NOMINATED!!!!

So...
it's September 16th (though it's September 19th as I'm writing this) and I'm having lunch with my wonderful sorority owl pal (I'm in Chi Omega) and I get a voicemail pop up on my phone. I wasn't going to answer it but my owl pal went to the bathroom so I figured I'd call while she was away.

BOY WAS IT AMAZING NEWS!!! I had been so nervous for weeks that I wasn't going to get a nomination BUT I DID!! And I'm so excited, words can't express my amazement. Though there are stipulations that come with my nomination, I think that it's available for me to complete them in the time their requesting to make me the most competetive candidate for the Health Extension Program in Sub-Saharan Africa. My legal/health/dental clearance papers will come in the mail and once I submit them, with my newly revised resume and hopefuly 30 hours/3 months of experience working with members of the community living with HIV/AIDS I MIGHT BE INVITED!!!! (most PCV'ers don't get invited until February/March once they applied in July/August)

The really funny thing is that I DO believe the Interim Director for the "Center For Living" I worked with over the summer is going for the same program come May. I haven't talked to her in almost two months so I'm not sure but I'm excited to go visit and tell her all about it. I thought I was going to be able to go back to my internship as soon as school started but it's just been so crazy. The second that I think that I'm able to go "this friday" something always comes up :(

But I might switch internships anyway so that I can work towards a more personal relationship with members of the community living with HIV/AIDS. They asked that I get 30 hours or 3 months of more "experience" with the HIV/AIDS community. I have to make sure my CPR/AED certification is done before I resubmit my resume, as well as find a more counseling based internship/volunteer posibilities in the area.

I know it didn't really have that much to do with the HIV/AIDS community but my career & personal development advisor suggested I go through safe zone training to help make me a better candidate for internship possibilities in the future assisting with members of the community living with HIV/AIDS. I'm hoping it will so that I can work on a closer basis.

I am truly passionate about HIV/AIDS awareness! It all started with my biology of human sexuality class (though I didn't pass it the first time). I gained the ability to discuss the subjects comforatbly. Then came the SigEp philanthrophy and the processes behind fund raising for Youth Aids Awareness. I have always had a sincere passion for children, and through SigEp my love for the members of the community living with HIV/AIDS increased even more. Then after I was contacted about a possible internship working at an HIV & AIDS clinic in a town 20/30 minutes north of my place. I was excited and anticipated that the internship would really make me have a relationship with many of the patients that came in. During the summer I wasn't able to get as much experience as I had hoped so that is why now I'm looking to work for a non-profit where I can personally assist the members of the community living with HIV/AIDS, not just file papers and clean floors. Though I'll admit I will never forget my experience at that internship, I hope that it was a wonderful foundation for a future experience at another non-profit.

So until next time! BYYEEE!