[02.28.09] - Attended StartingBloc's Institute for Social Innovation - crossed paths with my first Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) and learned a ton about social development and the "triple bottomline". It gave me a good deal of insight into various efforts within the non-profit, private, and government sectors to provide services to improve lives of others. I became very much romanticized with Teach for America, Peace Corps, and non-profit work during this conference.
[08.31.09] - I left my beloved NJ to begin my career with Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) in DC. It was crazy to be out on my own and move to a place where I didn't know anyone. Luckily, DC is a cool place and it was easy to make new friends.
My experience with this firm has been outstanding. I've learned a lot about consulting and had the opportunity to work with two different clients: Veterans Health Administration and the Air Force Civil Engineer. I've always wanted to join the military (and a part of me still does) so I appreciate the work we've done to support our veterans and airmen. Work can be a drag but it helps to think about the broader cause. Of course, getting paid a decent salary doesn't hurt either!
.... but working is so different from school. I knew it would be but I've had my growing pains. The hardest part of it all for me - UNCERTAINTY. My first few months were hard to cope with because I no longer felt I had an absolute destination. College, like any experience, is different things to different people. Yet, for those that persevere, the graduation and degree is the final exit of any academic career. Now what was my destination? Where was the structure? What was the plan?
I came so close as to signing up for the Army National Guard to do something meaningful and potentially give me an edge within the defense market as a BAH consultant. However, it felt rushed and I'm too calculated to jump into any commitment.
[01/19/10] - Attended Peace Corps Information Session ... the thought about Peace Corps peaked my interested and I made an impulse decision one day to get some more info and hear from RPCVs. Hint/spoiler: I'm going somewhere with this... and there was a reason why I highlighted the RPCV I met at StartingBloc.
[03/08/10] - Initiated PC Application... it felt right so I started.
[09/26/10] - Completed PC Application: As mentioned earlier, I'm too calculated to jump into any commitment. I spent a lot of time speaking with my family, mentors, and closest friends about this and determining the rationale for committing to a 27-month long service to the Peace Corps. I have a couple of personal reasons that I don't care to share all here but, overall, I think it'd be a once in a lifetime chance to do something adventurous and meaningful. I love working with people and dedicating my efforts to a grass roots project for the international community seems noble. The application process is pretty extensive but my hesitation was the reason why it took months for me to complete it.
Application elements:
- Two essays - motivation and cultural adaptation
- Three letters of recommendations - work, volunteering, and personal
- All your business! Language proficiencies, resume, transcript, geographical preferences, volunteer work, etc.
[11/02/10] - Received a phone call to confirm my PC interview with a recruiter for nomination.
[11/16/10] - Peace Corps Interview! I was so anxious/nervous up until I went to the Rosslyn recruiting office. I did my best to be myself and be as genuine as possible - let's see if that helped! My interview was at 8AM and the recruiter was pretty friendly. All her questions for me seemed to be some form or iteration from the PC Wiki. We discussed what assignments would be a good fit and she felt that I could be a good science teacher (in Latin America!). She liked my strong academic record for all my science courses, as well as my tutoring and involvement with high school science/engineering projects. I can navigate comfortably within a classroom environment but I'm sure teaching science to a class is challenging, let alone in another language.
My recruiter actually accused me of being "too modest" on my abilities and language proficiency. I tried to be honest and categorized my Spanish proficiency as limited. As defined by Peace Corps:
Limited Language Skills
This was almost a show stopper for a tour in Latin America since it's the region of choice for a lot of applicants and Spanish is a common second language. Luckily, I was quizzed on the spot to hold conversation with another recruiter. I didn't stumble and both recruiters seemed to be impressed. If that's not enough, my recruiter said I may have to take a certification exam to "quantify" my proficiency. This is due to my limited formal education in Spanish. I only had two years in high school because that's what was available... and Stevens doesn't offer language courses. We'll see if she decides to give me a waiver on good faith of my abilities or make me take a test to qualify for the Latin American region (which I REALLY want). I'm hoping to hear good news and receive a nomination.- Oral Explanation - Able to handle most social situations, including introductions and casual conversations.
- Written Explanation - Able to write elementary documents, such as completing limited work requirements that require no specialized knowledge.
- Listen Explanation - Understands sentences in context, especially words referring to basic personal features, needs, and activities. Understands face-to-face conversations, short telephone calls, and media announcements.
Ultimately, this blog is to keep a log of my activities and progress with the Peace Corps application process. Should I receive an esteemed invitation then I hope to use this as a communication channel to keep my family/friends updated with life as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
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