I just found out my site! The current volunteers and staff brought all of us trainees out to the basketball court where a huge map of Senegal is painted on the ground. We were all blindfolded and walked out to our sites, where we promptly started reaching for people around us and calling out to one another. When I pulled off my blindfold, I realized I was on the coast and started jumping up and down and yelling with happiness. I am taking over for a current volunteer, and talked with him about the site. It’s a short bike ride away from a gorgeous beach and touristy town called Mbour. The village is about 500 people, and I’ll be living in a compound with a family. Apparently my site dad is really active on the organic farming and agricultural scene. He has three WOOFers there right now! The only school is a kindergarten, which means I get to hang out and work with kids in FRENCH which is exciting! There is also a private school, so I’ll get to do some work with them as well. Apparently the site has upwards of 30 gardens, so I have some freedom to work on other things. There are bees there, and nobody currently beekeeping, so I’m going to find a way to start that up! I have always wanted to keep bees. Get ready for some honey and mead gifts from Africa. Also, the village is one 3rd christian, one 3rd muslim, and one 3rd animist. Which means people are laid back instead of crazy conservative! there's a church, too, which will be nice. Since its on the coast, it doesn't get too hot. Relatively, of course. Im still in Africa. Its still going to be hot.
Most of the other volunteers in the area are eco tourism volunteers, which means there are cool places to visit! There is a reserve where you can kayak through the mangroves, and also a big game reserve (ie giraffes, etc).
I just put up new photos, including some from the beach I will be near so you can all see it : ) A group of us navigated the sketchy world of public transportation in Senegal on Monday, in order to spend one of the best days at the beach to ever exist. I’ll write about it later!
For now, my site is called Louly Ngogom and I’m really happy! Tomorrow we go back to the homestay villages for a few days, and then I get to spend a week in my village with the current volunteer. Hope you’re all doing well!
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Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteWe are in Santa Cruz at Tom and Lisa's and I just read your lastest entry to the family! We are so happy you were placed in such a wonderful location! Enjoy - and we will enjoy following your adventures!
Love,
Sheila, Helen, Aunt Lisa, Uncle Tom, Aunt Martha, Uncle Mike, Ryan, Tim, Kevin, and Uncle Dennis
Hi Hon,
ReplyDeleteHow great! I am so happy for you - sounds like a perfect placement and I know that is the area you wanted to be in. Fantastic. Was in GA with Nana, Lindsey, Uncles Pete & Paul, Aunt Jodie, Olivia, Evelyn, cousins Ken & Dylan for Evelyn's first birthday. All were very excited when we read your posting.
love you very much,
Dad
I'm really excited for you! Sounds like you have a great site.
ReplyDeleteTake care of yourself.
~Heather Minick
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThat is SO cool. Congratulations. Bees, gardening, teaching, and french speaking on the coast. That's awesome.
I miss you a bunch.
I've done a little bit of research on flights...for maybe, perhaps, at some point, being able to visit you. Things are lovely here, my semester is over in THREE WEEKS and then in the summer I'm taking a seminar on Cormac McCarthy, which, as you can probably imagine, is going to be a ballin' way to spend the temperate delight of the asheville summer months: indoors, reading dark, apocalyptic fiction.
I love you a ton and I seriously tell everyone, like even people I don't know that I overhear casually discussing the peace corps, that my sister is in Africa because she is the coolest.
Love, Lindsey