Saturday, November 14, 2009

Update

So I am starting to get worried that my medical clearance is too specific, too conditional upon care being available for persons with an IUD. I am worried that the program I was nominated for doesn't meet that criteria and that I am now not actually an obvious candidate for any African programs doing health related work.

So, while I'm thinking about alternatives to these programs, I had some thoughts.

1) I don't want to go anywhere but Africa. If they say I have to go anywhere else, I will consider it, but I don't see myself accepting a different position.
2) I only can wait for an available spot in Africa leaving a couple months after July 2010. I need to be back by the fall of 2012 in order to interview for medical schools in a timely fashion.
3) I am not going to take my IUD out in order to serve right now. It's a painful and expensive process to get it in (and out!) and it's not something I want to repeat later on if I can avoid it. Five years from the time of insertion to when I have it removed is exactly how long I plan on waiting before thinking about children. If I get it out, I'll just have to have one put back in when I return from service because it will still be two years before I want to get pregnant.

Obviously I will have to seriously consider the choice to not go overseas if the IUD is going to prevent me from going to Africa. It's not something that I am totally sure about, but those are my thoughts right now.

Going to Africa has been a huge dream of mine for almost as long as I can remember, but if my body is going to prevent me from going right now I think I can live with that. There will always be chances and opportunities to serve overseas later in my life. Doctors without Borders could even be a better option later on where I could have a more direct impact on those in need. Who knows?

I know that right now I am very anxious to hear from the Placement Office and definitely worried because I haven't!

They say patience is a virtue in this process for a reason!

-Elaina

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Welcome to my Peace Corps Blog!

So it might be early, but I wanted to start blogging about the Peace Corps process now that I am officially cleared by medical and dental.

The blog will be a glimpse into my life while a Peace Corps applicant, trainee, and volunteer. I plan on continuously updating until I leave and then periodically while abroad. I want this blog to be link for people to keep in touch with me and to read about my life while I am in Africa.

Ok! Some background is a good idea I suppose!

I have wanted to join the Peace Corps for many years; I think I've been interested in doing overseas volunteer work for about as long as I've been interested in medicine...so since the 9th or 10th grade I guess. I put the idea off for a while because I wanted to go straight to medical school and I didn't want to maintain a super long distance relationship. Now because my boy is so supportive and we are so stable I started to think seriously about applying and finally applied this summer on July 3rd, 2009. Here's a basic outline of the process so far, time line style:

July 3rd, 2009: Application submitted. Spent upwards of 10 hours completing the monster application including two medium sized essays on multiculturalism and motivations for Peace Corps Service. The application is all online and requires three pretty intense recommendations. They advise starting the application process 9-12 months before you want to leave. Since I want to leave in the beginning of July next year, I guess this was perfect timing to wake up and decide to do it!

Mid July, 2009: Interview set up for third week in August at the Boston PC office. Also received addendum forms to help place me in a good fit program.

August 10, 2009: Interview rescheduled due to in office conflict.

August 28, 2009: Interview! Met with recruiter and she typed up my answers while I talked about my motivations for joining, my fears and hopes, my experience with leadership and how I handle stress, etc. I also had to fill out forms about my flexibility with my vegetarianism and my relationship status. All in all, it was not stressful at all! At the end of the interview, she went ahead and gave me my nomination! I am nominated for the health extension position in Francophone sub-Saharan Africa leaving in July 2010!!!

September 5th-ish, 2009: Received official notice of nomination status via online status update!

September 10, 2009: Medical and Dental packet arrived. Set up appointments for medical/dental clearance

September 16, 2009: Medical appointment. Filled out massive amounts of forms, blood tests for all sorts of things

September 30, 2009: Physician signed off on test results, psychiatrist signed off on mental health clearances. Received polio and tetanus shots. Ouch!

October 15, 2009: Dental exam. No cavities. Films sent off to Peace Corps along with entire medical packet! Whew!

October 22, 2009: Get a phone call asking about an irregularity with my medical forms. Need a personal statement explaining the inconsistency. I write one up and fax it the next day.

October 30, 2009: Get an email saying my online application status has been updated. I anxiously log in and see that I a decision has been reached and that I should look for the information in the mail!

November 2, 2009: Receive the letter saying that I am medically cleared for service where persons with an IUD can be properly cared for. I'm not really sure what this means and I hope it doesn't exclude me from going to any countries!

November 6, 2009: Receive a letter stating that I have dental clearance as well! I check the online status and see that I am cleared to the next step, the Placement Office. They will hopefully be getting back to me soon with an official invitation so I can actually know when and where exactly I am going!

So that's that for now. I'll keep y'all in the loop as I find out more. It could be a while before I hear from the placement people. I definitely have a list of the West African countries I'd most like to live in and I have been researching vociferously in my spare time. Stay tuned!

-Elaina