Tuesday, January 29, 2008

6 months in

Hey everyone! I just celebrated my 23rd birthday in Africa, which is crazy to think about. I had fun because I got to see a lot of my friends because I am in Niamey for the week. I'm here getting shots and going to a Peer Support Training where they're teaching a couple of people from each team in country how to support/be there for people who need to talk. After that I'll be back to Maradi for a meeting with a woman from the US who is working with Seeds of Africa, they are giving goats to women with malnourished children. I'm hoping to get them to come to my village to help some of my local women. After that I am finishing up my proposals for some paint so I can do some murals, and a proposal for a water chateau so that my villagers have access to uncontaminated drinking water. I am really excited to finally be working, time goes by a lot more quickly when you have something to do, I have a CHA training in Maradi from February 12th-17th, so I will be traveling a lot in the next month. Well, I'll write more later.

1 comment:

Michelle Evans said...

I love you. Its been a while since I got a letter.
Dad is still composing his.
I have a million things to do b4 Friday when I leave for Las Vegas for about 10 days. Poor Rach didn't get anything for her bday yet. I'm going over and playing with her some time soon.
Kisses
MOM

July 27, 2007-1st letter home

I just got to Africa today and its very different. It doesn't feel like I'm across the ocean or on another continent, more like the begining of camp. We met some PCV's that have been here for a year andthy are all happy & love being here.
We are all staying at the Peace Corps camp tonight & tomorrow night and then Sunday we move in with our adoptive families who we'll be living with for all 3 months of training.
I don't know how much I'll like the training, but I'm excited to be sworn in and move to my village.
There are 3 groups of volunteers; the ed, municipal and health.
I'm sleeping under a mosquito net outside right now & its not too hot. We have showers & flush toilets here but won't when we move on Sunday.
We passed a bunch of villages on our way to Hamdallay for training & there are tons of cute little babies, so I'm really excited to get language over so we can actually do our jobs.
Some things I could use that I didn't bring are
coloring books, Chaco sandals
colored pencils/sharpeners
soccer balls
a head lamp
Some earings w/studs (b/c I found out we can wear them)
rubber bands-caus I lose them a lot

Traditional Costumes

Traditional Costumes
Our Adoptive mom dressed us

Me and Erin

Me and Kellie at Training facility

Pond that forms during Rainy Season

The Village