This will be the brief Parisian memo. :)
As we flew from Niger to Madagascar we sadly had to spend 28 hrs in the infamous city. I of course am not one to miss such a cultural opportunity and thus a day pass for the metro was purchased and a day (and night) in the city of lights was had. Did I do everything I wanted to? No. Did I have a kick booty time? Yes. I could go into details, but I'll save those for when I have more time and less tiredness.
I also strongly enjoyed a "real" bed, a "real" shower, and a indoor toilet sans lizards and chickens.
Currently I lay in bed getting ready to repack my bag and head to meet up with everyone and reboard the plane for a joyous 10-11hr flight down to our new home. That is our second new home in the past couple of months... odd!
So alas my lovely readers, until we shall meet again.
Matt aka Ali
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Memo 1
I would love to say that I have written epic long blog post for this rare moment where I find myself about to have internet access… I would love to say I have been keeping an in-depth and moving account of my experiences this far while in the Peace Corps in Niger. However, truth be told I find myself frantically typing this post on my computer the night before I head into Niamey. That is right, I have been here in Niger well over a month, and I am just now starting to chronicle my trip. (Well unless my family and Cole have been chronicling it for me on this blog, which as I type this I am unsure if they have been.)
So why have I waited? Why have I not been keeping a copious journal of all the sights and wonders? Well simply put I don’t know where to start… how does one describe a day in Niger in a way that a reader back home could even begin to describe… If I were to say I have seen +120 degree days… cockroaches that are huge… eat things you don’t even want to think about and use a squat toilet one might think I am in hell… If I were to say I sleep under the stars every night, see amazing sites daily, and am around the most amazingly nice people every day one might think I am in Heaven. In other words there is no way I can adequately put into words what I have experienced in the last month, however I shall try so bear with me!
Big News
For those of you who have not been in contact with my family and Cole I have some sad, but exciting news. On the 6th of December I will be leaving Niger and flying to Madagascar… and not for a vacation. It seems that although the people of Niger are amazingly nice, there are those who are not and due to repeated kidnapping incidents(or attempts) in the region Peace Corps has opted to send out stage to Madagascar to serve while the reassess the program in Niger. That is right everyone, I will not be a PC volunteer in Niger… so I guess this one entry will have to suffice as a explanation of my experience I had during my short time here!
Staging
My time in Philly was short, but sweet. On a funny note as I headed to Philly I was worried about my carry on being too big and that although I got it through this one time it might be an issue on the way home… then I realized that would be around 2 years from then so… yeah (comically I fly out this weekend sooo yeah…).
Staging was a lot of info coverage etc etc… myself and about 8 others hit up downtown Philly for… you guess it! Philly Cheesesteaks.. OMG I would kill for one right now btw… it was outstandingly amazing and quite huge! From there we spent the night adventuring at various bars.. it is very important for one to explore all venues available when visiting a new place. Needless to say we had good times and got back to the hotel very late. The next day was a day of shots and a bus ride to New York where we spent the day sitting in the Airport and flew out that night!
Flights
We flew from NYC to Paris and then from Paris to Niamey…. Yeah.. let me sum this part of the experience up briefly…. “AHHHHHH!!!! I HATE PLANES.” In all honesty it was not terrible, but I do dislike planes and this is not an experience I really want to revisit at an point in time.. oh wait…. Here soon I will fly from Niger to Paris to Madagascar.. more about this later!
Niger
This will be the deep and moving part of the blog. Prior to coming on this trip I spent a summer in Botswana working at a food project and a school. Prior to coming on this trip I thought I understood what poverty looks like. Prior to coming on this trip I was so beyond wrong it is not even funny. Niger has opened my eyes to a lot and as previously stated I can not really describe everything I have seen and done here. This country is not heaven, it is not overly pretty, it does not have the flora and fauna that other parts of Africa can claim.. it does not have gorgeous natural wonders like Victoria Falls or herds of elephants like Chobe. However, as I am forced to face the fact that very soon I will be saying goodbye to this place I can not help but fight tears.
