more stuff to do...

I am starting to feel a low-level anxiety at all of the things I have to do in the next five weeks before I leave. This includes:

1. write up and send off my aspirational statement
2. update and send off my resume
3. get rid of my dog
4. get rid of my car
5. get rid of everything else
6. find a place to store everything I want to keep but don't want to bring
7. pack my stuff
8. make a bunch of money and put it aside
9. cancel services I will no longer need
10. try to fit in as much quality time with my loved ones as humanly possible
11. put my loans into deferment
12. find someone to take care of other financial obligations while I'm away
13. not freak out!

I finished my dentist stuff today, after a three hour dentist appointment. I got my fillings on teeth #4 and 5. Then the dentist advised me that I should probably go ahead and fill #19 and 30 as well. I was trying to explain to her that yeah okay, I will do that soon but right now I just need 4 and 5 so I can finish my paperwork and that I will come in later for the others. I need to get this dental clearance before I can receive my plane tickets to the staging prior to my departure. It took a while to get that across to her and get the letter saying that I had done just that. When I left, half my face was numb and I looked like a stroke victim.
Oh and the price of these two fillings? $500! Five hundred dollars! Woah. So I signed up with their office dental insurance for a one time fee of 68 dollars for the year and the total then came to $290.
Pricey, pricey.

Okay so I'm off to write my aspirational statement...

things are happening

I called the Peace Corps today to officially accept my assignment. It's happening!
The woman I spoke with told me to fill out my visa and passport applications and send them off right away. I FedExed them today.
The next step is to update my resume and write and aspiration statement to send off to Guinea.
Tomorrow I am visiting the dentist to get another filling on a tooth that is not a cavity, but has potential. That will complete my dental clearance and then I can get my staging tickets.

I am also reading a lot of information in the Guinea Welcome book, which is available at:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/welcomebooks/gnwb675.pdf

I received my invitation today

Someone rang my doorbell and it was a FedEx guy with a big fat envelope from Peace Corps. I signed for it and went back inside. I sat for a moment with my friend Diane, holding the envelope in my hands, relishing the moment before I knew my life would change, before opening it to find large blue folder containing all kinds of information and documents.
Long story short, I am invited to serve as an Education Volunteer (secondary math) in the Republic of Guinea. My orientation begins on July 6-8, followed by my three months training in Guinea and two years service, ending in September of 2011.
I have ten business days to respond.

What's my response? Easy. Yes.
I am experiencing an array of emotions along the spectrum between fear and love. But I have to say that love always wins.
I am writing a list of all the things I need to take care of before I leave, which include getting rid of my car and my dog, storing my books, paying some bills, canceling my cell phone service and gym membership, and others...

Here is some information on Guinea, a Francophone West African country.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1032311.stm

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gv.html

officially invited... still don't know where or when

I got an email today telling my that my status had been updated on the online toolkit again. So I checked it and it said, Congratulations! You have been invited to become a Peace Corps volunteer.
It said that my invitation is in the mail and that I will get it soon. That's when I'll find out which country and when I'll be leaving.

I'm feeling pretty lightheaded right now.
Wow.

spoke to Placement Officer today

Just got off the phone with my placement officer. She asked some questions about my skills and background in math. She was wondering why I was nominated for a math teaching position when I had a degree in French and Creative Writing. I told her that I had an extensive background in engineering which included a lot of math courses beyond calculus.
She said that my application is what she calls an "almost match." She said that I am basically qualified for math teaching since I've taken at least calculus 1 and 2, but that since I have no declared minor or major in math or a related field, she will have to call my host country and ask them if they want me anyway.
She then said that she will call me as soon as she gets the answer. If the answer is no, she will try to place me in another program, either teaching English or as a Community Development volunteer.
Then she asked whether I had any questions. I asked her about her experience as a volunteer in Senegal. She said it was hard, but good-- pretty much the standard answer from returned volunteers. Then I asked her if she could tell me which country I might be going to teach math. She said she can't tell me and that I will find out when I get an invitation.

So I still don't have a timeline or location, but it's looking like Africa, and it's looking like July.

application status update

I received an email this morning from Peace Corps saying that my application status had been updated and telling me to check my online toolkit. I signed in and it said "Peace Corps has completed your placement review. There are no holds on your account at this time."
So I guess that's another step.

email from Placement Officer, requesting phone interview

I got an email today from my Placement Officer, who works with the Africa region, asking me to schedule a phone interview next week. I scheduled it for next Wednesday at 10 am. She says this is to complete the final evaluation of my application.
I will write more on Wednesday when I have more info.