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Home » Peace Corps Timeline

Peace Corps Timeline

August 27, 2013 By Tamara

Part 1

And so it begins: 

my Peace Corps Timeline

January 2013: Started my online application
January 28th, 2013: Submitted my application online
January29th, 2013: Health history form completed
Feb 8th 2013: Online application status updated from submitted
to processed

Feb 14th, 2013: email from northeast regional office
recruiter.
The recruiter worked with me during the first phase of application
process…wanted clarification regarding a few items in my application.
I responded to the email the same day
with requested information

Feb 21st, 2013: Emailed recruiter
to check on status after hearing nothing back

Feb 25th, 2013:  last LOR sent in to P.C.

March 5th, 2013: Email from

regional recruiter about setting up interview and given the name of the next
recruiter

March 6th, 2013: Received
voicemail from new recruiter in the evening wanting to schedule interview.
Responded same evening via email
the recruiter responded the same day with times
Schedule interview for March 11th

March 11th, 2013: interviewed
via their online conferencing system. The interview was quite successful. It
was actually very silimar to my 2008 interview. The interview was pretty
standard. I learned a lot about my recruiters previous volunteer assignment and
she learned a great deal about meJ

March 15th, 2013 @ 250pm:  received an email from Office for medical
services for forms to be uploaded

3:46pm received email about
nomination from recruiter !!!

Ha ha I only added the times because I thought
it was hilarious that I heard from OMS first. I did not get a general area or
job for places. I reported developing allergies in South Korea during the 2012 “Yellow
dust” season. So my thoughts are they want to figure how severe it is (its not
a problem now) before giving me more information.

March 15th, 2013:  emailed OMS about APRN status
No response
March 18 tried to upload requested
records emailed OMS about difficulty
No response
March 19 emailed OMs using email
address vs MAP

   March 20
finally a response!
March 22nd, 2013: Letter from legal with fingerprints card. I have two weeks to return
them.
April  2nd, 2013: Mailed off legal kit
April 5th, 2013: Uploaded last health form to OMS
April 6th, 2013: Emailed recruiter requested updated resume

May 18th, 2013: Still in the nominated phase…still waiting to hear back …anything 🙂

June 28th, 2013: Is  no news…really good news?…hmmmmm (ponder ponder ponder)  nothing 🙁

September 20th, 2013:  Email from PRE-Serviceunit about the backlog of applications in medical review and the transition to the electronic medical clearance. Basically they wanted me to respond within 2 weeks regarding moving forward even if the departure dates  are later than Spring 2014.

** I responded the same day that I still plan on moving forward regardless of the wait.

September 28th, 2013: Email from OMS  to check MAP (medical applicant portal) as there is a new task.  Check the tasks briefly the next day.

October 1st, 2013: Went back into to MAP to write the instructions for the TB test required. Site offline due to government shutdown.

October 18th, 2013: Site back up, and I received an email from OMS stating I have 2 weeks left to complete the task. Emailed OMS requesting an extension on the due date. Extended to November 30th

October 31st, 2013: Completed lab test in Spain, results due November 8th.

December 7th 2013: Still waiting for results. Emailed OMS last week regarding the situation…another extension for December 31st.

Later that night*** So I don’t know what told me to peruse through my spam folder again but I did! And there it was…the results I’ve been waiting for!!! I swiftly uploaded it to MAP and then received and email from OMS that my task were complete! Well for now!

I also email the placement office because I haven’t been told ANYTHING about and region or general assignment. Totally not normal 🙁

December 13th, 8:01pm : 

Dear TAMARA,

We have reviewed the medical information you provided and have issued you a medical pre-clearance.

A medical pre-clearance means that, based on the information you have provided so far, you are preliminarily medically cleared for Peace Corps service….

YAY!!! Getting closer and closer!

January 10th 2014: Email that I received legal pre-clearance!

January 14th 2014: Email from placement office requesting documents to be uploaded to applicant portal and answers to Health questionnaire. Needed to complete the task in 2 weeks (by 1-28-2014)

* So now I know I was nominated for “something health related” after a year of not knowing anything!

January 19th (ish) 2014: Emailed application portal help desk because my login information wasn’t working.

January 23rd 2014: Email placement office about problems with login. Since I didn’t want to run out to time while waiting for the tech desk to respond, I  attached the questions and my updated resume to the email. I explained that I attached my university transcripts to my application when originally applied.

January 23rd 2014: Email from placement that they received my information and that I will hear back from a placement officer within 2weeks to 4 months from my departure date.

(*______*)

January 24th 2014: Email from my placement officer to set up a phone interview! This interview is the LAST step in the PROCESS before receiving the INVITATION!!!

January 24th 2014: Responded to email with my availability!!

January 28th 2014: Email from my placement officer for interview this Thursday!!

January 30th 2014: Interviewed! It went well!

February 14th 2014: Been corresponding with placement  about my spanish requirement. Asked to be considered for countries  without a Spanish requirement so that I could move forward. I did receive a “placement invite” to Belize but it was just a suggestion…

March 10th 2014: Emailed recruiter to make sure she hadn’t forgotten about me. She responded the same day! Explained that they are still working on July departures and will work on August (my expected departure month) programs in the coming weeks.

What means patience? I dunno!

¯\(°_o)/¯

*Jokes! I’m eager but focused on my current job. Anything can happen at this point.

April 9th 2014: RECEIVED MY INVITE IN THE MAIL!!!!!!

April 25th 2014: Currently completing my medical tasks.

June  25th 2014: Submitted completed/submitted medical tasks. 

July 17th 2014: Received medical clearance! * In the 11th hour…started to think this was going to happen 2 1/2 weeks before staging.

August 2014: Leave for Peace Corps staging/Botswana, Africa

18 months start to finish…and yes…I almost gave up. Luckily enough the process is a lot faster now!

Filed Under: PEACE CORPS, TIMELINE Tagged With: peace corps, peace corps life

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