Hi everyone!
I hope you are doing well. Today was a less eventful day.
Language class was better than yesterday. I feel like the class moves at a
slower pace, but that should give me the opportunity to really fix some
mistakes. I am trying to be more of a perfectionist about my work.
During many parts of training we have a current volunteer,
who has completed a year of service here, and sits in on our classes during the
day and helps us out with anecdotes, advice and will even help us get things we
need. These people always seem a little bit like saints to me. When I look at
them and think about all of the challenges and maladies we are trying to
prepare for, it is so good to think, “They really have been living this out for
a year, and they really seem to be enjoying it.” Each of them seems to be
pretty relaxed about things that seem very complicated to us right now, and
each of them seem to really feel like their work is important and meaningful.
This week we have Bubby, or Robert, and it is awesome to get to pick his brain.
After class Amber, Ian, and I went to a buvette or bar to
chat and hang out a bit. It was a relaxing experience.
Tomorrow we find out about our posts for work. Many people
are really excited, referring to it almost like Christmas or a birthday.
However, there are also many of us, including myself, who are treating post
announcement with a little more weariness. I am confident that there will be
cool things about my post, but I also know no post is perfect, and I am trying
to keep my expectations low. Incidentally, when I have brought it up to my host
family, they have said that they hope my post is close, so that it is easy to
visit. I think that is a big compliment. That, or they don’t think I’m ready to
live on my own yet!
And now for some general and miscellaneous information:
With regards to the Job selection process:
Job selection has a lot of variables, which fortunately I have very
little to do with. I believe that first the Peace Corps sends out a general
inquiry to towns saying, "Ok, who wants help? and what kind?" There
are for general fields of Peace Corps work here in Benin, Teaching English
(TEFL), Community Economic Development (CED), Rural Community Health (RCH), and
my own sector, Environmental Action (EA). A current EA volunteer said today
that sometimes it seems like there is TEFL, and then everything else. He
personally works on a community garden, but also spends a lot of time at a
local school and at the health center working with nutrition. Afterwards I
joked with Heidi that I get the feeling I am just going to teach a bunch of
kids how to sew. I certainly would be happy to see that get worked in. We will
see what happens!
Aaanway (this is the long answer). Besides having work to do, there
is some work structure, which varies from job to job, but I believe every
volunteer has a 'homologue' a person who lives in the community and is
something of a mentor to the volunteer. Some volunteers will have a boss,
others a co-partner, others 8 10-years-olds. I think it's likely you will do a
little with all of these demographics.
There are some pretty specific housing requirements, and if a post
doesn't meet them, then it is a no-go. The volunteer must be in personal
traveling distance of a bank and post office. The volunteer's housing is
ideally in a consignment, which is kind of like one story condominiums. All
volunteers have doors with locks, secure windows, complete with screens, a
private latrine, and a stove. You do get a move in budget for other things you
might need, but those seem like the most staple things.
I have met twice with the EA director and assistant director. They
asked about my experience and interests. They did repeatedly ask if I was
interested in working with children. I told them honestly that I don't have a
lot of experience teaching children, but I'm very open to the idea. They also
had all EA volunteers fill out a form asking how important electricity, running
water, a post-mate, and proximity to a city were (among other things). I put an
interest of 6 or higher out of 10 for all of the options. I figure there is
enough to adjust to, I will ask for all the amenities, and expect none of them.
That being said, my highest priority was having another volunteer living within
an hour or on the same village. They said that is very frequently the case. I
am glad to hear it because it seems wise to have that support/option if every
you are sick or feeling down, and it would be great to be able to help someone
else out who is going through similar challenges.
Coffee:
I got the french press out the first weekend and proudly shared some
American culture by brewing American-style coffee for my host parents. My host
mama took one sip and said, "Mmh, it's good!" and then bolted out of
the room, never to return. My host papa did drink his whole cup of coffee, but
I think in general Beninese people are afraid of sugar and caffeine. When I was
brewing the coffee my host papa said, "It's toxic, like alcohol
right?" Oh cultural differences. So basically I have resolved to save my
coffee for post, and embrace the local culture of Nescafe for the time being.
Should the need arise for some coffee in my life, it is good to know that it is
an option now.
And with regards to people I have chatted with for french class:
I have seen some of the same people on the street, especially
students at the local high school and Muriel, who helped Heidi and I find our
way home one time. I haven't seen the pastor since the time we met him, I think
he might have said he spends most of his time in a different town, and was just
visiting when we met him. We did go back to see the lady from Cote d'Ivoire the
next day at the restaurant where she works. I haven't been down that way again
since though. I might be a little too much of a home body. But I spend pretty
mush all of my time either in class or with my host family. What can I say, I
am learning plenty at both places!
Plenty for today. Thanks for reading!!!
With love,
Laure
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