We're Going to Armenia!

January 31, 2015; S/P Application Day 217; T-202 Days to Departure

We officially accepted our Invitations to Serve with Peace Corps Armenia today. We were immediately bombarded with a slew of tasks to complete. Most immediately, we have 10 days to update our resumes and write an aspiration statement each and get those things uploaded to our file. 

Reading through the Welcome Book for the Peace Corps Armenia program did help me feel more positive about service. For one thing- people knit in Armenia. (Not much in the way of knitting in Cambodia- who would want to wear a sweater in the jungle?) This means that I can bring at least one of my hobbies from home with me when we leave.

I've decided to take a break from blogging about the Peace Corps until we actually leave- for one thing, we'll be starting out Tiny Adventure soon, and I'm pretty sure I'll have my hands full blogging about that. For another, I think I need to give myself some time and space to get used to the idea of teaching for two years. I know that I can wrap my head around it and get myself into a positive place with this assignment, but right now writing about it feels a little bit like picking a scab before it's healed: the more you do it, the larger the scar. So, I'll be  posting back here again in a few months. In the mean time, if you're interested, feel free to head over to the Tiny Adventure blog and read about how we're building our own Tiny House before we leave with the Peace Corps. 

Invitation!

January 27, 2015; S/P Application Day 213; T-206 Days To Departure

Today we received our official Invitations to Serve with the Peace Corps. I wish I were more excited, but I'm still reeling from the work sector change. The program we're invited to departs August 21st, 2015, and so from now on I'll not only be including the Days Since Application, but also the Days Until Departure count at the top of each post. We have seven calendar days to accept or decline our invitation. 

Decided to go to Armenia

January 26, 2015, S/P Application Day 212:

I called the Peace Corps Armenia Placement Officer today to let her know that Sam and I would be thrilled to go to Armenia. I'm not sure if that's true for me right now, but I'm working really hard to make it true by the time that we actually depart. We should get our official invitations some time in the next few days.

Well, they always said that you need to be flexible....

January 23, 2015; S/P Application Day 209:

I was contacted today by the Peace Corps Armenia Placement Officer. She told me that there were no more spots in the Cambodia program that Sam and I had been nominated to. There are, however, two education spots open in Armenia. She told me that this was Sam and my best bet to be able to serve as Peace Corps Volunteers, but that it would mean I would be serving as an Education Volunteer rather than as a Health Volunteer. She's holding two spots for us. I have the weekend to discuss it with Sam. They need an answer on Monday.

I honestly don't know what I'm going to do. When you start your Peace Corps Application, every one tells you that you need to be flexible to be a successful Peace Corps Volunteer. But of all the ways I imagined being flexible in my Peace Corps service- I never imagined that I wouldn't be doing something I loved. I've tried to get behind the idea, but no matter how I look at it, I don't like kids, and I'm not passionate about teaching. Not being able to serve as a health volunteer is extremely disappointing to me. 

On the other hand, all the reasons I wanted to apply to the Peace Corps are still relevant. Living in Armenia for two years will expose me to a new culture, it will expand my understanding of the world, I'll learn a new language. I'll travel and live in a part of the world that I'd never visit otherwise. And the secondary cross sector goal in Armenia is Gender Equality/Women's Empowerment, which is something I can really get behind. It's also a really good opportunity for Sam. Unlike the Cambodia program, the Armenia Education sector is one of only 3 PC programs which result in TEFL certification by the US government at the end of your service. 

I'm really dissapointed that I won't be able to work as a Health Volunteer. But given that that's no longer an option and the choice I have is working as an Education Volunteer in Armenia or not working as a Peace Corps Volunteer at all, I think I have to choose to go to Armenia. I just hope I can get rid of the bitter taste I get in my mouth ever time I think about it before then.

Contact from Cambodia Placement Officer

January 8, 2015; S/P Application Day 194: 

Today both Sam and I were contacted separately by TH, the Placement & Assignment Specialist for Peace Corps Cambodia. TH informed us that we are currently under consideration for the Cambodia program and the final "Know By" date (the last date that applicants will hear from TH regarding a decision on their application) is March 15th. TH also asked us each two questions: Did we know how to ride a bike? and How did we feel about living with a host family for the entire 27 months? We answered both of these things with the appropriate (and helpfully true) "Yes, we can ride bikes" and "Living with a host family will be fine" answers. Hopefully we'll get an invitation soon?