Goodbye trainee, hello PCV!

Hey everyone! I will change from trainee to volunteer soon! Thats right, TUESDAY AUGUST 28th, I will swear in as an official PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER!!

I feel like I have been here for four years, and even if I went home now that I would be a changed person.

The language is amazing here.... I love using it and learning it. I hope to become fluent.

I am getting a puppy. Another PCV has a neighbor whose dog just had 9 puppies. In order to get the puppy from the owner.. it is tradition to first give the owner a knife in exchange. Don't ask me why. All I know is that soon, I shall have a puppy, and he shall have a knife.

I feel like anything and everything I do in the future will be easy compared to what I am overcoming right now.

I know that I am not profound here.. but I'm exhausted.. done with training... and extremely nervous to be dropped off at my new home in less than four days. I will ride in a peace corps vehicle to my site... they will help me buy a wooden bed, foam mattress, small table, chair.. and a gas camping stove. Then, they will leave and it will be me and my stuff... and it will be up to me to forge relationships wtih people in my community and find friends. I have been told a million times by numerous other volunteers.... the first three months suck. You WILL be lonely. You will cry.. You will write a million letters and get none from back home. You will read tons.. but FORCE yourself to go outside and use the little language you have to create relationships... and that is what I will have to do. The school year starts Sept 11 here... so after 10 days.. I will be busy with teaching, grading.. and the like.

Yesterday I met the Minister of Education, shook his hand, asked him some questions, then snacked on some creme puff ducks and Fanta (it was a weird spread as far as a governmental snack set up) Tuesday we go to the new US Ambassador's residence for the ceremony and it will be televised throughout the country on the major station. We're kind of a big deal... haha.. ok not really, but this is definitely getting super real!! I was in awe as the Minister told us how much he needed us here and all the things we could do to help his country. It really helps to understand the President and his cabinet's vision of the development of the country, and where we fit into it all.