Why? How? What?

Alright, so I've had a lot of people asking about how/why I choose the Peace Corps and about the process to apply. So, allow me to explain...

First of all, why I wanted to do it. I've always wanted to be able to live overseas for awhile. After taking classes like Intercultural Communication, The Global Citizen, Middle Eastern Civilizations and my International business classes, the desire was even stronger. I sure do love it here in Utah, but I just feel like there is so much more out there to see and experience! I feel like this is the perfect time in my life to do something like this, and I would regret it if I missed the chance. Also, one thing I love about the Peace Corps is that it is 2 years - that's a long time. But, I feel like if it were any shorter, I wouldn't really be able to assimilate into the culture. I don't want to just stand on the outskirts and think "huh. That's different. Neat." and then go home. I want to be a part of the culture and get to the point where I feel comfortable in it. If it were any less than a year, from what I hear, I don't think I'd get there. It'll probably be that 2nd year that I really begin to accomplish that "goal" of this little adventure.

Then, aside from all the international awesomeness I wanted to experience, I just wanted to do something good with my life. I want to be able to look back and say "Yeah, I did that, and I made a difference." Just one of those feel-good things. And hopefully this will just be the start of it...

So it all started back in 2005-ish on a Sunday morning. I had been looking at different study abroad/work abroad/volunteer programs and not really feeling very impressed with any of them. I was on a website that just listed a whole ton of volunteer opportunities abroad, and Peace Corps was on there. I opened up a whole bunch of the pages, but spent most of the morning looking through the Peace Corps website. It was actually not what I expected. I didn't realize they had business programs, and English programs in addition to the health and sanitation programs - which is pretty much all I ever thought it was about. Anyway, I bookmarked the website and over the next few months, found myself frequenting the site and reading more about it.

Fast forward a year or so. I was at Hire's Big H with my sister, enjoying a turkey sandwich, and I brought up the idea of joining the Peace Corps. She didn't laugh at me or think I was being silly. In fact, she endorsed the idea. This encouraged me. Sweet!

Then, June 2008, I finally began the application process. They say you should start it 9-12 months before you want to leave. I was hoping to graduate in the Spring of 2009, so I went for it. Here's how it went down:

June 6th: I start the online application process.

August 17th: My application is completed, which includes 2 written essays, 3 references, a medical overview, a resume, and loads of questions about what I qualify for, preferences of where I want to go, etc.

August 29th: I send in my fingerprint cards and background check information.

September 3rd: My Toolkit is updated saying my background check info was received and I wait for the interview.

September 30th: I have a phone interview with my recruiter in the Denver office. She says I sound like a good candidate, but there are no business programs (which was my first choice) open at the time. She tells me that if I have teaching experience I could qualify for teaching English. Interestingly, I had looked into substitute teaching (since I knew I would have to quit my job in order to finish school the next semester) and I asked her if that would qualify me. She said if I did it for long enough, then yes.

October 17th: My recruiter found a business program in African that leave August 2009 and nominates me for that program. Woohoo!

October 21st-ish: I get my medical packet and start making appointments to get 'er done.

January 16th: Peace Corps receives my medical packet and begins review.

March 7th: I receive Dental Clearance and notification that I have to resubmit one of my tests that wasn't clear. So I go back to the doctor and...

March 18th: Peace Corps receives my new test results.

March 19th: I am medically cleared! Woohoo!

April 21st: I get an email from the Peace Corps headquarters reminding me to send in my final transcripts when I get them.

Then... lots of waiting. I send in an updated resume with my substitute teaching on there, as well as the job I currently have teaching piano at a studio in Holladay (which I love and will miss!). I also complete an online TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Certificate - just for the heck of it. I figure it'll look good on my PC resume, and would be good for volunteering when I get back. Then finally...

June 15th: I find out who my Placement Officer is and email him to see what's up.

June 16th: My Placement Officer writes me back and says he's been trying to find a new program for me, because the one I was nominated for was full before I was even medically cleared. He says that he sees I have teaching experience and a TEFL certificate and asks if I'd be interested in teaching English in Central Asia leaving August. If not, the next possible position wouldn't be until September. I tell him I would love to teach, and I am interested in the position.

June 19th: I receive my invitation to Kazakhstan as a Secondary English Teacher. Awesome!

And now... here we are. So since then I've been sending in paperwork, another essay called the Aspiration Statement, and just getting ready to go. I hadn't noticed before, but I leave on August 17th, 2009, exactly a year after I completed the first application. Crazy! But oh-so exciting!

Whew! If you made it through that whole thing - way to go! Any other questions, please do let me know.