College: Complete.
Camp: Complete.
Awkward Wait Between Camp and Peace Corps: In Progress. Still.
The wait before leaving in September is awful. Maybe it's just because I've known about my post since the end of May, but I'm going stir-crazy and over-analyzing all of the details that I don't know/won't know until I arrive (or, later, even.) Is it September 21st yet? I wish.
On the plus side, I have accomplished a lot of useful things: booking my flights, visiting friends, working on buying everything, and sorting out the 22 years of my life in my bedroom. It's been lovely actually being at home with the family for more than a day. I am making progress toward being ready, and everyday, Staging comes closer by another day.
What's next? More packing, more cleaning, more buying stuff, a wedding in Oregon, a visit to Allegheny, and more waiting. Lots and lots of waiting.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The Beginning
A month and five days: that's what separates me from beginning my stint as a Youth Development Coordinator in Cameroon. How's it feeling right now? Overwhelming. Exciting. Terrifying. Empowering. That's the thing with this, there are a million unknowns and a million emotions that go along with every little bit of this. And, you know, I'm okay with it. That's the way life is supposed to be, or so I hope.
So, what's the preparation actually like? Just like with the rest of the application process, there are times where there are millions of pieces of paperwork and other times where you hear absolutely nothing. Theoretically all of us are supposed to be spending our time studying French. Luckily, I've managed to borrow a copy of Harry Potter in French from a friend, which makes studying a million times more interesting. Plus, unlike Allegheny, NO ESSAYS! Besides that, there's a lot of packing and shopping. I feel like I am single-handedly backing the recent economic growth (you're welcome!)
September 21 is the big day. All of us in my class of volunteers will be flown out to Philly for staging (Peace Corps orientation, if you will.) We get our millions of vaccines and medications, do a host of crazy team-building activities, and then we all fly out to Yaounde (the nation's capital) and later Bafia together. Training is two and a half months long, once it's over, we'll get matched with a site somewhere in the country and move out to actually start our jobs mid-December. Youth Development is a sector that's totally new to Cameroon, so there are way more unknowns associated with my job than there are for most volunteers. Guess I'm just going to have to get reeeeeeally good at being go-with-the-flow and not all micromanage-y.
So, that's my Peace Corps life right now: full of preparation, unknowns, and lots of excitement. As the time comes closer to leave, there'll be another post. And, more importantly, once I arrive hopefully I'll be able to post often.
Take care!
So, what's the preparation actually like? Just like with the rest of the application process, there are times where there are millions of pieces of paperwork and other times where you hear absolutely nothing. Theoretically all of us are supposed to be spending our time studying French. Luckily, I've managed to borrow a copy of Harry Potter in French from a friend, which makes studying a million times more interesting. Plus, unlike Allegheny, NO ESSAYS! Besides that, there's a lot of packing and shopping. I feel like I am single-handedly backing the recent economic growth (you're welcome!)
September 21 is the big day. All of us in my class of volunteers will be flown out to Philly for staging (Peace Corps orientation, if you will.) We get our millions of vaccines and medications, do a host of crazy team-building activities, and then we all fly out to Yaounde (the nation's capital) and later Bafia together. Training is two and a half months long, once it's over, we'll get matched with a site somewhere in the country and move out to actually start our jobs mid-December. Youth Development is a sector that's totally new to Cameroon, so there are way more unknowns associated with my job than there are for most volunteers. Guess I'm just going to have to get reeeeeeally good at being go-with-the-flow and not all micromanage-y.
So, that's my Peace Corps life right now: full of preparation, unknowns, and lots of excitement. As the time comes closer to leave, there'll be another post. And, more importantly, once I arrive hopefully I'll be able to post often.
Take care!
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