My site is Koungheul!
It's a huge community with a population of 19,000. And yes, that is large. There are volunteers moving into villages with populations of a grad total of 280 and 400! Koungheul is about 8 hours from Dakar and around 4 hours from the regional Peace Corps headquarters. It will take less time once the Route Nationale 1 is finished.....Inshallah.
Our instructors handed out blindfolds and then placed us on a giant map of Senegal, and when everyone was in place, we removed our blindfolds and immediately looked down at our feet to see which city we were standing on.
On Saturday, we are heading to our permanent sites for a few days for "demystification." It’s when we finally get a half decent understanding of what we will be doing, and it’s also when many people quit. I wont be going to Koungheul because the previous volunteer has gone home already. Instead, I'm going to Fatick for a few days. I'm excited.
Everyone decided to go to a local bar today to celebrate. It was a sight - all of us in a small bar. And as usual, we got the cold reception that I would get in France. But it was fun retelling stories. I'm amazed at what some of my fellow volunteers have managed to get themselves into.
2 comments:
Wonderful that you are so happy, Ry. When can you go to your new sight and what does the previous volunteer's departure have to do with your not being able to go now? Where is Takir and why are you excited about it? Are most of the volunteers pleased w/ their assignments? I love the pics of your host family. Will you get to see them to say g'bye? What did you all drink at the bar? When do you leave for Takir? Take care. Blue skies over West Africa!
Your excitement is pretty much contagious. I know you are having a blast this weekend figuring out what you will be doing, even though you won't actually be in Koungheul. No need to rush things, you will be there for two years. I like the way the instructors had you guys find out. A little bit more interesting than them calling out names and towns.
I was looking at the pictures you posted when Joel who is 6 came in the room, so I let him see them. These quotes made me smile. "How come there is not a lot of grass?" "That little boy is the same age as Faith! They should play together!" Little kids say the cutest things. Let's just say it is never a dull moment at my house. Tamara
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