sometimes the little things just make your day. like the fact that i can listen to kenny g in the middle of africa for an hour. okay, now there is a michael bolton duet with him on...i want you all to appreciate how awesome and hilarious this is. i lust look like a crazy person right now because i have a huge smile on my face.
this past week was jam packed. monday we went to dakar to register at the embassy. i also had the best ice cream i've eaten in country at a place called n'ice cream. i also giggled at the pun. tuesday and wednesday we had classes, thursday was the start of our counterpart workshop. the workshop was an oppurtunity for us trainees to meet the one, two and sometimes three people we will be working closely with once we et to our sites. they act as mentors, cultural guides, and professional team members. mine came all the way from sinthiou diambo and diambo soubalou (the neighboring village that has a health post) one of my counterparts is a french teacher at the school there and the other is a nurse at the health post. both seemed really really nice and were excited by my few ideas of projects. we spent all day friday and saturday with them; teaching them about peace corps, our role as volunteers, their role as counterparts. it was a very valuable time for the three of us to discuss what the next two years will be like.
i was also able to get my first senegalese outfit made. i went to the market with emily and daniel, emily is my site mate and daniel is my biking partner. (we have a biker gang and our theme song may be "final countdown". yea, we're hard core). so back to the market...we got fabric from a store of ladies who happened to speak pulaar and we more than thrilled that we spoke it back, allbeit in broken chunks. then we went to the taylor; got measured, and described what we wanted. two days later we picked it up. let me just say...i look pretty sweet. we're going to wear our outfits next week when we swear in as volunteers (hopefully, fingers crossed i pass my language class so i can). for the ceremony we go to dakar to the american club. once there we will have a ceremony with a korean and japanese volunteer group (their equivalent to peace corps) followed by a cocktail hour and swimming. it's the bright light at the end of the training tunnel and we're nearly there. the following day we will all be heading out to our sites.
tuesday night we came back to our host families and my reception was unbelievable...i've never felt more missed. i know i've said it before but i have to say it again...my family here has been remarkable and is one of the main reasons i have been able to stay so positive. not every volunteer has had the same experience...and i am so so so thankful i'm so lucky. they were most surprised at my feet because i got them decorated with henna as well as my awesome farmer tan. they are convinced after two years i will look just like them and they tell me everyday how african i am. if only i could be so lucky. this morning my host-mother surprised me with the news of a party for me and the other three volunteers who live in keur issa at our house. it's going to be a great time. we've spent the past few days discussing who will miss who more once i leave. they say they will and i counter with i will more and so the argument goes.
well that's about all for today...this will probably be my last post for awhile as i won't be around internet access for a few weeks. in an effort to provide you with as much info about senegal as possible i'll leave it up to you to discuss what topics i should cover in my next post. some ideas... food culture, greetings, the many uses of duct tape, village life, the trouble with french keyboards, why donkeys are the worst animal in the world, talibes...let me know through comments and i will prepare a nice and long post for you all.
kenny g is no longer playing and i'm a little disappointed...hope all is well in the states. miss you all tons! lotsa love!!
peace,
jaime
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