phew!

ok, the emergency is over.

it turns out there was another requirement for this crazy last-minute assignment:  construction experience.  and, as much as i wield a mean screwdriver, i had nothing to put down on the page.  i mean, we're talking a form meant for skilled trades journeymen (sic).  i'm pretty sure that "yeah, i hung drywall once, for four hours" wasn't going to cut it.

so what i will now refer to as "that insane idea" is over.  that's not to say things go back to normal, though.  i am going to continue working on my spanish and a few other things.  (anticipatory music in the background…)

you see, i really do want to go to latin america.  and i really feel that i have more to offer than just teaching math or science.  not that it is "just" that, but lots of people can teach math or science.  i want to do something that helps people more directly.  something that brings them clean water or provides the infrastructure for those students.  something that creates a physical product and that will allow me to solve problems.  but as it stands now, i am going to be slated to teach math or science in africa (or somewhere).

the first problem:  the pc will only station people in latin america if they are already fairly fluent in spanish.  the thinking is that there are so many candidates that have had spanish classes that they don't need to take non-spanish-speakers and start from square zero with training them in the language.  my spanish, however, is from too long ago.  it has a shelf life, don't cha know.  there is this sneaky little language requirement that the regular pc stuff does not tell you.  you have to have had at least two years worth of college spanish in the last 6 or 8 years in order to qualify for those countries.  (or something like that – i can't seem to get a clear answer.)  luckily for me, there is one loophole.  the CLEP test.  it's a test through which you can get college credit for past experience/knowledge on a variety of subjects.  if i can get a 60 (out of 80) on the spanish CLEP, i can be considered for the countries i really want.  stretch and hopeful goal #1.

then there's the teaching vs. construction thing.  the second problem.  they won't give me anything in engineering.  (thought of the day:  working at ford for 21 years qualifies me to do exactly nothing.)  so the closest i can get to the kind of stuff i'd like to do is general construction.  shocking as it may be, they want people for these positions who've done a thing or two in the construction field.  (never mind all the descriptions of the construction stuff they sent me that talk about organizing and managing and getting community involvement and getting utilization of the end product and other stuff.)  enter loophole number two, i hope.  the recruiter tells me that if i have a solid three months volunteering with habitat for humanity, that will count as some construction experience.  so that is my plan.  which, incidentally, is an excellent thing to do in and of itself.  anyhow, i'm going to learn as much as habitat can teach me about as many different things as i am lucky to encounter.  stretch and hopeful goal #2.

and if nothing else, i now have some more time to get my life a bit organized.  the nomination will come in early may and the projected leaving date will be early 2012 (jan-feb-mar).  i've got a lot of work to do between now and then.  but at least i won't be an absolute stress monster trying to be ready to leave in 4 months.  god, that really was insane.