The Color Orange

Que Hiciste?

2009-08-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

Best song ever! Thanks Jennifer Lopez! If I ever need a mojo boost, I just put that song on and "Bam!" Muy caliente, gracias.

Anyway, lots of changes and a new world opens up for me Monday. I start classes at GW and a full-time internship at the Department of Treasury's Office of Financial Stability. You know all the federal aid circulating out there in response to the financial crisis? Yeah, OFS was created last October to handle that. And I get to work there!!!!!! Many thanks to A.M. and the HACU National Internship Program for the opportunity. I was looking at many jobs, most of them related to fund-raising, some in the arts, but none directly applicable to what I want to be and where I want to go. I love the arts world and always will, but I'm moving in a different direction. I never expected Treasury, but now I'm very excited.

Every step I've been taking since I moved into the DC area a month ago has served to reinforce my choice of path. This semester will be very hard between class and work, but I know I can do it. I visited DC's Newseum today with the other HACU interns and got to be part of the audience for an interview with Michael Fletcher, the Washington Post's White House correspondent. Really fascinating and not nearly as glamorous as West Wing would have you believe! ;) I should mention that last fall, during the final days of the campaign, I and my sitemates watched the West Wing 'campaign' in lieu of actual coverage. It got kind of confusing after awhile. Sometimes I'm still not sure if I voted for Barack Obama or Jimmy Smits!

Oh the places you've been!

2009-08-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

Home again. That's me and my sister visiting our college friend, Kelly, in the good 'ole Shenandoah Valley. I would often sing the song "Shenandoah" in Mauritania, accompanying myself on the guitar. It hurt sometimes to think of 'that rollin' rivah' so far away across the ocean. Now I'm here and I can't believe I was in Africa for two years. It was sometimes long there, but feels incredibly short from this side.

I guess I became a bit like a Mauritanian. Coming into crowds of strangers here is difficult and sometimes I'm overwhelmed. I've eaten ice cream FOUR times in the month I've been back. Only four. I'm amazed. I craved it all the time in M'Bagne, Aioun and Nema. I discovered all my old clothes still fit me (maybe better now!) so I don't have to spend my re-adjustment allowance on buying new things. Great news since I don't have a job yet! I'm living in Bethesda and will be going to school in DC. Bethesda is a wealthy suburb on the Maryland side, so the neighborhoods are beautiful and quiet.

I'm forcing myself to get out there and meet people, network. It's tough, but keeps me going even when I feel down. It's good to be back in a cultural center like DC. As soon as I have money, I'm goin' to the opera! Wish me luck!

Purple Girl Leaves Mauritania!

2009-06-18T10:07:00.000-07:00

It's true, look at me. My glasses scream purple. And notice that my hair is braided M'Bagne style. It didn't hurt as much as I though it would. I'm posing with a neighbor of my friend Justin's in his village of Gordiuma. She wanted everyone stateside to see her leather pillows. ;)

So, COS (close of service) is July 8 for me. Much earlier than I thought because our training for new volunteers was postponed until mid-August, when I am starting classes at GW. Coming home early will be nice in so many ways, but I'm sad at the loss of ten weeks working with a really cool group of volunteers and I'll never meet the new volunteers, if they ever come. It's the darned political situation here. Even the locals aren't sure if they have a government. Makes me homesick for good 'ole American bureaucracy. And I'm scared to go home! Seriously! I've been in another world for two years. I'm afraid to be homesick for Africa! (even though I still HATE taxi brousse-if I ever come back, it will be with my own Land Rover)

Anyway, so here, at the end of all things . . . But one thing that occurred to me is that my blogs will get much less interesting ("Yeah, so I went to work, and then class today. Really tired. Ho-hum") Guess I'll just have to work harder. I love challenges.

Miss you, America! See you soon!

The old homestead

2009-04-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

I like comparing this picture to the one from the summer 07 post called "Initi Trio." Several of the same kids are pictured but they're bigger now! Warda is still a free spirit and my fave of my stage host mom, Lueda's, kids. She's in the yellow and white dress. Timbouka wears a veil all the time, now and has stopped going to school. She has taken over the household chores leaving Lueda time to make more veils to sell. This increases the economic level of the family (they have a tv now! and it looks like they're eating better), but I grieve for what Timbouka has lost. It happens often here; a big part of my job is aimed at preventing it, but the process is so slow. That leads me to a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:

I am accepting at George Washington University in DC. I will, inshallah, start classes August 31st. I want to study international development from the gender and education perspective and GW has such a strong, exciting program. I can't wait! Anyone with ideas or leads for apartments, internships, roommate requests, or part-time jobs, drop me a line!

