Steve’s Adventure with the Peace Corps
Steve Hunsicker
Smashwords Edition
My Stories about Peace Corps and the Kingdom of Tonga
This book is a compilation of stories and journal entries written by Steve Hunsicker from 2006 to 2010 documenting his experiences with Peace Corps from the time he first applied to become a volunteer until his return to the United States.
The views are solely those of the author and do not reflect the position of Peace Corps or the US Government.
Copyright © 2011 Steve Hunsicker
All rights reserved.
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This book is dedicated to all Peace Corps Volunteers, past, present and future!
100% of the profits from this book will be donated to support the work of current and returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
Getting Started
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
I found out today that I’m going to be nominated to be a Peace Corps volunteer. This is great news and I’m excited. I’m starting this journal to keep a record of my experiences in the Peace Corps, the application process and my time overseas.
I’ve spent almost 15 years working for the same company and the last 23 years working in television news. I have a good job and a nice life, but I feel it is time to do something different. The Peace Corps seems to fit that bill.
I first remember hearing about the Peace Corps when Jimmy Carter was running for President. I was probably about 15 years old at the time and his mother “Ms. Lillian” was getting almost as much attention as Mr. Carter. I remembered hearing that she had been a Peace Corps volunteer and I remember thinking that would something I would like to do. (A few years later, I had the chance to interview Ms. Lillian, but I didn’t ask her about the Peace Corps.)
The next time I got interested in the Peace Corps was during a three week exchange trip to Germany sponsored by the Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) and RIAS, which hosts two groups of journalists in Germany each year. It was a great experience and really got me interested in wanting to live in another culture, another place.
Now, fast forward ten years later, I’m 46, financially secure and have no debt and really no reason that I can’t do this now. There was not ONE thing that motivated me to make the move at this time, but probably a combination of things at work. The industry is changing, like all industries do, but it isn’t as much fun as it used to be. As the head of a TV news department I often feel like I’m more of a Personnel Manager instead of a news manager. It has always been the news that I have enjoyed and I get to do less and less of that each day. My company is also undergoing some transformations. We are now on our 4th CEO since I’ve been with the company. There are many changes coming and I’m not sure I really want to shoulder the blame that my staff will give me for some of these.
My process started on-line. I came home on September 26th after a stressful day at the TV station, filled out the application and medical history, hit send and was on my way. A little over a week later, I was getting fingerprinted at the police department, getting copies of my college transcript and getting three references to say good things about me.
That lead to the interview and it was quite an unusual interview. I met Tricia Siaso, my recruiter at a Borders bookstore; we walked back into the stacks at the store, found two chairs and chatted for about an hour. I told her that my interest was really in business development and would enjoy working with someone to either start or develop their business. I also expressed a desire to work somewhere warm. We briefly discussed the former Soviet states and Eastern Europe but I think she got the idea that I didn’t want to go somewhere cold if I could help it. She told me she thought I was competitive for the position and would be in touch with me this week.
After I got home from the interview, I started what has become an almost nightly task–going on-line and reading more about the Peace Corps. It was the night after the interview when I read an article that almost 1/2 of the people who apply to the Peace Corps are turned down. However, I also saw that many of those were people without professional experience. I remained hopeful.
True to her word, Tricia phoned and e-mailed me on Monday to say she had some good news. . . a business development opportunity in the Pacific. I didn’t get the messages until Monday night so couldn’t call her until Tuesday. I asked more about the position. She didn’t have a lot of details except that it was in the Pacific. She did have one business advising position left in the Caribbean but she said she didn’t know if it was still open and that she really felt like I should be in the higher level business development program. I said okay so she is forwarding me the medical paperwork to complete and the official nomination.
Until today, only three people know that I have applied for this position and those are my three references. I am flying up to Virginia this weekend to tell my family my plans. I believe they will be supportive and I am going to need their support. My plan is to sell my house before I leave but I don’t want to put it on the market until I receive the official invitation that I have been cleared. The same for my job. I’m not going to say anything until I know for sure that this is happening. Tricia, my recruiter, said that if I get my medical work done quickly, I should get something by January, but said it could take longer. All the Peace Corps will guarantee is six weeks before you leave. I’m hoping for a bit more time.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
I flew to Virginia this weekend and told my family of my plans to join the Peace Corps. As expected, they were supportive. My oldest sister, Becky seemed a little apprehensive when I asked my two sisters and my parents to come downstairs because I had something to tell them. Becky’s comment was “you are scaring me”. However, once I made the big announcement she was the first to say congratulations and give me a high five. In fact, later Saturday evening after everyone had left, Becky and I got on her computer and started looking at the places I could be going.
“Where are you going” was obviously one of the first questions that my family wanted to know and one which I would like to know myself. However, the Peace Corps doesn’t share that information until they give you an official invitation. My recruiter told me she was recommending me for a business development program in the Pacific. The Peace Corps web site shows six countries with active programs: Fiji, Kiribati, Micronesia and Palau, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu. My best guess is Vanuatu since it is the only one that specifically lists a business development program, but my recruiter says that doesn’t really mean anything since the programs are constantly changing.
