Where to start..? From the beginning I suppose!
I am not the type to really plan ahead. I feel like that is going to change anyway and it is almost limiting what I will do. Having said that, I am really lucky that I am in college because I procrastinated for a long time to apply. I only applied to one college, CSU, and luckily I was accepted. I am a first generation student so I had no real knowledge about how to navigate through it. I was part of a service-learning community my freshman year called Key Service. Being in this program laid the base for my success in college. I had a wonderful mentor, Tania Valdez, and I was introduced to community service.
I remember hearing about the Peace Corps and thinking that it had something to do with the military HA! There was a career fair or involvement fair on campus or something and I decided just to take a look around. Peace Corps was there and I asked some questions and I was pretty into service by this time and it sounded really interesting. Over the past four years I have been slowly thinking about the Peace Corps as an option after college. I went to information sessions, asked questions about how to get more information from my mentors, met with returners and on campus recruiter and all the while developing skills that would eventually boost my confidence in the fact that this was a real possibility.
I began to seriously consider going around my third year because I knew that I would have to apply a year in advance. A lot of factors played in to deciding whether I would apply or not: Was I ok with being gone for 2 years? Was I ok with being in a foreign country most likely vastly different from the U.S.? How would this affect the relationship I had at the time? What else would I want to do if I didn't do the PC? and many many other factors and questions too. I was told (and I tell people who are considering applying) that applying couldn't hurt and it may help you decide whether you want to go all the way with it. For me; I made the decision that I would have to be ready and committed for the whole sha-bang before applying. The same came after my third year and I applied.
I went to an interview and got nominated for a health program in Africa. I proceeded to fulfill the medical packet requirements... A physical exam (to any of you in this stage, the VA hospital in Denver does this for free for PCV). A dental exam/work (which I'm still paying off even after the reimbursement). An eye exam. Copies of medical records... Goodness it was a hassle, that I put off for way too long...and then played a waiting game until I was medically cleared! More waiting ensued until I got an email saying that my application was in the placement offices. Some more waiting...and then the placement office contacted my saying that all that was left was an updated resume (so they could know what I have been up to in the past year) and my final transcript. I sent in my updated resume on May 6th and literally an hour later I got a call - that I missed because I was in class.
I checked my message and went into the SLiCE office (were I work on campus) and returned the call. I spoke with Daniel and he asked me a few questions about if I was comfortable with doing a health program for my service, how I was feeling about the Peace Corps, how my family was feeling about the whole thing and addressing any of my concerns (communication home, returning for a wedding, tattoo stuff). Then he said he would like to extend me an invitation to serve with the Peace Corps.
My Reaction:
(**Shazam** !!WooHoo!! ~~Righteous~~ !Yippy! *So Awesome* HAPPY DANCE) ---------->
My Response:
"Oh that's great!"
I was pretty on top of the world at that point haha I actually had an event going on that day (REAL Award Reception) that I still needed to get together so I was not able to fully absorb it in. I actually have yet to fully acknowledge that I will be in the Peace Corps within the next few months. So where I am at now is I am anticipating to receive my invitation in the mail within the week. I think there will be more specifics once it gets here but my placement is somewhere in Africa in a health extension position and I would be leaving sometime in July. Yeah...that's July of 2010...the one that is just the rest of May and the month of June away...yeah that July..! That is about 2 months earlier than I was expecting but it's All Good!
I am currently trying to push through finals week with some integrity but my motivation has been on a steady decline since spring break pretty much. This Saturday is my graduation ceremony, Sa-weet! So needless to say there is a lot going on. My feelings are all over the place! I have been very reminiscent, stressed, excited and anxious. I am really going to miss CSU... I have met some really amazing people in my time here (Lauren Dixon, Chris Nicolas, Lori Peek, Chris Linder, Jess Burge, Bobby Kunstman, Jen Johnson - just to name a few, the list is much longer than this) and it is sad that I am leaving and everyone is going off to different places to live their lives. I am ready to get to my own adventure though!
I have no idea where life is taking me but I am So ready!
No comments:
Post a Comment