Peace Corps Invitation News

Wow, I’m so excited…my PO (Placement Officer) called from Washington today to discuss my invitation.

I had called off from work today, because I have the nasty flu virus that’s going around. My cell phone rang and woke me from a fever induced nap. I picked up the phone but I didn’t answer it, because I didn’t recognize the number. It rang again a few minutes later indicating I had a voice mail. I listened to the message and was very surprised to hear that it was my PO introducing herself, and requesting that I call her back in regards to my invitation. I jumped out of bed, completely forgetting about my sore throat and fever, and ran across my room to jot down her number. I had been very upset about having to stay home and use PTO for being ill, but if I had been at work, I would have missed her call. Anyway, I called her back and had to leave a message because she didn’t answer. About 10 agonizing minutes later, my phone rang again and it was my PO.

She started off by telling me that my nomination had changed. She said the Youth Development program I had been nominated for was not in operation anymore (Kenya maybe?). She said she found another program that she thought would be better suited to my educational\experience background. However, she said she needed to ask me a few questions first. She congratulated me on being medically cleared. She then asked me about any computer related college classes I had taken, and also asked my about my prior experience at teaching computer literacy classes to youth. She then said she would like to invite me to be a Resource Specialist in Africa teaching computer literacy under the School and Community Resource Project leaving July 2008. I told her I would love to do that. I asked her where in Africa, and she said that she couldn’t tell me over the phone. She said that I would be receiving the invitation packet in the mail in a few days, and I would have 10 days to accept or reject the invitation. She said the packet would offer further details on what my duties would entail as a Resource Specialist, and where I would be stationed.

This is wonderful news…I didn’t expect to hear anything for another 2-3 months! I’m also surprised that I was offered a completely different position than I was nominated for, and I’m now leaving about 2 moths earlier! I’m very happy with this position, because I’ll get to work with two things I enjoy: youth and computers!

I’ll post another update after I receive my invitation!