Monday, April 1, 2013

The cliche application timeline post

In true Peace Corps applicant/volunteer tradition, here is my application timeline.  It's a bit different from what any new applicants will experience.  I applied on the old system, in the mist of the change to the new system, so it's a hodge-podge, learn as you go, communication challenged approach to becoming a PCV.

Feb. 28, 2012 - Submitted my application online.  It took me about a week to get all the information together, and over the following month all of my absolutely amazing references submitted their portions.

March 7, 2012 - Heard from my recruiter for the first time.  She sent me some forms for further information and asked me to send her more information about certain skill sets.

March 21, 2012 - Received my legal clearance packet.  I was living in South Korea, so it took an inordinate amount of time to get to me.  I had it sent back with my fingerprints and everything within a week.  Getting fingerprinted in Korea was a bit of a challenge.  I went to the local police station armed with some very basic Korean, found out I had to go to the headquarters a few miles away (thanks to a deputy's very kind wife translating via cell phone for me), and got a deputy to escort me in his squad car to the other side of town, translate for me, and drive me back home.  I'm happy to report that is the ONLY time I was ever escorted in a Korean squad car.  haha.

April 19, 2012 -  Had my video interview with my recruiter.  There were some technical difficulties, but we got it sorted.  If any of you are trying to connect to WebEx from a mac, you may have to use Safari.

May 1, 2012 -  Received my nomination for Central/South America, March 2013, in Primary Education/Teacher Training.  Did a happy dance.

May 5, 2012 -  Received my medical information packet.

May 2012 -  Got all my medical stuff done.  All in all it took three appointments US Dental and three visits to Seoul National University Hospital's International Clinic over five separate trip to Seoul.  There are some other posts further back in the blog if you want more information about getting your medical exams done in South Korea.  I had it back in the mail by the first week of June.

June through October 2012 - Absolutely nothing.  Nothing at all.  Most frustrating months of the whole process.  I did move back to the US and have all of my sad farewells to keep me occupied, at least.

October 24, 2012 - Dentally cleared.  Medically cleared about 30 minutes later.  Did another happy dance thinking I was within a couple weeks of an invite.  I wasn't.  It was still a good day.

December 3, 2012 - Asked to submit an updated resume and availability date.  Done and done.

December 16, 2012 - Received an email with a whole mess of questions to answer from placement.  They wanted to know everything.  Had my motivations changed, how will I cope with stress/cultural differences/altering aspects of my personality, can I ride a bike, how flexible and I geographically.  Oh, and they subtly slipped in that list that my departure date and location have changed.  No indication of when or where I'd be leaving but my nomination was officially irrelevant.  I spent the next two weeks freaking out about whether or not I should continue to study Spanish or switch to another.  Started frantically studying French as well "just in case."  I feel so sorry for my family who had to live with that.

December 28, 2012 - Finally, FINALLY got my invitation!  Guyana, April 30, Community Education Promoter.  Happy dance doesn't really cover it.  After googling Guyana and learning that it's in South America and not Africa, I jumped around screaming, ran into mom and dad's room and jumped on their bed, waking them up, still screaming, ran back to my room to grab my world map (GREAT Christmas present), ran BACK to mom and dad's room to show them where I'd be, read every bit of information sent to me... twice..., screamed some more, attacked facebook, read everything again... You get the idea

January through March, 2013 - Sent yet another resume and aspiration statement to my Guyana country director, applied for my new passport and visa, got a yellow fever vaccine, found fellow Guy 25 group members on facebook, got an amazing amount of friend requests from the Guy 24 group already down there, answered some surveys from the Guyana regarding my training, location and host family preferences, etc, filled out all of my paperwork on the new Onbording portal that replaced all of the paperwork I received in my big blue packet, and had my phone interview with one of the trainers in the Guyana office.

April 1, 2013 - contacted by staging and booked my flight to Philly through SATO Travel.

Come April 30, I'll be on my way to Philly for a day and a half and on May 2, I'll be in Guyana to start my 2-3 months of training and the next 27 months of my life in the jungle!  Bring on the monkeys!










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