Katie Evans Niger, Africa PCV: Swearing In and Celebrating

Katie, Elizabeth and Me before swear in

Swear in at the Ambassadors house

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