Our second, shorter, follow-up training is over, another time marker past. After almost four weeks away, I am back at my site, in a room I can call mine, and a city that knows my name. It feels good to be back, and also, selfishly, to know that people noticed that I had been away.
My transition back to free-flowing, unstructured time at site from the rigid, hourly-planned schedule of IST was eased by the visit of one of my best friends from our training stage, and the opportunity to show her around town also led to the realization about how much I already know about this place I now call home, and how many things here I hold dear. Though it was not always fun, being away for IST was useful in many ways, not the least of which was to get perspective away from site and come back with refined ideas and motivation to really begin working. A few more days of adjustment back to site, then hopefully I’ll be ready to start making plans. Thank you also to everyone who sent me letters while I was out of site - it made coming back that much sweeter. A full mailbox is cause for several days of joy, don’t underestimate it. And keep it up!
So, for a quick recap of time in country to date:
- 8 weeks PST (Pre-Service-Training), Thiès Training Center. (Getting ready to go out into the country on our own. Language, cross-culture, safety, health and technical training.)
- Swearing-In. (We became “real” volunteers!)
- Installation at site. (A few days of not knowing anyone’s name, and mild to severe panic.)
- 12 weeks at site (Figuring out town, meeting people, settling in. Technically not allowed to start any projects during this time.)
- 3 weeks IST (In-Service-Training), back in Thiès. (More technical training, plus a little language, and a safety, culture, and health session or two.)
- And now… back at site to stay and work, until spring COS (Close of Service) 2010, Inch’Allah.
Next Saturday will mark my first 6 months in country, and two days before that the newest group of trainees should be touching down in Dakar to start their Peace Corps experience. It’s strange and awesome to think that I will no longer be one of the greenest volunteers in Senegal - and that 6 months have already gone by so fast.
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1 comment:
dear lex,
i'll write you again soon, because there's already so much more to say. funny how quickly life moves. ;)
i'm so glad to hear that you're settling back in. i can't believe that you still have 21 months, but at the same time, i can't believe you've already been gone for almost 6!
i'm feeling stressed about the startup of my year - the corps comes on tuesday, and i'm terrified i won't be a good leader and i can't imagine being in charge of 7 peers all of a sudden, but i know it will all work out. and when i read about the things you've already struggled through, i know i'll be fine.
you are my loveliest, my bravest, and my favorite role model.
i love you always.
-mere
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