The Nomination: It's Official

My big Peace Corps interview was this morning! At 8 am. I am not a morning person. 8 am?! I did get there on time, two minutes early to be precise. But since I was only two minutes early I had to forgo coffee.

The interview went well. Surprisingly, at the end of the interview the recruiter nominated me to be a Community Development volunteer in Francophone Africa. I had assumed I would sit through a few more weeks or even a month or two of bureaucracy before the nomination. So, I was excited to be nominated, especially to the program and region I want to go to.

Then the recruiter gave me a choice within the Community Development program. I could either volunteer to work with municipal governments or with businesses. "I have to pick one, right now? I can't choose both?" I asked. No, I could not. I had to choose one. On the spot, right then and there, with nary a sentence description about either program.

Policy wonk Jay Girl said "Governments! Do it." Future Jay Girl, who earns an MBA, said "Businesses! This is a great learning opportunity!" Political science major Jay Girl, who aspires to work for the United Nations or the State Department, changing the world through sound policy fought back, pointing out this would be a great opportunity to work with international governments. Economics minor Jay Girl who believes in the free market and changes the world through creative capitalism and economic development made a second counter argument.

The recruiter seemed to sense this inner monologue was going on, so she recommended we go take care of my fingerprints. I tried asking her what program she felt I was better qualified for. She dodged the question in part, but first threw out that "You seem rather structured. Maybe the government option?" "Structured?!" I thought, offended. I was wearing a suit but this was a job interview, after all. And I wore a bright shirt under my suit with a pretty, beaded African necklace to hint at the unstructured side of my personality. But I could not be distracted by that; I had this decision to make. Right now.

In the end, I went with working with municipal governments. The bona fide city girl in me reasoned that if I was working with a government, whether it be city, provincial or national, the work would probably occur in a more urban environment. I really would like to be in a city but I am trying to maintain flexibility per the Peace Corps guidelines. So, that is what we went with though there is a 40% chance it will all change.

And when I arrived home that night to my tidy apartment I thought "Maybe I am structured."