Last Will and.....WHAT???

Let me begin by saying that there is a lot of paperwork that goes into becoming a Peace Corps volunteer. For anyone who is going through it or those who may be thinking about joining, don’t let this deter you. There is a lot, but it is not stressful or difficult… just merely a lot! From your 30 page application in the beginning to your resumes, motivation and aspiration statements, to the piles of legal and medical clearances, you will be busy compiling documents for the government. Then you get invited and the fun just begins! You must get finances in order, pay off debts, get student loans deferred, set up banking (paypal, etc), get personal property insurance, shall I go on? I am not complaining, just saying that there is a lot to do. I read that it is a good idea to appoint a Power of Attorney to take care of any obligations (taxes, etc) for you while out of the country. As my dad is an Attorney, naturally he was my pick. I go over to his house last night and he hands me a stack of papers to read over. It basically stated I give him permission to take over my life! Ha-ha! As I flipped to the end of the stack, I came across a paper that read “Last Will and Testament of Jennifer L. Grigsby.” Needless to say I freak out! “What the hell is this?” My dad calmly states “Your will. Jenny, it is important to have all things in order.” So what? He thinks I might get destroyed there in Guyana? I think not! Nonetheless, I read through it and said OK. I guess father does always know best. Im sure not every 26 year old Peace Corps Volunteer writes a will before they leave (I don’t own anything of value anyway), but why not add it to my plies of papers? LOL!

Anyway, it is really getting exciting talking to all the people in my group. They all seem like they are going through the same emotional rollercoaster that I am. Woohoo! I got a phone call from the Peace Corps Guyana Director and the Director of Education. We had a 40 minute conversation about what to expect, some general information on safety and medical care, and specifics about my skill set and where I see myself living. To be honest I told them I still wasn’t sure. I can’t wait to get in country and really see what it is like. I can daydream all I want, but I will never know until I step foot on Guyana soil! We did speak about how there are some discipline problems in the schools and that teachers are struggling with ways to deal with difficult children. They said that some teachers still resort to the switch…. That might take some getting used to. However, they were very interested with my behavior management background and how we could incorporate those skills. That really got me motivated and I can’t wait for training to begin… ok I am getting a little ahead of myself. But that definitely sparked a new excitement, as I didn’t think those would be skills that I would be utilizing! I’ll never know till I get there :)

Updates

I just received my staging information and there is an excited change of plans. I had originally thought that it would be in Miami, as that was where the last staging for Guyana was. However, it is in Philly! So this has its ups and downs… It is great because I can just drive there! It’s bad because I have to do my final goodbyes at the hotel. That means whoever gets there before me might get a first impression of me as a blubbering idiot because I don’t have a whole plane ride to prepare myself and adjust… oh well! I can’t wait to meet all of the people in my Guy21. A bunch of us have already talked in a facebook group and they all seem very nice so far. Yesterday I told my students that I was leaving. It went pretty well, but there were lots of tears from one special 7 yr old and maybe a few from me too. We start to transition in my replacement Tuesday, so a little busy getting ready for that. Overall, still really excited and starting to worry that I don’t have anything ready… gotta love that wait till the last minute stuff!

Guyana! Don't freak out yet....

Hello everyone! I have decided to start this blog to keep my friends, family, and anyone who is interested updated on the crazy adventures that will be my life for the next 26 months. On February 22nd, I will be heading to Guyana (that’s in South America for you geographically challenged ones) to serve for 26 months as a US Peace Corps Volunteer. I really have no idea what to expect. I am told that I will be a Community Education Promoter. I believe that I will be teaching in primary schools, assisting/guiding teachers on good teaching practices, and working with the community to develop PTOs, extra curricular activities, and after school/ summer programs. But really, who knows? I could end up doing something completely different. It seems that I will never really know until I get there…. then it may still be a question. For any of you who know me… I like a challenge! So I guess this is the perfect path for meJ Im starting to stress with having to leave my friends, family and kiddos at work (I am a k-2 special ed teacher… I am dreading “the talk”). As well as having to get rid of half of my belongings and pack 2 years of stuff into 2 bags! The biggest issue is that I have no idea where my site of service will be until after my first two months of training. It could be in a decent town with reliable electricity, water, and even internet and TV! Or I could be in the middle of the rainforest somewhere… in a hut? Who knows? So many questions! Right now I think… go for it… opt for the hut. But after seeing some crazy huge tarantulas… I might change my mind. I guess that’s what the first two months are for.

Well, please feel free to email me or post comments! I know I would love them. I will keep you updated as my departure gets closer!