Timeline

During my application process I found it extremely helpful to read other PCV's timelines. I hope mine may provide some insight as well!

(day 0) May 22, 2014- Submitted Peace Corps application and Health History form online.

(day 7) May 29, 2014- Application status updated to “Application and Health History Form Received”

(day 27) June 18, 2014- Received email from a Los Angeles Regional Representative, Maria, congratulating me on completing my application and introducing herself as my primary Peace Corps contact through the beginning stages of the application process.

(day 29) June 20, 2014- Maria emailed me to confirm that we can proceed with the interview process. She gave me a list of interview dates and times for July 2014 and asked me to send her my top three options since she was scheduling other interviews as well. The options consisted of in-person interviews as well as phone interviews. I selected the earliest in-person interviews for July, very eager to move forward in the process.

(day 39) June 30, 2014- Maria emailed me with our scheduled interview date, time, and location: Tuesday July 15, 2014 at 1:30pm at the Los Angeles Regional Office. Attached to the email was the Peace Corps drug and alcohol policy for me to review. She encouraged me to contact her if I had any questions and included interview tips:

Interview tips:

• The interview will take between 60-90 minutes. It is a chance for us to assess your suitability for the Peace Corps in general and evaluate your flexibility and your commitment to serving in one of the more than 65 countries that have requested assistance. It is also a chance for us to discuss your regional and assignment interests and any issues you have about service or the application process. Feel free to ask questions.
• The Peace Corps is a professional organization and we expect applicants to conduct themselves in a professional manner during the entire application process. Dress code for the interview is business casual.
• Learn as much about the Peace Corps as you can before the interview. Attend an information session or a returned volunteer panel, where several returned Peace Corps volunteers share their stories.
• Please review the Peace Corps drug and alcohol policy linked to at the bottom of this email. We will discuss this during your interview.

(day 54) July 15, 2014- *PEACE CORPS INTERVIEW*

I arrived about thirty minutes early and killed some time sitting in my car, reviewing some notes I had written in preparation for the interview. Around 1:15pm I made my way into the building and checked myself into the Peace Corps office. Maria soon appeared and welcomed me into her office with a warm smile. (Not only was her presence comforting, but the fact that we were wearing matching blue dresses and black heels made the experience much less intimidating.) Her office walls were covered with pictures and hand-written notes from her time as a Volunteer in Guatemala. She glowed talking about her friends and “family” in the pictures and it was at that point that I knew I had made the right decision to apply for the Peace Corps.

Before beginning the actual interview, Maria asked me where I wanted to go. Knowing that the question was coming, I had prepared a relatively polite answer: “I would love to go to Africa or the Pacific Islands because I prefer warmer weather and I’ve always dreamed of going there to experience the different cultures. However, I’ve been to South America before so I know I would be comfortable there. But honestly, I’d be happy wherever the Peace Corps feels I fit best.” What she told me next however, threw me off entirely. She told me that I qualified for over 20 locations and that I could choose wherever I wanted to go. I was in shock. All of the research I had done prior to the interview had given me the impression that most applicants submit their regional preferences, but ultimately the Peace Corps could send them wherever and whenever. (Maria herself told me that she had initially wanted to go to Asia but she was nominated and invited to South America.) Maria then read me the list while I wrote down all twenty-two locations:

1. Ecuador (Jan. ’15)
2. Dominican Republic (Mar. ’15)
3. Jamaica (Mar. ’15)
4. Costa Rica (Mar. ’15)
5. Albania (Mar. ’15)
6. Indonesia (Mar. ’15)
7. Azerbaijan (Apr. ’15)
8. Guyana (Apr. ’15)
9. Georgia (Apr. ’15)
10. Kyrgyz Republic (Apr. ’15)
11. Cameroon (May ’15)
12. Mongolia (May ’15)
13. Moldova (June ’15)
14. Micronesia/Palau (June ’15)
15. Madagascar (June ’15)
16. Kosovo (June ’15)
17. Togo (June ’15)
18. Burkina Faso (June ’15)
19. Zambia (June ’15)
20. Sierra Leone (June ’15)
21. Malawi (June ’15)
22. China (June ’15)

