Not a lot of info, but it's something

So today, acting on the incessant pressure from friends and family to call PC and ask them where my placement is, I called the last PC staff member to contact me, my preliminary placement officer... No one picked up. So I left a message, and she actually returned my call! Seeing a call from a (202) number, as every applicant knows is the PC government area code, made me very excited.

Anyway, here's the deal:

- My application is now with the Placement Specialist, the final step before you receive an invitation
- The program I am being considered for leaves in September, not August/September as I was originally told (September departures in my region: Peru, Paraguay) :)
- This is the highest-volume time of year for program departures, so they have until the end of July to send my invitation (aka- be patient, stop calling.)

Even though it's not a placement, it's something. It's really good to hear from someone from PC and know that they didn't lose my application.

Hopefully good news soon!

Here I am, potentially 8 weeks from my departure date (slated for mid-August to mid-September), and still NO INVITATION. I'm trying to be patient, but I feel like I already paid my patience dues to Peace Corps somewhere along the year-long application process. Example of my patience:


July 8, 2009: Application Received

August 31, 2009: Interview

September 4, 2009: Nominated for Service

February 26, 2010: Medically Cleared for Service

May 12, 2010: Contacted by the Placement Office for Updated Resume & Final Transcript

June 17, 2010: ...


I want to call them but I don't want to be annoying. I also know I should be practicing patience right now in preparation for service. And to be fair, PC says you typically get your invitation 6 weeks prior to service. Maybe I'll call July 1 if I still haven't heard. I know everything I need to do to get ready to leave can be done in far fewer than 6 weeks... but I want to start buying cool gearrrrrrrr