At the suggestion of the Peace Corps Medical Office I was tested for Shrimp and Lobster allergies today. This is a copy of the e-mail I sent to the Peace Corps Placement Officer this evening after learning the results.
Hi David:
I wanted to update you on a few things since we talked on the phone a week ago. This evening, I sent a letter to the Medical office showing the results of an allergy test I had done today. (I have no issue discussing this medical issue with you or anyone else.) The good news is that all the tests were negative and I have asked him to please update my file with the new information.
When I spoke with you, I indicated that I needed to make a decision about my current job by last Friday. I have committed to stay in that job through at least May 25th. If I am offered an invitation, I would not be able to leave the area until after that date.
Once May is behind me, I don't have another critical period at work until the beginning of October. That gives me a tremendous amount of flexibility in departure dates. Ideally, it would be great to receive an invitation soon, even if I have to wait several months before departure.
You mentioned in our phone call that there might be an opportunity in the Mediterranean for Business Development. I have not heard anything about that and while I wish to remain flexible, that area would not be one of my first choices. I remain interested primarily in the areas I discussed in my interview, which are the South Pacific, the Caribbean, Central and South America. I would be happy to accept an invitation to any of those areas. (South Pacific would still be my top choice.)
I realize you have a tough job trying to match all the applicants with the various programs available. And while I know you have a copy of my resume, I thought I would close by telling you about something that is not on my resume and which I think would be beneficial in a small business development program. About 10 years ago, I was one of the founding members of The Chattanooga Press Club. This was a membership organization where dues were collected. I was elected Treasurer of the group. We dealt in small dollar amounts but I I kept very meticulous books, presenting financial statements at every meeting. My years in management paid off on a very small scale because of my ability to think in both micro and macro terms. During my tenure, one of our members was killed in an accident. We then turned to fund-raising so that we could endow a journalism scholarship in his name. By using smart business practices we were able to grow the money we received and eventually donate the money to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
It's a small story, but after having read about the work that small business volunteers are doing in the South Pacific, it seemed like one worth sharing.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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