Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Its on!

Holy Crap! They actually picked me.

So, a few months ago I told you about my project. Well, it looks like its going to happen. Yikes!

I did go to Ottawa for the full day group interview. I met with a few people from CUSO-VSO and about a dozen or so applicants from all over the globe who had resumes that I thought were far more impressive than mine. At the end of the day, I was pretty much convinced there was no way in hell I was going be selected for an abroad placement. I mean, all of these guys and gals had benevolent work experiences that would make the pope blush with embarrassment.

So, you can imagine the shock and disbelief on their faces when I told them I had recently finished a contract for one the worlds biggest tobacco companies. The gasps of horror were all I needed to understand that this was going to be an uphill battle.

So, I did my best, smiled and played all the little games and role plays to the best of my ability and at the end of the day, when it was all over, I quickly bid my farewell to the group and left. I was the first person to leave. Not even the New-York psychiatrist who had a plane to catch left faster than I did. What was I thinking? Me? Humanitarian Aide. Laughable right?

Well, as I drove back to Montréal, only after a feeding my sorrows with my friend Stéphane at a local Caribbean restaurant, I accepted that I had already done more than most people just by applying to the program, and well, I could be proud of myself for that.

And then I forgot about CUSO-VSO. Totally. I was convinced it was over.

Well. I was wrong.


I got I call at the end of April with the wonderful news : I was accepted into the program.