Concrete

The application process for the Peace Corps is lengthy, vague, and erosive to say the least. I started my online application some time in January or February of 2010. It took me until the very end of May 2010 to finally submit it; not because it took me four months to compile the necessary information, but because it took me four months to decide I had the cojones to do it. Below is a summarized timeline of the main points of the application process. Unfortunately, there is no way for such a list to even begin to convey the feelings and emotions and self-control (because I did really want to go crazy sometimes) that went into the process.

• May 28(ish), 2010 - submitted application and medical questionnaire
• Mid June 2010- received FBI fingerprint card and official contact information sheet. Filled out and sent back shortly after.
• Early July 2010- received call from PC recruiter for an interview.
• Last week of July 2010 - 2.5 hr interview with a recruiter and unofficial nomination.
• August 9th, 2010 - Official nomination to program of Community Development - Youth Development in Latin America.
• Late August 2010 - Received medical/dental packet and began making and going to doctor appts.
• Nov 3, 2010 - car accident. dun, dun, dunnn!!
• Mid November (I think) - FINALLY received medical and dental clearance.
• Early December - court for accident, receive notification my application has been put on a legal hold until my "court obligation" is fulfilled. This court obligation was a 90 day supervision. 
• Mid-Late December - submit current court documents.
• December 2010 - March 7th, 2011 - wait.
• March 8th - Submit my court documents saying my supervision has ended. My application is released and is now under active consideration again.
• March 9th - My online application is updated with my legal status.
• March 21st - Receive a notification that I owe money for workers comp from the accident. Also receive an email from a placement officer requesting a final phone interview.
• March 22nd - 1 phone call to Pace's claim consultant. 1 phone interview resulting in an unofficial invitation to the Peace Corps, but also an indication that I may not be going to Latin America, or going into the Community Development - Youth Development program. 1 phone conversation with my claim adjuster.
• March 23 - another phone call with a new claims adjuster.. all resulting in confirmation that the costs would be covered.
• March 24 - Online application updated, officially invited. I will not know where for a few days until I get the packet in the mail.

Here is a pic of the finished application process online. But it has the last part as well. This pic does not do justice to what it looked like before, but I wasn't quick enough to get a screen shot of that.

(click to enlarge)