Ahhhhhhhhh, the Peace Corps. It is, and for a long time has been, a dream of mine to join the Peace Corps. If I ask myself why I haven't done it, I have two answers:
(1) No electricity, no running water, disease, civil strife (in some parts), no family, no friends, no comforts of a first world country. (Ok, so this was several answers all wrapped up into 1 big one...but I still consider it one!)
(2) I've done pretty well for myself over the years. I have a well paying job, a car, a house, and the ability to get pretty much anything I want when I want it. Who in their right mind would give that up?
Along with thinking that myself, I have tons of other people reminding me of those things in addition to how horrible it would be and how they think I wouldn't be able to hang. And over the past ten or so years, I've listened.
But, just like with this whole jaw surgery thing, the thought of joining the Peace Corps has never once left my mind. It is there. All. The. Time. I think about it a lot and if there was a program that could count the number of times I've visited their website, I think it would show a gajillion times.
Well, about a month ago I took a pretty big step; I started filling out my Peace Corps application. I have it about 80% complete. I just need to write my essays and boy oh boy do I hate writing essays. Like I said before, I am not really a "writer". Anyway...that is not the point of this story. The point of this story is, during one of the bazillion times I visited their website I saw they were doing an on-line recruitment presentation and then a Q&A session.
I signed up and then on the day of the session, I could not see or hear the presentation through my computer (I run linux...so there were probably some techy problems I would have no idea how to resolve). While I was upset that I couldn't be apart of the session, I think it could have been a blessing in disguise. This snafu forced me to reach out to the recruiter directly. Not only was I able to speak with her about all of my questions on the application and what experience I would need, but she also pointed me in the direction of the Peace Corp Medical Office (PCMO).
I needed to speak to the PCMO because I heard there was a two year (TWO YEARS!?!?!?) waiting period after surgery before you are allowed to join. When I heard that I just could not fathom waiting that long. NO. NO WAY. It made me want to rip the braces off my teeth right then and there and forget this jaw surgery all together. I couldn't wait two years. But, in talking to a nurse in the PCMO, I learned that the two year waiting period was not true (whew!) and all I needed to do was complete my treatment (which includes orthodonticts, etc.) and not have a need for in-depth follow up.
With that being the case and my surgery scheduled for August 28, I have a year and a half to get all my stuff together (like selling my house and finishing those darn essays), and then I'll be off. I'll be off to a third world country to help those that need it most. I don't know what I'll be doing yet, but I know that I will be a part of something larger than myself to help humanity....and that is all I really, truly want to do in this life.
"If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped transform for the better." - J.K. Rowling
No comments:
Post a Comment