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Now, last time I posted, it was Monday, the w/e after the talk with my PO, just 1 business day. I don't know WHAT I was thinking, thinking that I was anxious/worried then. Its now Friday night, a full week after speaking to my PO. I know that everything is in the works, but every second I don't hear something, the more anxious I get. I think its that it is so close to the end and its almost a "make or break" since the nurse has to approve me, and that this is now 100% out of my hands is what gets me the most! 

Really, I know people say to try not to think about it, but I can't help it, and it seems like the majority of my day is spent thinking about it. I mean, how can I not? I'm so close! Every time I think about it, I can just feel myself getting anxious....my heart speeds up, I feel the nerves, I start worrying. I'll think the worst, then reassure myself, only to second guess myself. Yikes, I need a break from thinking. Hopefully, this weekend will provide that since Sunday is my 24th birthday. Hopefully, I will have a few days of it being off my mind.

Top 2 Worries:

(1) The spot isn't really saved--that is, that it may be "saved" but someone can still take it before the nurse approves me

(2) The nurse won't approve me for the country...

I know she said 3 days to 2 weeks, so I'm smack in the middle of waiting, and I'm pretty sure she said my spot is saved for certain, but at the same time, I'm also not sure, and desperately wish I could e-mail her to double-check about that....but naturally, rule of thumb, don't e-mail the PO any earlier than you have to. And that's insanely hard to do--not email her. So far I haven't. Not sure if I can hold off til next Friday. 

Someone, ease my nerves, please!!!

Oh Invite, Where are You?

Okay, really getting nervous, PO...PO...where are you and where is my invite? Nerves are kicking in!

Nomination!!!!!!!

Okay, talk about insanely frayed nerves. Haha. No not because of what the nomination IS, I love the nomination (both of them--haha). Just read on and find out why my nerves are attacking me like its a warzone!

My recruiter, Hazel, called me and said she had two options for me to choose from for my nomination:

• Youth Development, Eastern Europe, March '09
• Community Service, French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa, July '08

I hands down chose Africa! First, if I chose the Europe one, I wouldn't be able to go to my sister's wedding next June, that ended that right off the bat. But even if it'd been a better date for me, I prefer both Africa and Community over Europe and Youth.  So it was perfect.

Naturally, I got on the Yahoo Peace Corps 2 group and announced it in an insane fury of excitement--there had just been a post started about nominations that were mine. I posted my nomination and then read the others. Just as I vaguely remembered, one girl with a relatively similar nomination had hers changed after a couple weeks because those were already full. I thought oh great, now mine will, even without the epilepsy, but also thought--hers could be an entirely different program, you never know!

No more than 5 minutes after I read that, my phone rang. It was Hazel. She said she had to cancel my nomination because the post she had nominated me for was already closed. I didn't say I already knew this and wasn't surprised, but still was sorta grafghtruahegilahret. Anyway, she gave me 2 more options. One was the same African post leaving in March '09, the other was still that Europe one in March '09. I ehh and ahhhed and hrmmmmed at the options. If I choose one of them, I without a doubt would have to miss my sisters wedding.

I asked if there was anything earlier, at all, leaving before the end of the year. I explained I was happy with both those nominations, and that I wasn't trying to be picky, but that my sisters wedding was in June '09 and I was supposed to be the maid of honor.  If I left then I would miss it because of the 6-month no travel restriction, so I was really hoping to leave by the end of the year. LUCKILY, Thank goodness, Hazel understood and looked again, but said she didn't think there was anything left that I was qualified for. She found one, but it was for environmental engineering--something I am 100% unqualified for. We both agreed. Another I was also unqualified for. 

Then she found something. She said it required a Spanish 2 level, which I have. Then she said it also required at least a year of strong organizational and developmental skills. We both paused. That's where it got tricky, I'm sure if I thought I could eke something out that would most likely be bullshit. Apparently, that's what she was trying to do too, because she wanted me to fit this nomination. She looked at my stuff and says

"Oh! Watermelon Express! This day camp. I see what you did, but can you describe it to me?"
"Well, yeah, I was pretty much the head counselor under the two owners, so I helped them create and organize projects, field trips, schedules in general. Plus, you know, 50+ kids and keeping THEM organized is pretty hard. ....also, I don't know if this will count at all, but I'll throw it out, in college, in most group projects I tended to be the leader. Also, in my history seminars I would have to write a research paper that I had to completely organize, develop, and write on my own. Sometimes halfway through, the paper would completely change directions or you'd have to almost start over. It took a lot of work. Just a thought"
"Well, I think that constitutes strong organizational skills, I'm going to nominate you for this program."

Wow. My nerves were so frayed because I didn't think I was going to be able to find a program that left before the end of this year. I was just about to freak OUT! More than you know. I had expected a call for a nomination change, but GEEZ. Now I'm just terrified I'll get another call! *crazy*

My Official Nomination:

• Youth Development, Spanish-speaking Central/South America, mid-August 2008