Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Take a deep breath....Much Better

Yesterday, after blogging about my questionnaire, I started to really sort through everything.

 I realized that no matter what any one suggests for any of this Peace Corps stuff, that this is my thing. I am the one applying, I am the one going.

Now, I am settling calmly in to the next stage of this 'great wait'. I'm sure that RAS will return shortly, but I am going to do my best to maintain this PMA for as long as possible.

6 comments:

  1. Emma,

    I just had my final interview yesterday with my Placement Officer. After waiting--waiting, waiting, waiting--for two months from the time I was medically cleared and sent in my updated resume, my Placement Officer called and we had the interview. Though nothing has been updated on my toolkit, she said that I am now "being officially considered for Peace Corps teaching positions" and it's just a matter of finding a country to satisfy my medical clearance.

    I don't know what you mean when you write "RAS" and "PMA"; however, I like what you said about this being "your thing." I realized this too. This is also "my thing." In my impatience I seek out all these blogs to see what other people are doing and where they are at in the process and if they know anything that I don't. What I've found is that we are all doing our own "things." (In spite of this awareness, here I am, reading your blog trying to find out what you know that I don't. It's funny.)

    I liked that. Good luck to you.

    Bailey

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  2. Bailey-

    Congratulations on your interview!!!!!!! That is great! I can't wait to find out where they will want you to go.

    'RAS' (Restless Applicant Syndrome) and 'PMA' (Positive Mental Attitude) are terms that I've picked up from other bloggers. I also, have been seeking out the consolation of other blogs.

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  3. Bailey-

    How was the final interview? Are there any questions that you felt like you wish you had more time to think about and answer?

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  4. Hi Emma,

    Follow your heart and always stay the positive person that you are! :-)

    Steph

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  5. Hello Emma,

    The interview went well. "Questions I wish I had more time to think about the answer..." I don't know about you, but I don't know exactly what it is I want out of the Peace Corps. I mean I want the experience, and I want to learn another language, and I want to feel what it is like to be in a different culture; but when I think about what I really want from the Peace Corps--which was a question she asked--I didn't know what to say. What does one say? I mean really, I don't think I will know what to expect or what I want(ed) until after, perhaps years after, the whole thing is done.

    When thinking about what country I want to go to, I think, "I don't know. I don't know the difference between Romania and Kenya and Honduras and China." I mean of course they're different. Of course they have different cultures and languages and values. But what do I know to expect?

    I guess my point is that I conceive of the whole thing as this mystical journey. (I think I actually said something like that, as an answer to her question.) And I wish I had a better answer. That sounds kind of stupid: "I don't really know what I want from the Peace Corps. I guess I expect some crazy journey."

    That may or may not have answered your question.

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  6. Hi, Bailey.

    You absolutely answered my question, plus some. I must say, too, that it's nice to hear that it's ok to admit that this will be a crazy journey and I'm not sure what to expect of anything really.

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