Hi everyone! Hope my blog can help be of some insight and use to all curious about my Namibian Peace Corps adventure, especially those interested in applying for Peace Corps. This will be the adventure of a lifetime!! Here is a quick timeline of what my application process was like. I did apply under the old system, but am serving is a new system posting. There's a couple other volunteers in my group in a similar boat. I guess you could call us some old system/new system hybrids.
May 2014 - Application submitted
Like I said, I applied under the old system and the application was veeerrrryyyyy long! From what I hear the new application is MUCH easier to work with.
June 1, 2014 - Candidate reference number received
I believe that is a bit different now and you get a notification if you are under consideration for a certain program now.
June 18, 2014 - References contacted
I received an email from the local recruiter telling me my 3 references have now been contacted and that processing this information would take up to 10 business days
July 15, 2014 - Interview Inquiry
I received an email from my recruiter to schedule an in-person interview time and date.
July 17, 2014 - INTERVIEW!!!!!
This is one major difference from the old system and new system. In the old system we interviewed in person, which I like because technology isn't my strong suit. However, now in the new system applicants interview either via video chat (skype) or by phone. I was feeling 4792734972 emotions/nerves but I had amazing friends practice questions. Also, the day of my interview one of my best friends met me to eat and help give me pep talks/ calm me. It helped!! Interviewing is a big deal. For my experience I interviewed with my recruiter and it was a lot more like a conversation than it was an interview. It also helped that at this point I had already been working with my recruiter for about 2 years prepping/planning experience to gain prior to applying/interviewing. To help prepare for your interview check out www.peacecorpswiki.org/Interview_Questions
August 7, 2014 - Nomination for a Peace Corps Program
This email was very vague and I don't believe part of the new system any more. This was an email I received from my recruiter telling me I would be in the education sector. No location or departure date was given.
September 2014 - Big News
I was told I'm up for Nicaragua departing March 2015.
*radio silence...........
So I emailed my recruiter in November 2014 to follow up on the status of my application, and received automatic email saying that he is no longer with Peace Corps. That was a bit of a concern for me so I then contacted my regional office who then got me in touch with the main office in DC. In December I was then told I would not be serving in Nicaragua but asked if I was willing to consider Africa. I told them anywhere really was fine.
January 2015 - The official word is in!!!!!
In January I received my Invitation to serve as a Secondary English Teacher in Namibia Africa departing August 5, 2015!!! I was at work when I received the invitation via email and was so excited that I jumped up squealed, ran out of the classroom (I was working in a school at a residential program as an American Sign Language Interpreter at the time) and instantly called my little sister. I also had to call my parents right away. I after letting everything sink in and hearing some congratulations along with concerns I decided to accept the Invitation the following day.
Medical clearance: I began my medical clearance in February 2015.
Dental - In February I was able to find a dentist who was running a special on X-rays for new patients. I called and let them know about the paperwork before hand as one of the requirements for clearance. They were willing to help! They did the X-rays and provided me with physical and digital copies for me to submit as required and even gave me a free cleaning. *** If anyone is in the Santa Fe, NM area I would be happy to refer you to the dentist I used because they were amazing!!!!
Visual/Eye Exam Clearance- This took place in late February. Being that I wear glasses an eye exam was also a requirement along with needing to buy 2 pairs of glasses to bring with me to service. I used EyeMart Express in Albuquerque, NM. being that they were VERY affordable and able to get me in quickly. Peace Corps only reimburses $12USD for eye exams and glasses which does even cover the eye exam so I was looking for the cheapest route. They were extremely kind. Also, when I lived in Chicago I really liked VisionWorks because they were also very affordable and quick.
Medical Clearance/Physical Exam- This was by far the most stressful part!!!!! I had to do 2 physicals since the nurse on the medical portal said I could not have a Nurse Practitioner perform my exams even though I had already had asked prior and was told it was fine. So after already performing the second physical exam I got a message saying the prior nurse gave me incorrect information and that it is okay for Nurse Practitioners in NM to run and sign the paperwork for medical clearance. I was very annoyed by this being that doctor appointments are expensive but hey. I also needed some extra paperwork filled out since I have Celiac Disease and did report I had some Anxiety in the past with some effects of PTSD.
Finally after 3 months, 8 total doctor appointments, 2 cups of urine samples, 6 tubes of blood and all the required paperwork being submitted I was medically cleared! I had everything submitted by late April and received my medical clearance approval at the beginning of May.
Legal Clearance: This was a bit tricky since there weren't may places that still do ink finger prints but once the printing was actually completed I simply had to mail in the paperwork and prints, a couple weeks later I received an email informing me prints had be received and will be processed. I guess "no news is good news" when it comes to legal clearance. I called them in June 2015 and found out around April my background/legal clearance had been approved.
Finally, just after July 4, 2015, Peace Corps contacted us to arrange plane tickets and come August 7, 2015 (we had our departure date pushed back a couple days) it was wheels up!
From when I applied to when I departed it was a 1 year 3 month process.
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