Pictures!

Here's everyone sitting in the "disco hut" on our computers because it's one of the only places we get really good internet.Here's the outside of where I'm living with 3 other girls. There are some showers and bathrooms at the end.
Front door of my room (sorry it's the wrong way).
Standing around waiting for lunch!

Here are some pictures so far! Also, what I left off, was what one of the PCV's said which is everything that's green will die and be brown and dusty by May.

We're Here!

We've arrived at the training center! After a short delay at Dullas and an 8 hour flight (I was able to sleep most of the way), we landed in Dakar just as the sun rose. After nervously going through customs (no reason to be nervous just the whole adventure of it all) we collected our bags. My first bag (the bigger one) came right away... after a while of waiting and starting to think that it wasn't going to come... my 2nd bag came and I was able to leave the airport. As the parade of people with luggage carts started leaving, people kept coming up to us and trying to take our luggage carts in exchange for money. Once we all got settled on the bus we started the trek through Dakar (and lots of rush hour traffic) to Thies. In Thies we were introduced to the training staff and shown our rooms (4 beds in each room, girls in one long set of rooms, guys in another across the way).

If you've ever romanticized about sleeping under a mosquito net, then this is the pace for you. I'm currently sitting on my bed under my net with beautiful printed sheets on the bed. Breakfast was a piece of bread and some instant coffee. We were given a nap time (right now) and later are meeting for lunch and, I'm guessing, the start of training.

I'm really excited about everything going on, all of the volunteers who met us seem to really love being here. So far I've heard that basil is a really good thing to grow because it grows well and adds flavor. There are 2 kids in my group that are looking to get goats (they're both SED- pronounced “said”- so we'll see how well that goes). I saw a few stray dogs in Dakar... who knows... maybe I'll come home with a new friend for Nikki and Sacchi!!

Best!

We've arrived at the training center! After a short delay at Dullas and an 8 hour flight (I was able to sleep most of the way), we landed in Dakar just as the sun rose. After nervously going through customs (no reason to be nervous just the whole adventure of it all) we collected our bags. My first bag (the bigger one) came right away... after a while of waiting and starting to think that it wasn't going to come... my 2nd bag came and I was able to leave the airport. As the parade of people with luggage carts started leaving, people kept coming up to us and trying to take our luggage carts in exchange for money. Once we all got settled on the bus we started the trek through Dakar (and lots of rush hour traffic) to Thies. In Thies we were introduced to the training staff and shown our rooms (4 beds in each room, girls in one long set of rooms, guys in another across the way).

If you've ever romanticized about sleeping under a mosquito net, then this is the pace for you. I'm currently sitting on my bed under my net with beautiful printed sheets on the bed. Breakfast was a piece of bread and some instant coffee. We were given a nap time (right now) and later are meeting for lunch and, I'm guessing, the start of training.

I'm really excited about everything going on, all of the volunteers who met us seem to really love being here. So far I've heard that basil is a really good thing to grow because it grows well and adds flavor. There are 2 kids in my group that are looking to get goats (they're both SED- pronounced “said”- so we'll see how well that goes). I saw a few stray dogs in Dakar... who knows... maybe I'll come home with a new friend for Nikki and Sacchi!!

Best!

KO

Staging

I made it to staging! We're all here and finished our first day. This note will be quick but today we got here, did about 4 hours of policies and getting to know each other and that sort of thing. Then a few of us went to dinner and now we're all back (exhausted). JN is coming to stop by, she's finishing her internship in DC and is able to make it to the hotel just to say hi. That makes her my official, last good bye! After that, I'm heading to bed so I can get up at 7am to get a shot then off to the airport then off to Senegal!

Well, next time I'll be blogging it'll be from Senegal!

KO

80 Pounds?

Here I stand on the metaphorical precipice about to jump off into my new life as a Peace Corps Trainee (the whole “Peace Corps Volunteer” part doesn’t come for 3 more months). Coming along for the ride is a total of 85 pounds of luggage, mostly consisting of toiletries and fun things to make bad days better. Though the Peace Corps says we’re only allowed to bring 80 pounds in total (100 pounds for our friends going to cold climates) but I’m bringing 85 (rebellious, I know). I’m bringing a backpack (15 pounds, that I don’t think they’ll measure), a duffle with only shoulder and hand straps (25 pounds), and a rolling duffle (45 pounds). Together with my (peaceful) army, I’m boarding a plane to DC then off to Senegal 1 day later.

