I hope 2009 finds everyone healthy, wealthy, and wise in mind, body, and spirit. As America just took a huge step into the future with the swearing in of our 44th president, I am preparing to also take a giant step into my own future. I just arrived in beautiful Miami for the start of 27 months serving as a Community Health Promoter in Nicaragua with the Peace Corps. Whew, it’s a mouthful just to say, let alone actually do. I know, everyone is really proud of me, I’m going to make a difference in a lot of people’s lives, this is going to change my life, etc. etc. etc. You probably have a million questions also, like where the hell is Nicaragua and why would anyone actually want to go there? Have patience, all of those questions will be answered eventually. I want to first tell a little story about how I’ve managed to even get to this point. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be amazed by feats of patience, determination, and karmic retribution. I tend to ramble on occasion and this will definitely be the longest post you’ll have to put up with, but try and stay with me here, you won’t regret it.
I began the application process for the Peace Corps in July of 2007, so to say this is a long time coming is an understatement to say the least. The application process is notoriously frustrating, so I should have been prepared for the difficulties I faced, but of course being the eternal optimist I assumed everything would be a snap. Oh man was I wrong. I received my first nomination as a healthcare volunteer in Latin America leaving in June of 2008. I found out two weeks before graduation in May of 2008 that I had been medically deferred until March 2009 because of a paperwork error following a Lasik procedure. First sign that maybe I had some really really bad karma coming my way. I would have to go through a lengthy and stressful appeals process that made my initial departure date infeasible. So I suddenly found myself accepting my diploma from Georgia Tech (an engineer graduating with honors no less, still can’t believe that happened!) with no job, no real money, nowhere to live, and not a clue what to do with the rest of my life. Not a very good feeling considering how hard I worked to get to that point.
Fortunately, my stubborn streak reared its ugly head and I decided that there was no way I was giving up this dream so easily. It was following this initial disappointment that I began to realize how lucky I was to have so many strong and supportive people in my life. I had no shortage of people offering up everything from a shoulder to cry on to a couch to sleep on. I promptly packed up what little belongings I had left and moved in with my kickass friend Rick (who I’m still eternally grateful to) in Pensacola to do what every good engineer does: wait tables and work on my tan. Not exactly a great career move, but the break was much appreciated.
All was going well until I got my second karmic kick in the ass. I showed up to work on a delightful Sunday morning only to find the still smoldering remains of my former place of employment. Shitting my pants doesn’t even begin to cover it. The place had been struck by lightning the previous night and burned to the ground. I’ll repeat, shitting my pants doesn’t even begin to cover it. I quickly assessed the situation, which was forty servers suddenly out of work in a fairly small town, and decided the chances of finding a new job in Pensacola were slim to none. I decided to lick my wounds, pack up my things, and head home to Atlanta with my tail between my legs. Lets just say I know how to pick my battles.
So there I am, sharing my friend (who I am also eternally grateful to) Meghan’s couch with five stray kittens she had adopted (true story), working an even worse serving job, and seriously thinking that I had made a terrible mistake by still chasing this dream. Thankfully I had my first glimmer of hope. After several months of waiting, the Peace Corps appeals board finally looked over my file and overturned my medical deferment. Whoo hoo! Now I just had to play the waiting game while headquarters looked over my file and gave me a new assignment.
I then really took a step up in life and did what every girl dreams of: moved into my brother’s basement. Once again, not glamorous but I was eternally grateful to still have a roof over my head. I received my new assignment, still healthcare and Latin America but I wasn’t getting to leave until January of 2009. I was definitely not stoked about having to wait until January, but at least things were starting to look up. For about a week. I then lost my second job in as many months when the restaurant I was working at closed down. Seriously, if you own a restaurant please don’t let me within 20 feet of it. I beg of you.
I found yet another serving job, this one even shittier than the previous two. Freakin economy, at this point I was just lucky to have a job. I managed to secure not only a permanent residence, but a killer house with great roommates in a perfect neighborhood that I could actually afford. Triumph of the century. My good luck continued when I finally received the package that every future volunteer dreams of: the invitation kit. (As a sidebar, if you get a chance please ask me about finding my invitation kit, there really isn’t enough time to do the story justice here, but I promise you won’t be disappointed.) Not only did it have my departure date and more a more specific job description, but this was when I learned of my country of service, Nicaragua. It was official! Through this entire process there were only two countries that was really hoping and praying for, and Nicaragua was one of the two. Thrilled doesn’t even begin to cover it. Luck was finally back on my side. For the first time I began to think that this was actually going to happen for me. For the next couple months all I had left to do was play the waiting game again until my departure, which I’d become a master at in the past year and a half.
There’s really two things that I’ve taken from this consistently excruciating process, the first being the importance of patience and persistence, two virtues that will serve me will in the upcoming years. The second is how truly blessed I am to be surrounded by such a wealth of supportive, loving, and trusted family and friends. Without all of ya’ll I NEVER would have made it to this point. I love and am thankful for every single one of you. Remember, I’m just a plane ride away. (hint hint)
Whew, everyone take a breath. Ok, take one more. Awesome. Now that everyone’s caught up to speed, I’ll give you the cliff notes version of what’s in store for me over the next 27 months. My official job description is a Community Health Promoter, which is essentially health education. I fly to Nicaragua tomorrow, where I’ll spend three months living with a host family and participating in intense language, cultural, and vocational training. From there I get assigned to a post where I’ll be for two years until the end of my service. No, I don’t know where I’ll be during the two years. I don’t even really know where I’ll be during training (they like to surprise you like that) but it will most likely be within a couple hours of the capital Managua. I could go into more detail, but I figure I’ll hook more readers by spicing things up with a little suspense. I’m tricky like that.
I could easily spend the next three days talking about the awesomeness that is Nicaragua, but for the sake of everyone’s sanity I’ll abstain until a later date. Seriously, just Wikipedia it. I’ve said enough for one day. Or, just wait until I arrive there and receive detailed firsthand accounts of its greatness.
I could also easily spend the next three days talking about the seemingly infinite number of thoughts racing through my head right about now, but I woke up at 5am and would rather sum it up in two words: oh shit. Maybe once I take a nap I’ll be more in the mood for articulating my emotions. Until next time…
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