PC - Application Process, Part 3: Invited!

Nearly one year after (false) starting my PC application, and six months after my interview in February, I finally received an invitation to join the Peace Corps! On Tuesday August 8, I learned I would be going to CAMEROON as a volunter in the country's Health, Water, and Sanitation program. My leave date is September 27th, and I'll actually fly to Cameroon on September 30th.

I learned the Friday before (August 4) that there was an opening in a francophone country in West/Central Afirca (PC policy is that a potential volunteer can't know the name of the country until officially invited). The placement officer asked if I was interested. Ummmm, yeah. I've only been waiting on pins and needles for about a month straight. It's either this or living at home for an indefinite period of time, and no one would want that.

I still wasn't prepared for it when the invite came (By Fed Ex, by the way. The government doesn't even trust it's own postal service to send packages overnight?). I opened the envelope in the kitchen and looked at all the papers for a couple minutes. I then promptly went upstairs to my room, sat down, and stared at the floor. Needless to say, my first thought was, "What the f--- am I doing?"

Flash forward to now, I've filled out the passport and visa forms and bought some French audio CDs. Other than that, I'm trying to wrap my head around packing. The PC has a suggested list, and I have RPCVs (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers) who can help me out, but it seems like a daunting task. I'm going to start making piles of stuff and see where that takes me.

Meanwhile, I put a couple links up to sites about Cameroon on the right so everyone can get a better idea of what the place is all about (and probably most pressing, where it is). I've been reading a lot about it because, before receiving my invitation last Tuesday, all I knew about Cameroon was that's where Barcelona striker and 05/06 pichichi Samuel Eto'o is from.

In addition to keeping this blog for the time being (Internet access in Cameroon is questionable), don't hesitate to drop me an email or give me a call! I'll be going crazy and mumbling to myself for the next six weeks, so I'll need some levity.