Address

So I have been asked by most people I have talked to what my address will be while in training.  Today I finally received that information.

Keep in mind I will not be in Namibia until after August 24th.

You can send packages to

Melissa Nicks
P.O. Box 6862
Windhoek 9000
Namibia

If sending something through an expedited service such as FedEx or DHL send it to the street address of the PC office.

19 Nachtigal Street
Ausspannplatz
Windhoek
Namibia

This address will only be for training.  Once I am sworn in on October 20th and move to my new site I will put up a new address.  Also remember that all mail can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks to make it to its destination.  (That includes mail sent to you here at home too!)

With that said, feel free to send me all that your heart desires! :)

Hoe gaan dit? Mi re? Ngapi? Wa lala po? Ngepi? Kora? Ku cwani?

You might be asking yourself, What does all that written up above mean?  I would tell you if I knew!  Hahahahaha.  Today I received a TON of information preparing me for staging and for the most exciting two years to come!  That included a letter with these questions or phrases written on it welcoming me and congratulating me.  I'll let you know when I find out what it really means, it probably says something in a language found in Namibia but I have no clue.  :)

So over the past month or so I have been wrapping up work.  Tomorrow (August 5th) is officially my last day at Odyssey Hospice.  I am so excited but sad at the same time.  I love the people I work with but know I have an incredible journey ahead of me. 

I am also preparing to move out of my apartment and back home.  Another bittersweet experience.  I have LOVED living with my roommate Carrie and will be sad to split apart but am happy for her and the direction God is taking her at this time in her life. 

I am selling my car (Sandie). :( She is the best car a girl can have (or guy!)  :)

So now I am working on packing up my place, moving, finishing training my replacement at work, and packing up my life for the next two+ years. 

I also had my going away party last weekend.  WOW!  I am pretty sure I had over 100 people there at one point, it was amazing!  My love tank is so full! 

Thank you to the worlds best family ever!  My Family is simply the best and puts on the best parties.  They support me so much and love me for being me.  Have I mentioned out amazing they are?  They are! 

I leave in two weeks!  I'll post at least once more before then.  As for now, so long!  :)

Times, they are a changin'

So I have officially sent in my letter of resignation and my last day of work will be August 5th, woohoo!
-That's only 9 work days away! :)

I also received my staging information last week and booked my flight to Philadelphia, PA!  I leave the 20th and we for Namibia on the 22nd!
-That's only 26 days until staging and 28 days until the flight to Namibia!

I cannot believe how fast time is flying by.  I have so much to do but feel like I cant really do all that much until after I am done with work.

I will be selling my car Sandie.  She's in great shape and needs a loving home.  She is a 2005 Honda Civic LX, a sandy gold color (hence the name), and has about 90,000 miles under her hood. 

This is Sandie with her friend Skelly.  Skelly was visiting last October and she and Sandie totally hit it off.  :)

She is currently for sale.

On another note, I am currently preparing/consolidating all of my stuff in my apartment to move back home into the attic.  My stuff, not me! :)  I'll probably share a room with either my sister or my niece. 

I also have my going away party coming up and am so excited to see some of my favorite people there!

Since I began preparing to leave I have been trying to do as much fun stuff as possible.  I think I have been pretty successful!

- Went white water rafting for a week on the American River.  AWESOME!

- Did a mud run.  Crazy tough and dirty, but so fun!

- Spent the day at the beach with my second family, the Rich's.

- Went to the Orange County Fair.  Ate fried food and bought some super funky but cute shades.  Lets just say they will be going to Namibia and people will be jealous of how cute they are.  hahaha.

I've probably done more but those are my highlights for right now. 

Hope you are having a blessed week!  :)

Namibia?

So I have done a fair amount of looking around and haven't found anybody going to Namibia (except for one :)) in the blogging world? 

Anyone out there going to Namibia in August with me?  Or is it just the two of us?

Just thought I'd throw it out there.  :)

Namibia, here I come!

Ahhhh... My invite has finally come and I have officially accepted.

It arrived last Monday while I was up in Nor Cal White Water Rafting for the week.  My roommate called me Monday night and told me it had arrived, I was bummed but super stoked it finally arrived!

Friday night when I arrived home my parents, brother, and sister were all there to watch the opening of the Big Blue Packet, otherwise known as the INVITE!

We were right about Namibia!  I will be working as a business advisor in the SEED (Small Enterprise & Entrepreneurship Development) program.  The program began in 2010 so it is a fairly new program.  :)

Mom was so excited she made me pose for a photo.

I leave for Washington DC on August 18th and will travel to Namibia on August 21st.

