Aspiration Statement & Resume

Worked on my Aspiration Statement and PC Resume this weekend, and just e-mailed them to my country desk :-) There were no guidelines as to how long each document should/could be...so my resume was 2 pages and my aspiration statement was 2.5 pages. I was going to post it here, but it is telling me there is something wrong with the html code when I copy and paste it...oh well.

My mind is so overwhelmed with research and information about PC and Lesotho and Sesotho (the language I will be learning) that I am having trouble sleeping and doing anything else in my life. I played a little dress up last night and started making piles of clothing, hiking boots, camping gear, etc. that I may be bringing with me. It is too early to start packing, but I can at least start getting an idea of what I already have and what I need to get.

Okay, it's naptime now...since I couldn't sleep last night....

Things accomplished today....

So, although I was quite excited about receiving my invitation packet last night....I quickly became a little overwhelmed. Did I mention that (according to the shipping label) it is basically 3lbs. of paperwork and literature to be read and filled out? Anyways, to avoid going totally crazy, I skimmed through it all last night, and then allowed myself to do more fun things, such as:

• Update my blog
• Update my facebook page
  
• Create a facebook group for Peace Corps Lesotho November 2010

Then, after a good night's sleep, here is what I tackled so far today....

• Read 13 page Assignment Description Book
• Read 103 page Online Lesotho Welcome Book
• Officially accepted my invitation (and certified that I had read the above mentioned literature) by e-mail
• Completed no-fee passport (special government business type passport- different from normal personal passport) paperwork on computer, printed it out, got passport photos taken at CVS, and mailed it all in to PC office w/ my current personal passport
• Started reading 47 page "A Few Minor Adjustments" book......
  

I am invited to serve in....

LESOTHO- November 2, 2010 !!!!!!!!!

So happy right now!
Just got my invitation packet (delivered by UPS at 7:15pm)! I am officially invited to serve as a Resource Teacher in Lesotho. I will be leaving on November 2nd! Not much else to say....
Here are a few pics to document this great day!

Invited!

Got my application status update this morning! As of yesterday, I am officially invited to serve in the Peace Corps! NO...I DON'T KNOW WHERE/WHEN YET....lol....but my invitation packet is in the mail...and as soon as I recieve that sometime in the next few days, I will know all the details :-)

Crossing my fingers for no surprises :-)

First Contact from Placement

I got an e-mail from Placement on Friday, asking if I would be available and interested in an earlier departure (October 5th) to go to the Pacific Islands (Tonga or Samoa). I was totally shocked by this e-mail, because although I always suspected they might ask me about going in October, I had always assumed it would be for one of the African countries going in October....it hadn't even crossed my mind to possibly go to Tonga or Samoa in October! LOL. Anyways, I spent most of the day researching and then considering my options, and eventually e-mailed back Friday afternoon saying, "Thank you for considering me for an earlier departure to the Pacific Islands. However, after much consideration, I have decided that I would prefer to remain with my original nomination for Sub Saharan Africa and departure date in November."

Just to help everyone out, here is some of my reasoning leading up to my decision:
* October 5th is very soon to be ready and I already have trips planned that would interfere or need to be cancelled
* My heart and passion has always been set on Africa. Although I would be willing to go somewhere else, if Africa is still an option- I definitely prefer Africa.
* I don't like seafood and would have lots of trouble w/the diet in Pacific Islands
* Sounds like a lot of volunteers may have to live with a host family all 2 yrs in Pacific Islands- which I would prefer not doing
* A lot of areas in Pacific Islands have electricity, running water, indoor toilets, etc.....I am looking for the more extreme and rustic living conditions
* I think I will meet more volunteers and have the opportunity to travel to more places in Africa.....in the Pacific Islands I think it would be harder to travel and there would be a smaller pool of new friends/volunteers to meet

Well, hopefully everyone supports and understands my decision! And hopefully Placement was not offended by my saying no, and hopefully they contact me soon about leaving in November!

Official Medical Clearance Letter

As I had suspected a few days ago, I am medically cleared! My mom received the official medical clearance letter in the mail today. Woohoo! Not really a surprise or new update....but good to have it officially in writing :-)

Waiting for contact from PO....

Medically Cleared!

Just got another status update..... a decision has been reached regarding my medical clearance & I should get a letter in the mail soon! This usually means that you're cleared, and seeing that I faxed in the only additional info. they had asked for, I'm assuming I am cleared! I'm happy, for me this has been a pretty quick and easy clearance, compared to some other people's medical clearances that I have read/heard about.

Now, I should be getting contacted by a placement officer sometime coming up in the near future. I am in New York right now at my grandma's, so I tried to bring any and all info. with me that I might need in writing an updated resume, etc. (anything else the PO usually asks for).