It has been a great week of technical health information
here at the training center in Theis, Senegal.
I wanted to pass some information along to y’ll before I head out to The
Gambia and have limited internet access.
But first I wanted to make a couple comments on the recent pictures I
have posted.
That was my home stay family from Bayahk. I had 3 brothers, one older sister and a
single mother. The father had passed
away some years ago from unknown causes.
I was there first Peace Corps home stay and it was most defiantly a
learning process for us all. Despite the
challenge of language, they accepted me as their own. I was told on one occasion to put my pants up
by my mom and I received several worried phone calls when I was out past dark.
The morning of my departure I had to wake the family up to
say good bye at 7 AM. Frazzled from me barging in to say good bye, they all
jump to action and grabbed my belongings, not allowing me to carry anything to
the bus. As I approached the PC bus,
full volunteers, I had an entourage following me with all my bags and everyone
on the bus was either laughing or ooo-ing and aww-ing. Once we got all my stuff on board, it was
time for final good byes but hugging is not a common place thing here in
Africa. Even though I know hugs were not
big here, I still gave each one of them a big bear hug so they couldn’t escape
the awkward moment. We finely pulled
away and little Omar dragged his feet, looking back 3 times as we drove away in
a cloud of dust. It’s going to be harder
and harder to say good bye to the people I meet along the way but can always
leave knowing that I have been changed by them and hope that I have made an
impact on their lives. You always wish you have more time but I am starting to
realize how important it is to make use of the time you already have.
On much much happier news…I just found out WHERE I will be
living for the next 2 years!!! I am in the North Bank region in The Gambia YAY! I will be starting a new village that has had
some contact with PCV and is very excited for my arrival. I have been told that the village is super motivated
to do projects and get things started.
My focus will be based in nutrition, pre/post natal care and rehydration. I cannot give y’ll much information about it
yet but don’t you worry…there will be 2 whole years of info to come!
On news of other small achievements, I gave myself my first
hair cut and yes I literally did it all myself (accept squaring off the back
and cutting off the neck hair Nicole hates so much)! These small achievements are what I like to
think of as the small pieces of the big puzzle that will shape my service as a
PC member and my life as a whole.
Jama Rek
No comments:
Post a Comment