than the others, so they should have had their fill ;). My sister Caitlin and nephew Austin will be visiting LA this summer, so I'll see them then.

June 18, 2008: I received a letter in the mail stating that I have been medically cleared. I had to call and have my roommate open and read it for me as I am out of town visiting my family and got INSANELY paranoid when the text on my online toolkit did not match what was said on another applicant's toolkit after her clearance. Still have yet to send in my dental forms, as I have two crowns waiting to be permanently cemented. Might have my dentist send the stuff in anyways.

June 24, 2008: PC Placement office tells me I have until mid- to late-August to tell them if I need to push dates of service.

July 18, 2008: I mailed in my dental forms.

July 26, 2008: I was dentally cleared. Which is actually kind of shocking.

August 28, 2008: I officially find out I was not invited to my nominated program (mostly due to the fact that apparently neither I nor my recruiter were clear enough in my file on my experience, and they had never received the Skill Addendum from me, which I had called several times to ask if they were waiting for anything from me and they said no, so the point is to BE THOROUGH). I was re-nominated to an Ag departure in December, but for a VERY small Ag program so I'm not holding my breath for that one either. If I don't make it into that one, we are looking at February or later. In an effort to make myself a more competitive candidate, I signed up for 5 environmental/agricultural volunteer opportunities with LA Works in the next six weeks or so and plan to start practicing speaking French.

October 14, 2008: My PO calls to tell me she has decided to invite me to the December program! I spend two days waiting anxiously for my invite packet.

October 16, 2008: My invitation packet arrives and the country is Guinea, West Africa! I feel sick to my stomach and my brain start going in fifty directions at once.

October 21, 2008: I call the Africa Placement Office and accept my invitation. I am officially going to Guinea, December 1!