The Placement Process

I am through the medical review process, but still have not reached the planning stage. The planning stage, as the Peace Corps warns us again and again, should not begin until after the Invitation is received. This is hard. No planning means: No planning. I can't make any real plans for the future while I await the Invitation. Living in limbo. As time goes on, the amount of one's life affected by this planning prohibition grows. Should I put my winter wardrobe away for one year or 3? If I do put it away, what things should I plan to pack instead of to store? Yeah, it gets that detailed, although that is just the latest. Many of the things that come up have bigger implications than that.

I got an email Friday from the Student Aide at the EMA Placement Unit. I have no idea what "EMA" stands for. She is requesting an updated Resume and any changes to contact info. Here's an interesting quote from her email: "Please keep in mind that this stage in the process can be competitive as there are typically two applicants nominated for each spot available. Given this, an invitation is never guaranteed and applicants should make no plans to go overseas unless an invitation has been issued and you have spoken to headquarters staff to accept your invitation. "

Two applicants for each spot available. Hmm... That means that about half of the people who make it through the medical review do not get invited. Wow. I had no idea. Imagine going through all this and then getting passed over for an invitation.

I'm not too worried about my own case, though. Where age was a bigger hurdle during medical review, I think it'll work in my favor in the Placement process. My volunteer work, teaching film and digital arts to middle-school kids, should also give me an edge in the case of the particular nomination I received. So I am optimistic.