6 Week Rule

The rule with the Peace Corps is that you must be invited 6 weeks before the country departure date. Today is Wednesday the 4th, so assuming I get cleared this week and invited next week (this is just ever hopeful) That would put me up to the very middle of July, the week of July 13-19 as the "earliest" July programs I could be invited to if that were to be the case.  Those last July programs I could possibly be invited to are Cape Verde, South Africa, Bulgaria, and Zambia. While I'd naturally be loving any one of them....I know S. Africa accepts epileptics, but I'm actually not to keen on going there. I don't know if Bulgaria does, but since its in Europe, it is more likely to accept epileptics. So out of the last July possibilities, sadly Honduras is now out of the running most likely, I'd hope for Bulgaria--there ARE Youth and Community Dev projects there, which are the 2 I'm most qualified for.

Next up comes the month of August. Time wise, I could still be invited to any of those countries. Panama, Uganda, Guatemala, Philippines, Kazakhstan, Belize, Dominican Republic, Eastern Caribbean, Kiribati. Again, any would be great! Panama seems out because it seems to be business, not youth (or community)...I doubt they accept epileptics in Uganda, Kazakhstan, or Kiribati. But Guate, Belize, Dom Rep, E. Caribbean are all likely epileptic candidate countries, and Philippines, tho I'm not sure, is a possibility. Dom Rep doesn't seem likely b/c of the work areas, E. Caribbean is possible but less likely. Assuming Guatemala, Belize, and Philippines all accept epileptic, they all have Youth. Belize is most likely, but I'd LOVE to go to Guatemala to work in their brand new Youth program. 

If I can't get in for August, then comes September. The only countries that could possibly accept epileptics (just off my guesses usually) are: Peru, Macedonia, Azerbaijan (maybe), & Ukraine. I know for a fact Macedonia accepts epileptics, and while they don't have Youth, they do have Community which I could do, or possibly education since I'll have a TEFL certificate by the time I leave (but no classroom experience :-/ ). Peru, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine are all maybes as far as I can see on the epilepsy end. The only "possibility" I'd have in Azerbaijan is TEFL, Ukraine has TEFL and Youth...and Peru has Community Health Promotion & Youth.

Okay, so basically...to sum it up...I cannot be invited to a program less than 6 weeks away from departure. In July this leaves South Africa & Bulgaria. In August, the possible countries are Guatemala, Belize, Eastern Caribbean, & maybe Philippines.  Finally, in September, most likely possibilities are Macedonia, Peru, and Ukraine. Of course I have my favorites, but I can't get my hopes up for anything.

I predict that tomorrow morning I awake to find a ToolKit update stating that I'm medically cleared.

Country/Month '08 Invites

A girl on Facebook's "Future Peace Corps Volunteers", Bailey, had the (brilliant) idea to compile all the upcoming departures by country and date. Not like the unofficial departure dates, but this only lists what we know is leaving THIS year, and when.  Some of the June ones are to close to get invites to anymore, but I imagine a couple technically could. Helps give me, and others, and idea of where you could be heading, even if your region or country gets moved! Love it! I'll be updating if I need to! Mike just added this to the Peace Corps Wiki--great!

June 2nd = Lesotho
June 2nd = Samoa
June 3rd = Togo
June 4th = Cameroon
June 4th = Peru
June 7th = Ghana
June 8th = Ecuador
June 8th = Burkina Faso
June 8th = Madagascar
June 8th = Moldova
June 8th = Tanzania
June 11th = Lesotho
June 15th = Georgia
June 16th = Ecuador
June 18th = Mauritania
June 23rd = Swaziland
June 28th = Jordan
June 30th = The Gambia
June = Armenia


July 1st = Benin
July 1st = China
July 3rd = Jamaica
July 3rd = Kyrgyz Republic
July 6th = Mali
July 7th = Honduras
July 7th = Niger
July 14th = Cape Verde
July 17th = South Africa~
July 19th = Bulgaria~
July 23rd = Zambia
July = Cambodia
July = Guinea

August 3rd = Panama*
August 3rd = Kiribati --indefinitely suspended
August 4th = Uganda
August 11th = Guatemala*
August 13th = Philippines~
August 18th = Kazakhstan
August 18th = Belize*
August 18th = Dominican Republic~
August 25th = Eastern Caribbean~

September 1st = Nicaragua*
September 5th = Morocco
September 8th = Senegal
September 10th = Peru*
September 14th = Tanzania
September 16th = El Salvador*
September 19th = Macedonia~
September 20th = Ghana
September 20th = Cameroon
September 21st = Azerbaijan
September 26th = Malawi
September 29th = Mozambique
September = Turkmenistan
September = Ukraine~
September = Togo

October 12th = Burkina Faso

November 3rd = Kenya

January = Rwanda

* biggest possibility for me
~ could be a possibility
>>>With the 6-wk rule and today's date being July 24th the remaining possibilities are: Panama, Guatemala, Philippines, Belize, Dominican Republic, Eastern Caribbean, Nicaragua, Peru, El Salvador, Macedonia, Ukraine</span>
(most likely in bold)