While some of the changes in Initi are difficult to see, others are great. They have electricity, now and there is new building going on, a good sign of rising economic levels. My tokora (namesake in Pulaar), Zara, was born almost exactly nine months after I left Initi to go to Nema. I saw her as a week-old baby last May. She had seemed sickly, then, but is hale and plump, and loves to eat, now. She's not so sure about the whole walking thing, though! She'll stick with crawling for the time being, thank you very much. I'm so happy she's doing well!

Oh, and I've been on Facebook since January. Look me up. :)

M'Bagne nedjo

2009-04-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

That phrase, "M'Bagne nedjo" means I am from M'Bagne in Pulaar. I won't be in M'Bagne much longer, about a month, but I was so lucky to be there even for a short time. It's one of those places where people are, by and large, happy, or content. There are no major health crises, little evidence of malnutrition, and people stay active and employed. It ain't perfect, but it's much better than many of the other sites I've seen. There is sadness, though. A young mother I know recently lost her weeks-old baby. A high infant mortality rate is simply a fact of life, here. Aissata, the mother, is back at her usual chores and work. She grieves, but you can only tell if you look in her eyes.

Honestly, I sometimes fear returning to the US. (this is actually a normal reaction for a PCV) I will miss Mauritania and the entire experience. Looking at brochures for grad school, I was disturbed by the number of 'white' people! How boring! I'm leaning toward American U versus George Washington based solely on the ethnic makeup in their brochure photos. Is that reverse discrimination? (or possibly insanity?)

The neem trees are blooming right now. They bloom twice a year, I think, but there were never any trees in my other sites. Sometimes, when the wind blows, you get a whiff of scent, rather like lilacs or wisteria. It makes me think of my maternal grandmother. The photo is me with my host family in M'Bagne, the Thiams (pronounced chyam). I'm pretty lucky to have them.

River Town

2009-03-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

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!

Finito, whew!

2009-03-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

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!

Bonne Fete! (le jour du Saint-Valentin)

2009-02-14T09:15:00.000-08:00

Ah, all alone in Kaedi. I’m dog sitting while my regionmates are in Dakar for WAIST (West African Invitational Softball Tournament). I’m working on FAFSA, grad school stuff, and Peace Corps stuff. I took a mini vacation last week to Selibaby in the Guidimaka region. Above is a pic of me teaching girls at the Selibaby GMC, “Dites-moi,” a fun little song from the musical South Pacific that I can sing in five languages. Always willing to add more if anyone wants to volunteer!

I had fun and hope the girls did, too. They especially liked receiving posters the GMC girls in M’Bagne made for them. A number of them were visibly moved, which made me think about, I don’t know, how narrow their worlds are, that a poster done by girls less than a day’s drive away could mean so much. I’m writing this in Africa, but I’m so used to global communication that it doesn’t even register that most people reading this are thousands of miles away. It doesn’t have the same effect; makes me sad.

That leads me to a fun idea. I want anyone reading this to go out, buy a 90 cent stamp, slap it on a postcard from wherever you are, write a note, and send it to our regional address, but addressed to the Girls of the M’Bagne GMC. They can be in English or French (or Pulaar or Arabic if you got ‘em!). The address is:

Corps de la Paix
BP 66
Kaedi, Mauritania
West Africa

This could tie in to geography and world studies for the girls, in addition to being so much fun for them! Plus, it means a great deal to the girls, but is very cheap on the US (or wherever) side. See, just because I’m here, doesn’t mean I’m not looking out for my peeps!

Hi-ya!

2009-01-24T23:06:00.000-08:00

Above is my regionmate, Kristi, during the opening remarks at a karate exhibition in Kaedi at the lycee (where my class had our training way back in the beginning). You shouldn't have any trouble picking her out. ;) The martial arts are pretty popular here. Kung-fu films are always on in video shops and MBC2 (Moroccan Broadcasting Channel) runs nothing but American action films. People ask if I know Jack Bauer personally.

