As most of you know, I have been invited to be a Peace Corps volunteer from:
March 15th 2014 to May 25th 2016
or
(27 months)
or
(3 months training + 2 years of service)
or
(A really really long time)
or
(Not that long in the grand scheme of things)
I have decided to use this first entry to illustrate the path that lead me to this point. Both as a way to chronicle my inspiration, application, and celebration of this upcoming life-changing event, as well as to illustrate the exact process I went through for potential prosepective Peace Corps applicants floating around out there.
Alrighty, here goes...
A Timeline:
A Timeline:
August 2010-December 2010: Embarked on a profoundly life-altering voyage around the world on Semester at Sea, visiting 11 countries in 108 days. Fell hopelessly in love with the beauty of the world. Became heartbroken from the largeness of the world's suffering and the smallness of my abilities to change it. Made a mission to make myself useful to the world, which somehow became more important than making the world useful to me.
January 2011 - August 2011: Proceeded to suffer from lingering reverse culture shock, a quarter life crisis, and an overall sense of despondency of my existence. Became paralyzed with empathy and a lack of my newfound direction to make a significant difference in the world. Vaguely tossed around ideas. The Peace Corps, among other weighed options came to mind. Made some inquiries. Asked questions. Had doubts and hangups. Battled a sinking perspective of hopelessness on any meager attempt I could make to make a difference. Got depressed. Became somewhat of a nihilist.
September 3rd 2011: Was jolted by a traumatic “perfect storm” type of near death experience two days before my 25th birthday from going into severe anaphylactic shock. Decided I had nothing to left lose. This, paired with the nihilism, gave me a great sense fearlessness. It was time to do something radical, take advantage of my young precious fleeting life, trudge through this existential mess, and follow the path that makes me come alive again: I made a budget and a promise to myself to spend the summer of 2012 traveling solo across the country. After such an extremely rough patch of sadness, guilt, and loathing, I was ready to rediscover my faith in humanity, in America, in the life I've created within it, and most importantly, in myself.
And finally, while not feeling ready to do the Peace Corps, I decided I was going to start filling out an application anyway, with the goal of being ready for the experience once I received an invitation.
And finally, while not feeling ready to do the Peace Corps, I decided I was going to start filling out an application anyway, with the goal of being ready for the experience once I received an invitation.
And it begins...
September 2011 - December 2011: Gained references for my application. Volunteered as a Research Intern for Community Resource Center in Denver.
April 2012: Embarked on my 4-month long solo 10,000 mile cross-country road trip.
April 2012 - June 2012: SLOWLY whittled away at my Peace Corps application while traveling on the road. Regained a newfound sense of faith which climaxed through an intensely spiritual experience I had in the Great Smokey Mountains.
June 5th 2012: Submitted my Peace Corps application.
June 7th 2012: Received an email from a recruiter asking me to call to schedule an interview. Also asked me to mail in fingerprints and college transcripts, which I mailed from Torrence, CA.
June 27th 2012: Peace Corps interview with my recruiter (by phone while in Hollywood, CA). Was requested to send in an updated resume addendum and criminal history report (because of a silly MIP ticket I got for drinking half a beer underage at a busted party in 2006). Also was informed I needed to complete 30 hours or more of ESL volunteer teaching experience.
July 2012: Inquired and found an ESL volunteer teaching opportunity waiting for me in Boulder.
August 2012: Came home from my road trip and moved to Boulder for a job I got on the road: A touring actor/teacher for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival!
August 21st - October 28th 2012: Completed my 30+ hours of ESL volunteer hours and submitted my volunteer log.
November 15th 2012: Received my nomination to join the Peace Corps. (A nomination is a recommendation from your recruiter that an applicant move to the next stage of consideration; the medical, legal, suitability, and competitive reviews.)
December 17th 2012: Was informed that because Peace Corps went through a change in its application and medical clearance processes while I was applying I will have to redo my Health History Form (HHF) to submit to my medical portal and will be notified when the new form is available.
December 21st 2012: After still not receiving a link to my portal, I called my recruiter and was told to email the medical portal support team. Sent the email.
December 28th2012: Got a reply saying that my application was changed to “inactive” on December 16th because the Peace Corps had given me 3 warning emails on my portal since November 15th requesting that I submit a few more medical documents regarding some details on my original medical application. Turns out they had my email address wrong so I never got the emails, therefore never submitted the forms.
January 2nd 2013: After some back and forth, the email misunderstanding was corrected. Application “reactivated”. Started a second contract working for a different touring theatre company: the highest paying, worst job (acting or otherwise) I've ever had.
January 9th 2013: Had a doctor appointment to complete medical forms, which required a doctor’s signature that I am fit to join the Peace Corps. Submitted medical documents to my portal.
January 10th 2013: Received this email: “Thank you for sending in all of your required medical documents. They have been received and are under review by the Office of Medical Services. If, after review of the medical information you submitted, we require anything further, we will send you an email notification.”
January 11th - April 24th 2013: (.....Crickets *chirp chirp*....)
