MICRONESIA!!!

I have officially accepted an invitation to serve as an ESL Teacher and Community Development Worker Peace Corps Volunteer in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) & Palau. How did this happen? Well…

A day after gaining official medical clearance (with a letter and everything), the placement office contacted me via email to inform me that they now had my file and would be reviewing it in due time. About two weeks later, a specialist emailed me to let me know that I could not be accommodated in my original nominated region (I suspect that peanuts are used too much in Middle Eastern cuisine) and asked if I would be okay with going to either Central Asia or the Pacific Islands sometime in September. I quickly replied that I would definitely be okay with that. She then asked if I would be willing to leave as early as September 1st. I initially put my starting date as anytime after September 20th due to my cousin’s wedding being on the 18th. I thought about it, consulted my sister (I was in Sunnyvale for two pleasant weeks), and decided that I should take advantage of this opportunity.

After sending that email, my placement officer contacted me via phone a day later to ask me a few clarification questions such as why I initially applied, if I would be okay religiously wherever I went, and also to send him an updated resume detailing my current volunteer activities. I did as he asked and on Tuesday, July 6th, the big blue invitation kit was sent to me from Washington, D.C.! Since I was in Vancouver at the time (see below post) I knew that I was officially invited via my Peace Corps account online. It was only when I returned home on July 12 that I knew I was placed in Micronesia. After a few days of reading the most urgent materials in the huge stack of paperwork they sent did I officially accept my invitation via email. I kind of wished I could have done it over the phone, but I did get a prompt reply a day after. So, the total amount of time it took me to go from applicant to invitee was five months. Awesome, yeah?

Now I have to write an aspiration statement as well as a tailored resume for the Peace Corps contacts in my country and turn those in within the next ten days. I have homework all over again! I also need to apply for my snazzy government passport and start packing. But those are small things. The amount of excitement and anticipation that I have for the next two (maybe three or longer) years is enough to sustain me until well after my service.

As my mother often likes to remind me, I am greatly blessed. :)

In other news, my trip to Sunnyvale was very relaxing and fun. I hung out with my sister and her husband for two weeks. During that time, we ate lots of different kinds of foods (Vietnemese, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, American), visited places my sister wanted to go to, I learned how to knit from her (my first scarf is going quite well), and somehow made it though five seasons of Stargate SG-1. In order to repay them for their hospitality, all I have to do is sign my life away to World of Warcraft sometime in the next three days…I kid!

Gatecon 2010: Fan Report

My next post will have a big Peace Corps update, but for now...

My first (and probably last) Stargate convention was, in a word, amazing.

Vancouver is such a gorgeous city. I absolutely loved it. The scenery is so beautiful, whether it be the mountains, the forests, or the beaches bordering the ocean. I had the opportunity to tour the city for a few days before the convention and I enjoyed every minute of it. We (my friend who convinced me to go, her parents, and me) went to so many places (mostly filming locations of our favorite shows) so I got a pretty good look of what Vancouver has to offer. Here’s a small sample:

Look familiar? This is Caprica from Battlestar Galactica.

I enjoy the juxtaposition.

See the guy fishing?

Chinatown! Second largest in North America

A very long bridge

The actual convention was held at the Sheraton Wall Centre, a swanky place with nice facilities and free Starbucks coffee (which is saying something when you can find a Starbucks on literally every street of downtown Vancouver). The convention began on a Thursday with registration that went very smoothly in the morning (I got my badge, info, a shirt, and signed up for two official photos that cost me $40 – they were worth it!) and a Meet’n’Greet in the evening. This involved mingling with other convention goers and talking about anything relating to Stargate. I had absolutely no idea that the actors were going to be there, so imagine my surprise when I saw Corin Nemec (Jonas Quinn from Season 6) just standing there, talking to people! I got photos with Colin Cunningham (Major Paul Davis), Corin, Cliff Simon (Ba’al), and Paul McGillion (Dr. Carson Beckett). I could have left the convention right then and there and have been super content.

But of course I didn’t since I paid for the whole weekend! Each day there were four panels consisting of the ‘honored guests.’ We asked questions and watched them banter with each other. They were all fun but the ones in which the guests had beer were hilarious. Paul revealed that he had wrestled and won against the two main muscle men of the show, amongst other things. I even had enough guts to ask him a question (favorite Atlantis episode to film and why), but it came out strange because it was such a spur of the moment idea. Oh well, glad I did ask! I had my official photos taken Saturday morning, what do you think?

Corin Nemec (he's going to be in Supernatural, talk about crossover!)

Paul McGillion (yay hug)

The auction Saturday night for the Make-A-Wish Foundation raised ridiculous amounts of money because the guests kept on encouraging the bidders. Paul McGillion would look at someone, say “It’s for the wee babies. Do you not like the babies?” and of course they had to keep on bidding. Sunday night (after 10PM) people were randomly hanging out with Corin, so I joined them and listened to his corny jokes. I only outright fangirled once when an unexpected guest showed up. Michael Trucco (Anders of Battlestar Galactica) suddenly appeared and of course I freaked out, but I was unable to take a picture with him (my friend did though while I was wandering around Vancouver. Lucky Erin!).

Thanks to the awesomeness that is Gatecon, not only did I get a chance to talk to actual (if minor) celebrities, I got to meet lots of fellow Stargate fans whom I will try my best to keep in touch with. I hope that fan run conventions will continue since this really was a wonderful experience!