Maria asked that I send her my top three locations by that Sunday and to be aware that once I did, I was essentially locked-in. We then moved on to the actual interview portion which consisted of many of the same questions that can be found on the Peace Corps Interview Wiki page (thank you to whoever created it!):

http://www.peacecorpswiki.org/Interview_Questions

 (day 59) July 20, 2014- I Emailed Maria thanking her for our interview and reiterated my excitement to join the Peace Corps. I attached the Legal Status and History Form and the Nomination Requirement Form that she had mentioned during our interview in the email as well. And finally, my top three locations:

1. Micronesia/Palau (June 2015 departure)

2. Madagascar (June 2015 departure)

3. Malawi (June 2015 departure)

And yes, I found it quite ironic being an English buff that I chose locations that all began with the letter “M”.

(day 60) July 21, 2014- *PEACE CORPS NOMINATION*

Received my nomination from Maria through email while I was sitting in the break room at work (I have no idea how I contained my excitement in front of my coworkers…my smile must have been pretty obvious!) I was nominated for the Education Sector with a tentative departure month of June 2015. The email explained the next steps of the application process were eligibility, suitability, and competitive reviews and that I will receive further requests for information during these reviews (any volunteer work or language courses). After the reviews, a Placement Specialist will work to match me with an opening,  “taking into account [my] skills, availability, any known medical support requirements, and the needs of our host countries.” If a match is made, I will receive an invitation to serve in a specific country and a job invitation. Then will come a background check and the medical clearance processes. And here I was thinking I was done with the hard parts of the application process…

(day 63 and 64) July 23 and 24, 2014- Contacted my three references and updated them on my progress. All were excited and extremely supportive.

(day 71) August 1, 2014- Application status updated to “Interview Completed – Additional Assessment”

(day 103) September 2, 2014- Received an email from a Placement Officer responsible for Micronesia, Amy, explaining that she was currently reviewing applications for possible invitations. She encouraged me to view the Secondary Education English Teacher volunteer job description and to take into consideration the following regarding placement in Micronesia:

• Must be able to swim
• Extreme heat/humidity
• Live with homestay family for duration of service
• Volunteers should be aware that single women in the FSM (Federated States of Micronesia) do not date or associate with unrelated men
• The majority of Volunteer work sites will be on remote outer islands, some hundreds of miles from the main islands

She said that she will be in touch before January 15, 2015 (the latest I would find out about my placement), but to contact the Placement Office for general inquiries in the meantime.

Sometime in September/October 2014- Application status updated to "Under competitive Review"

(day 140) October 9, 2014- Began tutoring at a local elementary school with the Barton reading program twice a week to gain further teaching experience and hours. 

(day 148) October 17, 2014- Emailed Amy updating her on my tutoring and teaching experience and quickly thereafter received a positive response from her. She also encouraged me to revisit the "Living Conditions" portion of my potential job description and contact her if I had any questions. 

(day 182) November 20, 2014- Contacted Amy again since I had not heard her or the placement team in awhile (tryna' get the ball rollin' ya know...). In the email I spoke highly of the Barton program and how my experiences tutoring have allowed me to practice flexibility and patience, while reaffirming my enthusiasm for teaching. An hour later I got a *bing* in my inbox. It was Amy thanking me for being pro-active and contacting her. And at the bottom of the email:

"P.S. Congrats"

Huh? What did that mean?!

And then, like magic, I got the email I had been waiting months for.