For those who know me we will be having a going away party!  Email or Facebook me for details, I'd love to see you before I leave!

ahhhh... INVITE!!!

I received a voicemail from my PO this morning saying she found a position departing in mid/late August and would like me to please call her back sometime today.  I was so excited that I called her right away and was bummed to get her voicemail... all SIX times I tried :).  I finally received another call from her and we discussed the opening.  It is a small business development position in Africa with a focus on a new program educating entrepreneurs and their teachers.  I will also be responsible for finding secondary work creating activities for youth educating them on AIDS and HIV awareness!  She asked if I would be interested leaving earlier and I told her "HECK YES!" maybe not in those exact words but I am sure my excitement said it all!  :)  We ended the call with her saying my invite is going in the mail today!  My mom did her research and thinks I will be going to Namibia!    I can't believe I will be leaving in less then two months to live in Africa.

Woah... Peace Corps? Yes, please!

Well, since my last post the following has happened:

• My blood count is at a normal level over 12... the infusions worked!
• I cleared medical a few days after I received the results of my blood test.
• I was contacted by my placement officer that day asking for an updated resume of my work and volunteer history as she does the final review of my application!
• I sent in my updated resume the following week
• I got an email a few days later asking for a good time to schedule a phone call with my Placement Officer to go over the final review of my app. 
• I had a 15 minute convo with my PO yesterday and was told she is looking into a program in Africa departing for early October doing small business development!  She said I should be hearing from her in 1-2 weeks with a possible invite! 

This has all happened in two months.  It took 6.5 months for my medical review to be completed! Crazy!

Here is my LONG timeline of this process... It looks like it will most likely be 1 year from start to invite! 

7/1/10- Application Submitted.
8/10- Contacted by a recruiter.  Got fingerprints done... FBI card status! 
9/13/10- Interview over the phone with my recruiter.  Nominated at the end of the interview for Sub-Saharan Africa doing Business Advising departing late May/early June 2011.
9/14/10- Toolkit states I am officially a Peace Corps Nominee and my Medical/Dental Kit are both in the mail.  Legal clearance was completed.
10/10- Had various dental and doctors appointments completing my  kit.
11/17/10- Received a notification that my Medical/Dental kits were received. Also received my dental kit back saying dental work needs to be completed and new x-rays.
1/11- Got three crowns, one fillings, and x-rays. Thank God for dental insurance and for blessing me with the funds to get it all done at once.  Sent info off the the Dental office and was cleared at the end of January.
2/17/11- I got impatient as I realized I hadn't heard anything from the medical office and my nominated trip was approaching and emailed them asking if they had started reviewing my file. 
2/18/11- Received work that "my file was just assigned a nurse and I will be hearing from her in 4-6 weeks". 
3/26/11- Received a letter from my MO asking for a follow up blood test and a new PAP smear.  My blood count was low and my PAP was over one year old. 
4/11- Found out my blood count dropped even more.  Was placed on iron supplements.  Faxed a letter and repeat blood test back to my MO.  Received another letter stating the information was incomplete, my doctor did not specify when I began the iron supplements and they want another blood test.
5/11- Realized my iron isn't raising fast enough.  Underwent Iron Infusions.  Completely free thanks to Kaiser and my awesome insurance through my work!   
5/18/11- Received an actual phone call from my MO asking how I was doing and if I had finished my infusions.  I told her yes and I was going to get my blood drawn the next day to see results.  Had a blood test and my iron was over a 12 (which is good!) and there was a LOT of iron floating around in me.
5/26/11- Received notification via my toolkit that the MO made a decision and I will be receiving a letter in the mail stating what they decided.  Received an email from the Placement Assistant about 1 hour later asking for an updated resume so she can pass along my my application to my placement officer.  Guess that means I passed medical!!!  Woohoo!  I also received an email from my placement officer stating I am not going to make my original nomination.  (I already knew that) 
6/1/11- Sent my resume over.  It was hard fitting all my work and volunteer experience onto two pages. 
6/7/11- Received an email from the PO assistant saying she is passing along my application to the PO and I will hear from her in 4-6 weeks. 
6/9/11- Received an email from my PO asking what time would be best for her to call me and to discuss the final review of my app.  AHHHHH!!!!!   I told her Monday or Tuesday at noon during my lunch break. 
6/14/11- Had a 15 minute conversation with my PO and was told that she is looking at a trip departing in early October for Africa doing Small Business Development!  She also said I'll here from her in 1-2 weeks about this trip.  Possible Invite?  I hope so!

I'll write another post soon!  Hopefully with a picture of me with my BBP!  BBP- Big Blue Packet, i.e. invitation!