Less than 1 month

I will be in Mauritania on June 18th.  

Which is 30 days from today.

The last fifteen days will be spent with family and close friends.  

Which means I have exactly 15 days to pack and move.  

And things look a little hairy in my room right now. :S  At least I only have 1 more box of kitchen stuff (hopefully) to pack up.

I just received my staging information.  I need to be in Philadelphia by 6 p.m. on June 15th.  When I tried to call SATO Travel today to book my flight to Philly, they were slammed and having computer issues.  So.  They told me they'd call me at about 7 a.m. tomorrow.  

It is approximately a 5 hr flight from Seattle to Philadelphia.  

I will be leaving JFK @ 3:50 p.m. on the 17th, and will arrive in Dakar, Senegal 8 1/2 hours later.  Which will be 4:15 a.m. local time on the 18th.  I don't know the travel plans from there...It might be a bus that we'll take into Mauritania...or some little puddle-jumper plane.

I emailed the PC office to find out how I'm doing on my Rosetta Stone hours.  Hopefully I am over 1/2 way done.  

Other than that, I think I'm doing pretty good on my "to-do" list.  I still need to call my insurance agent re: any updates I can make to my policy for my absence.  But I think that's about it.  Yay!

Productivity!! Finally!!

1) Register to vote. Check!

2) Request absentee ballot. Check!

well, I now have the form.  I will send it in as soon as I have my permanent Mauritania address.

3) Register pickup. Check! Check! Check!

Yep, that's right.  I dished out some extra money and finally got permanent tags.  Now Mom doesn't have to think about my registration every April!

4) Finish PC Mauritania resume. Check!

Extensive application, essays, interviews...I still had to write up another resume!

5) Write PC Mauritania Aspiration Statement. Check!

see above re: redundancy

6) Practice two hours of French. Check!

And my brain is now fried!

And that was just today!  And I worked 7 hours!

Now, about the French practice.  

The Peace Corps is continual surprises.  They advised me (in January) to enroll in a college course or buy Rosetta Stone.  I guffawed and bought cheap Berlitz curricula and downloaded free podcasts.  Yesterday, I received an email from PC Mauritania.  Outlining instructions for how to log on to my online Rosetta Stone course and telling me that I must complete at least 40 hours before I arrive in country.

40 hours.  In 46 (counting yesterday) days.  Not accounting for all of the days I'll be with family, etc. (or the upcoming days where I work 8-5 at the bank and 5-11 at the GranTree...but only 2 more of those)

Well, now.  I should probably study another 1/2 hour of French before I go to bed....

Au revoir!

It is snowing again

The below article outlines why I was getting rather worried about actually being invited.  

However, it conversely points out how to become a more competitive applicant.  All of the basic "we can teach them this program content" assignments get snapped up very quickly by all the liberal arts, etc degrees.  However, if one has experience in technology, agriculture, business, etc...those program areas are basically begging for volunteers.

Thus, I wind up doing agriculture because of my "almost-match" skill set, rather than waiting until next year for a community health program, etc.

http://thenewservice.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/toughroadtopeacecorps/

Every day, I think I finally understand how frantic I should be.  But I really don't understand.  Because a few days later, I say to myself, "Wow! Only 5 more weekends until I leave Bozeman!"  And my schedule is getting packed.  I am not getting packed, but my schedule is. heh heh

So I tried to get going on my packing mission today.  But ran out of newspaper before I even had a full box of dishes. :S  

I am working 21 hours at the GranTree this week.  Which usurps my packing (btw: 3 types of packing: bringing to Mauritania, storing @ Mom/Dad's, and goodwill), language studying, etc.

But the money is worth it.  A couple more crisp 100 dollar bills I can ferret away for exchange in country.  Or a couple hundred more I can tuck into my bank account here.

And I need to call in sick this week.  Because I have to get to the Broadwater Co Courthouse to register my truck, register to vote, apply for an absentee ballot, etc.  And Judy won't let me work this Saturday (and therefore, work 1/2 a day during the week)...which means I must call in sick in order to get this stuff done. :S  I feel rather bad about it, but it isn't my fault that I am not legitimately having time off.

On an ending note, I said good-bye to winter earlier this week.  I went outside in the middle of the night as 6+ inches were dumped on Bozeman, and I took pictures of the "last snow for 2 years".  Ha!  Winter didn't want to say goodbye.  It is snowing again.

Lists, lists, lists

I don't know what people did before Facebook.

I already have 9 "friends" who are either current PCVs or incoming PCVs (like me).  Current PCVs are able to tell us what they should've brought, or wish they would've left home.  Incoming PCVs are able to "meet" prior to stage.  

It is so fun to find a new Mauritania-bound person.  To be able to say, "yeah! I think I'll get along with this person" or "Oh! Biochemistry degree! They're going to know their stuff!"  There is already the super-outgoing person.  You know, the one who walks up and introduces herself to strangers right off the bat.  (It is not me!)

