Invitation to Serve

I'm in the beginning of a life-changing journey.  In a little more than six months, God-willing, I will embark on the most exotic, stressful, unbelievable, and exhilarating 27 months my young life has experienced.  In six months, I will be leaving the United States to experience Ukraine.  In six months, I will redefine my life as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

However, before I get ahead of myself, I figured I'd document this already-overwhelming process that comes after accepting the official Invitation to Serve, as well as just a smidgen about what happened before my coveted Invitation was received.  

Timeline as of now: 

June 3, 2015:  Apply for Peace Corps for the second time.  They didn't know what they were missing the first time. ;-)

I did not choose Ukraine as my country of preference, I was more of a "I'll-do-anything-anywhere-but-please-for-the-love-of-God,-don't-send-me-to-a-place-where-it's-1,000-degrees-every-day-or-I-swear-I'll-turn-into-the-Wicked-Witch-of-the-West-puddle" kind of girl.  

June 11, 2015: I was notified that I was tentatively placed in Ukraine & I knew it'd be the perfect fit as soon as I read the e-mail.  Man, was I getting excited.  

June 22, 2015: Request for an interview?!? YES PLEASE.  LET ME JUMP UP AND DOWN AND BE EXCITED BECAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN GET THIS FAR LAST TIME.  Woah.  Caps lock, chill your britches.  

June 25, 2015:  Hello, quiet University library.  I'm here 2 hours early for my web-cam interview, double-fisting copious amounts of caffeine while trying to keep my anxious, yet exhausted (because who in their right mind could sleep the night before this interview), eyes open.  

WHAT.  WHY AREN'T YOU LETTING ME USE YOUR WIFI, LIBRARY?! I LITERALLY GRADUATED LESS THAN A MONTH AGO.  

After a mini panic attack, I realized that one of my most amazing friends in the world, Mel, would let me use her info to log into the wifi since my Alma Mater obviously wanted me to fail at this interview.  Crisis averted.  I owe you my life, Mel.  Or at least a dozen cookies.  Oh, food.. Yum..  Okay, let's get back on track.  The interview lasted about an hour and a half, and it wasn't nearly as scary as I imagined it'd be.  It consisted of a lot of critical thinking and behavioral-based questions, and a few personal questions about current relationships, coping strategies, and support.  

At the end of the interview, Mariana (am I allowed to post my Placement Officer's name? Ah, what the hell) told me that she felt I was a good candidate (NAILED IT! I EARNED THAT COOKIE!) and would be recommending my application to be furthered.  Commence calling all my favorite people to have a mini-celebration.  

June 26, 2015: Received email saying that one of my references still hadn't returned their recommendation.  Resolved that issue in less than an hour.  I ain't lettin' no one play 'round wit' dis!

July, 2015: Frantically check my email every day praying for an invitation.  I want this more than I want my kitten's snuggles.  If you know me, which you probably don't, then you realize how serious of a statement that is.  

Also, accepted a full time job as a switchboard operator that will begin at the end of August.  My coughing wallet will finally stop complaining about the dust it's accruing.  

August 13, 2015: Today, my best friend in the entire universe, Sam (yes, we share a name.  We're bloody awesome), gave birth to the most perfect child I've ever laid eyes on, and I don't even like babies.  Holy crow, what an amazing thing to experience.  

Also, today is my grandmammy's birthday.  I decided to introduce the family- Mom, Grandmammy, Gare-Bear (el cousin), and Seester- to Cards Against Humanity.  What a bloody blast.  

I know, you're wondering how this pertains to Peace Corps, Ukraine, this blog in general... Well it's my blog.  Bugger off if you can't deal with my tangents.  But seriously, it pertains because those two events made this extremely hot and humid day fairly awesome.  But what happened next made it the best day of my life.  

I RECEIVED MY INVITATION TO SERVE IN UKRAINE AS A YOUTH DEVELOPER.  

What a way to wake up from a nap.  I need to nap more often if this is the kind of news I wake up to.

August 14, 2015: I officially accept the Invitation to Serve.  I have deemed this as reality and stopped pinching myself.  

Oh God, Hogwarts has released the digital owls.  How much paperwork do I have to fill out?!

August 16, 2015: Finished initial paperwork/visa/passport forms.  It only took a few hours, a bar of chocolate, three water bottles, and several bank-account inquiries to make sure I could afford passport photos and UPS to send these forms off (because life costs money, which I don't have. Money, I mean.  Well, I don't have much of a life, either.  Do books, cat cuddles, and Netflix count as life?  If so, I'm living the bloody dream).  

I think this process is really going to get on my Type-A personality's nerves.  So. Much. To. Do. So. Little. Time. And. Everything. Is. So. Official. And. Formal. And. WowThisIsActuallyHappeningToMeImGoingToBeAPeaceCorpsVolunteerYay.