Post IST/Thies English Camp Wrap-up

In-service-training went well. It was great to get to see all my friends from new stage who many I saw at the 4^th of July party, but some not since we had installed. We learned a lot of useful information and technical skills over the 2 weeks back at the training center. Most importantly we learned how to get access to grants and different funding options available to us PCVs. Now we’re finally allowed to do full scale projects that would require funding. We also have several presentations from NGOs (non-governmental organizations who do aid work) who work in Senegal, informing us who we could possibly work with back at our sites. All in all I learned a lot of stuff and I feel very prepared and ready to do some good work, I’ll include a list of hopeful future projects at the end of this post.

We had the weekend off at the training center, and I traveled back to Sangalkam to visit my old homestay family. They were very excited to see me and it was nice to spend the night with them and visit all the other homestay families in Sangalkam. Monday morning we started the English camp. I partnered up with my friend Jessica and we had a group of a dozen or so 15-16 year-olds. The whole goal of the summer camp that was run by the US Embassy in Dakar, was just to speak as much English as possible and play games all week long…no problem there. We had a great time, our team named themselves Team Lions. They also picked their own American names, some of the best were Lincoln, Honey, and Weezy… At the end of the week we had an Olympics day and finally a talent show, our team sang along to a remix I put together of Michael Jackson’s We are the World spliced together with some Shakira, Akon, Rhianna, Chris Brown, and Jay-Sean…it was hilarious to watch their choreography and singing, but they had a lot of fun.

Limbo Competition on Olympics day, this was Honey from Team Lions

Me and some of the kids from Team Lions

After English camp ended a bunch of us grabbed a sept-place (a seven seater station wagon, one of the most common forms of long-distance travel here) to Dakar. We stayed at the newly refurbished Volunteer transit house, along with probably 50 other volunteers. There were volunteers there from the other English camps held in neighboring cities, some who were waiting for their COS (close of service) conference, and just some others there for the weekend. Friday night was trivia night at the American club, I basically just sat at the pool and ate and drank. We went to a MALL on Saturday, which only proved to be depressing because we realized that we can’t afford nice things on a volunteer’s pay… Later that night was the monthly insane party called Cool Graoul (spelling?). The bar where this event was held was near the presidential palace. One second we were in the city then next thing we knew we were in this odd random forest, which had a bar, and this great party. It was lots of fun, what we could remember of it was at least…

Hopeful Future Projects (just to name a few so you have an idea)

· Reorganization of Med Hut, restocking and organized system for medications and supplies

· Well and Pump for revamped and expanded Women’s Group Garden

· New Classroom construction at the school

· Chicken Coups and Egg business for Dari, the 3^rd wife at my house

· Fix the motor for the water tower

· Latrine Construction

· Porridge Model seminar for women with malnourished children