I’m really nothing but excited for what’s to come. I’m sure I’ll start to get nervous as I get closer to the hotel about to meet everyone but I know that the next two years has plenty for me to be nervous about so I’m choosing to take in the pure excitement of it all. When Kennedy was establishing the Peace Corps he stated its purpose as: “to promote world peace and friendship through a Peace Corps, which shall make available to interested countries and areas men and women of the United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower” and I can’t wait to do what I can to fulfill that mission. I haven’t done much blogging about the organization itself, but I’ll say quickly, to me, the name implies everything. Tomorrow, I will be joining a large group of people whose job is to go into the world and peacefully exchange ideas. Well, that’s enough philosophizing; I’ll get on with the real meat and bones of this post.

So what do you pack in 85 pounds to hold yourself over for the next 2 years, you ask? I really couldn’t tell you exactly but I’ll try to remember everything:

Clothes:

5 skirts

3 pairs of pants

2 dresses

4 t-shirts

3 tank tops

3 dressier tops

2 long sleeve shirts

1 northface fleece

1 pair of bike shorts, 1 pair of bike gloves

2 pairs of socks (it’s really hot there… I’ll probably never use these)

3 pairs of shoes (1 nice pair of sandals, 1 pair of Teva casual sandals, 1 pair of Teva covered sandals)

2 pairs of pj pants

About a million pairs of underwear and bras

1 rain jacket

Electronics:

1 Netbook (8 hours of battery life thanks Dad for setting it all up)

1 HUGE external harddrive full of movies and tv shows (thanks to everyone who helped)

1 Computer case

1 Computer lock

2 USB Flashdrives

1 Digital Camera

2 Camera Batteries

3 Camera Cards (total slightly over 4 gb’s)

1 Camera Charger

1 IPod

3 sets of earbuds

1 microphone headset (not for computer games… for calling home!)

1 Ipod charger

A Barbie lunchbox that holds all of my electronics

Toiletries (This isn’t as exact because there are a LOT):

52 razors

11 toothbrushes

2 tubes of tooth paste

About 8 sticks of chapstick

5 sticks of deodorant

2 bottles of shampoo

1 bottle of conditioner

Some lotion

Some soap

Some anti-bug bite itch stuff

Some anti-stress spray

Floss

Flintstones Vitamins

Face Wash

3 pairs of glasses

Contacts and Solution (for when I travel)

Probably other things I forgot to mention

Other:

3 albums of pictures of friends and family

3 Notebooks

2 Journals (1 I’m using now and an empty one)

PENS (about 36 of them)

Envelopes

Earplugs

2 alarm clocks

2 head lamps

1 watch

1 pack of sharpies

Some pencils

Scissors

A power converter (everything I have has a transformer)

2 camping towels

1 wash cloth

1 small stuffed sheep from Ireland (thanks parents)

1 small stuffed pug (be on the look-out of photos!)

2 sets of Uno Cards

1 set of regular cards

1 set of Old Maid cards

Batteries!!!! (lots!)

1 nice pillow

2 pillow cases

1 blanket (I hear 70 starts to feel cold after your first year... no joke!)

1 queen sized sheet (I’m small so I figure I’ll wrap myself up like a burrito)

1 spatula

1 can opener

1 knife

Tabasco Sauce

Greek Seasoning

4 Clif Bars

Pilates Cards (lots of time to kill from what I hear)

English to French Dictionary

A ton of Crystal Light and Starbucks Coffee Drink

2 nalgene bottles

Host Family Gifts (key chains of Chicago, photos of Chicago, earings, stickers, ribbon)

Volunteer Gifts (for the volunteer who’s site I visit and for the volunteer who answered all of my questions) Oreos (regular and double stuffed)

I think this is, for the most part, everything I brought. I don’t think I’m forgetting anything major from this list and I hope I didn’t forget anything major from my packing! Everything listed above should make for 2 years of my life… or at least should last me long enough for people to visit or ship me things (probably toiletries if you’re thinking ahead…). With the things on this list as well as a good attitude and (hopefully) a (surprising) knowledge of French, I’m off to join the Peace Corps and do what I can to “help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.”

