Here's a timeline of the most momentous occasions in my Peace Corps Dominican Republic adventure:
October 2012: Submitted my application for the United States Peace Corps, a dream I've had since I was in high school.
November 2012: Interviewed with the Boston recruiter and she sent me a formal nomination for health, education or environment sectors.
April 2013: After months of waiting and no word on Peace Corps' end, I received my invitation to serve in the Health sector in Peace Corps Dominican Republic
May 2013: Invitation accepted!
August 20, 2013: Attended staging in Washington, DC.
August 21, 2013: Arrived in country confused and tired.
August 21 - September 9, 2013: Pre-service training in the Capital.
September 9 - October 18, 2013: Community-based training in El Portón.
October 20, 2013: Discovered our site placements! I'm going to Manzanillo, in the province of Montecristi in the northwest! ¡Lejos!
October 25-28, 2013: Spent my first weekend in Manzanillo.
October 30, 2013: Swore in as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
November 4, 2013: First day in my very own apartment/bedroom above an amazing host family's house.
November 28, 2013: Thanksgiving with my PCDR family, one of the best ones yet.
December 25, 2013: First time I've cried in country. I was missing Idaho snow and Christmas food with my parents. But I got over it as soon as we slaughtered and ate my Christmas pig, Canchito. Yummmm. ¡Que rico!
February 11-14, 2014: 3-month In-Service Training. Wow, I've been in site for three months already. Time has come to formally start my projects.
February 28, 2014: Turned 23 and celebrated it on the beach with great friends.
March 23, 2014: Received a $3500 PEPFAR Grant to start and facilitate projects focusing on HIV/AIDS with women and youth.
April 4-6, 2014: Attended my first conference, Brigada Verde, to promote sustainability and environmental education with two youth from Manzanillo.
April 9-12, 2014: Traveled with a group of youth to the capital to see "politics in action," complete with a trip to the National Palace and Supreme Court.
April 22, 2014: Planted 56 trees in town to celebrate Earth Day.
May 28, 2014: Graduated 8 adult English language learners from Bea's English School.
June 6-7, 2014: Hosted my very first youth group exchange in Manzanillo with Elana's group from Clavellina, Dajabón.
June 14-15, 2014: Planned and attended my second youth group exchange with Julie in Palo Verde, Montecristi.
July 19, 2014: Graduated 36 youth in Manzanillo's very first Escojo Mi Vida graduation.
August 2, 2014: Last beach day with the original Montecristi crew, as Julie is leaving for America!
August 6, 2013: Graduated 16 women in Copey's very first Hogares Saludables graduation.
August 12, 2014: Received $3,000 grant from World Connect to construct 30 stoves in Copey.
August 20, 2014: Graduated 24 women in Manzanillo's very first Hogares Saludables graduation.
August 28-30, 2014: Brought 2 students to a Deportes Para la Vida (Sports for Life) Training of the Trainers, learning how to teach HIV/AIDS prevention through sports and exercise.
September 2, 2015: First day of stove construction!
September 14-24, 2014: Home to America for the Blog It Home Tour and visit from my momma.
September 25-28, 2014: One-Year Celebration with my swear-in group!
October 30, 2014: One year since swear-in, strange time - one of much reflection.
November 4-7, 2014: One year In-Service Training (IST!)
November 24-28, 2014: Selected for the coveted Thanksgiving Baking Team, spending a week making green bean casserole and macaroni and cheese in the house of the director of the USAID DR mission. Can someone say hot water, wifi and a fridge full of snacks?!
November 29, 2014: Escojo youth leadership workshop for superstar youth - promoting sustainability and leadership within Escojo Mi Vida!
December 6-29, 2014: Back to Idaho for Christmas!
January 10, 2015: Finished all 30 stoves in Copey and applied for a grant to do another 40, what was I thinking?
January 17, 2015: Ran my first 5k race in country, what an experience.
February 19-23, 2015: Climbed Pico Duarte, the tallest mountain in the Caribbean (or the 79th tallest in the world).
February 28, 2015: Turned 24!
April 29 - May 1, 2015: Chaperoned youth at a business conferences called Construye Tus Sueños, Build Your Dreams.
______________________________________________________________
Since this was published, I have also done the following:
June 3-5, 2015: Coordinated and co-facilitated a stoves training for the new group of volunteers.
June 5 - July 4, 2015: Second time in my service that I've completed the "30-Day Challenge" of staying in my site for an entire month without leaving. It's harder than you'd think! In that month, I was extremely productive, making cookstoves, facilitating first aid trainings and compartir-ing like a true Dominican!
June 24, 2015: Hosted my "daughter" Gissaury's birthday party and first time organizing children's play.