(day 182) November 20, 2014- *PEACE CORPS INVITATION*

(I really wish I had recorded my reaction when I opened the email, but it's probably for the best that I didn't since all I did was stare at the computer screen and laugh. I laughed. Like, seriously Rachel, you could have at least screamed. It wasn't until I began calling my parents and telling them the news that I began crying. And if you know me, you'd be surprised it took me that long to cry. I'm a huge crier. You cry, I cry. The guy in the movie cries, I sob. The girl in the book cries, I wail. You get the point.)

Here's the beauty, herself:

(day 183) November 21, 2014- *ACCEPTED INVITATION*

I decided to wait to complete the Invitation Decision Form to ensure that I was 100% set on Micronesia and spending the next two years there. I knew what my answer was the entire time, but it wasn't until the next day that I actually hit the "I accept" button (I think I cried then).

(day 186) November 24, 2014- Application status updated to "Invitation Accepted"

(day 187) November 25, 2014- Received an email from the Staging Unit congratulating me on accepting my invitation and providing me with a checklist to help keep track of tasks and deadlines. They also gave me links to the Medical Application Portal (MAP), the New Volunteer Portal, and LearningSpace.

(day 192) November 30, 2014- Uploaded my updated resume and aspiration statement. Check out my entry "Updated Resume and Aspiration Statement" to read the documents in full.

(day 193) December 1, 2014- Received an email from the Desk Officer of Micronesia confirming that she received my updated resume and aspiration statement.

(day 194) December 2, 2014- Received an email telling me that my legal kit had been mailed out to me.

November through March 2015- *STRESS, STRESS, AND SOME MORE STRESS*

Completed and mailed in my PC passport application. I already had my passport from previous travels, but the PC requires that you apply for a specific PC one, and in some cases, a visa. Micronesia did not require a visa.

Mailed in my legal kit and fingerprints. A bit pricey for fingerprinting, so just a heads up. I paid around $30. #yaygovernmentjobs

Met with my dentist twice. The first time to begin the paperwork and decide if I needed any work done before my departure. The second time to fill tiny cavities, just in case.

Met with my gynecologist once to fill out paperwork about a previous procedure and any medical attention I may need in Micronesia.

Met with my primary doctor three times (perhaps more? I lost count...it's a long story and I'll spare you the drama) to do lab work, complete a physical and pap smear, and fill out paperwork. #needtochangedoctors

Met with my optometrist once for a vision check and copy of prescription. Later ordered another pair of glasses since you're required to bring 2 pairs for service.

Met with a therapist twice to complete paperwork about my past eating disorder.

The entire time I kept in contact with my PC nurse on MAP, asking her questions and updating her on my progress. She was extremely helpful during the process and let me know if she needed any additional information.

(day 281) February 27, 2015- Received an email notifying me that the Placement Eligibility Team had initiated my background investigation. They wrote, "You will not receive notification of your Final Legal Clearance. This clearance will remain tentative until you are sworn in as a volunteer at the end of your pre-service training." #weird.

(day 305) March 23, 3015- Finally, after months of stress and numerous doctor's appointments, my nurse messages me on MAPS congratulating me on my final medical clearance. HALLELUJAH!! I could literally feel the weight being lifted off my shoulders. 

(day 314) April 2, 2015- Received an email from Micronesia Country Desk Officer saying I would receive information about staging about 4 weeks prior to my staging event. Happy birthday to me! This would also be the last birthday I celebrated in the States for 2 years. 

(day 315) April 3, 2015- Completed activities in New Volunteer Portal as well as the Safety and Security LearningSpace module. 

(day 320) April 8, 2015- Completed Core Expectations LearningSpace module.

(day 334) May 4, 2015- Received an email from the Staging Unit regarding staging in Honolulu, HI.

(day 335) May 5, 2015- Called Sato Travel and made flight arrangements to Honolulu. Also received an email from Micronesia's Desk Officer, providing pre-departure and pre-service training information.

(day 348) May 18, 2015- Received an E-Ticket receipt for my flight to Honolulu for June 1st, 2015.

(day 359) May 29, 2015- Received hotel logistics from the Country Desk Officer,  updating us with last minute information.