When I first heard I was getting Niger as a post, I was nonplussed… where the hell was Niger? Then I did some reading and began to think Niger was hell… the Sahara Desert, lowest ranking on the U.N. list…. One of the 3 “hard corps” Peace Corps spots…. What was I getting myself into? However, I decided to stick it out.. to see it through.. I mean really, if my placement officer thought I had what it took then I had what it took right? Now, a month in I can say it is hot here, it is harsh, and it is home… in a few short days I will be boarding a plane and saying goodbye to Niger and that for a lack of better words, really really bites L. I do pray that some day I will find myself back in the Sahel. Inshallah
.
In retrospect that was neither overly deep or moving… told you I can’t put this all into words!
The Training Site
We spent the first couple of days at the Hamdy training center (fenced in area on a mesa outside of Hamdallye). We actually have spent a long time here, more on that later. It used to be all training was done at this site, however they now do CBT which is community based training. The training center is nice for a couple reasons: 1)flushing toilets and real showers 2)diverse food 3)lets us escape for awhile and feel a little less far from America.
My Host Family
Myself and another trainee, Mike, lived with a nice family on the outskirts of Hamdallye. Our hut, which I will get a picture of up on here at some point hopefully, was made of millet stalks with a millet stalk fenced in concession. This whole millet mansion sat in our family’s concession. We also had a separate bucket bath/squat toilet set up in a separate area of the concession. Our family was super nice and spoke both Hausa (the lang. we were learning) and Zharma… which at times did cause confusion as they would teach us both. As far as I can tell we had a mother and father and then 4 very interesting kids. I love kids, however I never had that many little kids in constant company and it was def. a patience learning activity.
Food
So what have I been eating? I can sum it up in afew words… rice, pasta, millet, sauce, beans, sweet potatoes… that pretty much sums it up…. I’m not kidding! For breakfast we had an allowance to buy food, I usually had Solani(sp?) which is a bag of yogurt.. so good! And Fari Masa which is white flour fried bread with sugar (also great with this spicey red sauce). For lunch it was usually rice and beans with lots of tonka (hot pepper.. ours was usually mixed with Maggi aka pure msgs! Yum!).. for supper it was either rice and sauce, pasta and sauce, tuwo (pate made of either corn, millet or rice) and sauce, or on one occasion sweet potatoes. Meat consisted of sheep or goat meat… I’ll leave it at that! All in all the food actually was not gross or hard to eat, it just was a tid bit redundant for someone who is used to being spoiled by the variety of foods found in the U.S.A.
Hamdallye
This is where most of our training took place and became home. It is a small village/city/place found about 40k outside of the capital (Niamey). I really do not know how to describe it. By American standards it was small, dirty, cramped and smelled odd. However, after living there and meeting the people and just taking it all in the village seemed “normal” (as long as one could avoid walking through fresh droppings or burning trash piles). Outside the village (right by my gida.. aka house) was a seasonal watery lake thingy where us trainees would often meet up and chill.. we also did a Halloween party there.. tres fun!
Demyst
Demyst is a time where trainees get to leave Hamdy and spend time with actual volunteers out in the field. Myself and Tom (another health volunteer) were slated to head to Sai (or Sia… hmm can’t remember how it is spelt).. but yes it is waaaaay down in the Gaya sub-region of Niger… let me explain how Niger looks again.. sand… sand… sand… thorny bush… sand.. flat… now let me explain the Gaya region… sand, palm tree, mango plantation, river….. you see the difference? AKA Gaya was gorgeous! We spent 2 days in Sai with a current volunteer and got to explore the town and see his work. From here we met up with two other trainees and headed down to Gaya city (right on the border with Benin) where we got to explore the city, see the river, and meet some volunteers from other countries.. there was a spot not far from Gaya opening up.. needless to say I wanted it super bad.. alas I won’t have it now.. buuuuuut it would have rocked! From Gaya we headed to Dosso (the regional capital) and had a Demyst party with all the other Dosso region trainees and some of the current volunteers at the Peace Corps hostels… overall demyst was awesome
Holidays
Halloween: We had a get together by the water, danced, played games, had an egg toss, and watched “Hocus Pocus.”
Thanksgiving: We had a huge meal lovingly made by fellow trainees… very yummy and made us miss home a little less. Sadly, we had just found out about leaving Niger so it was bitter sweet for us as we were very thankful for coming to Niger and knew we would be saying goodbye soon!
Tabaski: (Islamic holiday.. look it up) We spent the day visiting other families, seeing goats get sacrificed, eating a lot of innards and questionable meat. Overall it was cool it see another cultures big holiday!
