Hello my fellow blog readers!
It has been a little while. I just wanted to update you on our lives and our Peace Corps process. First, there has not been news when it comes to the Peace Corps. Not a scrap of news. I am not really surprised about this though. I still figure that we will not here anything from them about placement till May. Tanie and I have a bet going to land the closest to this date, mine guess is May 4th. I believe that she guessed May 14th. I hope I am closer.
The nervousness and angst has kind of subsided for the time being. After waiting for almost a month now you realize that it is kind of out your control. I wish there was something at this point to speed the process up a little. I mean we both have jobs and we have to say something to our places of employment. My boss already has heard about our intentions of going into the Peace Corps. Facebook was the mode of how he learned. I am sure of it.
As of now I still have a job but things are getting worse and worse when it comes to business (at least that’s the way it seems from an outward perspective). We have had more layoffs and they are completely shutting down for the Easter weekend. That is my whole work week because as of now I am working 3rds weekends 12 hour shifts. The reason why this is a big deal is because we hardly ever shut down for anything. But because of slow economic times we are forced to shut down because of it. Oh well more free time with Tanie :)
With Tanie there have been a few developments. She is currently working with a daycare for the time being. She has been watching kindergarten kids. She has been stretched and I am proud of her. She is working around 30 hours a week and this is the first time that she has really worked around the same kids for so long. She has finally got burned out when it comes to books. She has read many books since she is done with school. I would say close to 50. She is an inspiration to those of us that have trouble with getting one book done in a week.
We will let you know about any developments when it comes to our lives or the Peace Corps.
Matt
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Little Closer and a Readers Question
We got the needed information to complete our file! All we need is to here from the Placement Office too see where we are going. Here are the email's received from our Assistant Placement Officer.
Dear Matt,
"I received the reference from _____________ earlier today. I’ve added it to your file, so it is complete for now, though you may hear more from my office as the departure date for your program becomes closer."
Dear Tanie,
"Thank you for the new essay. Your file is complete now and I have passed it on to your Placement Officer for the final review. You will hear more from my office as the date of departure for your program becomes closer."
Also there has been a question from one of our readers: "Once you receive medical clearance are you under the impression it is basically a sure thing that you'll be placed?"
This is a great question and something I have asked many times on different Peace Corps blogs and the answer is no. I know that's probably not the answer that everyone wants to hear. There are several reasons why there are no guarantees. First with the economic downfall there has been a ton of people trying to getting into the Peace Corps. For what have heard from second hand information is that placement is very competitive now. The only thing I can suggest is to put in an application and try your chances. Since the Peace Corps is a job, you have to treat it like one. You have to have a completed four year degree and experience in the field you desire. Volunteer experience is very valuable as well and it is needed to show that you are commited to working with people and volunteering.
If you want more information you can check the Yahoo group peacecorps2. That is the best site that I have seen yet when it comes to questions about the Peace Corps. Other than that thanks for the question and good luck on your process!
Matt
Dear Matt,
"I received the reference from _____________ earlier today. I’ve added it to your file, so it is complete for now, though you may hear more from my office as the departure date for your program becomes closer."
Dear Tanie,
"Thank you for the new essay. Your file is complete now and I have passed it on to your Placement Officer for the final review. You will hear more from my office as the date of departure for your program becomes closer."
Also there has been a question from one of our readers: "Once you receive medical clearance are you under the impression it is basically a sure thing that you'll be placed?"
This is a great question and something I have asked many times on different Peace Corps blogs and the answer is no. I know that's probably not the answer that everyone wants to hear. There are several reasons why there are no guarantees. First with the economic downfall there has been a ton of people trying to getting into the Peace Corps. For what have heard from second hand information is that placement is very competitive now. The only thing I can suggest is to put in an application and try your chances. Since the Peace Corps is a job, you have to treat it like one. You have to have a completed four year degree and experience in the field you desire. Volunteer experience is very valuable as well and it is needed to show that you are commited to working with people and volunteering.
If you want more information you can check the Yahoo group peacecorps2. That is the best site that I have seen yet when it comes to questions about the Peace Corps. Other than that thanks for the question and good luck on your process!
Matt
Monday, March 9, 2009
Needed More Information
Tanie and I both got an email from our Assistant Placement officer today. He needed Tanie to rewrite a Cross-cultural experience essay. He said that it did not answer the question that they were asking. For me I did not have a friend reference. So I asked a friend to complete this as soon as possible.
This is really good though because it hasn't only been a few days and they are already looking at our files. I was not expecting to hear anything for another couple of months. Hopefully this means that after we get this stuff done that they can place us.
Waiting is hard.
Matt
This is really good though because it hasn't only been a few days and they are already looking at our files. I was not expecting to hear anything for another couple of months. Hopefully this means that after we get this stuff done that they can place us.
Waiting is hard.
Matt
Friday, March 6, 2009
Placement Office
Today I spoke to our Student Aide of a Placement Officer. She was very polite and told me that our last date to hear something about our placement would be June 1st. It has need officially three weeks from when we got medical clearance. She told me that it might take as long as June 1st to place us but since we have everything already in and it is being checked over she didn't expect it to take longer than a couple of months. WOW! A couple of months seems like forever! Well at least it does being in this waiting period. I am trying to patient the best I can but this waiting is very very difficult. I will update you as soon as we hear anything about where we are going.
Matt
Matt
Friday, February 27, 2009
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
Friday, February 20, 2009
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!
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!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
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
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
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