Becky, with help from my nephew Isaac and I spent time looking at different web sites about Vanuatu including the State Department Site which I had not visited before. Isaac suggested we look at Google Earth so he could see exactly where Vanuatu and the other islands are located. Becky says she has always wanted to visit Australia and said that if she can’t come to wherever I am stationed, that we could always meet there. Isaac promptly announced he wasn’t going to get on a plane and go that far away.
I didn’t get to spend as much time Saturday evening talking with Maria, my other sister and with Mom and Dad, but I’m hopeful they will visit regardless of where I am stationed.
The big hurdle left for me is my medical examination. I am not aware of any medical issues that would prevent me from going anywhere, but you never know what may be discovered. My recruiter had originally requested to be sent to Africa but was not able to go there after it was discovered she was allergic to the medicine they use to treat Malaria. I also have to have a complete dental exam, but that one doesn’t worry me. Any dental problems can be fixed.
I’ve started making a list of the many things that I need to do in preparation for my assignment. I don’t want to do anything permanent until I have the official invitation, but certainly I need to do some pre-planning. My parents have agreed to take my dog, Lady during the time that I am gone and my sister Maria may also take her pending a discussion with her husband, Andy. Becky and her husband Bill, an attorney said they would be happy to serve as my “Power of Attorney” to deal with any issues during my time away.
I also have some financial planning I need to do which I can begin to do even before I get the invitation. One of those is making sure I am receiving all of my bills electronically. I’m hopeful that wherever I end up, I will have access to the Internet. Even if I don’t have that, having everything paid electronically will allow someone else to check on how things are going and to pay any outstanding bills. Once my house is sold, I should not have any additional bills.
At this point, the circle of people who know of my plans still remains limited to my three references and my immediate family. I’m going to keep the circle tight until after I get my year-end bonus, even if I should get the official invitation before then. I probably won’t broaden it until the invitation arrives so that word does not leak out to my staff and my company.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Several times a week, I look at resume tapes of people who want to become TV reporters. Most are pretty predictable and with rare exception, I seldom watch an entire tape. Today was an exception. In the stack of tapes was a DVD from someone named Ian Wood. It was a documentary he had produced during his time as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 2002 to 2005 in Jinotepe, Nicaragua. I didn’t have time to watch the entire program at work, so tonight I brought it home and watched it. It was fascinating to see his house, his “outdoor” kitchen and to see the other Peace Corps Volunteers who were serving with him. I am making copies of the DVD to send to my parents and my sisters.
I’m not sure if he is qualified to be a reporter with my station, but after watching the tape, I sent him an e-mail telling him I would be happy to meet with him. I’m sure I won’t tell him that I’ve been nominated to serve but it will be interesting to meet him and talk with him about his experiences.
The Peace Corps also sent me a book today with stories written by RPCV’s or Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. I look forward to reading that.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
I’ve finally completed my medical screening for the Peace Corps. I had read online that this could be a laborious process and my recruiter had told me the same thing. It was time-consuming but not for the reasons I expected.
The Peace Corps provides an online site where you can check the status of your application at any time. On November 1st, my site was updated to say that the Peace Corps had shipped my medical forms to me and that I should make my appointments to have the exams completed. I did that almost immediately. I quickly got a medical appointment and went to a walk-in eye glass exam place. I had to wait a while for the dental appointment, but I was put on the stand-by list and got in a few days later. As it turned out, I completed ALL of my appointments before the official forms arrived in the mail. Fortunately the Peace Corps had downloadable form online that I was able to take to my appointments.
The eye exam was confusing because they wanted information on fitting me for a frame but they only provided pictures of frames and the optician was not comfortable “guessing” about the frame size. The dental exam was a bit time consuming but I also had a hygiene appointment at the same time. The medical appointment required some lab work including an HIV test and a Blood Type test.
The HIV test turned out to be a bigger deal that I expected. Once I got to the clinic, I had to sign two forms, one consenting to have the test done and then another saying the results would be reported to my doctor and I had to give consent to that. It seemed like a bit of overkill to me since it was my doctor who ordered the test in the first place. As far as the blood type test, my doctor told me that was not a common test, which surprised me. I figured it would be routine. Turns out it was a good thing. I have never given a lot of thought to my blood type and only vaguely remembered that I had Type O positive blood. Turns out, that is not correct, I’m A Positive. Not sure why I had thought otherwise, but that’s what the lab reported.
On Wednesday morning, I was taking my dog out for a walk and a guy came out of my neighbor’s house and said “Do you live there?” pointing at my house? I said yes and he said “I’m taking care of the Heller’s house and I just found a bunch of your mail in their mailbox. I put it in your box.”
