Hello everyone! My name’s Kristyn Behrends. I am a 23 year old college student getting
ready to graduate with my B.A. in Psychology.
On June 5th, 2012, I leave for Sierra Leone in West Africa to
start a 27 month journey that will definitely change my life.
A quick recap on my Peace Corps journey so far...
April 15, 2011- Finished online application
A few weeks later-Contacted by PC recruiter for interview
Early June 2011-Initially, the interview was a total
failure. We had arranged to do the
interview online, but I was having technological problems at the last
minute. I called the phone number my
recruiter gave me (on a cell phone that had horrible reception), MISTOOK HER
NAME FOR THAT OF A MAN AND MISPRONOUNCED IT.
Right as my recruiter was correcting my shameful mistake, my phone
promptly dropped the call. Embarrassed
and terrified of losing my dream, I bawled briefly on my bed. I got myself back together, called my
recruiter on my roommate's cell phone, and had a good interview (the questions
are online, so I had been able to prepare my responses.)
A few days later-In the midst of a meeting with one of my
professors, I receive a phone call from my recruiter. She decided to nominate me! Despite what she
had told me earlier about the "strong possibility" of me going to
Eastern Europe to teach English to adults, she informed me that I was instead
going to be nominated for a program in Sub-Saharan Africa!! This was a shocker,
but I was delighted.
Mid-June 2011 (sorry for the lack of accurate dates...or
dates at all)-I receive my medical kit. I slack off for months (although I do
manage to get a free dental exam completed….www.usa-icd.org).
September 2011- I arrange to complete the medical
examination with the physician's assistant who works on my university's
campus. (She has since informed me she
will never do another Peace Corps exam again. Sorry future Stetson PCVs!) I run
back and forth, getting various tests done, waiting for results, getting
various pieces of paperwork signed, etc. (Note: As part of the initial online
application, a thorough medical questionnaire is required. I was totally and completely honest. Big
mistake. :P I had to try to chase down doctors I hadn't seen in more than a
decade and con other doctors into signing documents stating that I was no
longer experiencing certain conditions in order to get cleared.)
October 2011- I receive notification that my account will
soon be deactivated, due to my inability to complete my paperwork in a timely
manner (my words, not theirs). I panic briefly.
Then I get things done, and send the paperwork in right around
mid-October.
October 2011- During the dental exam I had in June, the
dentist recommended that I have all three of my remaining wisdom teeth removed
and four cavities filled. Seeing as I
had no dental insurance at this time, I decided to go through a research
clinic. (Research clinics are awesome
for not spending a lot of money, but they are also awesome at wasting tons of
your time. Future PCVs: Get dental insurance.
Or do not slack off on your dental kit for months.)
Somewhere around December..ish- I receive notification that
I have been medically cleared. Yay!
Mid-February- I am contacted for a phone interview with my
placement officer. Our interview goes well.
This interview focuses on how I plan to realistically deal with the
challenges of things like gender differences, family health problems, etc.
while I am gone. I also learn that in
some countries, having a tattoo signifies that you have been to prison. I begin to regret the clover tattoo on my
wrist even MORE. My placement officer
notifies me within a day or so that he would like to send me an
invitation. He asks me how I might feel
about an Early Generation Program. Early
Generation Programs are programs that have not been inexistence long. They are generally more challenging and require
volunteers to have the ability to adapt to a higher level. I am dizzy with the excitement of even being
considered for invitation, and I consider it an honor to have been chosen for
one of the more difficult programs.
Less than 10 days later- After days of tirelessly stalking
the mailman, I check the mail once again, only to discover that I have still
not received an invitation.
Disappointed, I return to my lunch.
Within minutes, the dog starts barking ferociously. Such viciousness can only mean one thing: the
UPS guy. I race to the door and
basically tear the Invitation Kit-shaped package out of the poor man’s
hands.
After ripping it open, I find out that I am going to Sierra
Leone in West Africa on June 5th, 2012. !!!!!!!!!
March 2012- After months of running around and roughly $800
spent on dental bills, I send the appropriate dental information in to the
Peace Corps. Within less than two weeks, I am dentally cleared.
So here I am now, facing my graduation from my undergraduate
psychology program at Stetson University in May and my cross-continental move
in June. I’m not really doing anything
cool yet, so…until June, my friends!
