Disclaimer

The views in this blog are mine personally, and do not reflect those of The Peace Corps or any United States Government Agency.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Tambacounda, Among Other Things

I've finally arrived!
...Well, sort of. 

I made it through our technical training, a pretty anticlimactic experience considering the phone call I received from the agriculture agent (see "Something Lighter").  He turned out to be one of the nicest men I've ever met, wholly concerned with our well-being and happiness in Senegal. Despite this (haha) I learned about double digging, zai holes, demi lunes, tree grafting, and don't ask me how to do them because I've already forgotten. It's going to be a steep learning curve, but gardening and I are going to be great friends by the end of my two years here.

At approximately six-thirty am yesterday morning, I bid farewell to my fellow volunteers and hopped in a rental "sept-place" (seven seat station wagon) to drive seven hours to my new site. The city is dusty, hot as all hell and full of garbage, but also graced with a large amount of character and potential. I unloaded my baggage, met my new work-partner and biked immediately to the demonstration garden where I will spend the majority of my time here. The garden is right next to the town dump and infused with the most rocks I've ever seen not in a gravel driveway, and so it presents its challenges. However, the volunteer I am now teaming up with has made huge headway and I'm excited to get started.

The garden is used to host gardening classes and introduce new techniques, hence a significant amount of pressure on the volunteers to keep everything growing healthily and strong. In a plot of land with more rocks than soil, this is no mean feat. I'll keep you posted on our developments and insh'allah report some future successes.

My particular situation is a little tricky given that we (Niger transferees) are being installed in a non-traditional manner. In any other case, I would not be working alongside a volunteer in my exact sector, and so figuring out the division of labor and where I fit into projects already underway is a bit difficult.  I haven't met my host family yet or moved in fully, because Peace Corps screwed up - what else is new? - and didn't give us any money to buy beds, mattresses, food, etc. I am currently bunking at the regional house until tomorrow when the offices open and I can access my funds. I can't tell you how excited I am to not be living out of a suitcase. One more day...one more day and I'll have a real home! Fingers crossed I'll live here for more than eight days. Maybe set up some pictures. Or have a real bed. Never discount the importance of simple pleasures...or necessities!

My host family is very small by even American standards; a young couple and one daughter. I am lucky to have running water (yes, we're definitely not in Niger anymore) and electricity. Essentially, I have landed in the lap of luxury, so I don't know that I'll be able to claim the classic "rough" Peace Corps experience. My host family even has a computer, allegedly. But don't worry - it's still 120 degrees!

<3 Phoebe