Everything Changes
I have mentioned this a lot, but I will try to put this in perspective. I believe it was around the 15th of Nov. a group of individuals tried to kidnap American’s from a hotel in Niger… we were placed in stage 1: Steadfast.. aka don’t leave the village… then stage 2: Consolidation:all volunteers headed to their regional hostels.. we headed to the training site… we believed just for a short amount of time.. then other incidents occurred… things were going to have to change but we were staying.. then right before Thanksgiving the decision was reached that our stage will be going to Madagascar.. I’ve kind of covered my feelings on this already.. sadness but excitement!
Now What?!
So yes, my next update (lord knows when I will:P) will be from Madagascar where I will be a health trainee soon. We fly out Sunday night, have 28 hrs in Paris SCORE!, then head off! So wish me luck, ask my parents or Cole how I’m doing (or for my cell number if you want to call and say hi!) and write me letters once my new address is up!
Peace, Love, and Goats!
Matthew AKA Ali (oot I forgot to mention that is my name here!)
So why have I waited? Why have I not been keeping a copious journal of all the sights and wonders? Well simply put I don’t know where to start… how does one describe a day in Niger in a way that a reader back home could even begin to describe… If I were to say I have seen +120 degree days… cockroaches that are huge… eat things you don’t even want to think about and use a squat toilet one might think I am in hell… If I were to say I sleep under the stars every night, see amazing sites daily, and am around the most amazingly nice people every day one might think I am in Heaven. In other words there is no way I can adequately put into words what I have experienced in the last month, however I shall try so bear with me!
Big News
For those of you who have not been in contact with my family and Cole I have some sad, but exciting news. On the 6th of December I will be leaving Niger and flying to Madagascar… and not for a vacation. It seems that although the people of Niger are amazingly nice, there are those who are not and due to repeated kidnapping incidents(or attempts) in the region Peace Corps has opted to send out stage to Madagascar to serve while the reassess the program in Niger. That is right everyone, I will not be a PC volunteer in Niger… so I guess this one entry will have to suffice as a explanation of my experience I had during my short time here!
Staging
My time in Philly was short, but sweet. On a funny note as I headed to Philly I was worried about my carry on being too big and that although I got it through this one time it might be an issue on the way home… then I realized that would be around 2 years from then so… yeah (comically I fly out this weekend sooo yeah…).
Staging was a lot of info coverage etc etc… myself and about 8 others hit up downtown Philly for… you guess it! Philly Cheesesteaks.. OMG I would kill for one right now btw… it was outstandingly amazing and quite huge! From there we spent the night adventuring at various bars.. it is very important for one to explore all venues available when visiting a new place. Needless to say we had good times and got back to the hotel very late. The next day was a day of shots and a bus ride to New York where we spent the day sitting in the Airport and flew out that night!
Flights
We flew from NYC to Paris and then from Paris to Niamey…. Yeah.. let me sum this part of the experience up briefly…. “AHHHHHH!!!! I HATE PLANES.” In all honesty it was not terrible, but I do dislike planes and this is not an experience I really want to revisit at an point in time.. oh wait…. Here soon I will fly from Niger to Paris to Madagascar.. more about this later!
Niger
This will be the deep and moving part of the blog. Prior to coming on this trip I spent a summer in Botswana working at a food project and a school. Prior to coming on this trip I thought I understood what poverty looks like. Prior to coming on this trip I was so beyond wrong it is not even funny. Niger has opened my eyes to a lot and as previously stated I can not really describe everything I have seen and done here. This country is not heaven, it is not overly pretty, it does not have the flora and fauna that other parts of Africa can claim.. it does not have gorgeous natural wonders like Victoria Falls or herds of elephants like Chobe. However, as I am forced to face the fact that very soon I will be saying goodbye to this place I can not help but fight tears.
When I first heard I was getting Niger as a post, I was nonplussed… where the hell was Niger? Then I did some reading and began to think Niger was hell… the Sahara Desert, lowest ranking on the U.N. list…. One of the 3 “hard corps” Peace Corps spots…. What was I getting myself into? However, I decided to stick it out.. to see it through.. I mean really, if my placement officer thought I had what it took then I had what it took right? Now, a month in I can say it is hot here, it is harsh, and it is home… in a few short days I will be boarding a plane and saying goodbye to Niger and that for a lack of better words, really really bites L. I do pray that some day I will find myself back in the Sahel. Inshallah
.