This is my neighbor’s second home and they don’t use it a lot. The mail could have been in their box for weeks. I went to my mailbox and sure enough there were my Peace Corps documents.
Fortunately, the medical and dental forms were identical. However, there were now two additional forms I had to have my doctor complete . .One had to do with my physical capabilities . . . could I sit and stand for long periods of time, can I lift 50 pounds, etc.
The second form contained additional medical questions based on my application. These asked about my allergy to Shrimp and Lobster and my high Cholesterol. They also wanted additional lab reports on my Cholesterol.
I got the new forms back to my doctor who filled them out and I was finally done. I had gotten concerned that I had not received the paperwork and as it turns out, it was probably a Postal error that caused the delay and not a delay with the Peace Corps. Last night, I make copies of everything then drove to the main post office and dropped my forms in the mail.
Next week is Thanksgiving week so I’m guessing they won’t even get looked at until after the holiday. My hope is to receive my clearance before the first of February. That is two months away. If I can get my medical clearance and my invitation then I should have plenty of time to get my house on the market, resign my job and get my other affaors in order. I’m also hoping to spend some time traveling and visiting family before I depart.
I’m flying to Virginia on Thursday for Thanksgiving Day. Mom and Dad want to spend some time chatting with me about my plans. I’m looking forward to that.
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Joining the Peace Corps is definitely a process. I’m sure part of that is to keep people from making quick decisions and then backing out.
The other part is probably related to the fact that it is a federal bureaucracy. It’s been two weeks since I mailed out all of my medical forms. This morning, I got an e-mail saying that my paperwork was received by the Peace Corps yesterday. That means it either took two weeks for a letter to get from Florida to DC or it took two weeks for the Peace Corps to open its mail and update my information. Either way, it doesn’t really matter to me. I’m happy to know the process is moving forward.
Interestingly, the Peace Corps web site shows that my Dental review is complete and I sent that information in the same envelope as the medical paperwork. The site says most applications are reviewed in four to six weeks. That keeps me on my target of wanting to know my status by the first of February. I have already cleared the legal review, the other step in the process. The only step remaining after that is placement.
My hope is that I can resign from work on Friday March 2, 2007. Assuming a June Peace Corps departure date, that would be three months of paying my own health benefits. Mom and Dad are also planning to visit the first week of March. I’m not sure what else I will do during those months, but I would plan to do some traveling and deal with wrapping up my personal business affairs before I leave.
I spent Thanksgiving night talking with Mom and Dad for several hours about my plans between now and the time I leave and also what to do when I get back. I am now planning to keep my house. Mom and Dad have said they would come down a couple of times a year to check on the house and I’m sure my sisters might also be interested in doing that. I am not interested in renting out the house but would very much like to have someone check on the place regularly. There are also home-watch services and I may decide to employ one of them as well.
Keeping the house is not necessary the smartest short-term financial decision. I will pay out a good chunk of change paying utilities, taxes, insurance, POA and HOA fees, etc. It might make financial sense to sell but then again perhaps not. Housing prices are in a slump right now. I would have to sell for less than I want and that amount would probably be more than what I’ll pay out over the two years I’m away. And I really do like where I live and it would be great to have a place to come home.
The other thing I am doing at the moment is moving all of my bills to electronic billing. That way, I can pay bills from anywhere I have an Internet connection and if I don’t have a connection, someone can log in as me and pay them. I’m not doing automatic debit at this point as that makes me nervous, but it means getting the bills online and then clicking a button to pay them.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
The next thing I’m expecting in the mail from the Peace Corps is an invitation to a specific program. I expect that will happen once my medical clearance is approved. Tonight, I had a little apprehension when I opened my mailbox and inside was a very small envelope from the Peace Corps.
I immediately remembered my days of applying to college. You knew that if you got a big envelope from a school, it meant you got in, if you got a small envelope, it meant “Thanks but no Thanks”.
I haven’t thought a lot about what would happen if I don’t get accepted but it is something you can’t help but consider. The Peace Corps turns down something like 1/2 of the people who apply so it would not be unusual.
As I headed inside, I couldn’t wait to open the envelope. Was this a rejection I wondered? After setting down my other mail (and giving my dog her nightly treat) I opened the envelope to find a single page letter.
The letter simply told me I had received my dental clearance. Of course, I already knew that from e-mail and the Peace Corps web site.
Now that I got that letter, I won’t worry too much when I get the next one.
Happy New Year
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
It is now officially 2007 and as I write this I can’t help but think about where I may celebrate the beginning of 2008. Hopefully it will be somewhere in the Peace Corps. I have to admit starting to feel a bit impatient about the process, but everything I have read says to expect a long application period. I have been targeting mid-January to early February to hear something based on what my recruiter told me. However, the Peace Corps says it will only give you six weeks notice before you depart, which means that if I receive an invitation to a program in June, as expected, I might not hear anything until Mid-April.
