Sunday, April 24, 2011
Taking a backseat
It seems like more important things have dominated my mind and my time - my mom being the biggest, followed behind by Peace Corps and life ahead. Work's not really that important and I don't spend a huge amount of time there. So, I'm just writing this for the peace of mind when I note that I journalled. Sorry world.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
With limited information comes obsessive researching
Using the joy that is Peace Corps Wiki, I have estimated the percentages of placement in certain regions as a Secondary School English Teacher. They are as follows:
Eastern Europe/Central Asia: 53%
This includes some -stans, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and some other little places...
Africa: 22%
Asia: 15%
China, Mongolia, Thailand, Philippines, Thailand.
Anywhere else: 9%
Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Bolivia, Vanatu (is that a real place? Yes it is. It's an island.)
LET'S DO THIIIIIIIS.
Eastern Europe/Central Asia: 53%
This includes some -stans, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and some other little places...
Africa: 22%
Asia: 15%
China, Mongolia, Thailand, Philippines, Thailand.
Anywhere else: 9%
Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Bolivia, Vanatu (is that a real place? Yes it is. It's an island.)
LET'S DO THIIIIIIIS.
Application Timeline
Peace Corps Application Timeline - some of the dates are estimates, because I am not such an avid chronicler as others out there.
February 5, 2011: opened a Peace Corps account and began my application.
March 11, 2011: around 2am, after checking each answer on each page about five times, I submitted my application. I then zipped through the (online) Health Status Review form, which is like some tiny teaser to the behemoth of medical paperwork I will eventually be filling out.
March 16, 2011: I get a packet from Peace Corps with fingerprint cards and a National Agency Check (NAC) form to fill out. Check me OUT Feds!
March 21(?), 2011: I call because I messed up the NAC form. Oops. My recruiter sends me another. I do my fingerprint card and fill out the new form and they get sent out!
late March, 2011: I get another letter with my "toolkit" login information...I can check if they have received forms I've sent in. I notice that only 2 of 3 references are received; I freak out and call the office; it's all fine (Jess, you are my friend and my teacher get it right!).
March 29, 2011: I get an email asking me to call my local recruiter, Ally, and schedule an interview.
April 5, 2011: I have my interview. It's 1 hour 15 minutes. Goes pretty well, I think? I hope! My droll voice is not good when it comes to interviewing, but Ally and I connected.
April 6, 2011: I get ANOTHER email, this time asking me to set up a phone interview with my main recruiter, Lisa, in the regional office (Seattle). Umm...this step isn't any blog or timeline or anywhere. Please tell me everything is okay, o Lisa of Seattle.
April 7, 2011: Lisa emailed me back saying she'd be gone until Thursday...so I called and we set up a phone interview for 4pm. She had a few more questions for me - of course, I qualify for teaching English and eastern Europe/central Asia is the region that requests the most volunteers for that. Hmmm. I told her I would be more than willing to take a French class if it meant serving in (West) Africa.
Anyway, I have to submit another reference (from a REAL friend) and Lisa will nominate me when she finds out about positions in late April!! YAY!!
February 5, 2011: opened a Peace Corps account and began my application.
March 11, 2011: around 2am, after checking each answer on each page about five times, I submitted my application. I then zipped through the (online) Health Status Review form, which is like some tiny teaser to the behemoth of medical paperwork I will eventually be filling out.
March 16, 2011: I get a packet from Peace Corps with fingerprint cards and a National Agency Check (NAC) form to fill out. Check me OUT Feds!
March 21(?), 2011: I call because I messed up the NAC form. Oops. My recruiter sends me another. I do my fingerprint card and fill out the new form and they get sent out!
late March, 2011: I get another letter with my "toolkit" login information...I can check if they have received forms I've sent in. I notice that only 2 of 3 references are received; I freak out and call the office; it's all fine (Jess, you are my friend and my teacher get it right!).
March 29, 2011: I get an email asking me to call my local recruiter, Ally, and schedule an interview.
April 5, 2011: I have my interview. It's 1 hour 15 minutes. Goes pretty well, I think? I hope! My droll voice is not good when it comes to interviewing, but Ally and I connected.
April 6, 2011: I get ANOTHER email, this time asking me to set up a phone interview with my main recruiter, Lisa, in the regional office (Seattle). Umm...this step isn't any blog or timeline or anywhere. Please tell me everything is okay, o Lisa of Seattle.
April 7, 2011: Lisa emailed me back saying she'd be gone until Thursday...so I called and we set up a phone interview for 4pm. She had a few more questions for me - of course, I qualify for teaching English and eastern Europe/central Asia is the region that requests the most volunteers for that. Hmmm. I told her I would be more than willing to take a French class if it meant serving in (West) Africa.
Anyway, I have to submit another reference (from a REAL friend) and Lisa will nominate me when she finds out about positions in late April!! YAY!!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Peace Corps?
I started this blog around my birthday, a few days after opening a Peace Corps application. The possibility and excitement of Peace Corps has crossed my mind since early high school, possibly even junior high. Sometimes I feel like it is futile to resist - sometimes I am wholly unsure of what I want to do.
I have chosen to follow some of the most sage advice I was ever given - do what excites you most, do what scares you the most, do what challenges you. Such excellent wisdom from such a dry backtalker of a brother (and I mean that in the best way possible).
As I oscillate between travel abroad, political internships, Peace Corps, and more, I do know that I will choose a path where I continue to learn and challenge myself - because that is what is most important right now.
I have chosen to follow some of the most sage advice I was ever given - do what excites you most, do what scares you the most, do what challenges you. Such excellent wisdom from such a dry backtalker of a brother (and I mean that in the best way possible).
As I oscillate between travel abroad, political internships, Peace Corps, and more, I do know that I will choose a path where I continue to learn and challenge myself - because that is what is most important right now.
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