GUESS WHAT?? INVITATION IS HERE!!!

I'm going to ETHIOPIA!!!!!!! :) :) :) I leave Oct 3rd I CANT BELIEVE IT!!! the program is for conservation and natural resource management..my placement officer said it was for small business development, so I am a bit confused. I will call and get clarification

I am soooooooooo excited!!! so much reading to do, so this is a short post :)

OFFICIALLY INVITED!!!!!!!!!

I just received news that I have been Invited!!!!!!!!!!

 **HAPPY DANCE HAPPY DANCE HAPPY DANCE HAPPY DANCE*****

I called and let them know I will be out of the country (I leave thursday). I also sent an email about my transcripts and for advice about Aids volunteer work.

This is the response I got:

I am writing to inform you that you have been invited to a Small Business Development assignment in Sub Saharan Africa which departs in early October. An invitation with country specific information has been mailed to you and should arrive in the next 3 to 5 business days.

Congratulations!!

WHOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!! Words can't express how excited I am!!! I didn't even have a final interview!!! WHOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!!!! :) :)

I have not been forgotten - Called Placement :)

I contacted my Placement Officer today (I called instead of email)! She is sooo friendly :)

Here is some of the news she gave me:

I will not be leaving for my original nomination (August, SubSaharn Africa, business advising) because the program has filled up. So I can officially let that go. She explained that this is due to reduced opportunities and the federal budget cuts (more details about that are in a previous post). She explained that they will be looking for departure dates between oct-march and that she will be contacting me in the next 3-4 weeks.

She said they have not forgotten about me :)

I feel overall pretty good about this phone call. Now, I know for sure I am not leaving for my nomination and that it sounds like all of the August programs may be filled (since they said they will look between oct-march). I like that I have a time frame of when she will contact me but I understand that that may not happen in the exact time frame given.

Peace Corps Contact!!

Crazy how excited I am!

I sent in my updated resume earlier (maybe a couple of weeks ago) and changed my departure date (from July 1st to August 1st)

Today I received an email from the Placement Assistance, crazy how the simplest email can have me SUPER excited

I hope this email finds you well.

I am writing from the Peace Corps Placement and Assessment Office where I have recently completed the preliminary review of your file. I would like to request several additional items from you in order to complete your file before I pass it along to your Placement Specialist for a final review. 

1.     Please submit a copy of your final transcript for your bachelor’s degree.  Please make sure the transcript shows:

• Your name
• The name of the institution
• The degree you received and the date it was conferred

It can be an unofficial transcript, as long as it reflects the required information. It can be an unofficial transcript, as long as it reflects the required information. Please email or fax this document to the Business Desk at the number listed (Fax #:202-692-1897). If you intend to email your transcript, please scan it and send it as a PDF. We cannot accept transcripts that have been pasted into an email or a Microsoft Word document.

We will continue with the placement process without your final transcript, but will ultimately need it before you could depart for a potential Peace Corps assignment.  Please do not try to mail the transcript via U.S. Post since it may take as long as a month to get through screening in a federal facility. If you must mail the information, please send it via Federal Express.

In an effort to continue to this process in a timely manner it is greatly appreciated if you respond to the above requests within 1 week.

Within 5 minutes of receiving the email (thank you technology for sending all emails to my phone), I wrote back a response. It pretty much stated that I do not graduate until June 10th and will not be able to send a transcript that shows the date my degree was received until then. I asked if she wanted  an unofficial transcript that just shows the classes I have taken until I get my degree. Can't wait until I get another response :)

There was something else I wanted to tell you guys but forgot :) Enjoy your weekend!!

Update: I remember now!!! Has anyone ever played the Peace Corps game that is supposed to simulate a volunteer's experience. I have! Especially in the beginning of the process. 

Placement Contact

OF COURSE the day I have news to report, blogspot had to be down. I received contract from Placement (on Thursday), unfortunately it wasn't the letter I would have liked to receive. I pasted the letter below:

I am the Placement Officer managing your placement with the Peace Corps. I am sending this email to you in an effort to provide some insight on changes occurring for upcoming Peace Corps programs and their impact on the timing of your placement.

