So I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer! After saying goodbye to my family I had my language exam the next day. We had to get an intermediate mid level on our test in order to swear in as volunteers. If we didn't get that level we would have to stay at the training center another week to study. However, I did get intermediate mid!
Then on Thursday, we had a reception for our families which was a lot of fun. My mom and youngest brother came. We had a nice lunch after a welcome speech. We then had drummers and a dance. It was fun to watch. I danced a little but liked to watch everyone else who knows how to do the traditional dances. It was really nice to see them one more time but it was a little sad to see them leave again. After all the families left, all of the trainees had a dance party with american music. We danced for almost three hours. I also got a dress from my mother and earrings from my brother. The dress is so pretty. And because it is tailored for me it fits perfectly, which also means it is a little difficult to get off.
Friday was the big day! We left Thies to go to Dakar at 7am. We first stopped at the Peace Corps office for a quick break, then continued on to the U.S Ambassadors house. It is a beautiful house with a crystal chandelier in the banquet room. We got speeches from our country director, training director, ambassador, and four trainees gave speeches in their local languages. After the banquet we had a reception outside. There was a pool and mosaics. The food was delicious. There were mini pizzas, quiche, muffins, peanuts, cream puffs, brownies, strawberry pastries. We took lots of pictures but it was hot out and even hotter in our Bazan outfits. After we left the ambassadors house we convinced the driver to stop at an ice cream shop! Once we got back to the center we all chilled for a while then went to Massa Massa for dinner. It was delicious. I had lasagna and all that cheese was great! I then had to make it back to Skype with my family which was great and around 2ish am a couple of my friends invited me to go to a club with them that they had been at. It was so much fun. We danced until 3:30! The music was a Senegalese Salsa, so cool! I had so much fun and was amazed that I could stay up that late.
Saturday was a day of chores....laundry, packing, making lists. Fun day but got everything done! Then I had to get up early Sunday to pack all my life into a car with two other people to head to Linguere!! It took about four hours to get there and we got to lounge most of the day. Then yesterday we did a lot of shopping for mattresses, laundry benoirs, glasses, and other necessities for our huts! It was great but it was another hot day. There are also some Lutheran missionaries that live in Linguere and they invited us over for cocktails and snacks. One of our bosses who is installing us in our villages had us over for dinner and it was delicious! it was spaghetti with french fries and meat. after that we got mangoes as dessert and then they brought us huge slices of watermelon and then sweet milk to top it all off! I was stuffed.
This morning we met all the important people in Linguere and started cleaning out the back yard which was fun to be doing something. Three people then left to be installed into their respective villages. And tomorrow I am going to Affe!!! So excited. I will be there for five weeks for our five weeks and then we have a fun party at the regional house! So five weeks will go so fast! I am also really excited to finally be able to move in to a place and unpack all my things and nest in my hut. It will be a long day but a good day tomorrow! See you in 5 weeks!
Then on Thursday, we had a reception for our families which was a lot of fun. My mom and youngest brother came. We had a nice lunch after a welcome speech. We then had drummers and a dance. It was fun to watch. I danced a little but liked to watch everyone else who knows how to do the traditional dances. It was really nice to see them one more time but it was a little sad to see them leave again. After all the families left, all of the trainees had a dance party with american music. We danced for almost three hours. I also got a dress from my mother and earrings from my brother. The dress is so pretty. And because it is tailored for me it fits perfectly, which also means it is a little difficult to get off.
Friday was the big day! We left Thies to go to Dakar at 7am. We first stopped at the Peace Corps office for a quick break, then continued on to the U.S Ambassadors house. It is a beautiful house with a crystal chandelier in the banquet room. We got speeches from our country director, training director, ambassador, and four trainees gave speeches in their local languages. After the banquet we had a reception outside. There was a pool and mosaics. The food was delicious. There were mini pizzas, quiche, muffins, peanuts, cream puffs, brownies, strawberry pastries. We took lots of pictures but it was hot out and even hotter in our Bazan outfits. After we left the ambassadors house we convinced the driver to stop at an ice cream shop! Once we got back to the center we all chilled for a while then went to Massa Massa for dinner. It was delicious. I had lasagna and all that cheese was great! I then had to make it back to Skype with my family which was great and around 2ish am a couple of my friends invited me to go to a club with them that they had been at. It was so much fun. We danced until 3:30! The music was a Senegalese Salsa, so cool! I had so much fun and was amazed that I could stay up that late.
Saturday was a day of chores....laundry, packing, making lists. Fun day but got everything done! Then I had to get up early Sunday to pack all my life into a car with two other people to head to Linguere!! It took about four hours to get there and we got to lounge most of the day. Then yesterday we did a lot of shopping for mattresses, laundry benoirs, glasses, and other necessities for our huts! It was great but it was another hot day. There are also some Lutheran missionaries that live in Linguere and they invited us over for cocktails and snacks. One of our bosses who is installing us in our villages had us over for dinner and it was delicious! it was spaghetti with french fries and meat. after that we got mangoes as dessert and then they brought us huge slices of watermelon and then sweet milk to top it all off! I was stuffed.
This morning we met all the important people in Linguere and started cleaning out the back yard which was fun to be doing something. Three people then left to be installed into their respective villages. And tomorrow I am going to Affe!!! So excited. I will be there for five weeks for our five weeks and then we have a fun party at the regional house! So five weeks will go so fast! I am also really excited to finally be able to move in to a place and unpack all my things and nest in my hut. It will be a long day but a good day tomorrow! See you in 5 weeks!
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