I've learned more about PC and the application process from Facebook, PeaceCorps wiki and the PC-RIM google group, than from the official PC website.

I am still on a quest for passport pictures.  I went to WalMart's photo studio.  Got my picture taken.  Found out that it is $10/2 pics no matter how many!!  I was not going to dish out $120 for passport pics.  So I went to FedEx/Kinkos.  The first 2 are 12.99, $5/2 after that.  But the girl at FedEx said that Costco's are really cheap.  SO.  I'm going to have to get Heidi to take me to Costco (since she has a membership) sometime this weekend.  That means I should be able to FedEx my passport/visa applications on Monday.

I need to email my resume/letter of intent to PC RIM (btw: Republique Islamique de Mauritanie) ASAP also.  I have to do this b/c the country doesn't receive any of my application materials.  I have to sum me up in a resume and letter....which was PAGES of PC application materials.  Ugh.

And I need to go up to Townsend next week to register my truck (permanent plates?) and register to vote/request absentee ballot.  Since Judy won't let me work 5/2 (and therefore have a 1/2 day in the week), I think I'm going to call in sick.  After all, I have 50+ hours of sick time.  I can't just cash those out like I can my vacation days. :S  My conscience might nag me about that, but I think I'll get over it.

Everything else can wait for a little bit.  Calling my insurance company to make sure I have the cheapest possible insurance while I'm away, etc.

And I did get a letter today confirming that I am going to the Cursillo in Bozeman the 15-17 of May.  I'm really excited to go.  I think it will be really really good to have a really strong spiritual experience before I go.  Especially since I won't have any familiar religion around me for 2+ years.  I just think back to how I felt after Search... I think that the extra little push from the Holy Spirit will be a good thing.  (wow, that sounds like I'm more religious than I am...)  But, this means I have one less weekend to be productive.  And one less weekend to spend with friends.  

I need to start realizing that really, I'm leaving June 3rd (for all intents and purposes)...which means I only have *just* over a month.  GAH!!

Gah! So much to do!  I have a ton of paperwork to fill out...and not very much time to visit friends or study French... :S

57 days.

Foretold in the stars!

So I checked my email this a.m. and had an email from Peace Corps re: my "application status update"....So I checked my application and my invitation is in the mail! :D:D  Hopefully I'll have it by friday...they should have sent it out yesterday if it got updated last night...so maybe even Thursday? :)

Funny thing:

I checked my horoscope just a minute ago (b/c I have it on my dashboard, so when I check the outside temp, I check my horoscope too)...

"You've been making a good impression on some very powerful people, and today, your perseverance will pay off handsomely.  Get ready to be invited to the inner circle, either through a social or work-related invitation.  The nature of your time with these people isn't as important as the length of time you will have with them, so be relaxed and grounded when you're in their presence.  They want to get to know you better, so be confidant and smile!"

I think that's the closest to an accurate horoscope as I've ever had!

so close!

I just got done with my final placement interview.

Yay!

It really was quick and painless.  She asked me some of the same questions from my initial interview, asked me about being out of touch with my family, and how I felt about agriculture vs HHD.  She said everything looks perfect, can't see anything that would possibly hold up my placement process....

But...

She has to double check with the Mauritania agriculture program (again!) to make sure that my skill addenda would qualify me adequately.  She said she should hear back from them w/i a couple of days.  I completely agree with the couple of days.  When my recruiter checked with them it only took 2-3 business days before I was officially nominated for the program.  (I talked with her noon on a Wednesday, and I was officially nominated the following Monday).  SO.  Hopefully, they will update my profile by Wednesday, which means I should have my official invitation packet in the mail a week from today. :)

Yay!

Phew!

According to a girl on Facebook (in the "Future Peace Corps Volunteers" group), she had a final interview also.  It is apparently normal.  Yay!  And the final interview is basically just making sure that family members haven't reacted negatively to the change, following up on any concerns, etc.  

So yay!

I might actually be invited by Easter! :)  Or, at least, my invitation will be in the mail...

ANOTHER interview!

"Hello Teresa,

My name is Lateefah Burgess; I am your Placement Officer at Peace Corps.  I am currently considering your application for placement.  I would like to arrange a 30-minute phone interview with you to complete the final evaluation of your application.  Please let me know a day and time, beginning April 8th, when you would be available for a phone interview and the best number at which to reach you.  I am available Monday through Friday between 9:30am to 5:30pm EST.

Thank you,

Lateefah Burgess"

So I am now doubting lots of things.

1) Is this going to be an interview to test my spoken French?

2) Is it going to be re-evaluating my agricultural background?

3) The Madagascar program (including new invitees scheduled to depart 6/16) has been cancelled.  Has this cancellation made the program more competitive?

