Third Continent's a Charm?

Well, it would be if Armenia were in Europe. It’s considered Eurasia – and I sense I’ll learn more about that – but it’s in Asia. It would be if I had been able to accept the Peace Corps Response position in St. Kitts that I was offered over the summer – but I had interview irons in the fire. I asked to defer, knowing somehow that if I couldn’t defer, I wouldn’t get the paying job or the St. Kitts job, and that’s what happened. That’s all right – I’m going to Armenia! I leave one week from today – exactly one year from my close-of-service date in the Philippines.

Yes, back to Peace Corps Response I go. I saw the opening in mid-October, studied up by looking at various web sites and skimming Lonely Planet Armenia (more on that in another post), and interviewed on October 21. I received the offer on November 4; last time I got the offer the day after the interview. It took a little longer this time because they added another position (more on that in another post). I took the weekend to mull it over, though I didn’t think I would turn it down. And then I said yes.

And then the medical and legal clearance started again! No vaccinations needed this time, other than the flu shot, which I hadn’t yet gotten. I had to have two separate blood tests because they forgot to ask for something the first time (however, I think I will be reimbursed for only one…). I needed a dental update and an eye update, but not much more, since my COS physical in the Philippines was less than a year ago. I needed fingerprints – the Southampton police no longer fingerprint civilians, but the Peace Corps recruiting office in New York does. New passport-size pictures for the visa, and then I started spreading the news.

There were some tribulations when my sister, who was initially supportive, told me that she didn’t think I should go. First, I’ve been helping her with her business (see the Everywhere Exercise – EvEx link!) and even though I think I can help from there, she wasn’t convinced, and second, she just didn’t think it was a good idea. I know she wants the best for me, and I for her, and I think the conversations were hard for both of us. I spent much of the past month wondering if I could/should call Peace Corps and tell them I wasn’t going. And I spent some of the past month practicing meditation, trying to see what was in my heart and gut and not just in my head.

Talking to supportive friends helped seal the deal. I kept coming back to the fact that I didn’t want to tell Peace Corps that I wasn’t going. The back-and-forth may have at points dampened some of my enthusiasm for going, but now I’m getting excited again as I’m getting ready. Ultimately, I decided that I want to go! After all, one of the mottoes of the Peace Corps is “never have to start sentences with, ‘I should’ve.’”