As SpongeBob would say, "I'm readyI'm ready I'm READY!!"I don't actually have anything else particularly important to say, just that everything is ready to go and I'm waiting for my invite.
I'm definitely thinking Benin, too.
Friday, January 29, 2010
I'm Ready I'm Ready I'm Ready
As SpongeBob would say, "I'm readyI'm ready I'm READY!!"I don't actually have anything else particularly important to say, just that everything is ready to go and I'm waiting for my invite.
I'm definitely thinking Benin, too.
On Track!
After a couple months of worry, I decided to try to get in touch with someone to figure out what was up. So I emailed my recruitment officer who told me that everything looked completely on track and to let her know if I hadn't heard about an official invitation by MARCH. MARCH!! That's like 2 months away from now! This whole process is really testing my ability to go with the flow. I usually label myself as a laid back, obsessive planner...which seems like a mutally exclusive combination, but it fits me!
"On track" to me indicates a couple important things. Namely that I am still being considered for my original program that I was nominated for: Health Extension in Francophone Africa leaving July 2010. That means that my conditional medical clearance doesn't seem to be hindering my ability to get an invitation to a West African country. Yay! I decided that I really don't want to go anywhere else, so the fact that Africa is still on the table is pretty darn important for my future as a PCV!
I've also started trying to figure out what country I'm heading for...which is fun to do when I'm procrastinating for the MCAT (which...is tomorrow incidentally). Looking at the Peace Corps Wiki shows that Benin is the most likely (based on staging dates), but another possibility could be Mali (staging dates the last couple years seem to be July...so...yeah). It doesn't seem like my dream locale, Senegal, is on the list for most likely, but you never know with those crazy Peace Corps cats.
As for here, it's cold as can be (I thought I just left the insane cold that was this Kansas winter!!?) but I guess a cold New England winter is not out of the ordinary, haha. This weather makes me want Africa all the more. Seriously, I would be in heaven to have sweat dripping down my body out in the sun right now. But I'm a big kitty cat so that makes sense.
Ok, MCAT mode. Later!
-Elaina
"On track" to me indicates a couple important things. Namely that I am still being considered for my original program that I was nominated for: Health Extension in Francophone Africa leaving July 2010. That means that my conditional medical clearance doesn't seem to be hindering my ability to get an invitation to a West African country. Yay! I decided that I really don't want to go anywhere else, so the fact that Africa is still on the table is pretty darn important for my future as a PCV!
I've also started trying to figure out what country I'm heading for...which is fun to do when I'm procrastinating for the MCAT (which...is tomorrow incidentally). Looking at the Peace Corps Wiki shows that Benin is the most likely (based on staging dates), but another possibility could be Mali (staging dates the last couple years seem to be July...so...yeah). It doesn't seem like my dream locale, Senegal, is on the list for most likely, but you never know with those crazy Peace Corps cats.
As for here, it's cold as can be (I thought I just left the insane cold that was this Kansas winter!!?) but I guess a cold New England winter is not out of the ordinary, haha. This weather makes me want Africa all the more. Seriously, I would be in heaven to have sweat dripping down my body out in the sun right now. But I'm a big kitty cat so that makes sense.
Ok, MCAT mode. Later!
-Elaina
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
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
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
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