6:45 Wake up
7-8 Breakfast (Nescafe, bread, jam, cheese, oatmeal, SPAM!)
8-9 Language lessons
9-10 Environment specific class (Tree ID, for example)
10-10:15 Coffee Break
10:15–11 Safety lecture (Incident reporting, , personal safety, etc.)
11-12 Health lecture (how not to get malaria, how not to get diarrhea, etc.)
12-1 Culture lecture (Gambian norms and values, basic village survival skills)
1-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Field trip to the market to practice Mandinka, or to the Gambian National Museum, or more language classes
5:30-7:30 Free Time
7:30-8:30 Dinner (meat, rice/pasta, salad, onions)
8:30 - ??? Practice Mandinka, hang out, eventually head to bed.
We're going to village on Friday, so more news soon!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The things I carried
It started out as this:
And ended up like this:
What is two years worth of luggage? 73 pounds in two bags.
And ended up like this:
What is two years worth of luggage? 73 pounds in two bags.Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Taking Off
I'm writing from a sauna-like hotel business center in Philadelphia right now, where we've just completed our staging. Now I can give you the details on who is going with me.
Our group is 23 people, smaller than I expected honestly. Of those, 17 are women and 6 are men. Most of us seem to be either just out of college or a few years older than that. There is one married couple and two women who are probably in their 40s. Most people here seem to be doing Health/Community Development Projects or Agriculture/Forestry projects. I only heard one other girl call her project Environmental Education and Awareness, which I thought was interesting. I'm not entirely sure how the project titles relate to specific duties, so that will be interesting to find out.
Staging was really just a series of ice breakers and a run down of Peace Corps policies. What I took from it was really just getting a glimpse of the people who I'll be serving with for the next few years.
Tomorrow we get our yellow fever vaccines (which I've already had, so they just need to verify that) and then take off for the airport. We don't have any escort to take us there, so they're setting us loose. We'll arrive in Banjul and be met by a Peace Corps representative. Until then, thanks for the love and I will update you as soon as I can.
Our group is 23 people, smaller than I expected honestly. Of those, 17 are women and 6 are men. Most of us seem to be either just out of college or a few years older than that. There is one married couple and two women who are probably in their 40s. Most people here seem to be doing Health/Community Development Projects or Agriculture/Forestry projects. I only heard one other girl call her project Environmental Education and Awareness, which I thought was interesting. I'm not entirely sure how the project titles relate to specific duties, so that will be interesting to find out.
Staging was really just a series of ice breakers and a run down of Peace Corps policies. What I took from it was really just getting a glimpse of the people who I'll be serving with for the next few years.
Tomorrow we get our yellow fever vaccines (which I've already had, so they just need to verify that) and then take off for the airport. We don't have any escort to take us there, so they're setting us loose. We'll arrive in Banjul and be met by a Peace Corps representative. Until then, thanks for the love and I will update you as soon as I can.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
An introduction to The Blog
Welcome to my blog! I'll try to keep you all posted throughout my Peace Corps adventure.
Today is one week before I fly to Philadelphia for staging. What happens one week before you move away from your life for two years?
Lots of seeing friends
Lots of packing
Lots of shopping (LOTS of shopping!)
That's right, in an effort to clear out my life I feel like I've been consuming more than I have in a long time. There are all sorts of little things I'm trying to gather together to keep me comfortable and happy in a country with limited electricity, limited supplies of certain (what I consider) essential toiletries, limited everything that I'm used to. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, but I'm also trying to make sure to relax and enjoy spending time with everyone I love here at home. And as nervous as I am, I can't wait to get to Philadelphia where I feel like my journey will finally begin!
Today is one week before I fly to Philadelphia for staging. What happens one week before you move away from your life for two years?
Lots of seeing friends
Lots of packing
Lots of shopping (LOTS of shopping!)
That's right, in an effort to clear out my life I feel like I've been consuming more than I have in a long time. There are all sorts of little things I'm trying to gather together to keep me comfortable and happy in a country with limited electricity, limited supplies of certain (what I consider) essential toiletries, limited everything that I'm used to. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, but I'm also trying to make sure to relax and enjoy spending time with everyone I love here at home. And as nervous as I am, I can't wait to get to Philadelphia where I feel like my journey will finally begin!
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