Mother Teresa once said, “What we are trying to do may be just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less because of that missing drop” My desire to serve Peace Corps began in 2006 and it started to take form in 2007 and finally it became a reality by end of 2008. In September 2009, I will be on my way to carry out that dream.Here in my blog, I’ve listed out, to the best of my recollection; a timeline summary of the whole event took place.
Here is the farewell dinner (9 courses French dinner) given by Wood, the gracious host on 8/15/2009.
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March 7, 2006 – Discovered Peace Corps
During my research of the Sahara, I accidentally came across the book "Harmattan" - a journey across the Sahara, written by Geraldine Kennedy. The book was not very interesting but the background of the five women characters attracted my attention. They were the 1st group Peace Corps Volunteers sent to Liberia, Africa in 1963. This was the 1st time I learned about Peace Corp. As I did more digging about the organization, I was impressed by its missions. The thought of joining Peace Corps ignited, but because of my financial situation, working for Peace Corps was out of the question. For a while, I completely forgot about Peace Corps.
July 2006 – Moved to Wall Street
I took a new job offer in the Wall Street area. With more than $30k compensation increased, I suddenly saw the light of my early retirement. My plan was to work for five more years, payoff my mortgage, quit the high pressure job and travel for a while. I was only thinking about myself and did not consider working for Peace Corps yet.
September 2007 - Revisited Peace Corps
A year later, while I was crossing the desert in Sudan, everything changed. It was in the middle of the Bayuda desert of Sudan where I met an 8-year old Arabic girl who got me thinking about Peace Corps again.
This little girl can neither read nor write and both of her parents died when she was still an infant. As I started talking to her, I noticed that she kept staring at my note pad and watched intensively what I wrote. That moment, I felt like my heart was being torn. After I returned to New York, I could not get her out of my mind; I knew I had to do something. I wanted to help her but did not know how. Then, I thought about Peace Corps, but at that time, my financial situation precluded me from making any commitment. I had to come up with a plan, a good realistic achievable plan.
For the next nine months, I began to build my dream. I saved and saved, did not spend a penny on my bonus and just kept making lump sum payments towards my loan. By the end of March 2008, one final payment, then, I was free. NO MORE MORTGAGES!
April 14, 2008 – Visited Peace Corps New York Office
The day was my birthday, I visited Peace Corps New York office, had an hour conversation with the recruiter. I asked lots of question and left the office with a good feeling. I knew it was the right decision. First I had to let my sister know about my plan and to get her support, then get on line and file the application.
During the entire process, I only mentioned my plan to one or two closed friends in CMCNY, but none took me seriously and I was able to keep the secret for as long as I wanted.
May - August 2008 – the Long Application Process Began
I was told that the Peace Corps' application process could take anywhere from a few months to more than a year. The application form alone is 15 pages long, and demands a detail account of every relevant course taken in college, history of volunteer service, cross-culture experience, job experience and hobbies. Besides, you will need three letters of references from friends and co-workers, two essays explaining your reason to join the Peace Corps. Then, there are legal clearance, FBI background check, fingerprinted, medical questionnaires, etc. It took me a long time to put all the paperwork together and finally I submitted my application on line by the end of August 2008.
September 16, 2008 – Initial Interview
Within a week, I received a call from Peace Corps New York Office for an initial interview. More questions were asked, especially the reason for joining the Peace Corps. I was ready for this question and practiced many times in front of the mirror. I took this interview very serious, and treated it as if any job interview. At the end, I did very well. The recruiter mentioned to me that “Pacific Island” would most likely be my serving region. I really wanted a remote area, a place where people desperately need the help, not a paradise as most Peace Corps Volunteers dream about serving. Pacific Island was not my preference, but I told the recruiter that I was willing to go anywhere Peace Corps sent me.
October 29, 2008 – Received Peace Corps Nomination!
Rebecca Wong from the Peace Corps office informed me the good news. The New York Office had finished reviewing my application and I was nominated to serve the Peace Corps. From this point on, all my files would be handled by the Peace Corps Washington DC Head Quarter. A week later, the DC office sent me a big envelope with piles of paper work on the medical examination. For the next five months, I was in and out of my doctors’ office so many times; I went through so many medical screenings, testings, diagnostics, and immunizations etc. By the end of February, all my doctors were sick of seeing me and I was a bit frustrated by the seemingly endless medical requests.
March 3 2009 – Clearance of Medial
Each year, Peace Corps received more than 150,000 inquiries, tens of thousands of those people interested in applying, and only fractions are eventually accepted. I had gone as far as this point; I need to be patient with the process. Remember the advice given by other Peace Corps Volunteers: persistent, patience and sense of human, so I waited for another few months. By March, my medical clearance arrived and my file was moved to the next stage: reviewed by the placement office in DC.
March 26, 2009 – More request fom HQ
I received an e-mail from the DC HQ, asking for updated information. I wrote back right away and waited for another two weeks, nothing but I was afraid to call them.
April 22, 2009 – I Missed the Phone Call from HQ
April, 22, received another e-mail from Peace Corps,
Hello Chi,
My name is Brennan Winter and I am the Volunteer Placement and Assessment Specialist responsible for your application. I am writing to follow up with a voicemail that I left you on April 2. I would like to speak with you regarding your application. Please give me a call as soon as possible. If I do not hear from by May 1 then I will withdraw your application. Thank you for your prompt response.
some one from DC left me a message on 4/2, apparently, I missed her call two weeks ago. I panicked and called DC right away and left them a very urgent message, telling them how sorry I was to miss their 1st phone call. .
April 23, 2009 – Official Invitation Arrived
Next day, I called Peace Corps to follow up, apologized again. Peace Corps staffs were very nice. They asked me more questions and finally asked me where I would like to serve. I told them, my only purpose to work for Peace Corps was to help others, I had no preference as where to serve and I was willing to go anywhere Peace Corps sent me. They liked the answer and informed me that they would get back to me in 2 days.
I sent them a thank you note that afternoon, and right away, I got the placement notification.
Hello Chi,
Thank you for the email. Your flexibility and dedication will serve you very well in Peace Corps. I’ve spoken with one of my colleagues and we have identified a new program for you. This is a Community Economic Development program leaving for the Caucuses in September. I think it’s a great match with your background. We should be sending out all of the country specific information in the next week or so. Please be sure to look over everything and give us a call.
I would be going to “Azerbaijan”, AZER WHAT? never heard of this place, so I looked it up in the internet, a little beautiful country in Central Asia right by the Caucasus mountain range. Now all the sudden, the reality set in, I was 50% excited, 50% in fear. Am I really ready for this?
April 30, 2009 – A New Beginning
I received a big blue envelope from Peace Corps today. I had to accept the invitation in 10 days. Lots of things went through my mind that morning: quit my job, inform my family my decision, take care of all my financial and insurance obligations, my apartment, my plants....the list goes on and on.
But I have a very good feeling, besides feeling happy, I feel proud, very proud of being selected (14,000 applicants, only 4,000 was chosed). I know Peace Corps only selects the best and the brighest. I am proud to represent the United States of America. It is this country that provided me with the opportunity 20+ years ago so I could pursuit and finally acheive many many of my dreams.
Today, I am dleighted to serve and represesnt this country. I will do my best, the very best for this land.
