The end of Training is near

It is exactly a week before swear in and this is my first journal entry. Things have been a little crazy with so much traveling and work, I have not keep up with this blog. So, I am not going to try catching everything up to speed. Instead, I am only going highlight a few aspects of Senegalese life. For all those who are worried Senegal is the most peaceful place I have been. At first glance it could seem the opposite but as one of the most stable countries in West Africa it has a very low violent crime rate. With a long history of peace people have integrated peace into their everyday greetings. Greetings are extremely important for relationships with people and the most commonly used phrase is peace only and god willing. It may seem small but I have come to appreciate a peaceful way of thinking. Living in a host family for the past two months has been an exciting learning experience and very demanding. The idea of being thrown into a Senegalese family is that the PCT will be greatly sensitized to the culture and learn the language (Wolof) at a faster speed. For instance, I know how to eat around a big bowl sharing with nine other people, take a bucket bath, the dialectic process of making attaaya (Senegalese tea) and my language is improving daily. I live in a large compound with 26 other family members. My mother is 55 years old and has given birth to 12 children. She is a great loving mother but has been in mourning for months since her husband’s death a few months ago. I am an official member of the family with a new name, Ada Diop, but my new family life comes with some frustrations. I only live with my family for 20 days out of the two months, the downside of the new training structure, and I feel no real connection to my family. It’s hard to get close when I am always saying goodbye. My family has already hosted two other volunteers and they often compare my language skill and personality to the two others that have come before me. With these and other small frustrations it is great to have down time with the other volunteers when we go for technical training at the PC center in the city of Thies. The volunteers are great and everyone gets along for the most part. Often times we talk about life in the states and I realize that still see my life in states, which I haven’t fully embraced the next two years in Senegal. However, I know once I move to my village in the next few weeks I will be hit with reality.