Niger here I come

I really didn't think I would be going to Niger, but that's where I am headed October 20!

Since receiving my official invitation on Friday I have been reading like a crazy person about Niger's weather, history, food and culture etc. and it is all very interesting. The Saharan desert covers 80% of Niger! I don't usually do that well with heat but I guess I am going to have to adjust!

According to my invitation packet I will not have any running water or electricity and will most likely be living in a mud hut and sleeping under the stars. So my way of life and thinking is going to be making a drastic change, but I feel like I am ready for it.

My official job title is a Comunity Health Agent and I will be working as a liasion between health staff and the community. I will be teaching about the transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS and will also be promoting the consumption of healthy foods, evaluate household health practices, and educate in overall better sanitation, nutrition, and health practices.

It is also a good possiblility that I will be an extention worker in Niger's maternal and child care services, working with a health clinic to moniter health and growth of children and pregnant women, teaching nutritional health practices and rehabilitating malnourished children.

Since I recieved my degree in Communications I didn't think I would be qualified to do all of this health work, but I know Peace Corps has an intensive 2-3 months training in country before I begin my service so I will be learning alot during that time. Also, anyone who knows Susanne knows that having her for a mother has already helped me feel more prepared for this! :)

Woohooo I'm finally in!

So today I received a call from a Peace Corps placement officer and had a "final interview" over the phone. At the end of the conversation he said that I sounded like I had the experience and maturity that the Peace Corps needs and so he sending my official invitation in the mail today!

Months, really years of waiting will end in 2 days...I am a pretty happy girl right now :)

Fun Fact: Hippos kill more humans in Africa than lions, tigers and crocodiles combined. Pretty fierce for being vegetarians.

I am Going to...

There is a very very good chance that I will be going to either Burkina Faso Oct. 13, or Niger Oct. 18.

The Peace Corps will buy my plane ticket and I will leave for Africa and have 3 months of training, after that I will be going to a different village or city where I will begin my service.

So I will post again when I have any new information!

Peace Corp Application Proccess

I started my application May of 2009 and finished in October (Since I was in France for the summer I didn't work on it during that time).

After this I received a phone call asking for an interview. I went to OSU's recruiting office to have my interview in person. During the interview I had to answer questions aloud and also answer some in written essay form.

After the interview I received a nomination and my tentative assignment, which was sub-saharan Africa doing an HIV/AIDS focused community services project and leaving in October of this year.

Since then I have had appointments at all different types of doctors to get my medical clearance. This took me about 4 months and I was cleared a couple of months ago.

Since then I have been waiting for my official invitation where I will learn where and when I am going and what I'll be doing, and I am so excited to begin!!!!