Otherwise, work is going well in M'Bagne. I'm trying to be patient about GRE scores and hearing from schools so being busy helps. Am also applying to jobs, just for the kicks. Having a crush on another volunteer occupies some of my waking moments. Query: people are always saying "Sarah, I don't know you that well, but you seem nice." Am I bland? Boring? Just nice? Ack. To misquote Jessica Rabbit, "I'm not really good, I'm just drawn that way." What do I have to do, get a perm, wear black spandex and start chain-smoking? (ten points if you get THAT reference)

Enough of that. I yam what I yam, sigh. And according to Cosmo Horoscopes, things don't get really interesting for Scorpio until the fall, anyway!

Faire du Sport!

2009-01-10T01:54:00.000-08:00

Good news! My regionmate, Justin’s, fencing project has been fully funded! A friend of his is a journalist and wrote an article. In a single day, the project received as much money as it had in three months. That is so cool and makes me really happy. Fencing is such a simple idea, but very important here where animals and the elements destroy structures with great frequency. Plus, many communities lack the technical skill to build effective fencing. The fact that Justin can make an impact on a basic need level renews my own sense of initiative. Girls’ Education is a much more complex issue, but if I can break it down a bit, maybe I can actually accomplish something. Though, in the end it’s not about me!

The picture above is from one of our sport days with the GMC girls in Aioun. They’re doing yoga, or trying! There is a girl’s basketball team sponsored by the community in M’Bagne, but only Pulaar girls play and they don’t have alot of resources (their court is packed earth with wooden hoop posts). There are several Moor girls in the center and they are not allowed to participate in organized sports, especially if men are around. The sport days in Aioun worked because it was just the girls and female volunteers in a walled compound. I want to start doing indoor sports at the center. We have some jump ropes and can play music for dancing but I want to get a large table and solicit someone from home (hint, hint) to send table tennis paddles and balls. That would be a perfect sport for the girls, easy to do in a veil, indoors. It’s competitive and requires coordination. We are also going to start crotchet, soon, inshallah. I have seen many women (and men) in M’Bagne doing crotchet. Makes me think I should learn! It looks so easy and quick!

Anyway, I’m ready to buckle down for the next two months until International Women’s Day March 8th. Hopefully we’ll have a big, awareness-raising party in M’Bagne. After that I’ll go to Nouakchott to get my cat fixed, go north to Atar for the marathon, then back to Nouakchott for our Close of Service (COS) conference. I can’t focus beyond that. Oh, and filling out the FAFSA! Yeay! So much fun!

Back to Mauritania

2009-01-03T01:40:00.001-08:00

It's alot harder, this time. Hot showers, real streets, electricity, a culture I can understand easily-now that the end of PC is drawing near, I'm chomping at the bit, just a little. At least we'll always have Las Palmas. The picture was taken near Roque Nublo in the interior of the island.

Las Islas des Gran Canarias

2008-12-31T11:08:00.000-08:00

I think that's correct Spanish. ;P Anyway, Happy New Year everyone! I'm spending it on Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, the only department of Spain technically in Africa. It's a bit nippy, but I went swimming anyway. Then Kim and I got Happy Meals (they come with yogurt for dessert here!). We each got the talking rhino/hippo thing from Madagascar 2. It's kind of creepy, actually. Maybe European kids have different sensibilities. Second picture is Pablo (1st year vol), and Edna and Kim. Our friend, Maylen is also here with her parents. We all toured the historical museum in Las Palmas yesterday. It was raining but still a fun day.

I can't believe I'm here, actually. I didn't realize how focused on work and life in PC I had been for the past few months until I got here. I'm relaxed, thinking about 'stuff,' and feeling good about going back. I don't have much time left in Mauritania. It's true, these two years are going by so fast. This time next year I hope to be home with my family and my cat, Nema. Happy Belated Birthday, Daddy, I love and miss you!

