Blog ⋆ Countdown To Freedom

27Nov 2018 by Countdown To Freedom No Comments

Never Enough Time

Since applying for the Peace Corps a mere 16 days ago, my life has taken a radical change in direction and I feel like I have no time left! As anyone that knows me will attest, I truly believe that things happen for a reason and when it is the right time. When something is meant to be, it will flow, and when it isn't, there will be one delay after another. I have been wrestling with my next steps for over a year now. Through it all, I always knew my time in Charleston was transient. I have made friends, found work, and embraced new loves. This place has given me the opportunity to work through my goals, mindsets, dreams, and sorrows. In some cases, it felt like a tortuous…

22Nov 2018 by Countdown To Freedom No Comments

Peace Corps Prep

Health, Personal Growth, Travel

Peace Corp Prep: There is no way to be fully prepared for an experience like this, but I am eager to listen and learn. I am so ready for this! It has been a flurry of preparation activity since I accepted my position with the Peace Corps. First, I had to send out my Passport for my Peace Corps Passport and apply for my Visa to Mozambique. When I went for my Passport photo, the first one was terrible. The lady taking it was very short, and I swear she stood under me and shot the picture up my nostrils! When organizing the paperwork, later though, I realized I actually needed two sets of two pictures, so I went and had a much less offensive picture taken. All forms were…

18Nov 2018 by Countdown To Freedom 2 Comments

Mozambique Bound in the Peace Corps

Personal Growth, Relationships, Travel

Last night, as I was dining with friends, I received an email that will change the course of my entire future. This subject line was sitting in my inbox: Peace Corps Invitation to Serve Dear Kandace,Congratulations! You have been selected to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer. This letter is your formal invitation to serve as a Community Health Services Promoter in Mozambique departing April 2019. Now, the crazy begins! I have a ridiculous amount of steps to take from getting medical clearance, undergoing a background check, getting my Peace Corps passport, to things like eliminating everything in my life. I am exhilarated. This is the culmination of a life-long dream, and it is finally within my grasp. I can almost see the day (only a mere 6 months away) when I will…

16Nov 2018 by Countdown To Freedom 1 Comment

My Peace Corps Interview

Personal Growth, Travel

I interviewed for the Peace Corps today. The assignment for which I am being considered is in community health in South Africa. I have been thinking about my reasons for wanting this. The Peace Corps is over a two-year commitment. I will be in a country where I am away from anything I have ever known. My family and friends will be literally a world away from me. Electricity will be spotty, and I may not even have running water. Yet, I am undeterred. It occurred to me that I want this because I want to make a difference. I could have a comfortable life here in SC. FL is always waiting for me. For that matter, I could choose anywhere in America, and live a nice, peaceful life. I…

11Nov 2018 by Countdown To Freedom 1 Comment

Peace Corps Application

Personal Growth, Travel

I applied for the Peace Corps last night. I have always had a desire to travel the world. I am restless and open for challenge and adventure. When I was a teenager, I had tried to join, only to discover I did not have the tools and training. When I was in college, I would see recruiters for the State Dept, and my mind would immediately entertain dreams of exotic locales and a life abroad. By then, though, I was already a mother of two. I find myself now at a point where my desires, skills, and life circumstances have finally coalesced. Since this reentered my consciousness about a month ago, I have been pondering it and weighing the options. I have actually had the application tab for the Peace…