Spring break is essentially over–classes are looming. My sociology text is staring dolefully at me from the dresser, wondering why I’m not reading for my exam on wednesday. I’m doing what I usually do when I don’t feel like doing work that’s due soon: I am making plans for after graduation.
You may have guessed from the video that those plans involve the Peace Corps. I went to a presentation on campus a few weeks ago, and the Peace Corps bug, which has been lazily circling me for years, finally bit me.
I would be willing to go pretty much anywhere they care to send me, but I’m hoping for a placement in Africa. Preferably francophone Africa, because speaking pretty decent French will leave me time and mental energy to learn the local language(s), and the more effectively I can communicate, the better. That’s the official reason–the other reason is that I am an incurable language nerd and I intend to pick up as many languages as I can, as well as possible while I’m there. Just to be cool 
I graduate in December 2010, so I’m looking to head out pretty soon after that-February or March 2011 would be ideal, but I know this is one of many things that is out of my hands. It all depends on which country and which program I’m in. They send a whole group of PCVs (peace corps volunteers–although technically PCTs, because you’re not officially a volunteer until after the 3 month on-site training. so much lingo to learn!) who are all working in the same country in the same program. So if you’re a health volunteer in Mauritania (for example), you’re going whenever they’re sending the next group of health volunteers to Mauritania. Of course, you’re not going to know you’re going to Mauritania until you get your final invitation. I can already tell that high tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty are going to be VERY important over the next year and a half, not to mention the 27 months after that.
Luckily I HAVE a high tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity–a quality that has been reinforced by seven months of studying abroad. Apparently the application process is quite involved–which is reassuring, because if they’re sending people to remote places for more than two years, they’d better make sure that the PCVs can hack it. So the whole process is designed to weed out the people who are too impatient or undecided or unmotivated BEFORE the Peace Corps goes to the trouble of flying them to the country, training them, matching their skills to a community, etc. The communities have to apply for a volunteer in a certain field, and they often wait for a few years before they get one, so it’s really not fair to them if they FINALLY get a volunteer and then that volunteer leaves early.
It goes something like this: you fill out a ridiculously detailed application online, your regional recruiter contacts you to set up an interview, you pass medical and dental exams, you get nominated for a continent/region (which is usually, though not always, where you are sent), and finally you get the official invitation for a specific country, a specific program, a specific departure date. That can take anywhere from seven months to a year, start to finish, so it’s in your interest to apply as soon as possible.
It’s actually too soon for me to apply right now, since I’m not available until 2011. I’ll probably start my application in October or November. In the meantime, I’m looking into jobs in the university writing lab, ESL tutoring opportunities, and other community service stuff that will make me a better candidate. Realistically, I’m probably going to be an English teacher (although I suppose that with my farm background I have a slight chance of being an agriculture volunteer), so I’ll need at least 3 months of either English or ESL tutoring experience before I go, but the more experience I can get now, the less overwhelming the job will be later. There’s also a program in BG where they match international students with American students to help their English and encourage cultural exchange-it’s too late in the semester to start now, but it’s something to think about for the fall.
In other news, I’m writing the requisite essays, “Why do you want to live in the French House?” and “Qui etes-vous?”, so I can turn my Maison Francaise application in on Monday. Caitlin is moving in too, so we’re going to room together again, and Pam is planning on living there as well. It seems like we’ll have a decent mix of upperclassmen and freshmen next year, which is a very good thing. I’ll be sad to give up my private living room and VIP off-campus-on-campus-all-flexfunds meal plan, but I’m looking forward to a shorter walk to class, onsite printer (even though I know it displays all the error messages in french and is possessed by demons), and 90-second commute to starbucks.