I think I'll schedule my interview for the afternoon of Good Friday.  Since I only work the a.m.  It will be easier to do the interview then, I think.  Otherwise, it would be squeezing the interview in over my lunch or when I get off of work.

I will also practice some conversational French.  Because Lateefah is a RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer) from Senegal, another Francophone African country (actually, Mauritania's neighbor to the south).

Happy to hear that a bunch of sisters will be home for Easter!  I'll take my spider plant up to MaryVeir.  And Esther will be able to get her plants from me in a few weeks.

I printed off a schedule of my potential remaining time.  It is 10 weeks from tomorrow that I will potentially be departing.  It truly feels like that is absolutely no time at all!

Last Step

So, from what I can tell:

I have been cleared medically and dentally.

I have no legal holds on my account.

The only check-box that needs to be checked is "placement"

I need to practice my French. Alot.

And I need to read all the books I've gotten about Africa and crop management, etc.

I have 85 days if all goes as it should.

And those last 15 days or so I won't be doing much studying.

So really, I have about 70 days.

No time at all!

St. Patty's Day miracle...almost

So I am now medically cleared.

Not yet dentally cleared.

I cannot imagine if this process was taking longer (like it does for most nominees).  Although, I suppose if I was nominated for a program leaving in September, my attitude would be a little more laissez-faire.  

I need to be practicing my French more. :S And I have ALOT of books on Africa, agriculture, etc that I need to power through.  

Theoretically, I only have 89 days before I leave for Mauritania.

Impatient

So I received an email saying, "Your Peace Corps application has been updated"!

I excitedly went to the website to see my status.  And all they have done is taken a hold off of my account.  A hold they put on my application while reviewing my medical evaluation.  

It doesn't say they've cleared my medical, it doesn't say they've even started to look at my dental.  

I know it was wildly optimistic of me to think I would hear back really quickly.  It sounds like I've already heard back more than most people (some applicants' applications don't even get updated to show their paperwork has been received until 2-3 weeks after it was sent).  But I would love to know before the end of March.  Rather than having to sit on pins and needles until the middle of April.  Or, even worse, the 1st of May!  Because if I don't get the invite by the 1st of May, I can't go to Mauritania.  :S

Medical is in...

Dr. Schauer cleaned/filled a couple spots of "yuck" (I'm told that's a technical dentistry term for decay) on one tooth on Thursday.  When I got back to Bozeman I drove up to campus to FedEx/Kinkos so I could send in the requisite forms from my doctors.  Where I found out that I not only had a prepaid envelope, but it was OVERNIGHT!!  

So yesterday I received an email update saying that my medical/dental files are under review! Yay!

Now, I'm told it takes 4-6 weeks to clear medical/dental evaluation.  BUT I've read multiple blogs where the applicant was cleared in a week.  So I'm holding out hope that I'll be cleared quickly.  

They say that the time taken to clear is partially dependent on potential departure date.  Since my potential departure date is 106 days away I would assume that they would process it quickly. (And, yes, I have a countdown on my calendar).

I have started getting ready to go.  Somewhat.

I packed up 3 boxes of clothes to go to GoodWill.  I am going to pack up clothes that I want to have when I come back.  And the clothes that I don't pack up into one of those categories right now will mostly be work clothes.  (Which will mostly be packed up for when I come back).  And I threw away a full garbage bag of clothes also.  It is rather surprising how many clothes a person has that have holes, stains, etc...  Going through the shoes will not be so easy!

I also packed up a box of books.  And my textbooks.  And most of my Christmasy stuff.

I think my "fun" project for preparing to go will be collecting pictures.  Aunt Kathy gave me a really neat square little album a few years ago for Christmas (um, I think it was 2003, so I haven't done anything with it for almost 6 years...Amanda would say a throw-back to my 'box-o-junk' methodology for storing sentimental bits).  But I think I can fit a bunch of pictures in there.  I'm mostly just curious now if I should glue them in, or use picture corners.  I'm leaning towards picture corners...But I might have to have Amanda help me...It might be a little too scrap-booky for me. :)

Needles!

So I had my medical exam today. It went surprisingly quickly. Though I got 3 shots (and this isn't even any special international-type stuff), had 6 vials of blood drawn, a TB test, and peed in a cup. Not to mention just the regular physical exam portion. But, it is over! Dr. Burton is going to hopefully have all the labwork back by Friday, so my whole medical chunk will be ready to go! I can't send off my dental information until after Dr. Schauer completes some work on the 26th. And I have my eye appointment on the 18th. *deep sigh of relief*

I just want to know for sure where and when I'm going. I want to be able to prepare without the inkling of dread that something won't work out. I want to start packing things and taking things to goodwill. I want to start buying things to prepare! 

