I've seen other PCV blogs that detail their timelines, and it always interests me because they're all so different. For the sake of comparison, my own memory, and anyone who comes across this in the middle of their own application, I am going to put mine up. I'm obviously going to have to update this as time goes on...
Three conversations in June and July of 2010 brought up the Peace Corps to me. After the third time, I decided to at least look in to it, not really committed to anything more than that because I have a cat and a dog that would need to be looked after. (And frankly I don't WANT to leave my dog, but as my sister in law said "don't NOT do something because you have pets..") My dog would have no problem finding a home, I have offers to take her off my hands at least once a week. I brought up the idea to my friend Nora who immediately declared "I'll take Nadia!" She has always loved the puddle of fur that meows at me to be fed :) And with that I decided to at least apply and see where it took me. (During the first month of this process I was living in South Carolina with my cousins, so my mom mailed me some of the paperwork as it arrived at my permanent address, which is in Florida)
July 13, 2010 - I go to the PC website and look around, it's a lot different from what I thought it was (I was under the impression that it was for college students to do a semester abroad or something) It looks awesome and I begin filling out the application, I tell my cousins when they get home from work & they're ecstatic.
July 14, 2010 - I finish my essays and the health status review, I submit it all
July 28, 2010 - packet comes in the mail, my mom says she'll mail it to me
July 30, 2010 - I receive an email from my recruiter telling me that I need to send her back the forms in the packet as well as my college transcripts and financial obligation form, I also "attend" an online infosession where I ask some questions and get more and more excited about the prospect of doing this
July 31, 2010 - The packet arrives from Florida and I sort through it
August 2, 2010 - Fingerprints done at the police station in SC
August 4, 2010 - All of my references have completed the forms for me :)
August 10, 2010 - I call several people in PC to see if I need the financial obligation form notarized since I am planning on paying off my debt before leaving. I can't get in touch with anyone, leave a message for my recruiter and then have the form notarized anyway, to be safe. Recruiter calls me back after I drop everything in the mail and says what I did was fine.
August 13, 2010 - Email saying my status has changed - I check and they've received all my forms, but not all of my references. hmm. I email my recruiter to check on them.
August 14, 2010 - Email saying my status has been updated - All references are in and my recruiter will contact me soon to schedule an interview! Woo hoo!
August 23, 2010 - I haven't heard about an interview yet so I email asking if she knows what timeline to expect, she calls me right away saying that she was expecting ME to call and schedule it... miscommunication? Anyway, I offer to drive to Atlanta for an in-person interview and we schedule it for that Thursday.
August 26, 2010 - I show up at 10:55 for my 11:00 interview (nervous!), wait a few minutes, ask the receptionist for tips (be professional, she's not your friend, it's a job interview... got it.) We talk for almost 2 hours and I relax as I go, afterwards she tells me that she thinks I'd be a great fit for the primary teacher training program and looks over some paperwork that tells her where that program is available. She asks if I would be willing and able to ride a bike 3-5 miles a day (yes!) and then that there aren't any programs in francophone countries (sad!). I can either choose Asia leaving in January or Africa leaving in February. Now, all along I'd been thinking I'd end up in francophone Africa, since French seems in high demand, and most of the french speaking/education programs are in Africa. I've also wanted to travel there for as long as I can remember, or at least since I read Poisonwood Bible. Given that that was my first instinct, and it gave me a month more to get everything together, I picked Africa. I marvel at the fact that it's becoming more real now, that I have a region and a vague timeline to shoot for, haha.. I drive home to Florida.
August 27, 2010 - I receive an email that my status has changed - I'm a nominee now!!! I have legal clearance already, and will need to get blood tests, shots, x-rays, etc.
August 31, 2010 - I get another email that my status has been updated - My medical packet was mailed out on the 30th and I'll need to complete it and send it back.
September 2, 2010 - Medical/dental packet arrives in the mail, it's a behemoth. Separate entry for this, it's too big.
September 7, 2010 - Dentist appointment this morning, my teeth are perfect and need no work :) I had an impression taken for a new occlusal splint (to keep me from clenching my jaw at night) since mine is 10 years old and has holes in some places. I also went to the Health Department and got blood drawn for varicella immunity since I had chicken pox but no shots. I also had a TB test, Polio and Tdap boosters, and got my immunization history.
September 8, 2010 - I pick up my occlusal splint and have the dentist's office reprint my x-rays on photo paper. They take digital x-rays which PC says is fine as long as they're printed on photo paper, not regular copy paper. Dentist's office didn't have any so I brought some along today.
