Still Waiting...

It has been exactly two weeks from when we have received medical clearance from the Peace Corps. To me this has been the worst part of the waiting. Two weeks has been forever because everything hangs in the balance. Where we would be going is the least of my worry at this point. I know for a fact that because of this economic down fall there has been an influx of applications to the Peace Corps.

According to blogs and other articles from a lot of places right now if you put in an application then you can expect to wait 16 months before you might get placed. This is a four month change from 12 which we the number told in September of 08’. Everyone is looking at something they can do now that jobs are very hard to find and people do not know what to do with their lives. I can understand this. I am now wondering if our original estimation is off and instead of June or July it is now November or later.

This would be okay but I would just like to know what it is we are supposed to do till then? I guess the only thing we can do is wait. Tanie has a better attitude then I do. She is confident in our placement and she expects it to happen soon. I am glad for her because sometimes I think if I didn’t have her as a wife my life would be a giant storm of worry at this point.

Matt

Peace Corps Timeline

Greetings
Down below this post is our Peace Corps timeline. It is obliviously not completed placement pending. This process I understand takes several months longer for a married couple for reasons that make sense. Things like instead of one person going through this process, now there are two. Two people with a medical history, dental history, legal history and whatever else they want to know. This process is not for those who do not have patience. The good Lord knows I almost freaked out because of the wait (again still pending).

Matt


Peace Corps Timeline

Early July – My wife and I spoke about maybe joining the Peace Corps.

Next Day – Started the application and talked to our recruiter for the first time. Tells us we can have an interview that weekend if we get all the paperwork in time.

July 12th – We both got all our paperwork in and had our interview. He told us that he could not nominate us yet because we were a married couple and he will have to check a few program areas and get back to us.

Sept. 16th – After a long wait we got a nomination in the mail for Youth Development and English Teaching.

Sept. 18th – Received our medical packet. Now the hard part starts.

Jan. 2nd – Dental Clearance – That was pretty easy.

Jan. 26th – Received a letter requesting more information and paperwork I did not seem to include :)

Feb. 13th – Received medical clearance! What a huge relief! I really did not know if we would get past this part.

Feb 18th – Received an email from my Placement Officer asking if we can send things like our updated resume and a copy of our final transcript from college.

Current - Now we are waiting for Invitation!

Medical Clearance

I got an email from the Peace Corps on Saturday saying, "A decision has been reached regarding your medical review. Please look for a letter in the mail." I was feeling so nervous about this because I knew this meant either medical clearance or rejection.

Today it is Tuesday and we got the letter! We both got medical clearance!! This is the biggest news yet when it comes to Peace Corps process! This means that we are on the last step: Placement!!! Now it is the waiting game. This could take a week or a month or several. I have been reading other peoples blogs and they get placed around one to three months. That seems like a long time but they have to make sure of a lot of things before the send you overseas. Things like making sure our skill-set matches up to the country they might place us. We are both so stoked!

Matt