Best of luck to everyone over the next two years! I’ll update as regularly as I can and please update me whenever you get a chance through email or letter. Talk to you sooner than later! A Bientôt!

KO

What's Happening Next?

As I continue the packing, I’m learning more about what is going to be happening over the next few months. I thought I would explain (as well as I can at this point) what I think will be going on. Just remember this isn’t exactly what’s going to happen and I can’t really know what that is until I’m there but this is the best as far as I know:

August 11^th: Fly to Washington DC and begin an intro that involves policies and our expectations as well as some get-to-know-you types of things.

August 12^th: Wake up and get shots! Then get on the plan to Dakar!

August 13^th: Picked up in Dakar and drive to Thies. Once we’re at the training center we have our French test, if we pass intermediate level then we start learning our local language. If we don’t pass then we do about 3 weeks of French and try again.

About 4 days later: We move from the training center to a host family with whom we live for the rest of training. The majority of our PST (pre-service training) is focused on language and culture so all of this takes place within the smaller community that our host family lives in (along with a few other pct’s (peace corps trainee) host families).

At some point during training: We go visit an SED site.

Mid-October: If we meet all of the qualifications for being sworn in, we’re sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers and we move out to our site!

About two months later: We return to the training center for a 2 week training session, this time mostly focusing on our specific area (for me small enterprise development).

Sorry this isn’t all that descriptive and might actually be completely wrong, but this might help a little. Back to Rosetta Stone for me!

T-Minus One Week

With one week to go before I head to DC then off to Senegal, I’m getting my final preparations together. The “farewell tour” ended yesterday when my dad and I got back from L.A. It was really great to see family and, overall, it’s been a great month.

This last week is full lists, packing, reading, and some final mental preparation. I have a master packing list that I’ve been working off of to make sure that I get everything I need before I head out(I’ll post it online once I’ve gotten to the final copy). My mom read a PCV’s blog where she said that she had brought more to her country than her entire host family had. After hearing that, I’ve sort of used that to influence my packing philosophy. I figure I can get things like clothes in Senegal (and I’ve heard I’ll want to get clothes there) and I should fill my bags with things that will make my bad days a little better, things like Flintstone’s Vitamins. The main office sent me a ton of reading material and I have to re-read my invitation packet to make sure I have everything I need to bring with me.

Finally, this entire process inspires a lot of unplanned reflection. So far, it’s pretty much all along the same train of thought: wow. I’m moving to Africa in a week. It really isn’t much of a breakthrough but I’m going! Each time I read more about the training process I’m getting a little more excited and nervous. I learned that there are 51 of us going together in a week!

I have to go so I can get back to sorting my purchases (and watching Shark Week).

A bientôt!

the farewell tour...

Sorry for another brief update but a lot has been going on and more yet to come! After taking the GRE, A came to Chicago for a week before we went to Ireland with the rest of the family. The Ireland trip was a great time with my family. After Ireland, A and I drove to Missouri to visit his parents. On the way, however, we stopped by Iowa City to see an old roommate. It was great because I hadn’t seen her in a semester because she was studying abroad. That continued the “KO Farewell Tour” as I’ve come to think of it (we might even get shirts… just kidding) through the Midwest from Chicago to Iowa City to Macon, Missouri. Long story short, the time in Macon was really fun. It was great to see A’s home and everything around it. His parents were so welcoming and we had a great time around Missouri.

After 5 days of drive-ins, dinners, golfing, and visiting, A and I headed back to Chicago so I could drop him off at the airport (for his flight back to NY) and continue on home. It was a great ride and we were able to spend time together before parting for about 8 months. After this goodbye, the reality of the entire upcoming adventure really hit. I’m so excited for everything coming, but I can feel an increasing intensity of everything. A’s hoping to visit April at the latest and I’m sure it’ll be great (travel plans are going to be made once he knows what his “busy season” is). The “farewell tour” has 2 more big stops, tomorrow in Wheaton and Sunday-Monday in L.A. After seeing more friends, I’ll be going to visit my Grandma and some family in California. More to come, I’m sure.

One final note, the Mauritania PCVs were sent to Senegal while some things are being worked out in Mauritania and I’ve only heard positive things about the training house in Thiès. I can’t wait to be in Senegal and I think wonderful things will be coming soon!

Now, something completely unrelated: https://www.snuggiefordogs.com/