September 9, 2010 - I had to call the lady doctor and reschedule my Monday appointment because I'm supposed to get my period tomorrow (Friday) and I don't think it'll be over in time. I'm bummed because the next soonest one is the 27th, which is FOREVER away, considering they can't even order any of the blood tests before seeing me since I'm a new patient. I return to the health department to get my TB test checked (negative) and ask about getting some of the blood tests done there. Their computers are down and can't do them that day. They can't even do all eight of them, so I can't decide if I want to break the tests up and get what I can done, or get them all done together so it's easier to keep track of. Ugh.
September 13, 2010 - Period late, I totally could have gone to the Dr. this morning.
September 14, 2010 - Podiatrist appointment this morning, he verifies what I have known for three years and recommends what I've been doing for three years. I feel bad wasting his time and expertise just to have him sign a form. Oh well.
September 15, 2010 - Sent Dental Packet via 2nd Day Priority with delivery confirmation.
September 16, 2010 - Received lab results from health department this afternoon, positive for varicella titer which means I don't need that vaccine.
September 22, 2010 - Email this morning saying my status has updated. I have Dental Clearance!!!!! One step closer...
September 27, 2010 - Oh so much today :) Lady parts doctor in the morning who signed my physical abilities sheet, allergies addendum (for lack of a better word), immunization history, did my physical, and ordered pap and blood tests. I went to the lab to get blood drawn, had to almost fight to get them to triple check the tests that were ordered, and I'm glad I did because I was missing two. Last I went to the walk-in clinic to get hearing and vision tested. The lab tests are getting mailed to me, but I have to go back by the women's center because my doctor signed the form, but left out his contact info, license number, etc.
September 28, 2010 - Back to the women's health center to get missing info. Also, went to my previous lady doctor to sign a thing releasing my record saying I had the Gardasil shots. This is getting silly.
October 1, 2010 - Reimbursement check for dental expenses, 16 days from when I sent it.
October 5, 2010 - Lady Doctor's office called saying my pap test had come back unreadable because there weren't enough sample cells taken the first time around. I have to go back on Friday to have the test redone.
October 8, 2010 - Labs picked up from doctor, UA came back funny so he ordered another test. He said normally he wouldn't worry about it, but since the paperwork was so extensive he didn't want to have it sent back. Second pap test done, too. SO CLOSE.
October 19, 2010 - 2nd pap & UA picked up from the doctor's, copies made, packet organized and SENT! Also, reimbursement check came for medical costs. Phew. It's out of my hands now :)
October 22, 2010 - Toolkit update letting me know that they received my medical packet on the 21st. Sweet.
December 9, 2010 - Finally got an update that OMS is reviewing my medical packet (aka: I have a medical hold.) It's taken exactly seven weeks.
December 13, 2010 - Letter came saying they were missing a blood test, I was beyond sure I'd sent it in so I called to ask them to double check. My nurse was out that day so I left a voicemail.
December 14, 2010 - Talked to the nurse, she double checked and found the "missing" blood test, and said she'd clear me today.
December 15, 2010 - Updated toolkit shows that my medical is complete and to look for a letter in the mail.
December 18, 2010 - Letter in the mail letting me know I'm cleared, that my file is being sent to placement, and that if anything changes my medical condition to let them know.
December 20, 2010 - Called Placement Office to prod a little and see what I could find out, was told that my program is still open, my file had been reviewed, and to be patient. Four hours later I received an email asking to set up a time to speak on the phone. I set it up for 1:30 the following day.
December 21, 2010 - 45 minute long conversation with my placement officer leads to her extending an invitation to me, apparently it'll go out tomorrow :D My region and month of departure are on track with my nomination (as far as I know, she didn't mention ANYTHING that indicated otherwise)
December 22, 2010 - Pretty little checkmark next to "Placement" on my toolkit, but no "You've been invited to serve" yet... I'm guessing it's because the invite goes out today, which means another update tomorrow morning.
December 23, 2010 - Jeez I'm smart. Update again this morning with the standard "Congrats you're an invitee, now look over alllllll this information, but not before you've had your coffee!" My invitation was mailed on the 22nd.
December 24th, 2010 - Invitation arrives in the mail, it's bigger than the medical packet was! Going to sort through it all so I can accept it asap :D
December 25th, 2010 - I accepted my invitation, and a couple of days later received confirmation that I was now in the Uganda program. Thus ends my application process and begins something even more exciting! Stick it out if you're in the middle of it all, it'll happen! GOOD LUCK!!!!!
