Youth Dev.

Wow, just after all that thinking about Spanish and Youth and trying to come up with a country, someone who is a trainee in Guatemala left a message on peacecorps2 about being a Youth Development trainee in Guatemala, and that there are about 15 other Youth Dev trainees with him. That's exciting because it opens up Guatemala in addition to Belize--I previously didn't think Guatemala did Youth, but it might be new? All I know now is that Guatemala and Belize both do Youth Development! So YIKES! Who knows where I'll end up! I'd be happy with either!

Update: Yes, he e-mailed me and the Youth program in Guatemala only began this year, it sounds like he is the first or 2nd group to be doing it. That would explain why I hadn't heard of it! That'd be exciting to be working in the beginning of a new program, I'm sure harder than an established one, but exciting all the same! 

Spanish

My nomination is for C/S America. I really want to speak Spanish.  There are all of like 3 countries in Latin America that don't speak Spanish. One of my possible countries is one of those non-Spanish speaking countries.

My recruiter, when nominating me, said "You have had Spanish right? Now is it Spanish 2 that you've taken?" "yes, I finished Spanish 2 in college" "How would you say your Spanish skills actually are" "ummm...I can't lie, I'm not the best, but I can hold my own in a conversation and get around, especially if I reviewed a little bit" "Okay, because I'm going to nominate you for Youth Development in mid-August in Latin America....This position is specifically requesting strong Spanish 2 skills."

Thus, that leads me to believe that even that I will be placed in a Spanish speaking country. Right? Or in a Spanish speaking area. She also explicitly stated that it was C/S America, NOT the Caribbean (canceling out Dominican Republic--if you still want to go by the nomination).  The 3 countries in my region that show invitations already are Belize (English), Guatemala (Spanish), and Panama (Spanish).  Out of these 3, Belize is the only one that has a Youth Development program, the only one that has had a Youth Dev invitee, and, of course, is the only English speaking one in the bunch.  

Now up North in Belize, near the Mexico and some of the Guatemala border, Spanish is spoken...but people still seem to be fluent in English, from what I gather.  If this is the case, that could be why the program specifically requested Spanish 2 for this position.  However, we all know it is MUCH harder to learn a language when you have the option of speaking English all the time--that's what concerns me. There are 2 people who I may e-mail to see if they were given any heads up about the language, both Belize invitees, one for Youth, one for Education.

Belize just looks most likely. Of course it is possible that something like Costa Rica or El Salvador could pop up too! Those both have Youth programs and speak Spanish. Granted, who wouldn't LOVE to live and work in Belize for 2 years? But at the same time, is it wrong of me to be really worried about the desire to learn Spanish and that it might not be possible to do so in Belize?

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