Hey, ever wondered what would be on the soundtrack to your life? Well, I've decided my intro (like when you make an entrance) would be Sugarland's "Something More." Pablo is Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" (or possibly something from Westlife!), Edna is Shakira's "La Tortua," and Kim is Beyonce's "Survivor." Currently listening to Sugarland's "We Run." They always make me happy. Prospero Ano, con amor, everyone.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T06:37:00.000-08:00

Ah, in Nouakchott for the holidays. My new site is pretty and I'm starting to learn Pulaar (sehdeh, sehdeh). It's interesting, I think Hassaniya diverges from classic Arabic when it takes on Pulaar words, because a chunk of vocabulary is exactly the same.

For those of you with extra change, who want to shave more off their 2008 taxes, check out the Peace Corps Partnership website. My regionmate, Justin LeBlanc, lives in a small brousse site and is trying to fund a project for his community. The following text is from my country director, Obie Shaw, about giving through PCP. It's difficult to find extra money this time of year, especially with the current financial atmosphere, but if you're interested,these projects do make a difference, even more so because it's with a American volunteer on the ground.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to let you know about a new project funding source that Peace Corps Washington recently instituted. It is now possible for individuals (and businesses) to donate to specific Peace Corps Country Programs online through the secure Peace Corps website.
If you are looking for an unusual gift for the holidays or perhaps you are thinking of making an end of the year charitable contribution, please consider a donation to the Peace Corps Mauritania Country Fund.
A few quick facts about donations to the Mauritania Country Fund:
• 100% of funds donated go directly to supporting a project benefiting a community in Mauritania (zero $$ go to overhead or any other administrative fees);
• Projects are funded based on strict criteria which include a 25% contribution from the local beneficiary community;
• Each project is overseen by a Peace Corps Volunteer on the ground and monitored and evaluated by Peace Corps staff;
• Donations are tax deductible (for U.S. taxpayers) and you will receive a written confirmation of your donation from Peace Corps Washington;
• With so few NGOs operating in Mauritania, the PC Partnership Program is the primary source of funding for Peace Corps Volunteer projects in country.
As always, thank you all for your consideration and generous support of the Peace Corps Volunteers and their communities in Mauritania.
Happy Holidays to All!
Obie
P.S. If the link above does not work, you may reach the Mauritania Country Fund webpage by copying and pasting this link in your web browser: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=682-CFD
Or, go to the main Peace Corps website (www.peacecorps.gov) and follow these steps:
Step 1, click the "Donate Now" link on the left side of the screen.
Step 2, click the “Donate to Country Funds” link located both on the left hand side of the screen or in the middle section.
Step 3, in the middle of the screen under “Search by Country of Service” click the dropdown box and select “Mauritania.”
Step 4, click "Donate to Country Funds" located in the middle of the page.
Step 5, In the search results click the “Mauritania Country Fund” link. A donation box will be located on the right hand side of the screen."

Thank you, everyone who reads this! It's strange to me that I love finding money for other people, but break into hives if I have to ask for it for myself. Wonder if there's any future in that . . . ;)

Watch TV!

2008-12-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

My sister will be singing in front of the National Christmas tree tomorrow! She'll be with other grad students from Virginia, so look for the cute blond mezzo with glasses! Go M! I love you!

I think I can, I know I can

2008-12-01T03:24:00.000-08:00

This is my last post before Christmas. In a few days I travel by Peace Corps vehicle to Aleg, then by taxi brousse to Kaedi and M'Bagne, my new site. Once I reach M'Bagne, I will stay there until just before Christmas, so no internet for a couple weeks. Should be fine, just like being back in Nema.

Though it lessens my time in M'Bagne, I'm glad I stayed in Aioun for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to be with everyone, current sitemates as well as a few future sitemates traveling through on the way to Dogon Country in Mali. We had chicken, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce (imported of course), and five kinds of pie! I made pumpkin pie completely from scratch (cooked the squash myself), something I would not have believed possible before. Get this, it actually tasted like pumpkin pie. The only thing missing was whipped cream. I'm going to make myself really sick when I get home next summer. Other pies were apple, pecan, cherry, and chocolate pudding. I keep thinking about them. Sigh.

The picture is of a mural I helped my sitemate, Susie, put together. It's for the Health Post (Susie works there) where they give vaccinations for infants. The drawings and text underneath chart the schedule for Polio, Measles, and several other newborn vacs I'm not familiar with. I did the drawings, Susie did the text, and some of the older members of the GMC painted. L to R is Susie, Akla, and Khelethiema (pronounced 'huhlehthima'). That was fun, thanks, Susie!

