Medical Acceptance

"Dear Ms. Doherty:

Thank you for submitting all the requested medical and dental information to the Office of Medical Services. You have been medically and dentally qualified for Peace Corps service. "

No more tests. I'm in.
What a struggle... What a relief.

Defying the Odds.

My third and final test is negative. I'm negative!!!!!!

I can go.. and there is nothing to stop me...

I can hardly believe it. But I am so grateful.

I'm going to the Peace Corps in the forseeable future... probably by Christmas.

Normal.

"Small fragment of normal ectocervix."

I never though I would be so happy to see those words grace paper.. but the entirety of my future plans with the Peace Corps are now secured with that one small phrase.

And I have a job with Labour Ready. Just the sort of thing I wanted... physical labour for a decent wage. I do not even really need a car, so I may just borrow the one we get for my brother. But I report at 5:30 any day I would like to work.

This is me - grinning from ear to ear.

Medical Deferment

I heard from the Peace Corps finally. I have been medically deferred. I have a letter explaining the details coming in the next few days.. but when I spoke to my medical screener - he said it had to do with the cervical issues. This is not something I can resolve... its a lifelong ailment. So I am assuming that they are looking for such and such negative results in a row. That could be interesting.

Nominations

So I went through the interviews and the investigations...

Now I have to choose where I want to spend the next two years of my life -

(I need to tell my recruiter by Friday evening ideally.)

Morocco.

(The only assignment I know the actual country of placement.)

Departs in September

The Work: This is a specialist assignment where I would be aiding local rural artisans to sell and market their wares to a global market. Business advising and development, really.

The area is most likely quite rural and is strictly Muslim.

Sub-Sahara Africa - Western coast most likely

Departs in July

Hang-up: I'd have to learn the local dialect through French and my french training is many years dead.

The Work: Community development in rural communities. Working with Aids and health awareness while teaching at risk youth and working with local businesses.

Central Asia (any of the -stans)/Asia
(could be China or Mongoila or Phillipines.. who knows)

Departs July

The Work: Teaching English in a secondary school. Possibly technical training and teacher training involved.

May not be a rural area... so I could be stuck in some huge Asian city...

Some Pacific Island

Departs September

The Work: Education mostly secondary and curriculum development

Very rural.. no running water and little electric