All about IPSE and PDO for those wonderful special people who applied to KL-YES Abroad. Apply here and become one of them : http://yes-abroad.org!!!!!
IPSE Information
A group of semi-finalists waiting for our IPSE interviews to start...
Well, for starters, if you make it to the IPSE, CONGRATULATIONS!! You've made it one step closer to a year abroad. At this point, you just want to make sure you're prepared to go in and be yourself - don't try to coach yourself into what you think the "ideal candidate" is. They picked you to be a semi-finalist because of who you are, not because of who they want you to be. Anyway, I'm here to help with any jitter causing details like what to pack (if you obsess over things like this as much as I do/did).
First off, the rundown... Over the course of 3 days, you will have one individual interview, one workshop, two group interviews, and, if you've taken more than 2 years of French, a French interview. When you arrive you'll get a really nifty nametag and a booklet that will be your savior many times over. In this book, you can find the time and location of all of your interviews. I recommend making notes of these and making sure you know where your interview rooms are beforehand so you don't wind up missing them. You need to be on your A game this weekend - make sure you aren't late anywhere, you are polite and well mannered, you make friends, and are as expressive regarding yourself as you can be during interviews and workshops.
Dress code is casual… But that really means that you should pack semi-formal clothing. Dressy casual is about right for when you're out and about by yourself or with friends, or doing group interviews, etc. Dressy casual being, for me, jeans and a nice shirt. You'll want something a little more formal (like maybe a blazer or a skirt or dress) for your individual interview, but remember not to go overboard.
You don't really need to pack all that much for the IPSE, it's not even a two day event. I overpacked, and all of my things still fit in a carry on. If you need more space than that, you've probably overdone it a little bit.
As far as food goes, they will feed you three times a day. It's decent, and there are variety options for the vegetarian folks out there. There are also vending machines for eating outside the meal times. But you probably won't end up using those except for the occasional bottle of water. Or maybe popcorn if there's a movie on in the game room.
I suggest bringing something to do, preferably a group activity. You might think all you need is a good book and your iPod (my mistake precisely), but you will be much better served with the addition of a deck of cards or a bag of Bananagrams. Be prepared to mingle and make lots of new friends over the course of a weekend.
I know you might feel like you need to go in and start memorizing the campus (mine was at the 4H center in Chevy Chase, MD) or panicking about the things they'll ask you, but the truth is you just need to be able to give a coherent honest answer. If you can, you'll be fine. Anyway, hopefully this was helpful. If you need more information or have any questions, contact me. I'd love to help you out.
So don't stress and remember that as long as you are yourself, you'll be fine. Have fun!
First off, the rundown... Over the course of 3 days, you will have one individual interview, one workshop, two group interviews, and, if you've taken more than 2 years of French, a French interview. When you arrive you'll get a really nifty nametag and a booklet that will be your savior many times over. In this book, you can find the time and location of all of your interviews. I recommend making notes of these and making sure you know where your interview rooms are beforehand so you don't wind up missing them. You need to be on your A game this weekend - make sure you aren't late anywhere, you are polite and well mannered, you make friends, and are as expressive regarding yourself as you can be during interviews and workshops.
Dress code is casual… But that really means that you should pack semi-formal clothing. Dressy casual is about right for when you're out and about by yourself or with friends, or doing group interviews, etc. Dressy casual being, for me, jeans and a nice shirt. You'll want something a little more formal (like maybe a blazer or a skirt or dress) for your individual interview, but remember not to go overboard.
You don't really need to pack all that much for the IPSE, it's not even a two day event. I overpacked, and all of my things still fit in a carry on. If you need more space than that, you've probably overdone it a little bit.
As far as food goes, they will feed you three times a day. It's decent, and there are variety options for the vegetarian folks out there. There are also vending machines for eating outside the meal times. But you probably won't end up using those except for the occasional bottle of water. Or maybe popcorn if there's a movie on in the game room.
I suggest bringing something to do, preferably a group activity. You might think all you need is a good book and your iPod (my mistake precisely), but you will be much better served with the addition of a deck of cards or a bag of Bananagrams. Be prepared to mingle and make lots of new friends over the course of a weekend.
I know you might feel like you need to go in and start memorizing the campus (mine was at the 4H center in Chevy Chase, MD) or panicking about the things they'll ask you, but the truth is you just need to be able to give a coherent honest answer. If you can, you'll be fine. Anyway, hopefully this was helpful. If you need more information or have any questions, contact me. I'd love to help you out.
So don't stress and remember that as long as you are yourself, you'll be fine. Have fun!
PDO Information
The 2014-2015 KL-YES Abroad group photo at PDO
Well, if you're prepping for this then I'm SOOOO excited for you! Please, please, please message me and let me know where you're going!
Anyway, this year (2014), PDO was at the 4H center just like the IPSE. Packing list is pretty casual... I was overdressed most of the time. Just pack a set of nice clothes for the State Department and Embassy visits.
Try to get some good sleep before you go - no matter what, after the first day, you will be living off of coffee vapors and the powernaps you take between workshops. It's a very packed schedule, and everything they tell you is important. Just try to absorb it the best you can, but remember it is inevitable that you will not grasp every single detail - so don't beat yourself up about it.
In sum, the schedule consists of one day of workshops and another day out in DC doing embassy visits and such. Remember your sunscreen for day two - it is hot and sunny and you will burn.
As with the IPSE, bring group activities. You'll probably want to maximize time with people you see there because this is (unfortunately) the last time you will be seeing some of them. If torn between wanting some quiet time alone (tempting, I know) and hanging out with friends, just make the above a point of consideration.
Be forewarned : PDO is when it all gets very, very real. If you are off to countries like India or the Philippines, you'll be leaving within a few days. And even if you have another month or two, you still know people who are going. And soon that will be you. But don't freak out. Remember that no matter what, things will go wrong next year. But it will be okay. You will get through it. And you will come back and tell the world about your amazing experience.
So enjoy PDO, have fun next year, and let me know how it all goes! Good luck!
Anyway, this year (2014), PDO was at the 4H center just like the IPSE. Packing list is pretty casual... I was overdressed most of the time. Just pack a set of nice clothes for the State Department and Embassy visits.
Try to get some good sleep before you go - no matter what, after the first day, you will be living off of coffee vapors and the powernaps you take between workshops. It's a very packed schedule, and everything they tell you is important. Just try to absorb it the best you can, but remember it is inevitable that you will not grasp every single detail - so don't beat yourself up about it.
In sum, the schedule consists of one day of workshops and another day out in DC doing embassy visits and such. Remember your sunscreen for day two - it is hot and sunny and you will burn.
As with the IPSE, bring group activities. You'll probably want to maximize time with people you see there because this is (unfortunately) the last time you will be seeing some of them. If torn between wanting some quiet time alone (tempting, I know) and hanging out with friends, just make the above a point of consideration.
Be forewarned : PDO is when it all gets very, very real. If you are off to countries like India or the Philippines, you'll be leaving within a few days. And even if you have another month or two, you still know people who are going. And soon that will be you. But don't freak out. Remember that no matter what, things will go wrong next year. But it will be okay. You will get through it. And you will come back and tell the world about your amazing experience.
So enjoy PDO, have fun next year, and let me know how it all goes! Good luck!