April 25th 2013: Received this breadcrumb in the form of an email: “We have reviewed the medical information you provided and have issued you a medical pre-clearance. A medical pre-clearance means that, based on the information you have provided so far, you are preliminarily medically cleared for Peace Corps service.... This is NOT a final medical clearance. Your final medical clearance will be based on the results of a physical exam, a dental exam, and lab tests you will be asked to provide if you receive a formal invitation to serve in the Peace Corps. Your application will now be reviewed by our Placement Office. If the Placement Office issues you a formal invitation to serve, and you accept that invitation, the Office of Medical Services will contact you again with instructions on obtaining your final medical clearance.”
April 26th – July 10th 2013: (.......Tumbleweed *whoooosh*........)
July 11th 2013: Email Received: “Your application is currently on hold due to your alcohol-related legal incident from 2006. In order to further assess your file, I will need you to send me your statement and answers to the questionnaire to this e-mail address as soon as possible.”
July 16th 2013: Submitted questionnaire and statement saying I’m not a drugged up alcoholic hooligan.
July 17th - September 2nd 2013: (....Doo-bee-doo-be-doooo *Twiddles thumbs*........)
September 3rd 2013: Email received from the placement and assessment specialist working with my application. Was informed that I have been medically and legally pre-cleared and my application has undergone a preliminary placement review. Was requested to fill out a final questionnaire an upload it to my applicant portal to determine if I am qualified for placement. The email closed with this little gem: “It has accurately been said, that the patience and flexibility required to maneuver this process, provides a small taste of what volunteers encounter on a daily basis, living in the field. Your continued patience, flexibility, and professionalism are greatly appreciated.” (...Deep breathes...)
September 4th 2013: Completed questionnaire and attempted to upload to my applicant portal but was unable to log into my portal.
September 9th 2013: After a series of frustrating email inquiries about my portal technical issue leading all the way up to the day before my deadline, I received this email: “I can upload your questions for you. I’m just realizing you applied in July 2012, and therefore do not have
access to the Applicant Portal, which we began using in August 2012. Sorry for the confusion. I should be in touch in the next couple
weeks regarding next steps."
So as you can see, a lot of "hurry up and wait" moments. My advice to all who have vaguely considered this as a possible life path: Just apply. You can always say no at any point in the application process. Don't worry about how long it takes, or where you'll be in your life. In the words of Earl Nightingale, "Never give up on a dream because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."
So after all this time, hassle, ambiguity, perseverance, and patience, did I accomplish my goal to be ready for the Peace Corps when the time came? Am I ready?
Yes... and No...
I have simply found myself to be ready through an ever-growing faith, comfort and acceptance of this fact:
I'll never be ready...for the Peace Corps or any other curveball that life will inevitably throw me.
BUT my newfound sense of appreciation, peace of mind, faith, intuition, wisdom, and courage these last two years have bestowed upon me were far worth the pain and experience it took to acquire. And in the end, more tools to take with me.
September 16th 2013: RECEIVED MY INVITATION
TO JOIN THE PEACE CORPS!!!
"
"
September 17th 2013: Accepted my invitation.
Received my To Do list which includes: Submitting an updated resume and
aspiration statement, Apply for a Visa, And getting FINAL medical clearance,
aka, completing all tasks assigned on my medical portal including over a dozen
medical forms to be completed with various doctors (including vaccinations,
dental x-rays, physical, OBGYN, and an eye exam), Completing all tasks on my
Volunteer Portal including direct deposit forms, Emergency Contacts, Life
Insurance/Next of kin, etc.
January 23rd 2014: After completing all medical tasks in my portal, received a request for further documentation regarding my asthma before I receive final medical clearance. This required a FIFTH doctor's appointment to have my doctor state that despite my minor case of asthma, I am suitable to join the Peace Corps.
February 3rd 2014: Submitted documents.
February 4th 2014: Received Final Medical Clearance! All systems are go! Nothing left for me to do except pack and wait to receive my exact flight itinerary about a month before I leave! Then...
January 23rd 2014: After completing all medical tasks in my portal, received a request for further documentation regarding my asthma before I receive final medical clearance. This required a FIFTH doctor's appointment to have my doctor state that despite my minor case of asthma, I am suitable to join the Peace Corps.
February 3rd 2014: Submitted documents.
February 4th 2014: Received Final Medical Clearance! All systems are go! Nothing left for me to do except pack and wait to receive my exact flight itinerary about a month before I leave! Then...
March 15th 2014: Another adventure begins...
Whew!
So after all this time, hassle, ambiguity, perseverance, and patience, did I accomplish my goal to be ready for the Peace Corps when the time came? Am I ready?
Yes... and No...
I have simply found myself to be ready through an ever-growing faith, comfort and acceptance of this fact:
I'll never be ready...for the Peace Corps or any other curveball that life will inevitably throw me.
BUT my newfound sense of appreciation, peace of mind, faith, intuition, wisdom, and courage these last two years have bestowed upon me were far worth the pain and experience it took to acquire. And in the end, more tools to take with me.
And isn't that the way it always is... And will continue to be.