Gathering no moss

2008-11-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

Soon-to-be new mail address:
me, PCV
BP 66
Kaedi, Mauritania
West Africa

Yes, moving sites again, this time not because of al Qaeda. One of my classmates (i.e. second-year vol) et’d from her brousse site near Kaedi, where I had my training. She was running the GMC there so my director, Siham, asked if I would be interested in moving again. It makes sense because there are two Girls’ Ed volunteers here in Aioun, but none in M’Bagne. Siham made it clear that this was my choice entirely. I took several days to think about it, but I sort of knew what my answer would be as soon as she asked me. I asked to stay in Aioun until after Thanksgiving so I assume I will move in early Dec. I will be sad to leave my new sitemates and friends here, and I’ll miss electricity, but I feel good about the decision. Ready for another adventure?!

The Aioun GMC opening ceremony was today. Check out some of the girls sharing cookies afterwards. They are a great group and it has been really nice to work in an established GMC for a few months. It will make the transition to M’Bagne that much easier. There is a bread strike here at the moment, which is irksome because that is a staple of my diet. I may have to start making my own. Urgh.

Our own backyard

2008-11-07T12:26:00.000-08:00

A school building just collapsed in Petionville, Haiti. I stayed in a hotel there two years ago this month. Haiti has the ability to pull on my heart like no other nation save my own. She is bleeding and struggling and she is our neighbor. It makes me wonder what the hell I'm doing in Africa. I want to be there, using my bare hands to pull rubble off trapped children. For all my lofty talk about regional studies in North Africa and learning Arabic, I think my place is closer to home.

Tomorrow 29

2008-10-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

Say hi to Mali and one of her granddaughters, Kadja. Mali and her daughters Betouli, Bouti, and Bebe have 'adopted' me and Heather. I eat lunch with them most days in Aioun. They are really wonderful people. I'd move in with them but they don't have a bathroom! ;) Kadja, btw, is Bebe's daughter and Bouti, who is 16, just gave birth to her first child, a healthy boy. The labor was only about four hours long, amazingly. I'm missing the baptism today. They wait a week to name the child and have a party. I think, actually, many cultures have a waiting period like that, right? It's related to infant mortality rates, I assume.

On to happier subjects. I took the GRE today. I think I did well on the verbal and written, and not so hot on the math. There goes my dream of an engineering degree. But now I get back to reading actual books and studying Arabic. I want to continue working in development in North Africa (and Haiti), so I need standard Arabic on my cv.

And I turn 29 tomorrow. Whew. I wish I could freeze this time. The future is right there, in front of me and I feel stronger and more ready for it than I ever have. Can we bottle 29? Every year holds the same promise, but it takes us awhile to figure that out. Actually, thank you Mommy (and Daddy). It's really your birthday. :)

This was written under the influence of MIKA. I think America needs more MIKA. "Love Today!"

Second time around

2008-10-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hmm, I voted for 'change' four years ago, when the only thing keeping Illinois liberals from giving up was a young state's senator named Barack Obama. I remember colleagues discussing a possible Hillary/Obama ticket in '08 (made us feel better about four more years of Bush).

Well, I did it again, only this time with my eyes squeezed shut and my hands clenched around the steering wheel. I have no idea where we're going, but I'm staying in the car! There is so much at stake now that baby steps won't help. It's time to leap forward. I hope Obama is up to it and I hope he understands that doing the right thing doesn't win you friends or get you reelected; it changes the world.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2008-10-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

So, long time no post, again. Well, what's happened in between? I have five graduate school apps going (Vanderbilt, Marquette, Boston U, American, George Washington and now maybe Johns Hopkins). They shut down my site, Nema, and now I live and work in Aioun el Atrouss (addy: Sarah Bushman, PCV--Corps de la Paix--BP 4--Aioun el Atrouss--Mauritania). I have a new cat named Nema (she was given to me by someone there my last night). I'm moving in with a family here. I'm learning the Western African language of Pulaar. And I'm almost 29. Whew. Oh, and taking the GRE Oct. 25. The math setion is going to kill me. Seriously. "Quadratic what!?!" It's been over ten years since my last math class. I'm doomed. And I have a heat rash. Wheeee!