My family continues to support my desire to join the Peace Corps. For Christmas, my parents gave me a nice pair of Gore-Tex boots by Ecco to wear during my service. My sister Maria gave me a watch that doesn’t require winding or a battery and is waterproof and my sister Becky gave me several books, including one called “So, You Want to Join the Peace Corps. . . What to know before you go” by Dillon Banerjee.
I read that book cover to cover at one sitting. It has a lot of good information and some useful tips including suggestions on what to take. For example, he suggests taking a roll of US Stamps with you. That way, you can give letters and small packages to people heading back to the US that can be dropped in any mailbox. He also suggests external speakers for your music player so you don’t have to wear headphones in your house. Both are very good suggestions. The book also includes good information about what it is like to be a volunteer and what you can expect.
I spent part of my Christmas vacation visiting friends in Orlando. It was somewhat of a reunion, because all six of us who went to Europe together in September 2005 were all there. It’s the first time we’ve been together since we left Paris. Naturally the talk turned to where we should take our next trip. I pushed them to try for a trip in April without explaining to them why. I must not have been very convincing since we decided to take a trip in September again.
I felt a bit guilty about not telling them what I was planning but two of them work in television and it is a very small business. I don’t think either would intentionally say anything, but I’ve kept the number of people who know my plans very small. Once I get the official invitation, I will certainly tell more people.
I’m also sending an e-mail tonight to my recruiter just to make sure everything is okay with my application. Her office was closed today due to President Ford’s funeral.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Be patient. That’s what I keep telling myself as I wait to hear from the Peace Corps as to whether I have passed my medical screening and as I wait on the official invitation. I received this e-mail today from my recruiter, who was responding to my e-mail asking about the status of my application.
Hello! I don’t think they have started inviting to your program yet. They are focusing on end of Feb/beginning of March at this point. As far as I see, your medical file is still under review. Just hang in there! They have until the end of April to invite to your program so I’m guessing you’ll hear something in March. But it can’t hurt to ask. Feel free to check back often with me. As soon as I know anything, I’ll let you know! -Tricia
While there is nothing negative in the e-mail, having to wait until March or April to hear certainly would mess up my plans to take several months off before departing. The worst case scenario would be to not find out until the end of April. While I could leave my job by just giving two weeks’ notice, that would mean I would be leaving during the May rating period, which is the most important rating period of the year in television. I’m fairly certain my company would want me to stay on until the end. If I did that, I could have just a week before leaving for the Peace Corps. If I didn’t stay for the May book, I would certainly be “burning bridges” by leaving the station then.
If I find out at the beginning of March, I would still have two months to travel and take care of my personal affairs before departing. While the Peace Corps would be a change of pace, there are many things I would like to do with a little time off from working.
I’ve got a date—actually several dates!!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
I had a great conversation with my recruiter Tricia today. I’ve been a bit nervous about my status with the Peace Corps because it has been months since I have had any correspondence from them. Actually more than two months. The Peace Corps web page says it usually takes 4-6 weeks to get medical clearance.
It has been two months since the Peace Corps said it received my Medical information and almost three since I sent everything to them. Much longer than the promised 4-6 weeks. Of course I also have to remind myself that I am dealing with a Government Organization. This is not TV, where we turn everything around in a couple of hours and then go on to our next project.
Tricia told me that NO ONE has been invited yet to participate in the program to which I have been nominated. That means I’m not the only one waiting. She also says that it is not unusual that I have not received Medical Clearance. She says while it would be great if the applications were handled on a first in, first out basis, in reality, they prioritize the applications based on the departure date of the program. Some people wait to the last minute and they will get reviewed before others if their program departs sooner. That is apparently what is happening with my application. Because they are not yet inviting people
Now to the dates I mentioned. Tricia said I should expect to hear something by February 28th about my medical application. She knows the person reviewing the information and says it is too soon for her to call yet. If I have not heard by the 28th, she will call and get an update. She also told me that based on my qualifications; she would expect that I would get an invitation almost immediately after getting my medical clearance. She says there is no guarantee but that I am “extremely competitive” and should get one of the first invitations. All invitations for my program will be issued by April 21st. My program will leave six weeks after that, which is around June 3rd. Even though I don’t have medical clearance yet or even an invitation, I am very optimistic about my status. It was great to talk with her and she told me I was welcome to call her every week until I got my invitation.
I did ask her about my Shrimp and Lobster allergy, which is really the only thing from a medical perspective that could cause me a problem. She said that even though it is a minor allergy, someone might decide that if an area has a diet high in shellfish that they should not send me there. She then added that when she served in Samoa they almost never had shrimp or lobster and that is the same region where I have received my nomination. She laughed and said she wished she had gotten Lobster in the Peace Corps!!
Joining the Peace Corps is a major life change for me. Last week, I went to the Super Bowl, something many people never get a chance to do. I sat in a covered seat and watched as thousands who paid thousands of dollars for tickets got rained on. It was a really fun experience to get to go.
