BOTSWANA!

I'm beginning to truly believe that my attempt to plan out my life is futile. God and fate have continually impressed this upon me lately, or rather, have drilled it into me after each setback spins all my planning to the winds. Mozambique must not be in the cards. 

Because my Moz invite was rescinded due to kidney stones, the Peace Corps was able to offer me a new invitation to a country that can handle my condition in the chance that I pass another stone. The only problem was that all of the countries leaving right away were already full of volunteers. 

BUT I'm excited to announce that I will now be going to BOTSWANA (hence the title of this post!)

I won't leave until August, so a little more waiting must commence, but all I've done is wait so far in this process, so I'm a veteran of waiting.

My title is "Clinical Health Team Worker" and I will be working to address community health issues and primarily HIV/AIDS through clinic health education outreach and district level research, data-analysis, and coordination of programs. 

The Peace Corps entered Botswana in 1966 working in multiple areas of development. Botswana experienced remarkable growth since their independence from the United Kingdom. In 1997, the Peace Corps withdrew from the country due to its success. In 2002 volunteers returned again to combat the severity of the AIDS epidemic. Botswana currently has the third highest prevalence rates of HIV in the world, behind Swaziland and Lesotho. 23% of the population ages 15-49 are positive for the disease.

For now, I'll just enjoy my summer!

Little Bit Longer

This is a hard post to write. 

According to all my calendars and countdowns lying around, I should be scrambling to pack and prepare my life for my departure to Mozambique in two weeks.
But this isn't the case.

Little over a month ago, I still had yet to receive final medical clearance, even though I was supposed to leave in less then sixty days. I was corresponding with the nurse going over my file making sure I had everything turned in. There didn't seem to be anything standing in my way of getting that final clearance. I am healthy and all my tests came back normal. I thought maybe they were just backlogged.
My heart nearly hammered out of my chest and tears stung my eyes as I read the message with their final decision:

"The Peace Corps Medical Officer in Mozambique and our Medical Advisor have both been consulted regarding your case. Unfortunatly, you will be removed from your class."

I was devasted to learn, quite suddenly, that I would no longer be going to Mozambique. Instantly, my status on the portal went from "invitation accepted" back to "nominated"; a huge backward leap! What happened, I thought, I'm healthy; I was supposed to leave in 50 days! Apparently, because I passed a Kidney stone two years ago, the Peace Corps are worried that should I pass another one during my service, I wouldn't be able to get the urology support that I would need in Mozambique.

Normally, medical pre-clearance catches medical conditions such as this and you will only be nominated for countries that can care for your needs, but I, for some reason, got passed through without anything being written on my chart, even though I had submitted specific paperwork about my kidney stone. Finally, once I got to the final clearance stage, they realized that I can't serve in that country, even though according to myself and my urologist, my kidney stone history doesn't pose a current problem. I argued and pleaded and tried to negotiate my way back into Mozambique, but they were set in their decision. The nurse going over my file did apologize and seem sympathetic for the mistake that was made in my case, but I'm still a bit miffed that I never received an official apology.
I know that peace corps volunteers have to be flexible, but being pushed back three times feels like a bit much.

Devastated is only the brink of what I've been feeling. To have the rug pulled out from under me so suddenly has broken my heart. This whole journey, I've waited and waited hoping for the best only to be thrown off by one worst case scenario followed by another, and I haven't even left yet. Each set back, I've told myself that "its only a little longer, I can wait just a bit more," but that little bit longer has turned into over a year of extra waiting beyond the estimated year Peace Corps tells you to be prepared for. A "supposed" temporary time of living at home and doing boring office work because it doesn't make sense to find another job, a job within my field or one that isn't so mind numbing,  if I'm leaving in only a little bit longer has turned into a year of just waiting.  I haven't been able to work towards anything, or accomplish anything because every couple of months my situation changes for the worst and I'm thrown completely off course. It is completely out of my character to not be doing something. I've been having a lot of personal pity parties; which is completely outside of my normal sunny disposition.

I know things aren't all bad. There have been some smiling moments within all the angsty ones, and I'm even grateful to have been living at home as my family has been living through some setbacks as well. But that doesn't stop this news from being heart-breaking, especially right before I would have left. Their decision can't be changed; all I can do is move forward. My patience is wearing mighty thin, but I've wanted this for so long, waiting just that little bit longer can't hurt too much.

The Peace Corps was able to offer me another invitation, which I accepted,  to a country that can take care of me in the off chance that I pass another kidney stone, but that is a post for another day :)