Detailed Timeline

Here is a detailed version of my timeline. If you have any questions feel free to post them in the comments section.

2014

• February   I begin daydreaming about joining the Peace Corps. I begin researching it extensively, spending hours on peacecorps.gov and various volunteer blogs.
• April   I begin seriously considering the Peace Corps and set up an account on their Applicant Portal. Then I stumble upon an article about the launching of a new program in Kosovo and I instantly decide to apply. I also decide to continue working in Alaska for the 2014-2015 school year, making my earliest availability June 2015.
• May 12   Application submitted. (I applied under the old system, so my online application took ages to complete.)
• May 13   I receive an email confirming that my application has been received. 
• May 19   The Office of Medical Services emails me with registration information for the Medical Applicant Portal and asks me to complete the lengthy Health History Form.
• May 21   I successfully complete and submit the Health History Form.
• May 28    I fly out of Alaska for the summer, to go on a vacation and then work at a camp in Minnesota. In the process I switch from my "village phone" to a regular cell phone. I also fly out of the country for a week with no cell service or internet.
• June 3     A regional representative (Erin) from Washington contacts me via phone and email. She tells me that my references are being contacted and must submit their recommendations within ten days. After they are received she will set up an interview with me in Seattle. 
• June 7   I return from a vacation out of the country and find the above email in my inbox and a voicemail about scheduling an interview. I immediately reply and apologize for the delay. I also explain that I will be working at a camp in the woods in Northern Minnesota for seven weeks and then fly immediately back to a remote Alaskan village. I ask about interview options given my remote context. 
• June 8   I receive an automated response explaining that all Peace Corps offices are shut down for staff training for one week. I find out later that the Peace Corps is radically changing their application process to make it more efficient. 
• June 16   I receive a call from Erin. She decides that an in-person interview is practically impossible, so we schedule a phone interview for June 18th at 11:00 AM. 
• June 18   Interview. It lasts a total of one hour and 40 minutes. After the interview she tells me that she would like to nominate me for an Education assignment leaving in June 2015 (my earliest availability). I ask what countries she is considering me for and she lists Moldova, Mongolia, Micronesia, and Kosovo. She asks if I have a preference and I state that Kosovo is my #1 choice.          Nomination. Erin reminds me that the Placement Office will review my application, references, and her interview notes in order to decide whether or not I match up with their country's needs. Because June 2015 is almost a year away, she says that I should not expect an invitation until October, but it could be as late as January.
  
  Torturous Waiting Period...   During this time I work at Camp Cherith in Minnesota for seven weeks, directing the high school division of the camp and teaching archery. I then fly back to Alaska on August 4th, spending some time in Anchorage and Seward, and finally I return to Galena to begin the school year. Students arrive at the end of August and life returns to normal.
• September 22   I receive an email from a Placement Specialist stating that I am under consideration for the Kosovo program. He asks me to complete an attached education questionnaire within one week.
• September 24   I submit the questionnaire. 
• September 26   Invitation. I receive an email saying, "Congratulations! You have been officially invited to serve as a Secondary School English Language Teacher in Kosovo, departing June 5th, 2015." There are several attachments with information about the assignment, as well as a decision form. I read through everything immediately and decide to wait before accepting the invitation. I also prance around my little apartment and call my family.
• September 27    I can't wait any longer. I accept. 
• September 27   I receive an overwhelming amount of information about medical/dental clearance and passport/visa application and legal clearance, etc. 
• September 28     I start googling Kosovo invitees and discover about seven other invitees for the 2015 Kosovo program. I also start following a couple blogs of current Kosovo PCVs.
• November 19     My legal kit/fingerprinting is finally submitted. (Normally this step is done within ten days of your invitation, but my remote living situation made that tricky.)
• November 20     My Peace Corps Passport application is submitted. (I guess we get a special diplomacy passport.)
• December 22     I begin my Christmas "vacation," which is my only time outside of the remote Alaskan village of Galena. Therefore all of my medical clearance appointments must be squeezed into about a week. Yikes.
• December 23     Dental exam, x-rays, cleaning, and a filling.
• December 24     Physical exam, PAP smear, all immunizations, and all blood work. Happy Christmas Eve!
• December 30     Full day at the Mayo Clinic for a cardiology evaluation. (Aka more blood tests, urinalysis, EKG, chest-x-rays, and an Echo.)
• January 12     All of my medical documents have been uploaded and approved, with the exception of the cardiology stuff...
  
  Coming soon...          Final medical clearance perhaps??