The Peace Corps Called!

Chapter 3--Real Peace Corps News to report!

So today I took a vacation day & did some sightseeing in DC. I think I was on a narrow windey road along the Potomac's C&O at approx 4pm. By the time I got back home, mowed my overgrown lawn, and ate some leftovers, it was 8:30.
I decide to check my phone as I'm getting ready to kick-it & I see that the PC called at 4:11pm!!! I listened to the message 4-5 times. It was someone from the Placement Office who is looking forward to talking me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Besides the excitement of knowing that MY file is on someone's desk, I'm feel jipped. Surely they must realize that Friday afternoon after the Close of Business may not be an opportune time to chat! Now I have to wait until Monday... but my curiousity is piqued! I hope they have some good news/topics for discussion.

I must note that I didn't get any emails from PC. So, this means they need to transmit info that is best said on the phone, and not on a simple email, right? I mean, I've been combing PCJournals for months, and they generally send an email asking for experience, updated resume, or to schedule a phone interview!!

**
I should also note that I did not expect to hear from them until after June b/c I do not have my military discharge papers yet...which they need to see before they can process my application further. Obviously, they wouldn't want to invite someone who is under miltiary obligation.
My last day in the CG is June 2nd.

On a personal note, I have been overly sentimental lately...on top of being prematurely nostalgic. I love change and believe that it is the stuff life is made of; not to be dreaded, but to be celebrated. But, I start thinking of saying my personal goodbyes and I tear up. I started chocking up yesterday in front of the staff while I was saying a general goodbye.

I'm feeling a lot of emotions that challenge me to explore who I am at my very core. I live a daily battle which is at the center of every Gemeni's life..the duality. I'm happy/hopeful/excited to embark on a new chapter in my life, but sad to say goodbye...saying farewell to life as I have known it for years & to the people who were part of it.

The duality within me that envies some lady's Louis Vuiton bag (promising myself to buy one someday), while moments later walking by the homeless lady asking for money to feed her four children. *sigh* Suddenly buying an LV seems so frivolous.

My elevator schpeel

Last week I learned about resume`s, interviews, cold calls, and elevator schpeels. You use an elevator schpeel to describe yourself in 30 seconds or less. It is a particularly important to have developed b/c you never know who you are going to meet. In a job hunting setting, you describe the job you want, followed by your skills set & background, followed by asking for an interview.

In general, I think it's important to know how to describe yourself. Do you describe yourself as your circumstance, your job, your home of record, your faith, your character, your characteristics, marital status? How do you want others to describe you?

I refuse to be defined by my job...b/c i'm so much more than my job...but i sit back and think, that's probably how other people describe me. In conversations, I always avoid occupation & education unless it relates to other subjects.

Yet, somehow, if i become a Peace Corps Volunteer...that is how I will be introduced to my community members, and after service I will likely describe myself as a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer for the rest of my life. I would be proud of this of course, but i think i like the idea of describing myself in terms of my future, and not my past

"Hello, my name is Liz & I'm a future Peace Corps Volunteer" --I can't wait to start use it!

501 Verbs

2.6
I went running this weekend on the beautiful C&O Canal in Maryland when it finally occured to me that my 501 Spanish Verb book might be a good one to take with me. I don't know why I'm obsessed with what books I will take to my future PC assignment, because it's not like I'm a huge reader.

I saw a book in the library about finding a job and explores the idea of identifying each person's unique gifts, passion & abilities.
Gifts: something you do uniquely better than most anyone
Passion: things you love to do
abilities: things you can do
(I don't remember teh title, but I need to get it after i'm done w/ my other books.)

I think my gift is Spanish! I discovered my passion is the environment. abilities...I can do all things to a mediource standard!! (which bothers me sometimes, but i'm not passionate about perfection).

Sitting here thinking, i'll finally get to do something that I'm good at!!

A shout-out (is that phrase still used anymore?) to my PC Journal personalities who have recently gotten or will soon get Invites: Elaina, Jorie & all the other folks! Enjoy--I'm sure you are walking on clouds right now:)

I dreamed a dream...

2.5-
I'm amazed to think that I will soon be out of the Coast Guard. The wheels are in motion & in June I'll officially be terminal leave/permanant vacation & possibly even start collecting unemployment... My house is under contract & as soon as I get a better idea of when I go to 'closing', I might even have a WV yard sale.

Six months ago, I was wavering on whether I was committed to my dream of joining the Peace Corps & willing to 'pull up chaulks'....so I guess this is what 'pulling up chaulks' feels like: excitment about the unknown [paradigm shift b/c I used to be scared of the unknown until recently].