Where will I go from here? COS is 65 days away!
October 2012: Submitted my application for the United States Peace Corps, a dream I've had since I was in high school.
November 2012: Interviewed with the Boston recruiter and she sent me a formal nomination for health, education or environment sectors.
April 2013: After months of waiting and no word on Peace Corps' end, I received my invitation to serve in the Health sector in Peace Corps Dominican Republic
May 2013: Invitation accepted!
August 20, 2013: Attended staging in Washington, DC.
August 21, 2013: Arrived in country confused and tired.
August 21 - September 9, 2013: Pre-service training in the Capital.
September 9 - October 18, 2013: Community-based training in El Portón.
October 20, 2013: Discovered our site placements! I'm going to Manzanillo, in the province of Montecristi in the northwest! ¡Lejos!
October 25-28, 2013: Spent my first weekend in Manzanillo.
October 30, 2013: Swore in as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
November 4, 2013: First day in my very own apartment/bedroom above an amazing host family's house.
November 28, 2013: Thanksgiving with my PCDR family, one of the best ones yet.
December 25, 2013: First time I've cried in country. I was missing Idaho snow and Christmas food with my parents. But I got over it as soon as we slaughtered and ate my Christmas pig, Canchito. Yummmm. ¡Que rico!
February 11-14, 2014: 3-month In-Service Training. Wow, I've been in site for three months already. Time has come to formally start my projects.
February 28, 2014: Turned 23 and celebrated it on the beach with great friends.
March 23, 2014: Received a $3500 PEPFAR Grant to start and facilitate projects focusing on HIV/AIDS with women and youth.
April 4-6, 2014: Attended my first conference, Brigada Verde, to promote sustainability and environmental education with two youth from Manzanillo.
April 9-12, 2014: Traveled with a group of youth to the capital to see "politics in action," complete with a trip to the National Palace and Supreme Court.
April 22, 2014: Planted 56 trees in town to celebrate Earth Day.
May 28, 2014: Graduated 8 adult English language learners from Bea's English School.
June 6-7, 2014: Hosted my very first youth group exchange in Manzanillo with Elana's group from Clavellina, Dajabón.
June 14-15, 2014: Planned and attended my second youth group exchange with Julie in Palo Verde, Montecristi.
July 19, 2014: Graduated 36 youth in Manzanillo's very first Escojo Mi Vida graduation.
August 2, 2014: Last beach day with the original Montecristi crew, as Julie is leaving for America!
August 6, 2013: Graduated 16 women in Copey's very first Hogares Saludables graduation.
August 12, 2014: Received $3,000 grant from World Connect to construct 30 stoves in Copey.
August 20, 2014: Graduated 24 women in Manzanillo's very first Hogares Saludables graduation.
August 28-30, 2014: Brought 2 students to a Deportes Para la Vida (Sports for Life) Training of the Trainers, learning how to teach HIV/AIDS prevention through sports and exercise.
September 2, 2015: First day of stove construction!
September 14-24, 2014: Home to America for the Blog It Home Tour and visit from my momma.
September 25-28, 2014: One-Year Celebration with my swear-in group!
October 30, 2014: One year since swear-in, strange time - one of much reflection.
November 4-7, 2014: One year In-Service Training (IST!)
November 24-28, 2014: Selected for the coveted Thanksgiving Baking Team, spending a week making green bean casserole and macaroni and cheese in the house of the director of the USAID DR mission. Can someone say hot water, wifi and a fridge full of snacks?!
November 29, 2014: Escojo youth leadership workshop for superstar youth - promoting sustainability and leadership within Escojo Mi Vida!
December 6-29, 2014: Back to Idaho for Christmas!
January 10, 2015: Finished all 30 stoves in Copey and applied for a grant to do another 40, what was I thinking?
January 17, 2015: Ran my first 5k race in country, what an experience.
February 19-23, 2015: Climbed Pico Duarte, the tallest mountain in the Caribbean (or the 79th tallest in the world).
February 28, 2015: Turned 24!
April 29 - May 1, 2015: Chaperoned youth at a business conferences called Construye Tus Sueños, Build Your Dreams.
______________________________________________________________
Since this was published, I have also done the following:
June 3-5, 2015: Coordinated and co-facilitated a stoves training for the new group of volunteers.
June 5 - July 4, 2015: Second time in my service that I've completed the "30-Day Challenge" of staying in my site for an entire month without leaving. It's harder than you'd think! In that month, I was extremely productive, making cookstoves, facilitating first aid trainings and compartir-ing like a true Dominican!
June 24, 2015: Hosted my "daughter" Gissaury's birthday party and first time organizing children's play.
Where will I go from here? COS is 65 days away!
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