In April 2009, I finished all my essays, got in my references and had finished the general application for the Peace Corps.
In May 2009, I went in and had my interview with my Peace Corps recruiter. It went really well. He let me choose what program to be nominated for. The options were Africa or Thailand. I prayed about it and asked all my friends, family, and co-workers and chose the program in Thailand. The program would be doing primary school education. They told me that I would be leaving for Thailand in January 2010, however I would not know for sure about the departure date until I received my invitation. After receiving my nomination, the next step was legal, medical, and dental clearance. The same week I received my nomination I made appointments at the doctor and dentist offices. I also made sure and got finger printed and filled out forms about my financial obligations (student loans). By the end of May I sent in all the forms I needed to get my legal, medical, and dental clearances.
In June 2009, the Peace Corps sent back my dental file asking for more x-rays. I went to my dentist to make sure to get all the x-rays. Sent them back to the Peace Corps.
In July-August 2009, I didn't hear anything from the Peace Corps.
In September 2009, the Peace Corps sent me more medical forms that they needed info on, including info on my asthma, allergies, anemia, and another Pap smear. They also sent me back my dental stuff, saying that they needed x-rays of my wisdom teeth. This would have been fine, but unfortunately, by the end of September, I had moved out of Seattle, where my doctor and dentist were, and no longer had insurance. So, I tried to figure out what my options for getting these things I needed from the doctors and the dentist, that wouldn't be too expensive.
In October 2009, I asked my doctor in Seattle whether he could help me with the forms but he said he couldn't since he hadn't see me since May. Unfortunate. I made plans with Planned Parenthood to get my Pap smear, since I knew at least I could get that done fairly cheaply. I was really excited about the prospect of Planned Parenthood calling my parents home phone and leaving a message saying something like, "This message is for Katelyn Miller, this is Planned Parenthood and we were just calling to let you know that test results are ready, so feel free to come and pick them at any time." If you're going to Planned Parenthood for something innocent, might as well let your parents think you went in there for a pregnancy test, an STD, or birth control. Unfortunately they called my cell phone instead. Sad day.
In November 2009, I had an appointment to see the doctor that I went to all growing up. Luckily, she was really nice and didn't charge me too much, and I got the rest of my medical forms in at the beginning of the month. I got medical clearance 2 days after the Peace Corps. I was still having trouble getting the x-rays that I needed from the dentist. There were no dentists who were willing to just me x-rays, without a check-up. So, I went to Mexico to get cheap x-rays! Actually while we stopped in Mexico on our cruise before Thanksgiving, I got x-rays really cheap from a dentist of my wisdom teeth. I sent in my x-rays right after Thanksgiving to the Peace Corps. During this time, I still had not heard from the Peace Corps, even though they could give me my placement any time after I got my medical clearance. So, due to my stress, I started having dreams about it. In one, I was on a cruise ships competing for a place in Thailand with other nominees. The Peace Corps told me I had lost, and that I wasn't going, so I told them someone they had picked was engaged and was secretly going to get married. So, they kicked her out and I got her place. In the other, the Peace Corps told me I wasn't going to Thailand, but instead was going to Bulgaria (which was next to Germany, because I didn't really know where it was), and was working with water sanitation, which was a lot like playing shuffle board. Bulgaria was very random and I had to look up where it was the next day (next to Romania and Greece-not a bad location).
December 5th- The Peace Corps sent back my dental stuff again, a wrote specifically what teeth they wanted x-rays of. It was ridiculous. I wanted to fly to Washington D.C. instead and show they my teeth, and say "THEY'RE FINE!" So, at this point, I called Dr. Anderson and told him my situation and how I just needed x-rays. he wanted to schedule me for a full check-up, but I said I didn't have insurance and couldn't afford it. So, he said, they would schedule me in and help me out. The following day I went to his office and they did a full mouth series just in case. When I went up to pay for the x-rays, I was informed that there was "no charge and Merry Christmas." This is probably the best gift I have ever been given. I sent in the x-rays and the rest of my dental stuff once again, later that same day.
December 16th-At this point I should have heard something from the Peace Corps about my placement and the departure date as I had been medically cleared for over a month now and was supposed to be leaving for Thailand in a month. I had called the placement office several times before and not heard anything, so I emailed the head of the primary education placement office.
December 17th-While out to breakfast with Kim and Xander, I got a call from the Peace Corps office. They told me that I had not gotten my medical clearance in time and the program in Thailand had filled up. This also meant that they had known for over a month I wasn't going to Thailand and still had not told me anything. So, after thinking I was going to Thailand since the beginning of May, I was suddenly not going to Thailand and not leaving in January. Surprisingly, this didn't really seem to make me too mad. So, then I asked what my options were and they told me that they were looking at a program, also doing primary school education, which is both mine and the Peace Corps first choice for me, in eastern Europe, leaving at the beginning of May. This was a very different area then Thailand and that meant I would be here for 5 months longer than I thought. I told them it was farther away than I had hoped, so I would need to think about it more. While I was driving home from breakfast with Kim and Xander, I was praying about eastern Europe and had an overwhelming peace about it and was getting really excited. When I got home, I received an email about another assignment, also in Eastern Europe, working with both kids and youth but doing more informal teaching and extra-curricular activities. This assignment also sounded great and would be leaving in March instead of May. Then, I remembered about the dream I had had about Bulgaria a few weeks back, and thought, "Sweet Sassy Molassy! What if one of these assignments were in Bulgaria!" I immediately called the Peace Corps, and ask to know the specific countries. i also sent another email asking the same question. Then I checked a site where Peace Corps volunteers have added info about different programs, and departure dates. The only program leaving at all at the beginning of May is in Bulgaria! At this point, I'm ecstatic! I feel like this is supposed to be where God wants me to go and feel wonderful about it.
December 18th- I didn't hear back from the Peace Corps about what specific countries they were, even though I'm fairly certain about Bulgaria, but made a decision. If the program in May is in Bulgaria, I'm going. If the program in May is not in Bulgaria, I am going to leave for the one in March. I will hopefully find out what countries the assignments are in on the 28th. Besides that, I found out that I got my dental clearance! Hooray no more stupid x-rays!
Now- I am really excited about where God is leading me. I'm upset about the lack of communication I have had with the Peace Corps this entire time, but am sure that God has been there every step of this process. I'm trying to make sure that I let Him take the lead and just follow where ever he leads me. I'm sure it will be good. I find myself continually thinking about the Death Cab for Cutie song, "Passenger Seat," while I wait to find out what God has in store. Anyways, this has been long, keep me in your prayers, and I'll try to keep this updated.
