The Color Orange

M'Bagne, my site, sits on the Senegal River. I've been in it twice already because the intense heat is starting to roll in. First time swimming in an international border, by the way! M'Bagne is like coming home. Of my three sites, it is the most comfortable and welcoming. My Pulaar still isn't great, but at least I'm picking up a little. I'll miss the opportunities for intensive language acquisition when I am back stateside.

Big news is I have been accepted to George Washington U, Marquette U, and Boston U, thus far. Waiting on Vanderbilt and American U. I am leaning toward GW because they are in DC (close to my parents) and the Elliot School is a fantastic place to study (their program in development most closely matches my grad study goals). Unfortunately, some of my documents were a little late getting in and I missed the merit scholarship window. That means I'm looking at 160k's worth of debt.

I'll be honest. I dislike money and am never so happy as when someone else is 'taking care' of it for me. Sounds strange coming from a development worker, eh? It's true. To me, money is simply a necessary evil. For myself, I just want enough money to not be a burden to others. But all the things I want to do require money! So not fair! ;) Somehow, though, I'm not scared of going into debt for grad school. Should I be? In this financial climate, either we're all screwed in a fews years and my debt won't matter, or the economy will turn around and I will find work to start paying it off. And the big argument, grad school is an investment and there will always be risk involved.

Aie, aie, aie, usually I talk myself OUT of spending money!

Here I and the other GEE volunteers from Kaedi, M'Bagne, and Lexeiba are taking the final picture of the night for 8 mars, the International Women's Day (Fete des Femmes). Our three centers got together in Kaedi for a big shindig with music, presentations, and skits. The girls loved it but we were exhausted by the end!