DRUMROLL PLEASE

And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment I've been waiting for...

I will spending the next two years of my life is a South American, Colorado-sized country that has the Andes mountains, the jungle, the ocean, and a set of amazing islands. You may of heard of them: The Galapagos. Yes, people, I give you....

ECUADOR! (And the crowd goes wild!)

My first choice! Sustainable Ag, staging February 24-25 before I head to Ecuador to train until May 8, when I move to my final village and my service starts. I am a Peace Corps invitee!

And suddenly life has meaning again!

Guess who got a call from their placement officer today? I'm slated to leave in February, for Sustainable Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. Not sure what country yet. I was in Burlington Coat Factory with my mom, and when I saw that 202 area code I nearly screamed. I went outside to take it, and when I ran back in my mom was waiting anxiously and I yelled "I'm joining the Peace Corps!"

It's like standing at the edge of a cliff: exciting, refreshing, terrifying. Now I wait to get my invitation and see where I am going. I'm guessing El Salvador, but it could be Ecuador, or a lesser possibility, Paraguay. Wherever I go, there I shall be.

Strap on your seatbelts, boys and girls, we are now entering Purgatory

Oh my God, this waiting is killing me. I can't believe I might have another month of this. Please, God, let the invitation happen, and let it happen soon. I don't think I can take much more.

Do the boogie woogie dow chica dow

I'M MEDICALLY CLEARED!

One step at a time (da da da, da da da)

My blood tests finally came back and they are NORMAL! And being faxed to the Peace Corps right now. I will call later to make sure they went through, but oh baby, we are back in business!

One sigh of relief before I hold my breath again, waiting to be medically cleared. I am so close to my dreams. Please, please, let this happen for me.

PC Timeline so far

Rough Peace Corps Timeline:

Jan 20: Made decision to join
Jan 23(?): Began application
Feb 26: Turned in application
March 31: Submitted legal info
April 16: Interview, nomination, accepted nomination
April 30(?): received medical packet
July 16: Mail out medical packet
Aug 27: Found out I was medically deferred for 6 months, and additional info was needed. Deferral turned out to be six months from date it was discovered, which was in May, so it ends November 1.
Early/Mid September: Doctor's appointments and faxing additional info
Nov 1: Is a Saturday, so must wait until...
Nov 3: Blood drawn! If normal hold is over and we are back in business!

Dec 21: Must have invitation by this date for departure in Feb, if indeed I can be placed in my original nomination group. *holds breath*

Peace Corps Update

I'm dentally cleared, which is good but not thrilling. In 8 days I can get blood drawn, and if that is normal then my medical hold is over. I found out that I must be invited by December 21 to make my program, so I will definitely know by then, hopefully earlier. My resume is looking kick-ass, except for the fact that I was just fired from my job for no damn reason at all. I need to find a job that will hire me for about two months...looks like it's back to minimum wage for me.

And after that interlude, I think I'll go back to wallowing in my depression. Goodnight.