During my career, I’ve covered hurricanes, space shuttle launches, World Series, political conventions, Presidents and Popes, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and many other events. I’ve also met many fascinating people along the way.
Those are events and people I will always remember. That’s the fun part of being in the TV business. And I would not trade my experiences for anything. However, it is very obvious to me that it is time to leave TV. I have no ill will toward my present company, where I have worked for the past 15 years, but the job and the TV industry are no longer for me.
Just this week, it was announced that our station manager was being shifted to a new corporate job and my boss, the woman who hired me, would no longer be the General Manager of our TV station. (She had carried both the title of GM of my station and President of our Broadcast Division, now she will just be division President). That means my station will be getting a new boss. I’ve had several people ask me since the announcement if I will be taking over the station. It is quite flattering but the answer is NO! A couple of years ago I would have been beating down the door to get the job, now I realize it is not for me. And I also don’t think I would get it even if I was interested. I’m sure that when it is announced that I am leaving people will wonder if it is because of the management changes at the station. Regardless of what is said, many will believe that.
However, I am so sure that I want to do something else, that if they offered to double my salary and gave me the job, I would still turn it down. After today, I really believe the Peace Corps is going to happen for me. It may happen in two weeks or it could take two months, but when it does, I will be ready.
A Fiji in Fiji?
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
When I joined my college fraternity, I didn’t know very much about Fiji except that it was the nickname for my fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta. And of course, I knew it was an island somewhere in the Pacific. Each year, my fraternity celebrated “Fiji Island”, billed as the best party each year on campus at West Virginia University. We built a lagoon, a waterfall, tropical huts and dressed like Fiji islanders, or at least how we thought a Fijian would dress. Mostly it was about drinking, but was always a lot of fun.
Now the real Fiji is top of mind again. I’ve spent a good deal of time looking at different blogs from current and former Peace Corps Volunteers since I decided to fill out my application. I have always thought that Vanuatu was where I would be headed as a volunteer. Now, I believe the most likely place could be Fiji. I’ve looked at the start days for different volunteer groups based on their blog entries. Here is what I discovered:
East Timor - July
Fiji -
June
Kiribati - October
Malaysia - Unknown
Micronesia -
November
Palau - October
Papua New Guinea - January
Samoa -
October
Tonga - July
Vanuatu - April
It is also possible that it could be Malaysia. I couldn’t find much about that area, however, on the Peace Corps web page, they link Micronesia and Palau together, which may mean they both depart in October.
Peace Corps service was stopped in Fiji because of political unrest in 1998 but was restored in 2003 once the country settled down. According to one blog, the Fiji dates from last year align almost exactly with the dates I received from my recruiter for this year.
I’m hopeful that I will receive
medical clearance this week. I am supposed to call her on Wednesday
if I do not hear by then. I hope that an invitation is issued shortly
after that.
If I do end up in Fiji, I would be “A Fiji in
Fiji”.
It is a bureaucracy!!
Thursday, March 1, 2007
There is no question that the Peace Corps is a federal government bureaucracy. And yes, I have read all the information about how getting medical clearance is the most frustrating part of the application process. I’m beginning to understand.
Today, I called my recruiter, Tricia, to inquire about my status. She had asked me to call if I had not heard anything about my application by today. She looked in her computer and it still shows that I’m awaiting medical clearance. She said I should call the Medical Officer who was in charge of my application, a guy named Dennis in DC.
I immediately called and he answered the phone. Very friendly guy but the bottom line is that they haven’t even looked at my medical application yet. He said they are jammed up, more than normal, and they were having trouble getting caught up. He said once they look at my file, it will happen very fast. They will either call or send me a letter if they need more information, or just approve it. As we were chatting, he mentioned that he and his wife had been in a similar situation with a house and jobs when they decided to volunteer. He told me to be patient and if I haven’t heard something in two weeks, to give him a call back.
I’m beginning to think that may be the standard line–call back in two weeks. He did give me a little nugget of information. He said that while the official rule is that all invitations are given six weeks before departure, that it really is more like eight weeks. He said I would probably not be leaving until mid-June, perhaps around the 15th or so for my program. That’s about eight weeks from the April 21st deadline that I was given two weeks ago.
That is actually really good news. If I don’t actually hear until April 21st that would still give me time to give adequate notice at work and still have a few weeks to get ready to leave. It would limit my ability to do any substantial trips before I depart but I can make that work.
While a mid-June departure doesn’t line up exactly with last year’s Fiji schedule, (See previous post) it still seems a good bet. Both East Timor and Tonga have July departures. It looks like East Timor departs early July according to two blogs, but one lists an April departure. Tonga seems all over the place, but one blog shows arrivals on July 11, 2004. (I also found a blog writer who was given an official reprimand for sharing his opinions on-line and he closed it.
I don’t know if my assumptions about the departures being the same every year are correct, but there does seem to be some consistency in the dates.