Otherwise, life is good. Check out Nema and my sitemate Heather's dog Nancy and then a pic of me and the other gals in Aioun. L-R Whitney, Susie, Sarah D., Heather and me in the back. Heather is holding a baby named Baba. :) Cheers!

Astonishing

2008-08-16T04:48:00.000-07:00

Is it 'selling out' if I begin to feel I want to be (physically) closer to my family? Before PC, I thought of myself as the great wanderer, with no ties to hold me back. That's pretty selfish, isn't it? I guess we spend our entire life growing up, don't we? Oops, gotta leave the training center. The government is sponsoring a march 'in favor of the new government" so we have to go hole up for a few hours. Allons-y!

With Love from Nouadhibou

2008-08-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

The following was written two days ago:

So, I have been told, yet again, that I need to update my blog more often. I promise to try! But you all know I'm terrible with personal communication (in pretty much every way) and add that to the fact I have to walk half a mile to get to the internet. It's a wonder I ever post anything. I am constantly writing posts in my head, but they rarely make it to the screen. (ok, ok, it's called laziness)

I am currently in the northern city of Nouadhibou. It sits right on the ocean, close to the border with Western Sahara. My friend, Maylen, runs a girls' center here and I am helping get the center ready for their special summer sessions starting shortly. The 'Bou' is as developed as Nouakchott, but with a cooler climate, less traffic and fewer nutsos. I love it and have decided to eschew trips to Saint-Louis, Senegal in favor of the Bou. There are a number of Spanish NGOs here and, surprisingly, I'm beginning to understand just a bit of Spanish, mainly because I can understand French, I think. But Spanish is my language goal on returning to the US.

I guess that is the big thing now, bigger than the disappointingly boring coup. I'm taking the GRE in October and looking at programs in development or public service at Vanderbilt, Marquette U, the Kennedy School at Harvard, or American U, in order of preference. Program fit is paramount, but financial aid or fellowship possibilities run a close second, since I will have no money when I COS out of Peace Corps next summer.

It's bizarre to me that I'm heading in the grad school direction. Even a year ago, I thought I would go through life finding work based solely on experience. But something is nudging me toward a masters. On va voir. ;)

Whew

2008-07-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm sitting in Equinoxe Cafe in Nouakchott where they have wi-fi, rare thing here, and decided to catch up on friends' blogs. Holy crap it's been awhile. I discovered a Chicago friend has gone through a divorce and it makes me feel sad and also so disconnected. I had no idea and it's been months! It's my fault, really. I dislike spending alot of time online, except for work, but also am very bad about using the phone or mail, except for work. It's one of my (albeit few) failings. ;) But seriously, I knew this friend when she was dating, then attended her wedding, knew her as part of a couple, and now she's single again. I know it's life but still difficult. Her writing sounds as strong, if not stronger, than ever, though, so that makes me happy.

Homeward bound, RIM that is

2008-07-16T05:45:00.000-07:00

Finally back in Mauritania. I missed it, actually, especially after an interminable taxi ride from Dakar to Rosso (took 13 hours, should be 5). I'm at the training center in Rosso and am very impressed with the new volunteers. Out of a class of over 70, not one has left and they are three weeks into training! My class lost four in the first week, one even before we got on the plane in Philadelphia. I'm amazed by them, but also amused, because they have the exact same conversations (about food, host famillies, food, gi problems, food) my class had! It's fun to be part of a circle like this. Many PC programs (i.e. in other countries) have more frequent rotations. One class will come in the summer, another in the winter, then the summer, so there is a constantly changing team of volunteers, but with only one training session per year, we have the chance to get to know each other, old and new volunteers. I'm sappy, but I like it. RIM rocks, whoohoo!

Btw, I strongly dislike Paris. Every other part of france is great, though! :) I highly recommend all the non-Paris parts of the country.

Riviera Sarah

2008-06-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

On the beach (near l'opera) in Nice. It was fun and, wow, I guess it does look like I have a burn. That's what I get for wearing a mulafa all the time! You know that in France it's ok to go topless. For anyone, old, young, fat, skinny, black, white, lobster red. MEB had the t-shirt quote of the day: "I love how with the topless bathers, you can't always tell who's a man and who's a woman." Yep, vive la France!