The last one for the next 2 weeks or more...

So this is the day before I got into my village. Am going off to a very small village and am going to practice and speak Mandinka. I am so excited and cant wait to see what happens in the next two weeks. I wont have access to a computer or anything that's electronic and no running water, so you will have to wait for the next update from me. Am also in the process of putting my pictures together so that You all and can see them. The next few weeks are supposed to be the hardest of my two years of training and working because it will be taking me so far out of my norm to make me adjust to the new lifestyle fast. What is it that I will have in my new house now; I get a trunk with the following: a pack of Ramon, powered milk, 1 box of cereal, toilet paper, 2 bucks, 1 broom, 10 candles, a tin of cookies, 4 different packs of seeds, and something else random oh and I get a bike & helmet. So am excited all about this change and the things I get to have.

But if you know me well you know am more of a pants girl and I made sure I bought enough with me. But now when I get here they tell me the best thing for me to wear is long skits cause am a teach and should dress more like the women here. So I had to buy a lot of fabric, lucky it wasn't that high price. Am going to have to take it to a local tailor and have them work their magic and do the best for me.

But because am not going to have a large selection of things am looking for care packages with some of the following items. And remember the items sent are not limited to this list so feel free to send some other things.

Address ask me for it

Care Package list:

Food:
Apple cinnamon oatmeal
Grits
Instant pasta (the ones you just boil or add hot water to)
Cereal Bars (apple, strawberry or chocolate chip)
Ramon – all the flavors
Liquid soup
Honey nut Cheerios or Smart start
Caned or packed meat (prison style beef, chicken, or tuna)
Snacks: oatmeal pie, zebra cakes, Mike & Nikes
Caned fruit (small cans single serving)
Gatorade
The instant kool-aid packs
Dieters Tea

Personal Items:
Wash cleaner (Germ X, etc)
Good bath soap
Baby powered
Baby wipes (good ones)
Leg shavers

Language time

So now I know that I will be speaking Mandinka. So that will be my new addition to the list. We just started to learn how to greet each other so am all about to be happy.. Life here is simple but wears you out quick. So am still trying to get use to the time difference and set me body to work differently.. Till next time..

Am in Gambia

Hello to all, I have finally made it to Gambia. Its very hot and not what I was expecting it to be. I was looking for a lot of dirt, low income housing or mud homes, with dirt roads but what I got was a lot of new green, new housing and hotel development, paved roads everywhere but no traffic lights (yet) and just some real good hospitality. Am such in a shock to be round such good people not only are the people in training with me great but the staff and other volunteers are too. Everyone is so eager to help and give me answers to the questions I have I thought I would be in the dark forever.

Me and the trains got to spend 3 days and 2 nights with each other before getting on a plan to come over to Gambia. We played some ice breakers, talked about emotions and feelings, asked a ton of questions and went out and mingled together. The people that am here with made me feel real comfortable and like I belonged here so I wasn't ever much nervous just excited. I am in an Educational sector where I have 5 of the following: Teacher training, Math & Science teachers, and ICT or IT. Ad yes am the only girl in the ICT group guyz, so they have deemed me their queen. So am excited and its just getting starting. We will be finding out about what languages we are set to learn in the next few days. So here is another one to add to my list.

The first meal was great. And we have been having nothing but good food and good company. Since today was the 4th of July we had a cook out with other volunteers and the director's house. Meeting the other volunteers was very good because we got to mingle with other people beside the 15 of us, but because we were able to hear stories and swap info about the villages and work that will be getting done or started.

At night the best thin to do which would not be all that good back home was a cold shower. The shower was pool water cold but I loved it because I was so hot, sticky and sweaty that it just made me cool down and feel refreshing. I was then able to get dress and unpack just a little before it was bed time. Which for some odd reason I could do without a TV (inside joke for those who know me) without any problems. But I did wake up at the crack of dawn which was at 6am.

But am having a good time here and just cant wait to see whats going to happen in the next few days, weeks, months, years with me here in The Gambia.