So what now? I wait two more weeks. And I keep reminding myself that patience is a virtue.
Another Two Weeks
Thursday, March 15, 2007
It’s been exactly two weeks since my last conversation with anyone at the Peace Corps. That meant it was time today for my bi-weekly round of phones calls. I got voice mail when I called both my recruiter, Tricia and the Medical Officer, Dennis. Tricia was the first to call back saying that, NO, she didn’t have any news but that she really thinks I should hear something soon. She said if I didn’t hear back from the medical office, to let her know and she would follow up personally. A while later, Dennis called back and left a voice mail that no one has looked at my file yet and repeated what he said two weeks ago, that they were backed up but that someone should be looking at it soon.
This time, neither Tricia nor Dennis said to call back in two weeks but both told me to stay in contact with them. Tricia says she checks my file every couple of days because there should be some action soon.
Even though I don’t know anything yet, I did give my dog to Mom and Dad on Monday since they probably will not be back in Florida until after I leave. It’s pretty lonely without “Lady”. And somehow it makes leaving seem a bit more real. I know they will take good care of her while I’m away and she’ll probably get more attention than I could have given her. It’s not permanent. If I don’t get into the Peace Corps for some reason, Lady will be back here very quickly.
It was nice to spend time with Mom and Dad. We were at St. George Island in North Florida for the past few days. I also got a chance to see a couple of friends of mine from Tallahassee who drove down for a visit on Sunday. I told them of my plans to join the Peace Corps. I think my friend Tim didn’t believe me at first but was very supportive once he realized I was serious. I suspect I will get that reaction from others as I expand the list of people who know of my plans.
I don’t intent to tell anyone else until I know something more concrete; however, it is increasingly difficult to not know exactly what will be happening. Today I had a conversation with someone at work about something that could happen in November and another about our plans for Hurricane Season. It was tough to have that conversation knowing that if the Peace Corps accepts me, I will be a long way away from West Palm Beach this November and that the only hurricanes I’ll be worrying about will be in the South Pacific.
Friday, March 16, 2007
I was pleasantly surprised to get a phone call today from my recruiter, Tricia. She said she had called the head person in the medical office and asked him to review my file. He did that and then sent me the following e-mail.
Mr. Hunsicker,
I have finished a
review of your application that you submitted using an outdated form
rather than the current form provided with your medical kit. We
unfortunately therefore do not have a complete application.
Please provide a copy of the results of your Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis B core antibody, Hepatitis C serology & G6PD titers. These tests are required for all applicants. There are a variety of tests that can be performed for Hepatitis B. Insist that these required tests are obtained. There are no substitutes.
We require that you provide us with documentation of past or current Td – Tetanus/diphtheria (submitted with your application and current), OPV/IPV – Polio and MMR – Measles, Mumps & Rubella immunizations. Please obtain copies of this information for your personal safekeeping and review of correctness and completeness before personally faxing copies to 202-692-1561. This invariably prevents unnecessary delays in receiving the required information.
If this is all that is required, I feel GREAT about my application. I sent him an e-mail tonight telling him that I have made a doctor’s appointment for March 26th to have the shots and blood work done. I also asked him to confirm that this was the only outstanding issue with my application.
I may try to see if I can find someone else to give me the shots sooner and order the lab work. I’m assuming that once that is done, I should be good to go. If I can’t get this done sooner, then I probably won’t be able to send the paperwork to them until March 28th . . . that’s two weeks away.
Oh in case you were wondering about the reference to the outdated form. I had to download the forms from the Internet because it took a month for the paperwork to arrive and I had already set up all my medical appointments. Tricia told me the delay was because they were changing the form. That sounds like the government!!
My other good news: my company paid out the year-end bonuses today. If I had resigned before getting that, I would have lost the bonus as that is our policy.
Jumping Through Hoops
Thursday, March 22, 2007
I thought today I would be finished with my medical application to the Peace Corps. That didn’t happen. Last Friday I had all of my blood work done. I gave the nurse at my doctor’s office the e-mail I received from the medical officer detailing the additional tests that needed to be done. My doctor ordered the tests from that e-mail. When I got to the lab, I showed the e-mail to the lab technician, who consulted a reference book and assured me that the tests on the e-mail were being done.
On Tuesday, I went to the public health department and had my MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) shot and a Polio shot. The nurse also suggested a Hepatitis A shot since I was going to the South Pacific. I agreed. Last night I e-mailed those records to the Peace Corps. Today, my doctor’s office called and said they had the results from Friday. I picked them up and then both faxed and e-mailed them to the Peace Corps Medical Officer. This evening, I got the following e-mail:
Mr. Hunsicker,
Unfortunately one
of the tests performed was not correct.
We asked that you please provide a copy of the results of your Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis B core antibody, Hepatitis C serology & G6PD titers. These tests are required for all applicants. There are a variety of tests that can be performed for Hepatitis B. Insist that these required tests are obtained. There are no substitutes.
