What takes so long?

So, this is the part that took me a while to understand. What takes so long?

Kev was working for a local construction company in the East Bay digging holes and doing road work on the side of freeways. He had been doing this since he graduated and was working hard, but he just wasn't where he expected to be at 27 years old. He imagined he would already be in the academy by now. It was also starting to get hard for me too. Coming from a business background and working in SF where jobs and career moves are plentiful, this was difficult for me to wrap my head around.

Education & Background:
Kev graduated in four years with a Bachelors in Criminal Justice before applying to graduate school for a three year Criminal Justice program. During the graduate program, Kev's best friend Nick was sadly diagnosed with brain cancer. Kev then decided to spend more of his time with Nick when he needed him most. He postponed the program for about a year while and spent his time with his friend up until the day he passed away. It was really hard for Kev to overcome the loss, but he eventually finished the program and received a Masters in Criminal Justice. He still talks about Nick all the time, and I'm sure if he were here today he would be so proud of Kev. Sadly, I never had the chance to meet Nick but of course I wish I had, especially with all the great stories Kev tells of him. I'm sure Nick will be looking over Kev in the academy and cheering for him when he becomes an officer.

Apply To The CHP:
Following application to the CHP, the following steps took a year and a half to complete. So don't give up. Stay committed and keep your head up. Apparently it is a very slow process.
- Application
- Physical Ability Test (PAT)
- Written Exam
- Background Investigation
- Psychological Evaluation
- Medical Evaluation

'The Wait':
So, now Kev has a Masters in Criminal Justice and has completed all steps of application to the CHP. It has been a year and a half since application though and there has been no update. This was around when I met Kev. He told me being in the CHP was his dream and that you just have to 'wait'. Having a new boyfriend in his late 20s without a career on the table was scary for me. However, Kev continued to give me faith that everything would work out. He said he just had to wait. He had planned his life around this career and was determined to make it a reality.

We talked about it all the time, worried and just hoped that he would be accepted.

- Mimi