Last week of training!

**I wrote this on Monday September 10th**

Hi Everyone,

I can not believe that it is the last week of training! When I thought about September back when I first got here it seemed like such a far off dream to be actually finishing training. It feels like I’ve been in Benin for a long time, but training has gone by fast. It seems like every week has gone by faster than the last.

I hope and suspect that service at post is going to be the same way. Today we had a session about plans and expectations for the first week. I was very encouraged that the head of Environmental Action, Salomon, said that one of the priorities of the first week is to make your house “friendly”; make it somewhere you are happy to be. It’s good to know that he knows that those measures of comfort are important. Of course, there is some work to be done in the first few months, and we talked about that too. I hope to spend some time working making modified mudstoves with people, and also working with them in their gardens and fields. I will also be getting to know people who work in the school system and possibly start developing some lesson plans there. In general, the first three months are all about getting to know the needs and the resources of the community.

Salomon also said something else interesting that really stuck with me. He said that if you really stay at your post the first three months, (and don’t travel around lots to other cities and friends), if you stick it out, you will ask to extend for a third year. I think it makes sense that if you can really just invest in finding ways to cope with stress, finding people you can talk to, finding meaningful work right in your village, then the rest is all details. From that perspective, I can see how so many volunteers say that training is the hardest part of service, and The first three months at post are often considered the best part of service. Life stops being about guessing at future contingencies, and starts really being about, “here I am, how can I make this work.” It’s an encouraging idea.

As for logistics of the near future, Swear In is this Friday! Today was our last day of technical training. Tomorrow through Thursday we will have Administrative Sessions, and some Language tests. Friday morning we will all be shuttled to Cotonou where we will have the Swear In Ceremony at the US Embassadors house, in the presence of our host families among other people. In the afternoon we will have a little time to shop in Cotonou. Saturday morning we load up our respective taxis and head to post!

I have already started packing things up a little. It’s intimidating to try to get everything together again. I am encouraged to think that (Lord willing) I won’t be needing to up and move everything again for another two years. What a crazy idea that is!

Exciting times. Thanks for reading,

Love,

Lauren