Happy Anniversary Fall 09 Stage!

Today marks one year since I became an official Peace Corps Volunteer! Congrats to everyone who made it this far! I'm celebrating tonight with a can of chili and some wine (thanks parents)! In real news:

There was a Staples or Office Depot commercial a few years ago with a dad walking through the aisles of the store singing "it's the most wonderful time of the year" as he bought school supplies. That commercial typifies how I feel about the start of a school year. I LOVE school supplies, the start of a new school year, and everything involved. I had to take my scholarship girls shopping for school supplies and was a little worried that it wouldn't compare (there is almost no comparison between Target and the market in Bambey). It turned out to be amazing though! Before shopping, we made a list of everything they needed and then I gave them the 15000cfa they had each won (for having the best grades). I explained that, while the money needed to go towards school supplies, it was their money to spend - I was just going to collect receipts. As we walked through the market, the girls would pick stores, ask the price, and then either buy something or leave. At one point a girl needed to buy a backpack and she searched stall after stall for the right one. At one point the turned and apologized to me but I explained that I was more than happy to be there with her. Later in the day, when buying calculators, the girls told me the price and asked for my approval to buy them - when I told them that it was their money, not mine, their pride was visible. I kept remind them that they earned the money with their hard work and I think everyone had a great time.

I've also spent this week going around to the schools re-introducing myself and talking a little bit about projects I want to do. Everyone seems receptive but they're swamped with school opening and need me to come back. Last year I was timid in getting my projects started and it took a while. I'm learning from my mistakes and hoping to get working soon!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful fall!

KO

Swearing In (part 2)

I was told last night, probably rightfully so, that my post on swearing in lacked any emotion so I'll fill that in right now. In my defense I wrote it while I was rushing off to the speakeasy.

First, I'll actually start with the speakeasy: As you may or may not know, Senegal is a very Muslim country and thus, most of the country, doesn't drink alcohol. Because of this most towns don't have bars (and if they did only creepy guys and prostitutes hang out there - that is actually true and I'm told is not an exaggeration). The really large cities, like Thies, have a few bars and even a disco (aka night club) but they're expensive on a PC salary and no one really wants to head into town when there's the speakeasy/beer garden practically around the corner. The place is a Catholic family's compound and they sell beers (Gazelle or Flag), red wine, vodka, gin, and soda. They keep their compound door locked and you have to knock to get in. Once you're in, it's the same guy sitting around the TV and one guy who gets up to sell the drinks. Other than that there are some plastic lawn chairs and a plastic table. You can also go onto the roof which is legitimately just the roof with a whole bunch of rebar wire sticking up from it. Last night, to make it a party, we bought a whole bunch of snacks and candles (to put around the wire so no one cute themselves), and we even got some balloons! We needed to submit a short description of each person in our stage to the PCSenegal newsletter so a few kids got together and wrote short, clever, kind of first impression-y kind of inside joke-y things about each person and we read those aloud last night. They were all clever and well put together (mine was short and sweet "KO- she is not Japanese," for those of you who don't know the story, in the states I was constantly asked if I was Japanese and it didn't help that my friends took to telling people I was. There are some Senegalese that also think I'm Japanese and my new host father didn't believe me when I told him I wasn't). After that we celebrated well into the morning with 600CFA beers, snacks, and an ipod with speakers.

Today I've already done laundry and I'm going to the Orange/Sonatel office in Thies to see if I can get an appointment to have my internet set up in Bambey early next week. There's a slight possibility they won't be willing to go out there and I'll have to go to Diourbel on Tuesday or that they won't do it because I don't know my address (which really shouldn't be too much of a problem, you think I'm kidding but the description of: you get off the road and you turn left off the main road, then right down the big dirt road then go straight then it's on the right, it's a two story house and there might be a black car out front, goes a long way here). The rest of my day will be packing slowly, maybe just organizing things to pack them tomorrow and hanging out with people before we all go our separate ways.

I keep joking with everyone here that I feel so different and already wise in the past few hours of being an actual volunteer and while that is far from actuality, there is a little truth in it. I still don't know anything about how to be successful with work projects here and I don't know much about the culture/language, but I'm feeling pretty happy about finishing the last 9 weeks. Everyone says PSTs the hardest part and there were times when it was really hard. Yesterday as we were riding in on the bus I had the feeling of "hey! I'm that white girl looking ridiculous in African clothes! I'm that Peace Corps Volunteer! this is awesome!" There also seems to be a sense of continuing tradition (we were told yesterday, a million times, how many volunteers Senegal has had and how we're carrying on their work, etc.

I'm really excited to get to Bambey and start working. The first 3 months are supposed to be focused on learning the local language and finding work partners. We haven't been given any technical training so there isn't much we can do in terms of starting our SED work. I might try to find some smaller projects to occupy my time but I'm supposed to hold off on the huge stuff until I understand more about the community. It seems daunting right now, to spend 3 months learning language and meeting people, but all of the volunteers who have already done it, told us it actually worked out fine. Mostly I want to get to Bambey and get my room set up and really move in. I think it's then I'll feel more like a volunteer.

I'm off to lunch and trying to get Internet now!

KO

It's Official...

I'm a Peace Corps volunteer! Today was swearing in and thus, I am officially a volunteer!

The morning started bright an early at 7am as we loaded on to two buses to head to Dakar with our fancy police escort.... that consisted of a motorcycle but you know, it was fancy. We got to the ambassador's house and waiting for about an hour! During that time I had my head wrap tied (the pictures are up, please admire them). Eventually the ceremony started and, an hour and a half later, we were all peace corps volunteers (after taking an oath almost identical to the oath presidents take). Immediately after we went into the garden and enjoyed mini-hamburgers and other snack foods. Then we went to the office and filled out paperwork! Eventually we went to the American club which is basically a country club for ex-pats and hung out aroun d the pool before coming to Thies. We're off to the "speak easy" now (it's basically a Catholic family that sells liquor and lets us drink it on their roof) for a little party.

I'm really excited to be a volunteer and, even though not much changed today, I feel like it did! I'm ready to work and ready to get to Bambey... to the speakeasy first!

KO