Well folks, here it is. A blog from yours truly. Pretty exciting, eh? I've never blogged before, so you'll have to bear with me while I figure out what to write. I guess it will probably be easier once I actually get to Africa, which will be in about two weeks! Ahh! I'm pretty excited for it, but it's just kinda scary that I leave so soon. Until then I'll pretty much be at home hanging out.
For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm leaving on September 18th to go to Senegal with the Peace Corps. Senegal is on the northwest coast of Africa, and is actually only 4 hours ahead of the East coast time wise. It's also one of the most politically stable African countries, which is very comforting. I'll be doing Small Enterprise Development, which is really vague but basically means I'll be helping out local small businesses in any way I can. We have 8 weeks of training in a city called Thies (I'll be with a group of volunteers who will all be in Senegal), where we will live with a host family. In training we'll learn French (the national language) and another dialect, along with some "technical training" specific to our jobs. After training I'll move to another city/town, where I will live for most of the rest of my time in Senegal. I do not know the specific city/town yet. I do not know if there will be any other volunteers in my town, and I do not know if I will have electricity. But I'm ok with that, it will be an adventure! Hopefully I'll have semi-regular access to the internet, and I'm also hoping to buy a cell phone. Otherwise, I'll be writing letters and sending them the old fashioned way. Keeping in touch with family and friends back home is going to be very important to me, because I know the next two years will be very challenging and frustrating at times. Communicating with people back home will keep me sane! I don't have a mailing address yet, but I will let you know once I do. That's all I can think of for now. Sorry if I rambled a lot....but I'm sure it will happen again!
For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm leaving on September 18th to go to Senegal with the Peace Corps. Senegal is on the northwest coast of Africa, and is actually only 4 hours ahead of the East coast time wise. It's also one of the most politically stable African countries, which is very comforting. I'll be doing Small Enterprise Development, which is really vague but basically means I'll be helping out local small businesses in any way I can. We have 8 weeks of training in a city called Thies (I'll be with a group of volunteers who will all be in Senegal), where we will live with a host family. In training we'll learn French (the national language) and another dialect, along with some "technical training" specific to our jobs. After training I'll move to another city/town, where I will live for most of the rest of my time in Senegal. I do not know the specific city/town yet. I do not know if there will be any other volunteers in my town, and I do not know if I will have electricity. But I'm ok with that, it will be an adventure! Hopefully I'll have semi-regular access to the internet, and I'm also hoping to buy a cell phone. Otherwise, I'll be writing letters and sending them the old fashioned way. Keeping in touch with family and friends back home is going to be very important to me, because I know the next two years will be very challenging and frustrating at times. Communicating with people back home will keep me sane! I don't have a mailing address yet, but I will let you know once I do. That's all I can think of for now. Sorry if I rambled a lot....but I'm sure it will happen again!
posted by Sandy at
8:24 AM
12 Comments:
Hey Sandy! I'm a blogging "virgin" too so I hope I'm doing this correctly. You'll be in my prayers for the next few months until you get settled in and start to feel at home. You are such a brave/adventurous gal! Take care of yourself! (PS - the twins are doing well; we heard their heartbeats again yesterday!)
By
Anonymous, at 5:58 AM
Hi Sandy!!
I wanted to let you know that my friend Randy Quinn is in the Peace Corps in Senegal too. I have no clue if you'll ever meet him, but could be someone to look up if you're feeling lonely. That's so awesome that you are doing this. I give you a lot of credit and it will be an amazing experience. In fact I'm kinda jealous. You'll be in my prayers. Good luck and safe travels.
Alpha Love,
Lisa
By
Anonymous, at 11:20 AM
Hi Sandy!!
I wanted to let you know that my friend Randy Quinn is in the Peace Corps in Senegal too. I have no clue if you'll ever meet him, but could be someone to look up if you're feeling lonely. That's so awesome that you are doing this. I give you a lot of credit and it will be an amazing experience. In fact I'm kinda jealous. You'll be in my prayers. Good luck and safe travels.
Alpha Love,
Lisa
By
Anonymous, at 11:21 AM
I am so proud of you!!!
Okay, yeah, i know, we don't talk too much, but it is fantastic that you are doing a couple of years with the peace corps. What an amazing opportunity!!
I'm looking forward to reading about your experiences!
By
Fuzzlaw, at 8:26 PM
Attempt No. 5. Seeing what will happen, IF ANYTHING. UG
By
Anonymous, at 11:07 AM
Ah Ha.
Sandy, poor Uncle Gil has the hardest time with the simple things (difficult things, as well, I am afraid). As promised, I have been thinking of you daily. I KNOW all is well and that you are having a wonderful time. Keep a sense of humor about you at all times, even when the going may seem a litte tough. When the going gets tough .......
