INVITATION!!!!! FIJI!!!!

HELLOOOOO FIJI!!! 

  Or should I say Bula!! Can't believe it!! I'll be leaving September 4th for 27 months to Fiji!!! :) 

  The unfortunate part is that I am in Ghana still so I haven't actually received my invitation just a welcome packet, and job assignment!! I will be working as a Community Health Promotion Facilitator! Working with several different outreach programs with a long range of items to educate communities on! 

  Of course the over achiever in me has already looked up information from WHO, the Peace Corps Fiji Program Evaluation, and the Fiji Health Systems Review. Yea I'm awkward like that. The opportunities are endless! Can't believe I ended up in Fiji when I was so sure I'd be in Africa!! Everyone keeps telling me we've hit the Peace Corps lottery and I can't help but agree. Not only will this be a great experience but if I live in a more rural village, and when family arrive they can see both sides and still get an actual vacation out of it too!! Now I know since there are 8 weeks away something could happen to not go through but I'm hoping for the best!! 

  Just want to give a shout out to everyone who has been following or supporting me through this process! Thank you so much for everything :) can't wait to see what the next few years bring!! 

Dreams...they do come true!

Not to put all my eggs in one basket as I am still two months away from when I could possibly leave... But after speaking with my placement officer and getting the questions such as: How is your family support, where are you in terms of safety and precautions, what have you been doing to live the life of a volunteer, really everything that they should but after the phone call and a check with legal my placement officer emailed me the most amazing news, I did the happiest happy dance I've done in years:

Hi,  

I checked with the Legal Eligibility  Office and was informed that your ticket was/is not a problem. So, I am clearing you for Peace Corps service and issuing you an invitation to serve in a Peace Corps health assignment departing for the Pacific Islands September 4th .  However, there is one condition.  I will need a final transcript that has the words “degree conferred” and the date by the first week of August at the latest.    

Your invitation should arrive in 5-10 business days.  After reading through your invitation materials, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.   Otherwise, please follow the detailed instructions in your invitation packet on how to accept your invitation.  

Thanks for the information regarding your address. I suspect that our mail room will not be too keen about sending a packet to an addresses in Ghana without numbers.  Therefore, I would be inclined to use the P.O. Box address, as it seems a bit “safer” if you will."

seriously can't believe this...

Sometimes I really do wish I was a crier. I feel amazing. I know it's all speculation and things could happen to make me not be apart of it but... Im on cloud 9 right now so I'm just thinking about all the positives. I probably won't be too crazy until I'm on that plane over and have fully be swore in after training to know that everything is real, but until then I'll be in my dreamland just happy to know that my dreams are coming true. <3 thank you everyone for their support. It's been an amazing ride just to get this far. I love you daddy, my life would mean nothing without you.

PLACEMENT OFFICER!!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhh omg!

I just received this email:

Hi,  

Greetings from the Peace Corps Placement Office.  My name is B and I am your Peace Corps Placement Officer. I believe that you are overseas now; however, I would like to arrange a time for a final interview for Peace Corps Suitability. Please let me know a number where you can be reached and a time this week (or next) when you are available to speak for 30min or so. I can call internationally, and am usually in the office from 8:30 AM EST through 5:30 PM or so.

  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.



Then we confirmed to talk Wednesday evening after I get done with my after school club I have here in Ghana!! Ohmygosh!! I'm so excited!! I'll keep you posted for more news!!!!

Anxiety

Officially Medically Cleared, 34 days until Ghana, 29 until Commencement... reality hits.

I am really doing all that I thought. I submitted my service learning hours, just the basic ones even though when I went through my service at FGCU I had well over 400- but I didn't have the time to drive over to every supervisor just to get them signed especially since my car isn't working. Haha this time my tire blew and unfortunately with Ghana to pay for and visa applications, vaccinations and malaria pills also clothes to pay for items for my car are the least of my worries.

It's all so real and it gets really scary. The start of something new, the idea of figuring out where I'm going in my life. I have all the emotions inside of me, ones that I've just started to even acknowledge, let alone try to understand them. I'm nervous about graduating. What if my GPA is too low? Over a 3.0 means you're "above average" but I've always thought of myself as an Exceeds Expectations kind of person. I've always been a "goody-two shoes" and have enjoyed my naivete in many of my paths throughout college, but am learning what it means to be "put together". Just because you're a mess on the inside doesn't mean you need to show it. I used to be good at that, but with all this pressure from family, friends, professors, mentors, advisers, Student Government, Housing (Resident Assistant stuff), boys, jobs, really just life in general, I'm more anxious than ever.

I'm anxious to leave for Ghana, but in an great way. To make a difference in the months that I'm there, to experience life in a completely different culture than I've ever experienced. I'm anxious about all this work I still have to do for my classes, it's extensive: a grant proposal, two research papers, two final exams, two presentations and a service project that I have no clue how I'm going to finish in time, 20 credits my senior semester wasn't my smartest move. I'm anxious to graduate, more so because it means I did it in four years and have a hell of a resume to show for it. I'm anxious to wonder if my dad is proud of me. I'm anxious to think about all the things I've been through in these past four years, what a way to live life. I'm anxious about where I'll be in 5 months. Will I be leaving for Africa again? Or will I be in D.C living with my best friend, figuring out what I can do to make a difference in the HIV/AIDS community there. I'm just a bit anxious about that.

I have been so privileged over my last four years. To have finally met my mother, to have met my two best friends that will be by my side until the day I die, to have met the most wonderful little sister I could've ever dreamed of, to have seen love, to have seen life, to have seen hard work and perseverance make a difference, I have been so honored to have served the students of my university, gosh I just can't explain it. I have lived my life in such a crazy pace, from my very first breath I never stopped going. I am blessed by God to know that I have been given and searched for the resources to make my dreams a reality.

This Peace Corps process, though daunting has been such an experience in itself. Learning patience, perseverance etc. I have learned more about who I am, and have pushed myself to be better. I still make mistakes but I acknowledge them and recognize when I am acting as a bad person would. But then again there are no bad people, just mistakes and insanity.

I am so proud to be a member of the Peace Corps Family and can not wait until I hear from my placement officer!! It will be an amazing experience to discuss all the things I might have the ability to do while I'm serving.

So privileged. So honored. So Anxious.

have a great month of April everyone :)