But I know that is just wishful thinking.

In my PC interview, my interviewer asked me to describe a work situation where I worked with little or no direction. One of my examples was moving cows. So often when moving cows, you don't necessarily know exactly where you are, or where you are going. You may know the general direction, and you just try to keep the cows' noses pointed that way. A person just goes with the flow, makes sure nothing is left behind, and have faith that it will all be okay and everyone will wind up at the appropriate destination in one piece. (That is not verbatim what I said) My interviewer looked up and said, "That sounds exactly like the Peace Corps."

The lessons of patience and faith are starting early.

I'm going to go now. My arms are a little sore from all the needles.

Why not?

So I figured I may as well post here again today. Not that I have anything PC related to relay.

But Joanna emailed me a cool website...and I found a couple of neat prayers/thoughts that I would like to share. Nice things to ponder/meditate on...

"If there is to be peace in the world, there must be peace in the nations.

If there is to be peace in the nations, there must be peace in the cities.

If there is to be peace in the cities, there must be peace between neighbors.

If there is to be peace between neighbors, there must be peace in the home.

If there is to be peace in the home, there must be peace in the heart."

--Lao Tse, 6th century Chinese philospher

"Make us worthy, Lord, to serve our fellow men throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them, through our hands, this day their daily bread and by our understanding love, give peace and joy."

--Mother Teresa

Random info

So a couple of websites, for anyone curious:

www.peacecorps.gov

Really, they have anything and everything to answer, well, any question. If you click on "where to volunteers go" or "what do volunteers do" or "what's it like to volunteer" there are some really neat things to see and read.

www.peacecorpswiki.org

It is because of this website that I can say if I don't go to Mauritania in June, I could go to Mali or Niger in July. (Because Mali and Niger both have incoming volunteers in July and both have an Ag program) Returned volunteers and current volunteers have created and maintained this site with tons of information on it (including blogs of current volunteers, I've become slightly addicted to reading the ones from Mauritania).

All I can do now is think, study, plan. I cannot do much else. I don't want to get too prepared...everything could change in a heartbeat. I also can't do anything until I know for sure a) what country I'm going to and b) when I'm going.  Theoretically, I could wind up needing to get my wisdom teeth pulled and that could potentially delay my departure...which could push me into another program in another country.

Though if I wound up in Mali...I could go to Timbuktu! :)

The beginning

So I got the call from Elly, my PC recruiter, today.  The agriculture program in Mauritania says that my ag background is more than satisfactory.  Elly officially nominated me to the program today.  

The question I keep getting is, "So, what's next?"

And the answer is "Anything and everything".

While Elly is nominating me, she is *guessing* that the best fit is Mauritania.  And she is going to recommend the placement office go with that assignment.  However, the placement office could decide to place me elsewhere.  Even in a different program area entirely.  Or a different continent entirely.  And that is what they can decide AFTER I clear my medical/dental/eye exams.  Which I need to call to schedule (once I get the paperwork), and hopefully get labwork back as soon as humanly possible so that I can fax it all to the placement office.  At which point the placement office will formally invite me.

And, really, according to my research online....It sounds like most people get their invitation a full 6 months before departure.  And I will have been nominated for a whole whopping 4 ish months before I depart.  

So.

"Mauritania?", you ask?

Yes, I tried to play cool in my initial conversation with Elly.  I pretended I knew it was a real country, and where it was.  I'm not so sure she believed me.

It is in northwestern Africa, south of Morocco and north of Senegal. 5/6 of the country is Sahara Desert. It is *truly* one of the  least developed countries in the world (according to just about every website I saw...CIA, State Dept, etc). It's full name is the "Islamic Republic of Mauritania".  There is no diversity on this fact.  

There is minimal HIV/AIDS in Mauritania.  Starvation is not a large issue, disease and malnutrition is.  Women vote and have formed their own political party.  There is cell service.

It is not all sunshine and roses though (actually, a LOT of sand) ;)

It finally hit me last night.

It is highly likely that I won't see any of my family (or friends) for a full two years (actually 27 months).  I think what really hurts is knowing that I have to say good-bye to everyone.  If only my life in the U.S. could just fade away....I wouldn't miss it as readily.  I would gradually realize that it was gone, that I hadn't seen familiar faces in months.

But it is worth the temporary loss.

I will be making a difference.  I will be learning more about myself, the world, other cultures, agriculture... And I will be teaching strangers about myself, the world, other cultures, agriculture.  I have felt as though I am treading water the last few years.  And I am now able to change that.

And I have never been as excited as I was when Elly first called me with a potential nomination last wednesday.  Ask Esther!  I think she was worried I was going to hyperventilate.  

So I know I am doing the right thing.

I took my time, though, as usual.  I started my application September 2007!  

It has been long-awaited.  And now, I feel like June is coming much too quickly.