All well here. I did manage to send you two e-mails. Have no way of knowing whether they were received or not.
I am SO PROUD of you, (as well as myself - first blog, and all).
Love, UG
By
Anonymous, at 11:12 AM
Willie Nelson upon deing caught with a bag of marijuanna is reputed to have said, "Good thing it wasn't spinach or I would be dead by now."
Sandy, E-cole scare here in spinach of all things.
Love, UG
By
Anonymous, at 8:45 AM
Curious about something. Your dad said there was a "hole." Is there one in each room of the house, one for the family, or one for the whole "compound"? How wide is it? Is it round? How deep would you think it is? Is it covered in any way when not in use? Does it have a seat of some kind over it? Is it used for disposal of different kinds of materical, such as old newspapers and kitchen waste? Would you be able to read while using iT?
Is it anywhere near the well used to get drinking water? Is there a well? Is the compound locked at a specific time each night? What if you wanted to leave after the gate is locked? Is there really a lock with a key or combination, or merely a device to keep the gate closed from the inside? How many apartments or units are in the compound? Are they rented, owned, or time-shared? Are they all one floor? Does each have its own door that is capable of being locked? How high is the wall around the compound? Of what material is it
made? Does only one person have the authority to lock and unlock the gate? What if he or she dies with the key?
Would you like to hear about my trip to the VA State Fare, the cotton candy, sausage and onions, the lemonaide, banana dipped in chocolate, the funnel cake and ice cream, or would you rather not? Please advise. Love, UG
In the future, would you prefer this kind of communication be via e-mail?
By
Anonymous, at 9:55 AM
Dear Rougie: Why did you not include the meaning of your new name? I can only guess it means "Beautiful princess with fantastic smile and dancing eyes," but if it means something else, please advise.
Have you had your hair braided, as I assume, is the local custom? How are things on Sat. nite in town? Really hopping? What do the folks do their for entertainment? Do you know any of the folk songs? Will you be singing them to us when you get back? Are the kids there lazy like here in the USA? (Not you, of course, but the others).
Do the folks there pray five times a day? Do they get down on their knees and face east towards Mecca? If so, if you were a few miles east of Mecca, would you face west, as that would be the most direct route, or would you continue to face east? If it is a cloudy day, how would you know which way was east? Would it matter? Please make inquiry and advise. If you had a bad back would you be excused from kneeling? As a matter of politeness do you join in with the family prayers?
How long does it take? Is there a chant that goes along with the process? Does that change from time to time? Is there one person who starts off and the others follow? If you were driving, would you stop the car and pray? What if you were swimming at prayer time?
Love, Uncle Gil.
By
Anonymous, at 9:06 AM
Have always heard that Africa is the "dark continent." Why is that? Are the nights longer there? Is there not much sunshine? Does it rain a lot and you have overcast days? Were you surprised that the days and nights were about equal length? Did you measure them? How? Do most folks there have wrist watches? How do you know when it is time to eat, to get up, and how do you set a meeting time if they don't have watches? As you know, I sent you evern more burnign questions via e-mail so as not to upset other readers.
Love, UG.
By
Anonymous, at 11:49 AM
Dear Rougie: THANK YOU so much for your latest entry. I enjoy hearing about the mundane, as I am such a mundane sort of guy. Sounds as theough you are getting into the swing of things there, learning "how to do," as Pop would say. In fact it is sometimes the simple things that are important. However, you leave many of my questions unanswered. Try harder in the future. BTW (blog term, I understand) are you a blogger or a blogee? Would I be classified as either one? Glad to hear your "family" is so welcoming. A good lesson for us all. I trust you know "thank you" in Fr. Pu and Wo. Take care and enjoy the simple things. Love, UG.
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Anonymous, at 8:38 AM
Dear Roughie: Re: bathroom incident. Be thankful she did not use the Clorox bottle full of Clorox. OUCH.
Saw your mom and dad, Murph and Becky, Charles and Helen, Nick and Julia at Butch and Claire's on Sat. for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner. All was good, and we had an enjoyable time. Will be going to MD and Erica's family on Wed. Thur, Fri. for the Real Thanksgiving. Charles looked well rested, Helen not so much. July seems to be a really sweet girl, but very quiet. She is attending University fo Delaware. Asked her, "What did Delaware?"
Don't think she knew. Told her a brand New Jersey, but still don't think she got it. Perhaps my delivery was off.
Sun came up this morning and is expected to set this evening. Took Chas and Helen to the airport on the way to work today. RIC is really getting big. Erica's sister, JoAnn, (mother of Liam, who your mom thinks is wierd looking, and Erin, who is close friends with Dora the Explorer, is pregnant and expecting in July. No other news here.
Hakuna Matta. UG.
By
Anonymous, at 6:13 AM
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