The result of a Hepatitis B surface antibody test was submitted that was not requested or required, it does not substitute for the result of your Hepatitis B core antibody.
Please provide a copy of the result of your Hepatitis B core antibody test as required.
This means, I’ve got to do it all over again. . . at least the lab work. I believe my doctor’s office is closed on Thursday, but I’m going to go there in the morning and try and get this done again. If that fails, I’ll try to find another doctor to issue the order and then I’ll get the lab work done. It will take a few days once it is done to get the results, which means probably Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.
Unfortunately, the lab orders are written in “code” so it is very tough to see exactly what you are getting. At least now I can say I need the “CORE” antibody. I have no idea what that means, and I don’t actually really care. My doctor says I don’t have Hepatitis, not that I had any reason to think I did, and I suspect that won’t change with this latest test.
I can’t really fault the Peace Corps for this one. Actually, I was pretty impressed that I got the response less than an hour after sending them everything. Of course, I also don’t know if this is some obscure test or if both my doctor and the lab just messed up.
If all else fails, I do have a doctor’s appointment on Monday and I’ll get the new blood work order done then. I just hate to keep waiting. I have a new boss who is starting in just over two weeks. I would hate to have to resign on her first day on the job. That will fuel lots of speculation that she was the reason I left . . . and I haven’t even met her yet.
As we say in TV, “Stay Tuned”!
Guess where I’m going??
Friday, March 23, 2007
Tonight, I got home to catch up on my regular blog reading and found several people who are leaving for Fiji on the 23rd of MAY. I’m guessing that means I won’t be going there since I don’t leave until June. I’m probably spending way too much time trying to figure out where I will be sent, but I am enjoying it. I’m learning a lot about what it is like to be in the Peace Corps and realize that many others have the same thoughts and concerns that I have.
Here’s a quote that I found tonight on Matt’s Peace Corps Adventure.
Man, just when u thought it was gonna get easier i totally read over all my paperwork for my invitation to FIJI. . . . The red tape and essays and resumees never end..∼!!!!! I need to now file a new updated resumee for my in country officers to check out, and answer a 5 part essay about what i am plan on getting out of this experience, ect ect. . . Guess i had better get used to it huh.. Its not that hard, just one more thing on my plate.. :) For anyone thinking of getting into the Peace Corps, just know, that you will never be done filling out paperwork, filling out forms, getting medically probed and prodded and writing essays or statements!!!!
He seems to have the same feelings I have had recently. The good news is that while my doctor doesn’t work on Thursday, the nurse was there and she wrote new orders to have my blood work done. The lab told me the results should be back tomorrow afternoon so hopefully I will really be done with my medical application. Of course, I have to get the results from my doctor and not from the lab, so that could delay matters.
There are just six countries in the Pacific Islands with Active Peace Corps programs. There is always a chance that my program could be a start-up. Here are actual departure dates I’ve found on various blogs.
Tonga – October 25, 2006
Samoa –
October 14, 2006
Fiji – May 23, 2007
Kiribati – October,
2006
Micronesia/Palau – September 6, 2006 (Also September 6,
2005)
Vanuatu – June 11, 2003, June 14, 2006 (Also September 22, 2006)
So what does this mean? I’m guessing that the larger programs have more than one departure date each year. The June departure for Vanuatu could be my program. If you remember, I originally thought I was going to Vanuatu but then saw the September date. The Vanuatu program is the largest according to the PC web site with 88 current volunteers. If that is the case, it is possible they do two programs a year. And the training for the June group would be done by mid-September so that could work.
My best guess is now Vanuatu . . . and they list a business development program. Hopefully I’ll soon know if I’m right.
Medical Clearance–Finally!!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Here’s how it happened. I was driving to work this morning, sitting at a stop light checking e-mails on my Blackberry. There it was. . . an e-mail saying my status has been updated at PeaceCorps.gov. I’m still about ten minutes from work, so I immediately log into the web site on my Blackberry as I’m driving to work. It’s slow, but it works. As I’m pulling into my parking space, the status page loads and there I learn my Medical screening is complete.
It’s the news I’ve been waiting to hear since mid-November. Now just over five months since I received my nomination, I finally had made it through what everyone says is the toughest part. Finally!!!.
I called Mom and Dad and both my sisters to share the news. I immediately looked at the calendar and started planning my next step. If I get the final word this week then I might be able to resign as soon as Monday. That would allow me to give three weeks’ notice and still have two full months before I depart. I wouldn’t have to burn any bridges by leaving during the May rating book, which I don’t plan to do any way. I even started writing my letter of resignation in my head.
As I left work today, I got to the SAME stop light where I had gotten the e-mail this morning. This time as I was heading home. I pull out my Blackberry and checked my personal mail. This is what I got:
Dear Stephen,
Greetings from the
Placement Office at Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington, DC!
