Pre-service Preparation

Hola! Hello! Mba'éichapa!

I will be leaving for Paraguay on February 3, 2011 to serve as a Rural Health and Sanitation Extentionist in the Peace Corps. My journey into the Peace Corps was not the same agonizing experience as some described. It all happened rather quickly, actually. Here is the timeline:

July 30: submit application

August 10: phone interview with recruiter and officially nominated to serve as a Peace Corps  Volunteer in Central South America

October 26: Peace Corps receives all of my medical paperwork

October 27: Medically cleared to serve 

October 28: Officially invited to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay (SO I misunderstood Alethea and was actually nominated for Central South America… in other words I was expecting to see Costa Rica or Panama on my placement but Paraguay is cool too J ) 

February 3: Peace Corps Staging in Miami

Februrary 4: I will arrive in Asuncion, Paraguay.

 I am really excited to begin this adventure. Over the next six weeks I will be trying to brush up on my Spanish and learn a few words in the native tongue, Guarani. I have to be able to speak both of these fluently before I go out to site. For the first three months of service, however, we will be in intense language and cuture studies every day.

I am about to turn this chapter in my life. Even though I am not leaveing for Paraguay until February, I will be leaving Tallahassee in 3 days. I am really sad to leave all of my friends behind. I am sad to leave my Red Cross Campus Ambassadors program behind. And I am sad to leave school... I really enjoy learning on a daily basis in a classroom.

Right now I am trying to pack up everything I need for the next two years of my life... which is kind of difficult since I don't know exactly where I will be or what I might need. Although, I have taken some helpful hints from current volunteers over there.

Well, Ciao for now. I will write more soon!