Yesterday I started to get really bummed about not hearing from my Placement Officer yet. I emailed my recruiter at UNH and asked him if he had any advice for me, or if he could think of anything I could do to increase my chance of being invited still. I didn't get a response. Then I called the Africa Placement Office in Washington, DC, and left a message on someone's answering machine- I think his name was Dan? Feeling a little better knowing I really had done ALL I could to get some answers, I "Xed" out of my Peace Corps toolkit, the Peace Corps webpage, and the Yahoo discussion group, and moved onto Facebook. It's about 5:45 pm now and I'm sitting on my back porch stealing internet from the neighbor (don't ask)... and the phone rings. It's a 202 area code. RI? CT? Uhhh... I hate picking up numbers I don't know... WASHINGTON, DC! It was Julie, my PO! I may have stopped breathing at this point, anticipating a long and defeated exhale. She said, "Nicole do you have a few minutes to discuss some things?" Absolutely! She asked me if any of my contact information had changed since I applied, last November. She asked me about my work experience since graduation, whether or not my mom had "come around" yet, how my Dad felt about my service, and a number of other questions I can't even remember. At this point I suspected that she was going to invite me to serve somewhere; I'd read that they call and ask you these questions right before they issue you an invitation, but I still didn't get my hopes up. I'd also been reading numerous articles about nominees being deferred and even rejected due to severe budget cuts and other crap I don't fully understand. She told me that the program I was originally nominated for is still available to me and that my job would be primarily in Early Education, the little kids. I started breathing again. She also mentioned that there was another program going to Africa in November working with deaf students and sh wanted to know if I'd be interested in learning a local sign language. I told her I thought it would be interesting, but that I'd like to stick with my original nomination, if possible. Then it happened: "Ok, do you have any questions? (I don't believe so... say it say it!!!) Alright then, I will be sending yor invitation out via FED-EX right now. Congratulations!" I think I said, "Thank you so very very much." I was shaking and smiling and glad I was sitting alone in the silence of my backyard. I called my dad, went inside the house and yelled "I'm going to Africa! at my brothers, tried to tackle Ryan to the floor (a hug in disguise), called my mom at work (I think she stated crying- tears of joy, i'm not sure), called Frank, texted my 4 best girlfriends, talked to Jill on the phone, and then I was bored. Yes, I'm pathetically over-excited.
Couldn't fall asleep last night and I woke up early this morning. My toolkit (the webpage the PC uses to communicate with us) had been updated over night fro Nominee status to Invitee. Here's what it says:
"Congratulations! You have been invited to become a Peace Corps Volunteer. Peace Corps sent you an invitation kit on September 17, 2008. Within 10 days of receiving your kit, please call us regarding your decision to accept or decline our invitation. If we do not hear from you within this period, the assignment may be offered to another applicant."
The following information for Invitees describes what will happen from invitation through departure, along with some reminders and tips.
YOUR INVITATION
Your Placement Officer will send your invitation, which will ask you to serve in a specific Peace Corps country and assignment. The invitation will include a Volunteer Assignment Description, which tells more about what you will do and the country where you will serve, and a departure date. You have 10 days to respond to the invitation. The packet will also include important instructions about providing your Peace Corps Passport forms, your resume, and your motivation statement.
WELCOME BOOK PACKET
Once you accept your invitation, your Country Desk Unit will send a packet of information about your country. It will include a Welcome Book, which contains substantial information and perspective on Peace Corps service in general and on your country in particular. You will also receive, of course, additional forms to complete and return. Please follow all instructions. The Welcome Book packet will arrive one to two months before your departure date.
STAGING / ORIENTATION KIT
About a month before your depature, the Office of Staging will send you a packet of information about your pre-departure orientation in the United States (or "staging"). It will contain instructions on where and when to report, how to make travel arrangements, and reminders about materials you are required to bring.
CONFIRMING YOUR CLEARANCE
In some cases, you may have been asked to complete additional medical or dental work in order to receive final medical qualification. Also, additional information may have been requested for your legal clearance. These tasks must be completed in order for you to depart for orientation.
YOUR PREPARATIONS
Much of your pre-departure time will be focused on making personal arrangements. These include moving, settling financial matters, packing, and providing information to your family and friends. You must read the Peace Corps Volunteer Handbook prior to orientation. In your spare time, you may also want to learn more about your country. You may even wish to attend another Peace Corps event in your area to meet other applicants, invitees, or returned Volunteers.
PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION ("STAGING")
Your orientation, or staging, offers you a chance to meet the rest of your training class. You will spend a day or two together, getting acquainted, learning about the Peace Corps, reviewing important policies and procedures, receiving any required vaccinations, and completing a few more registration forms. Your Peace Corps passport and international tickets will be provided. Then it's wheels up—your class will depart together for your new country and your Peace Corps pre-service training.
...to be continued as soon as Fed-Ex rolls up!...
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