We wanted to get in touch with you to congratulate you on receiving your medical clearance and therefore, for completing a very important part of the application process. Over the next few weeks, we will be conducting a final review of your application materials, and we will be in contact with you in the event that any additional information is needed. Once the application review is complete, we will update you on the next steps of the application process.
We understand that you might be eager to receive more information from Peace Corps at this point, and we greatly appreciate your patience. In the meantime, you can prepare for Peace Corps service and make your application more competitive by: continuing to gain experience through working or volunteering; attending Peace Corps events; talking to Returned Volunteers; and reading books, articles, and other resources about Peace Corps. You can also find resources and learning activities on our website and in My Toolkit.
If you have earned your degree or
gained additional certifications since you applied, please fax them
to my attention. Also, if you would like to update your volunteer or
work experience, your contact information, or your availability date,
please let me know.
Thank you for your interest in Peace
Corps, and please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions at
this point. Otherwise, we look forward to contacting you in a short
few weeks!
Best regards,
Alyssa
It’s clearly a form letter, but certainly not what I was expecting. I sincerely hope I don’t have to wait two to three more weeks to find out. The letter also makes it pretty clear that my invitation is not a “done deal”. It is also clearly targeted to students.
I still plan to call my recruiter tomorrow to find out what she can tell me. And to complicate matters, tomorrow morning I have my first conversation with my new boss. We’re just chatting on the phone in advance of her arrival and clearly I can’t tell her that I don’t plan to be working here much longer, because there is always the chance I might.
Who Knows
Sunday, April 1, 2007
The list of people who know about my plans continues to grow. I’m still keeping it away from people associated with work but I’m telling a few more of my friends. This weekend, I met with our long-time family friend Jay McElroy to tell him that I planned to quit my job and that I was “talking” with the Peace Corps.
Jay is 90 years old and lives alone. His family and my family have been friends for more than 75 years. Jay was not at all surprised that I was thinking of quitting my job. He knows it has been very frustrating for me for the past year and was very supportive of me doing that. He did ask me a lot of questions to make sure I had thought this out thoroughly and finally said I can tell you are not making an “Impulsive” move. (He and I have a running joke that he never does anything impulsive).
He was not overly familiar with the Peace Corps other than the basics that most people know. He was very happy to hear that I was planning to keep my home and I told him that while I didn’t know exactly what I would do when I got back, South Florida would be the first area where I will look. He seemed happy to know that and said he would miss seeing me while I was away, but then joked that his doctor has told him he would live to be 100 so we would still have time to catch up when I return. He also asked me if he could tell some mutual friends, Dick and Peggy Pitkin about my plans and I told him that would be okay.
I also confided my plans to my friend Bob Pruitt. Bob is an e-mail buddy that I’ve known for 7 or 8 years. He and his wife live on St. George Island. In his e-mail back to me he said:
Steve, pursue your dream – if it is the Peace Corps, great – if something else, also great! Don’t even think about what others may say or think – it’s your life – go for it. I am certainly doing that, and I would encourage you to do the same.
That’s probably the best encouragement I’ve gotten yet. It’s a pretty strong “Go For It”. I’m hoping to do exactly that!
Friday, April 6, 2007
I got a call today from the Peace Corps placement officer for the Pacific and Inter-Americas. He covers all of Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean along with the South Pacific.
He said the program to which I had been nominated had been “delayed” until October. He also said because of my allergy to Shrimp and Lobster, he was limited in the number of countries where he could put me in the South Pacific. He then added there had been one other business development program but because of the delay in getting my clearance, that program was now filled. This was clearly NOT the news I was expecting to hear. (And by the way, the delay was not really on my end) I told him that my shrimp and lobster allergy was very mild and that I had had no symptoms in over ten years. I told him I would be glad to take an allergy test if that would help. He said that was an option to get the medical restriction listed and that I should discuss it with my Peace Corps medical officer.
He said they wanted to make sure they put me in a program where my business skills could be best utilized. He said they don’t like to put people like me with a lot of business experience in a program that is very basic. I told him I really was interested in business development.
He then said there was a “high-level” business development program in the Mediterranean working with the Peace Corps and USAID. It was scheduled to leave late June/early July. That was not his area but if I was interested in looking at that program, he could send my file over there. I asked him a few questions about the program and he did say it had a moderate climate since he had noticed that my file said I didn’t want to go anywhere cold. I told him I would be happy to go anywhere in his area, but would want to know more about the Mediterranean program.
I was out of the office at the time I got the phone call. When I got back to work, I called my sister Becky and asked her to call me back when she was near a computer. I have made a point NOT to call-up any web sites or send any e-mail related to the Peace Corps from my office. She and I spent a while on the phone and figured the most likely place was Albania based on the location and the program. It could also be Morocco or Jordan. However, Albania seemed to be closest to the way the program was described. She called me back a bit later to say there was a USAID program in Albania, which seem to make it an even better match.