The Application Process (Lauren)

So let me bring you up to date with a little timeline

• Andy and Lauren talk about traveling abroad August of 2007 in Redlands, CA at a little restaurant called Farm Artisan Foods (which you should eat at if you ever have the chance). We decide that traveling is cool, but we'd like some service element, and we don't want to go there for just a month, we'd really like to stay and live there, and isn't there a program that.....
• Andy and Lauren apply to Peace Corps at the end of September 2007. The application includes two essays, the longest questionnaire you've ever seen, three references, and ten years of work history.
• Andy and Lauren have an interview with a cool gal outside of L.A. in mid-November 2007
• Andy and Lauren get nominated for Sub-Saharan Africa leaving in summer of 2008 in January 2008
• Andy and Lauren go through the crazy process that is Medical/Dental/Legal Clearance and miss their anticipated leave date (through no fault of their own and despite my expert organizational skills) and are told it will take another 6-12 months to get a placement because placing couples is a complicated/delicate process
• Andy and Lauren contemplate moving back to my parent's house vs. moving to NYC June of 2008 and temporarily withdraw from the Peace Corps process
• Andy and Lauren move to NYC August of 2008
• Andy and Lauren decide to give Peace Corps another go in November 2008 which entails writing two more essays, a new resume, and a new reference.
• Andy and Lauren are reactivated February 4, 2008
• Andy and Lauren receive email notification that they are receiving an invitation to a country Feb 20, 2008.
• Andy and Lauren receive the actual invitation stating they were going to South Africa to be Education Resources (Andy-Computers, Lauren-Math) by mail March 5. I note the two different invitation times, because that was probably the most excruciating time of the entire experience.
• Andy and Lauren prepare, which means new Dental Clearance, tons of new paperwork, and the ups and downs of telling people our news.

And there you have it! Currently, we are enjoying the last weeks of work and NYC. We will truly miss them both.

The Uhaul is scheduled for the 22nd and then we're off to the Midwest to visit with the friends and fam. After that, we travel to our Staging Event somewhere in the U.S. around July 21st, and then off to Africa!