There's a lot of ground to cover over the next two months. Hopefully, I'll have some Peace Corps news soon (but for now, the PC is waiting for my CG dishcharge papers).

For now, dreaming about my 'summer break' goals (Captain's license, GRE, boating, & joining a tennis club)... literally, living the dream.

Also, as an update I have a really strong feeling I'm going to Paraguay in Sept based on the pcWiki... (Mexico or Peru are other possbilities--but I'm getting ahead of myself [dang it! i always do that])!

BTW, Happy Easter! Enjoyed a beutiful day celebrating many blessings.

Being Sure of What I Hope For

Chapt 2.5

I do enjoy reading the accounts of my fellow bloggers on PC Journals and the comments of those on PeaceCorpsConnect- such awesome information sharing & moral support forums! My nominiation is for an Environmental Educaiton program in September 2010...so needless to say I have all the time in the world to scour the net for what the next step will be (after Legal Clearance) and be prepared.

To that end, I've updated my Resume to include an Objective Statement at the top: Seeking an invitation as an Environmental Education volunteer in the Peace Corps. I also added VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE section which highlighted my volunteering in short bullet format. Overall, i think it looks so much better than the one I originally submitted with my application last Fall b/c the orign resume was the first time drafting a resume.

I also started working on an Aspiration Statement!! Thanks to some of the more detailed bloggers who actually posted their Aspiration Statements w/ subtitles to give you an idea of what you should be thinking of. They ask for Aspiration Statement along with the official PC Invitation to serve, AND a lot of other paperwork, so I figured 'why not do it now?' Yes, it's a little generic, but it will be a great springboard. Plus, why not start thinking about what motiviates you and start imagining what you will do after your Peace Corps experience????

This is an excellent time to practice more than patience...practice positive thinking...being sure of what you hope for & certain of what you do not see.

Finally some time to read

Chapt 2.4
Eastern-Atlantic BLIZZARD of 2010 has afforded a snow day, and some time to read. I'm currently reading Dark Star Safari by Paul Thereux...which is turning out to be a gripping read of his travels from Cairo to Cape Town (this is also the subtitle)! I don't expect to serve in Africa, but I am enjoying the book!

For those who haven't read Banjoree's "What to know before you go: insider's guide to the Peace Corps" he mentions that you should take a new book w/ you as you will likely find a vast library of donated books at you in-country PC office full of all the classics... so no need load your suitcase down.

I'm sitting here trying to think, if I could only choose two books to take w/ me (to the moon), what would they be? The Bible would be one (unless they already had a Bible on the moon)! So my second, I'm thinking should be poetry or philosophical in nature....since I never seem to have times to read these!

The History of God by Karen Armstron is a strong runner-up right now or Genius by Harold Bloom (widely read literary critic). Both books are long and big...and I've owned for more than 5 years! My Modus Operendi (M.O) seems to be that I read 50-100 pages, then stop to read another book, and by the time pick my original book back up, I have totally forgotten what I read and I havve to start all over again!! It's cycle!

I guess I'm trying to figure this out so I don't inadvertantly pack my books away in boxes, and lose them in storage.

Skill Sets

Chapt 2.3
When I originally applied to the Peace Corps, I didn't do too much homework about the programs and countries. I was more concerned about whether my skill sets would be useful to the PC, rather than really figuring out what I would love to do in PC.

Bad idea? Maybe. I had been (and am) volunteering w/ the Lions Club, 1-on-1 literacy tutoring, and occasionally at my church's soup kitchen. I'm also bilingual (English/Spanish). Based on that, I applied for 1. Education, 2. Environment, and 3. Community Development.

I was nomiated for an Enironmental Education project (which thrills me) in Latin America departing in SEPT! But now that's I've working through peacecorp.gov's country and work area maps, I'm kind of remiss that I didn't ask or hint at an assignment in the Pacific Islands for marine conservation (think coral reefs) or natural resource management...after all, my degree is in Marine & Environmental Science!

Looking on peacecorpsWiki.com, I see all the possiblities of Environment projects departing in Sept. FIJI is on the list (but not high up).#1 is PERU.

I would love to be able to exercize my degree in a practical setting/manner. Plus, it would set the stage for my future graduate studies; the University of Idaho offers a great Environmental Studies graduate program & I'm planning to take the GRE before transitioning from the military (and the Post 9/11 GI bill will pay for it).

Oh, the opportunities are endless. A friend once told me, 'you got to make things happen.' If you keep doing the same thing, you're going to keep getting what you've always gotten. I also remember teh Sister Hazel song that says, 'if you want to be someone else, you got to change your mind.' Thus, I set foot in the Real world....where economies are bad, people go w/out health insurance, and the struggle to survive is very real.