Like many federal agencies, Peace Corps is currently reviewing its operations in light of budget reductions. The on-going review will result in fewer service opportunities available overseas in the remainder of 2011 and in 2012.  Unfortunately, these changes are highly likely to affect your potential placement. Many of our Summer and Fall-departure applicants will be placed in new programs with significant delays in departure dates, as far off as January 2012 or later.  Identifying new placement options for you will require flexibility in terms of geographic preference, assignment preference,  and departure date on your part as another program like the one you were nominated to may not be available. The Peace Corps Placement Office understands and apologizes for the inconvenience the impeding delay may cause our applicants. At this time, we ask that you please let me know if there is any reason that you would not be interested in remaining under consideration for a future program. Please feel free to contact me by email or phone regarding your inability to remain under consideration for Peace Corps service given the new timeframe for departures.

However, should you remain interested in placement, I will be contacting you in the coming months regarding your application. At the moment, the Business Skills desk is currently working to complete the review and placement of applicants nominated to programs previously scheduled to depart in the April to June time periods. As I complete their placements, a Placement Assistant will be in touch with you regarding additional information that may be needed to process your application. Subsequently your application will be passed on to me for a final suitability and skill review to determine the next available program that best fits your skills and qualifications.  It is at this point that I will be able to provide you further details on your specific placement and the timing of upcoming programs.

I would like to thank you on behalf of the Peace Corps for your interest in service and your continued patience. I look forward to working on your placement in the very near future.

I had already thought about what I would do if my placement was extended and had heard from other applicants that budget cuts were affecting programs; therefore it wasn't a big surprise. Of course when you get a letter from Placement, that's not really what you want to read. My first thoughts were "So basically I don't know when I will be leaving and my region country and job assignment may change." But quickly I realized that this was the same thoughts I had before. None of the information we were given was ever guaranteed.  I did not choose the Peace Corps because of a region, program, or time frame. I chose the Peace Corps because I believe in the mission and I know that working with the Peace Corps will help me with my career. (I want to work in the community) Therefore, I will continue on with Peace Corps and just be patient. I had sent in my updated resume earlier and will now just wait until the day when I get the coveted blue packet.

On a different note. I love to watch movies. Usually when I go to the movies with my friend we watch the previews and call out what movies we would want to see.  Lately, when I would watch the previews and see a really cool movie that is going to come out in August (or later) I would get very quiet. Would I be able to watch this movie with my friends? Will I be in the United States? After receiving the letter, I went to watch Thor and noticed a difference. Now, I don't think as much about will I be around when this movie comes out because I have NO idea when I'm leaving. Not even a time frame. So a bit of positivity came out of receiving that letter- less sadness when I watch previews (lol trying to stay positive) Ooo! Another positive note, now I know who my placement officer is!!

Medical Clearance!!!

This morning I had checked my status on my tool kit, only to see the same message that they were reviewing my medical info and if I wasn't leaving for four months, not to worry. I took a big breath and went back to studying.  Later in the the afternoon, I prayed to God to help me with my patience and to just be there with me. It was becoming very, very difficult these past few days. Reading people receiving medical clearance that had similar departure dates was wearing down on me. I was happy for them, but it made me very anxious and impatient. I even emailed the presevice nurse on Friday and had not heard back, it was just very frustrating.

Two hours after praying, reflecting, and calming down, I decided to check my MAILBOX (not email but regular ole mailbox) and what do you know, a letter from peace corps.

"The office of medical services is pleased to inform you that you 

have been medically qualified for service and the office of placement notified."

I have been cleared since the 22nd!! My toolkit is still not updated, so I will call about that. But who cares, I'M MEDICALLY QUALIFIED :) I'm in the top 15% (or whatever the number is) to send it in right the first time! YAAYY I made the club!! lol

WHOOOO HOOOOOO victory dance victory dance!!!!! Medical Clearance !!!!!

 I didn't even take the time to think of a cool title, TOO excited!! Now, excuse me while I do my victory dance :)

Peace Corps Advice

Hey everyone in cyberspace!

Hope everyone is enjoying Hump Day (Wednesday)!

I have been hearing good news that more people who sent in paperwork around my time have been receiving medical clearance, which mean mine should be coming soon :)

I want to give medical a call (since they have had my info for 3 months now). any advice on what to say? What I can ask? What you may have asked when calling medical that helped you? Any advice is appreciated. I plan on calling tomorrow morning, so the sooner you can respond the better! Thank you!

On another note, job search is going pretty good. I've had a couple of interviews and I have some more tomorrow :)