My Timeline

We had an open house for some friends and neighbors yesterday night, and as a mini-project beforehand I decided I would type up a timeline of important dates, thought it may be helpful for people looking at applying to see my whole process rolled into one. 

Claire’s Peace Corps Timeline
    -November 15^th, 2010: I start my primary online application
    -December 2010: I submit my application
    -January 19^th, 2011: I submit fingerprints and primary skill documentation
    -January 31^st, 2011: Peace Corps (PC) Interview
    -February 1st, 2011: Nominated for a Sub-Saharan Africa placement with the Health Extension program  to be leaving in the fall
    -February 2011: Receive medical packet
    -April 12^th, 2011: Get all clear from the doctor’s office
    -May 23^rd, 2011: Send all needed paperwork, shots, x-rays and history files into the PC office in DC
    -June 6^th, 2011: PC grants me dental clearance
    -June 7^th, 2011: PC informs me that my original training group for the fall is full and that because of federal budget cuts they are putting all new nominations on hold.
    -June 21^st, 2011: PC begins a medical review of my file
    -June 27^th, 2011: Asked to submit additional paperwork for a secondary medical review
    -July 5^th, 2011: Discover I have a blood clot in my right leg after family vacation
    -July 9^th, 2011: I am told by PC that because of budget cuts I will not be leaving until somewhere around January of 2012.
    -August 1st, 2011: I submit the second round of medical paperwork
    -August 4^th, 2011: I’m medically cleared to serve
    -August 11^th, 2011: My file is moved to the placement office
    -August 21st, 2011: My undergraduate degree in Comparative Cultures and Politics is conferred from Michigan State University. 
    -September 22^nd, 2011: I have my placement interview
    -October 6^th, 2011: I am told that I have an invitation and my kit is in the mail!
    -October 11^th, 2011: I receive my invitation to serve in South Africa as HIV/AIDS Prevention and Mitigation volunteer departing January 23^rd, 2012
    -November 29^th, 2011: I am put on medical hold for a blood clot
    -December 19^th, 2011: I am officially removed from the South African training group
    -January 27^th, 2011: I see a specialist and he clears me to go off meds
    -February 8^th, 2011: I receive word that a second invitation is in the mail!!
    -February 13^th, 2011: I receive my second invitation to serve as an NGO Capacity Building volunteer in Botswana J
    -February-April: Preparation to leave, throw fabulous party!
    -April 10^th, 2012: Leave for Philly

April 11^th, 2012: Leave for Kanye, Botswana to serve as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer until June 10^th, 2014

So there it all is, lined up and pretty. This has been quite the journey and I haven't even gotten on a plane yet!

~Claire

Also, if you would like to have you day brightened, watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBrmaE82uY4&feature=related

It's super cute, and I am really hoping at some point during my service I get to see/ interact with elephants :)

A Million Little Things

I believe I was having a bit of an issue with peacecorpsjournals up until now because this blog was posting under South Africa still. In order to check and see if this problem has been fixed I am going to write a quickly post on all the tiny stuff I am attempting to wrap up before go time.

I have laid out the first round of clothing that I plan on bringing, and I also bought a kitchen knife a few days ago, so here is where the list stands:

-Get the meds that I need to go on the plane without having a blood clot
-Photo copy all of my important documents
-Actually pack the clothing I have laid out and make sure it meets the weight/ size restrictions
-Print out fun activities/ crocheting patterns to do during down time (this is more for once at site and less for during training)
-Sign durable power of attorney to my parents
-Call debit card company and let them know where I am going
-LEARN MORE SETSWANA!
-Buy anything I might need that I don't already have (not thinking there is going to be a lot to do with this one)
-Hugs, hugs and more hugs to damn near anyone and everyone
-Get on the plane

Goodness gracious, and I am sure there are going to be a billion other little things that come up to add to this list, but we will see :)

Much Love,
Claire

Setswana

I realized after I looked back at my last post that I was getting a bit on the depressing side. I apologize, I am doing a lot better and there is nothing like a little time to heal a somewhat bruised heart. Which brings me to the topic of this blog post, language. After hearing about some of the staging of language learning that a couple of my fellow trainees are in I thought it would be a good idea to dive head first into learning Setswana. My goal is to try and get down 20 words/ phrases a day until we leave.

This is going to be my first foray into the weird and wonderful world of learning a language without a teacher or professor there to guide me. I am kind of excited because it means I can learn what I need and not have to worry about going over vocabulary that I don't deem necessary. Then again, as I so recently pointed out to myself, I don't know any native Setswana speakers which means that I may be teaching myself incorrect pronunciation only to show up to site and be corrected. Better to be corrected than to not have anything to correct on though I guess.

Alright, I'm off to hang out with a work friend. Hope this finds everyone in good shape. Much love!

~Claire 

Pre-Departure Stress

25 days until go time and I have to say I am not in the best of mental places right now. Due to some personal matters my stress and emotional anxiety levels have sky rocketed and if you add that on top of the fact that I am leaving in less than a month it equals a whole lot of unpleasantness. I don't mean to freak those of you who may be reading this and are somewhere in your application process, I'm sure many of the people in my training group are doing just fine. My advice for those of you in pre-invitation stages: make sure you have a good handle on your personal life before getting ready to leave. Tie up the loose ends, do what you need to do to keep yourself mentally fit and stable and just be able to enjoy the ride.

On a happier side note, I just finished a book called "Whatever You Do, Don't Run" by Peter Allison and let me just say, if you are looking for some delightful reading about Botswana/ South Africa (though more so Botswana) it is the book to go to! I just bought his second book on my kindle and I have to say that I am so excited about my opportunities to see wildlife in Botswana after reading this. Allison was a safari guide for a bunch of years and his stories are well written, hilarious and mildly informative. :) I suggest all of you pick it up for a spin.

Alright, back to St. Patty's Day fun. Hope all is well!

~Claire

Prep, Prep and More Prep

I am officially at 38 days left before it is time to leave for Botswana! I have been trying to tie up as many lose ends as possible within my life seeing as I have the feeling that things are only going to start to move more quickly the sooner we get to go time.

I have taken care of getting the deferments for my student loans and sadly have realized that I am not going to be able to put off accruing interest. What sucks about this is that I am going to come back from Peace Corps and have gained about $2,000 more in interest than when I left. Quick vent: this is not cool, its not even that I am saying as a US Peace Corps Volunteer I deserve to get my loans forgiven, but I certain think that someone that is representing America abroad should not financially suffer for it. Part of the reason I joined PC is because I wanted to serve my country in a way I thought would be possible for me. That is not to say that I am putting even half as much on the line as our men and women fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan. I have only the utmost respect for these individuals because they are serving their country in a way I don't think I have it within me to do. That being said, I am serving my country in a way and I don't think waiving interest on a student loan would be the down fall of our civilization...

Alright I am done, so anyways I put in orders for a ton of different clothing items and finally caved and bought a sleeping bag with my Marmot discount. FUTURE PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS: do not buy things before departure without applying for the discounts listed on www.peacecorpswiki.com, they are going to save you a crap ton of money at the end of the day.

I have now moved into what I like to call "Def Con 2" which means I am undulating between being super pumped to leave and freaking that I am dumb enough to think I can do this. I'm estimating that I will move into Def Con 3 by the end of the week after next and come April I will be in stage 4 only to enter the final Def Con stage somewhere between 7 and 4 days before its time for me to leave. At that point don't expect my posts to make any sense whatsoever. :)

Things are going well though, I am enjoying planning and learning and getting ready for this most excellent adventure!

~Claire