The Peace Corps has always been a fascinating organization to me. I do not remember at what point I heard of or learned about it, but I know it was many, many years ago. There was a time in college when I doubted that I would be able to do it (to be 100% honest, I was truly worried about what I would eat abroad), and seriously looked into the Americorps NCCC program. Over the past few years though, there were multiple instances that the Peace Corps is what God had in store for me. At some point, He gave me a sense of peace and I knew at that moment I would be able to handle it. Upon deciding that I would go ahead and begin the intense application process, I cannot begin to count how many times Ukraine was brought up in everyday conversation. On a few occasions during the application process, I was in direct contact with returned Peace Corps Volunteers who had served in Ukraine and now worked for PC in one way or another. There are 77 countries that PC Volunteers serve in at the moment, so was it sheer coincidence that Ukraine kept popping up? I think not. When I traveled to Eastern Europe on choir tour during the summer of 2004, I felt called to go back to Ukraine. And now, I am getting that amazing opportunity.
The timeline below is as accurate an account of my application process to date. Let me preface it with a few things before you read:
Everytime you see an update of my application or I receive an email or packet in the mail, know that my heart DROPPED to my stomach with anticipation that I had been turned down. It is SO stressful to open your application status online…all that you want to see is that you have been cleared but instead, you see a giant red exclamation point…showing that there is yet another hold on your application. I went back through and read old emails for the past hour or more as I comprised this list. Good thing I never throw away or delete anything of (remote) importance! I also got out my PC notebook that has every health and dental form, copy of faxes, receipts, etc. to double check dates. And people wonder why it's going to take me the remaining 6 weeks before I leave to pack up my entire house! One more note: for PC applicants, do not be discouraged by the timeline below. From what I've learned, it is a rarity to complete your medical and dental stuff on the first go 'round of forms. I think in the packet you receive, it says that only 15% of forms turned in are correct on the first try. I wish that I would have known just how normal it was to have complications when turning in your forms. After all, the PC wants to ensure your health and well-being for the 27 months you will be gone.
Lydia's Peace Corps Timeline
November 17, 2009 - made the final decision that I was ready to apply for PC, told my parents. Began paperwork for PC but never got the courage to really get it going…
February 1, 2010 - brother popped the question to his girlfriend of quite some time…which in the end would be a major cause for them getting married a quick 9 months later (so that I would be able to be at the wedding! Thanks J & T!)
February 2, 2010 - figured out who my 3 letters of recommendation would be
February 22, 2010 - checked in on people writing my letters of recommendation…
February 28, 2010 - 3 letters of recommendation turned in! Hooray!
March 3, 2010 - completed online application
March 4, 2010 - left for Mexico for 2 weeks (for quinceañeras and Spring Break mission trip!)
March 4, 2010 - received an email from PC wondering what my motivations were for strongly wanting to go to Ukraine. The email also explained that while it is possible to be placed in your first country of choice, it does not happen all that often.
March 7, 2010 - received PC packet in mail with items such as fingerprints, background check, etc. to be returned in 10 days (I would still be in Mexico at this point. Common theme to arise out of PC applications: Lydia is ALWAYS out of town when important information comes in the mail.)
April 13, 2010 - Interview in Dallas (Scott Meier drove me down...and we went shopping after the interview. Duh.) Was nominated for a program leaving in mid-late March 2011 to Eastern Europe working with at-risk youth. God works in great ways!
April 20, 2010 - Another envelope arrives from PC, this time filled with medical and dental forms.
Mid-May 2010 - complete medical and dental tests (including 6 blood tests, 12 x-rays for my teeth/gums, complete physical, urinalysis, female exam, tuberculosis test, 3 vaccinations, etc.)
Late-May 2010 - receive blood test results back; one test comes back “indeterminate,” which could be something as simple as the person at the lab dropped my vial of blood that day. Have to go in for another round of blood tests.
September 15, 2010 -receive letter in the mail that the following items were missing:
~Second page of my physical
~Hepatitis B surface antigen (As it turns out, I was never tested for Hepatitis B surface antigen in the first place. I was tested for Hepatitis BE Antigen, which is not the same thing in any way, shape, or form. So for the next few months, it took many phone calls and emails back and forth to figure out that this was in fact the wrong test altogether.)
~Personal statement describing allergies
November 1, 2010 - fax in forms from Sept. 15, 2010 (they don’t end up going through for some reason)
November 23, 2010 - fax in forms again, asking for an email receipt of receiving the fax. My PC application was put on hold because I did not respond to the information they asked for due to them not receiving the fax.
December 3, 2010 - finally get correct blood test (Hepatitis B Surface Antigen) result back and submitted. Huge sigh of relief!
December 9, 2010 - faxed in correct blood test and it was RECEIVED!
December 15, 2010 - receive email asking for updated resume that includes all work and volunteer experiences since the last time I turned in a resume (March 2010). Each experience needs to have the name of the organization, how many hours I worked there a week and what months, and my activities/duties.
December 28, 2010 - (my birthday!) email updated resume
January 10, 2011 - PC officer responds to my email with updated resume informing me she can’t open the file. Great. I quickly save it as a PDF and send it in…again.
January 11, 2011 - email from PC officer at 8:00 am: “I now have your compete file and will pass you on to your placement officer. They will contact you as soon as they are able to conduct their final review of your file. Thank you for your patience up to this time. I wish you the best of luck in the future!” Like that email doesn't make your mind start racing...
January 11, 2011 - miss phone call from PC officer at noon (see this entry). Receive unofficial PC invitation!!!!!!
January 13, 2011 - leave for my brother and sister-in-laws house in New Hampshire
January 14, 2011 - official PC invitation arrives in mail in Norman, Oklahoma. I am in Derry, New Hampshire. Wonderful.
January 18, 2011 - email my acceptance note!
January 27, 2011 - email aspiration statement and updated resume (tailored to Youth Development now)
January 31, 2011 - Mailed in current passport, got passport/visa pictures taken, and submitted paperwork for my new government issued passport and visa to Ukraine (with the Oklahoma Blizzard of 2011 nipping right at my toes…I was then stuck in the house for the next 4 days).
March 21, 2011 - fly to DC for staging!
March 23, 2011 - fly to Ukraine!
March 25, 2011- move in with host family in Oster :)
June 16, 2011 - leave Kiev, move to Kirovograd, Ukraine! My home for the next 2 years.
2 comments:
Gosh! I knew you had a time but reading it just puts it on a whole different level! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, now and with all the many stories to come!
That's a lot of paperwork...
LOL at the lab person dropping the vial.
Like the new picture at the top!
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