I guess I shoulda posted this first... oops!

I sent this email out Thursday Feb 19 just hours after finding out that I received my nomination. I have since then gotten my invite in the mail with more details (see previous post)

______________________________

So, as you all probably know, about 2 years ago I applied to the Peace Corps. About 23 months ago I was accepted and nominated to a Special Ed program in Spanish speaking Caribbean that left in Feb 2008. In October of 2007, I found out I was deferred for medical reasons and would have to re-submit some info in May/June of 2008. I did this and in July found out they had approved everything and I was being nominated to a Special Ed program in Latin America (as the Caribbean one no-longer existed) that would be leaving in June 2009. I was very excited and was just waiting for fall to come for the Invitation period to open for that program. Around Thanksgiving I emailed my Placement officer to introduce myself (it was a different person than the one that nominated me) and see what the status was.. if I could at least know when I might hear something more. Fast forward to January, when I get an email that says there was a programmatic change and now they are requiring that you have a degree in Special Ed (I had previously been accepted because I have a degree and many years working with the population) and that she would have to work to get special permission for me to participate or that we would have to find another program. 

Sooo, today after the kids were all on the buses and I was waiting until we were allowed to leave, my phone rang. I saw it said Peace Corps I knew it was either going to be good news or bad news. After holding my breath and listening for what seemed like forever, she finally said that they approved my placement and that she was issuing me an INVITATION! Not only that, they were creating a third position just for me where I would be doing a majority of my work with Special Education and then also working with other programs. It was all I could do to not scream and reach through the phone and hug this lady to death. Turns out, she also had a long waiting time between being accepted and finally getting her invitation. BUT I, Sara Rhymer, in my awesomeness, have broken the office record and took 16 months from the time i was initially nominated until I got my invitation. Yes, I am that great... haha. 

So, long story short-- what I know: Latin America- June 2009, Special Ed (kinda). I will be getting my official invitation in the mail by next Friday and that will have more information- a job description along with a tentative date and country. She mentioned something about June 6th, but at that point I was so excited I barely heard what she was saying. This has been a long 2 year journey.. its funny that I will have spent as much if not more time in the application process as I will actually serving. Thank you everyone for supporting me in the ups and downs, even if you didn't always understand my motivations or why I was hanging on so long. This is something that means a lot to me and I'm excited to share it with you all!

Love, 
Sara

The Invite!

I got my official invite in the mail on Monday and called to accpet it today. I'll be headed to Peru to work with Youth Development as a Special Education Trainer. I report to staging June 4th and head to Lima on the 6th. After a nearly 2 year wait since application, I am elated to finally have my assignment and have it all official. I'm ready for this next adventure in my life, but sad to be saying goodbye to the wonderful people I've worked with over the past 2 years and know it will be rough saying goodbye to my student.  BUT, that's partially why there's this blog.. to keep in touch with everyone- friends, family, and coworkers. You've all supported me in various stages of the long process and I'd like to repay you by keeping you up to date with what's going on in my life as a Peace Corps volunteer. And then I can also be kept up to date with what's going on stateside!