Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised

I had my interview with the Peace Corps on Friday. Overall I think it went well...best advice I got was just to be myself so that's what I did. Of course its impossible not to replay something like that in your head and not come up with at least 10 more things you wish you'd said. I wish I'd talked a little more about wanting to make a difference in peoples lives on a personal level. I've definately got a heart for service, but I was afraid of coming off as one of those idealists who thinks they can save the whole world. I also talked a lot more about my interest in Environment than my interest in Health, which is technically a much better fit for my major and skill set. From what I've heard most people didn't get a nomination until about a month after their interview, so for now I'm in an odd sort of limbo and I have no idea whether or not I'll get in.

I didn't realize it until this weekend, but I've kind of put all of my emotional eggs in one basket on this one. Its not like I'm banking on getting into the peace corps in order to survive after college...I'm still applying for other jobs...but so much of my planning and forward thinking in the past year has included the peace corps. I've got to work on not getting my hopes up too high or counting any unhatched chickens.

Planning is difficult, especially about the future. Those are Yogi Berra's words, not mine. Sure, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but that doesn't stop it from being true...

Not knowing for sure about the peace corps also puts me in kind of an awkward situation when applying for jobs. If I knew I would be leaving for another country in the next year I would only apply for jobs in New Jersey so I could live at home and save as much money as possible. If I knew I wasn't going to get into the peace corps I wouldn't want to go back to Jersey and I'd be applying for jobs in DC, Colorado or somewhere else out west. I don't want to commit to a job in Jersey just to find out that I'll be stuck there for the next 5 years, and I also don't want to pass up a great job just because I think I'll be leaving in a year.

I guess I'll stick to Jersey for now and just keep hoping for the best.