Zambia!

I received my invitation from the Peace Corps in the mail today! I have been invited to serve in Zambia as a Forestry Extension Agent!!! I am presently overwhelmed with the paper work and information that just plopped down into my lap, but as I learn more about my country of service and everything else I will be sure to post the details here.

More later!!!

INVITATION!!!

Hi there, well after months of waiting the day has finally come! I was invited to serve in the Peace Corps yesterday! On Monday a placement officer called but I wasn't home. She said to call her back and leave a message. By the time I knew this however, it was late in the afternoon so she wasn't in her office when I called. I called again Tuesday morning and she was still not there, so I left a message. My friend Daniel stayed over that night so I had to drive him back to Albuquerque and then teach my German session. It turns out that the placement officer called back about ten minutes after we left my house! This was getting frustrating. So when I returned home from teaching German at about 12:30 PM (MST) I called again and still got her answering machine. I left a message telling her the times I would be available over the next two days. About two hours later she called back! I finally talked to her. Our conversation was more like a second interview, she asked a lot of questions. She said I was being considered for an Agroforestry assignment in Sub-Saharan Africa in February 2009. After I hung up with her I was glad something had happened but wasn't prepared for what came next. I woke up Wednesday morning and turned on my computer... got online... expecting nothing... signed on to my e-mail... Inbox 1... probably nothing important...PEACE CORPS!!...the message reads: There has been an application status update to your Peace Corps Mytoolkit account, please login to view the changes. By this time my hands are shaking with excitement with prospect of finally being invited to serve. So, I go to the Peace Corps website, login, and well, on top of the page it no longer says 'nominee' it says, 'CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED TO SERVE AS A VOLUNTEER IN THE PEACE CORPS!!!'

Okay cool down...

Anyway, now all I have to do is wait for my Invitation Packet to come in the mail. When it comes I will know what country I will be serving in, the day I leave, and what exactly I will be doing! So keep your hats on the next few days and maybe this weekend or early next week there will be many more details to read.

Just so you know as much as I do, with a little research I found out that the African countries of service leaving in or near February are: South Africa - Jan 28, Madagascar, Zambia, and Rwanda. Only South Africa, Zambia, and Madagascar have Agroforestry programs, so I think it will be one of these countries. I won't know if this list is true or if I will be going to any of those listed until I receive the invitation packet...

On a side note, my GEOG 302 grade finally came in, an 'A' , as expected. Now all I'm waiting for is my Calculus grade to come in. Provided that grade is okay, I will also have my degree in the mail in the next few weeks! This next month or two should be exciting. Thanks for all of your love, support, and prayers.

God bless you all, and peace be with you!

What's New?

As in the previous post, which happened about a month ago, I wish I had more to report. Things have been rather slow and un-nerving the past month whether or not I have offered any indication of that. What little HAS happened: I finally finished my Statistics and Geography 302 correspondence courses and have received a grade for Stats, a "B", but not yet Geog in which I expect an "A". Calculus on the other-hand has been the enemy of progress. I have completed all but the last five questions on the last assignment and need to take another two exams of four total. The first two exams were not all too difficult, however it looks to me that exam three and the final exam will be more challenging. I am growing impatient and want to finish quickly, but I can not afford to do poorly on any exam. I want a good grade... and that's the bottom line. Anyway, I will be taking the third exam on Monday 9/15 and if I can help it, the final on the following day 9/16.

Otherwise, I went to Ruidoso to visit my friend Daniel's family back in the middle of August which was fun. But quite truly, I have otherwise been a recluse for the most part. I did, despite that, attend a family reunion on 8/24 for my Mom's side of the family (it was great!). The day before that I visited my Mom and her friend Cathy in Santa Fe for the Indian Market (Also fun!). Socialization otherwise has been restricted to my visits with my good friend Daniel when he and I are both free from obligations of any kind, and to times that people make the trip out of the way to come visit us up here in Placitas.

What else... I registered to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) today. I will be taking that exam on 10/25 at 8:30 am. If you're wondering what the GRE is, if you don't already know, it is a post under-graduate exam that is used to asses your eligibility to advance to the graduate level (i.e. Master's/Doctoral programs). I am not going to grad-school soon (after Peace Corps) but, it is a good idea to take the GRE soon after completing a four-year degree so that you can perform the best you possibly can on it.

Additionally... (if you haven't stopped reading already) I have instructed a small introductory German course for my Mom's company SCHOTT so that trainees going to Germany can have a little background in that language before heading over there for six-weeks. It looks like I will be instructing two more such courses... I can't wait! Teaching German has been fulfilling and the people I have had the pleasure to meet have been great in many ways and are most kind.

Last... (if you're still ticking) I also recently submitted an application to tutor for Catholic Charities in the areas of Science and ESL. This should also prove to be an enriching experience. I will know more details soon once I correspond further with their volunteer coordinator. I want to tutor because it is helpful to the people who receive instruction and to me as well. This extra experience can go on my final resume for Peace Corps; and I will have also had the opportunity to gain more experience teaching before being responsible for completing two years of such work.

I hope you survived reading this lengthy post. Rest assured however, that if you visit this page in the near future you may find out some more wacky information about my goings, comings, doings, and everything else! All of you out there be safe, God Bless you, and may you live happily in peace!

-Until Next Time! Tschuss!