An Introduction to my Peace Corps Journey

I've recently been told there isn't any point to having a blog if I don't post anything on it, so here goes nothing I suppose!

For those that are not intimately acquainted with me: Hi, I'm Emma. :)  I currently live in Colorado with my parents and sisters.  I will soon be leaving for Malawi, the "Warm Heart of Africa", to begin my Peace Corps service as a secondary school biology and science teacher.

When I turned in my first application for Peace Corps volunteer service in June of 2012, volunteering as a PC teacher was only a hazy idea.  I remember thinking to myself, Well, if all else fails maybe this will work out... At the time, I was interested in the Peace Corps, but not overly concerned, and eventually my application went dormant.

In between two years ago and now, many things have changed.  I switched states and schools, graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver, and have spent invaluable time with my family.  About a year ago, I decided what I really wanted after graduation was the chance to have an adventure and help in a community overseas.  I resubmitted my application for volunteer service and went to an interview to determine if I had a future in the Peace Corps.  In June of 2013, I was nominated for the education sector of the PC.  Last fall, in between classes and exams, the pressure started building.  I was in my last semester of college, was ready to graduate, hadn't heard anything from the PC and was constantly stressed about what I was supposed to do!  I finally heard from the placement office in late December with a questionnaire on math and science teaching.  That's when it really clicked- answering all those questions on teaching biology and foreign living made me incredibly excited to be apart of something bigger, an adventure I could barely imagine!

Two agonizing months later, I got it- my invitation to teach in Malawi beginning mid-June of 2014!  I've read other blogs and books on receiving an invitation, but I must say, nothing comes close to the real deal.  Who knew you can feel blind panic, hopeful excitement, and a creeping feeling of numbness all at the same time??  I was tentative and hesitant to get too excited at first.  I had only a vague recollection of where Malawi was in Africa and hadn't read much on the country previously.  Have you ever seen Malawi on a map?  It's hard to miss, it's just so tiny!  I spent a few days of in-depth research and decided this felt like the right fit for me.  I accepted my invitation and began the laborious process of getting medically cleared.  Many visits to doctor's offices later, I submitted all my paperwork and was medically cleared.

It's now the middle of May, and that infamous Departure Date is creeping ever closer.  This morning I had a conference call with PC Malawi staff, which stirred mixed emotions.  At this point, I can't imagine doing anything but volunteering with the Peace Corps in Malawi, but I'm more than just a bit freaked out.  I'm exhilarated to be leaving so soon for a new community in Africa.  I'm also a bit melancholy that I'll have to leave family and friends here in the United States.  Most of all, I'm just anxious to begin this new adventure.  Who knows how this will all turn out, but I hope that the next two years are filled with incredible experiences in the Warm Heart of Africa. :)

I'm not exactly the most technically advanced human being on this planet and I certainly have a problem remembering to update things, but I certainly hope I can continue this blog and share my experiences, triumphs, and failures throughout this next period in my life!  In the meantime, wish me luck as I prepare for this journey!


For those that are interested, here's an approximate timeline of my application/nomination/invitation:
(a staple of the blogs I poured over in the months between nomination and invitation)

June 7th, 2012: Submitted first application with an availability date of Dec. 2013.  Since I submitted this application more than a year before my start date, the PC office in Los Angeles put my application in a dormant status.
Fall of 2012: Peace Corps undergoes a complete system change, I receive notification that to be considered for service, I have to resubmit my application as the old one is lost
Late December 2012: I begin a second application right after I move to Colorado but am unsure of whether I want to sign up for the Peace Corps and never complete it.
May 7th, 2013: Complete and submit application for Peace Corps.  I didn't ask for any specific regions and had no restrictions in where I wanted to serve.
Late May of 2013: Scheduled and completed an interview with a former PC volunteer who was now doing recruiting and interview sessions.
Early June of 2013: Received nomination for education sector, specifically science, with an approximate June 2014 departure.  At this time, PC wasn't giving out specifics with nominations and my nomination included only this and no region.
Early-Mid July of 2013: I was legally and medically pre-cleared.
July-December of 2013: Absolute, horrible silence.
December 26, 2013: email from placement desk with a request for final transcripts and a math and science questionnaire to be completed ASAP.
December 26, 2013 (approximately 3-4 hours later): emailed placement back with completed questionnaire.
January 28, 2014: Invitation (finally!) to Malawi as a Biology and science teaching volunteer!
January 29, 2014: accepted invitation and received a handful of emails on the next steps for new invitees- more specifically, the instructions for medical and legal clearance.
Early April of 2014: I was medically cleared and had completed most of the paperwork
June 16, 2014 (anticipated): Departure for staging and off to Pre-Service Training in Malawi!

Info about my invitation:
(dates are approximate)
Staging: June 16-17, 2014
Pre-Service Training: June 18- August 28, 2014
Service: August 29, 2014-August 28, 2016