In retrospect that was neither overly deep or moving… told you I can’t put this all into words!
The Training Site
We spent the first couple of days at the Hamdy training center (fenced in area on a mesa outside of Hamdallye). We actually have spent a long time here, more on that later. It used to be all training was done at this site, however they now do CBT which is community based training. The training center is nice for a couple reasons: 1)flushing toilets and real showers 2)diverse food 3)lets us escape for awhile and feel a little less far from America.
My Host Family
Myself and another trainee, Mike, lived with a nice family on the outskirts of Hamdallye. Our hut, which I will get a picture of up on here at some point hopefully, was made of millet stalks with a millet stalk fenced in concession. This whole millet mansion sat in our family’s concession. We also had a separate bucket bath/squat toilet set up in a separate area of the concession. Our family was super nice and spoke both Hausa (the lang. we were learning) and Zharma… which at times did cause confusion as they would teach us both. As far as I can tell we had a mother and father and then 4 very interesting kids. I love kids, however I never had that many little kids in constant company and it was def. a patience learning activity.
Food
So what have I been eating? I can sum it up in afew words… rice, pasta, millet, sauce, beans, sweet potatoes… that pretty much sums it up…. I’m not kidding! For breakfast we had an allowance to buy food, I usually had Solani(sp?) which is a bag of yogurt.. so good! And Fari Masa which is white flour fried bread with sugar (also great with this spicey red sauce). For lunch it was usually rice and beans with lots of tonka (hot pepper.. ours was usually mixed with Maggi aka pure msgs! Yum!).. for supper it was either rice and sauce, pasta and sauce, tuwo (pate made of either corn, millet or rice) and sauce, or on one occasion sweet potatoes. Meat consisted of sheep or goat meat… I’ll leave it at that! All in all the food actually was not gross or hard to eat, it just was a tid bit redundant for someone who is used to being spoiled by the variety of foods found in the U.S.A.
Hamdallye
This is where most of our training took place and became home. It is a small village/city/place found about 40k outside of the capital (Niamey). I really do not know how to describe it. By American standards it was small, dirty, cramped and smelled odd. However, after living there and meeting the people and just taking it all in the village seemed “normal” (as long as one could avoid walking through fresh droppings or burning trash piles). Outside the village (right by my gida.. aka house) was a seasonal watery lake thingy where us trainees would often meet up and chill.. we also did a Halloween party there.. tres fun!
Demyst
Demyst is a time where trainees get to leave Hamdy and spend time with actual volunteers out in the field. Myself and Tom (another health volunteer) were slated to head to Sai (or Sia… hmm can’t remember how it is spelt).. but yes it is waaaaay down in the Gaya sub-region of Niger… let me explain how Niger looks again.. sand… sand… sand… thorny bush… sand.. flat… now let me explain the Gaya region… sand, palm tree, mango plantation, river….. you see the difference? AKA Gaya was gorgeous! We spent 2 days in Sai with a current volunteer and got to explore the town and see his work. From here we met up with two other trainees and headed down to Gaya city (right on the border with Benin) where we got to explore the city, see the river, and meet some volunteers from other countries.. there was a spot not far from Gaya opening up.. needless to say I wanted it super bad.. alas I won’t have it now.. buuuuuut it would have rocked! From Gaya we headed to Dosso (the regional capital) and had a Demyst party with all the other Dosso region trainees and some of the current volunteers at the Peace Corps hostels… overall demyst was awesome
Holidays
Halloween: We had a get together by the water, danced, played games, had an egg toss, and watched “Hocus Pocus.”
Thanksgiving: We had a huge meal lovingly made by fellow trainees… very yummy and made us miss home a little less. Sadly, we had just found out about leaving Niger so it was bitter sweet for us as we were very thankful for coming to Niger and knew we would be saying goodbye soon!
Tabaski: (Islamic holiday.. look it up) We spent the day visiting other families, seeing goats get sacrificed, eating a lot of innards and questionable meat. Overall it was cool it see another cultures big holiday!
Everything Changes
I have mentioned this a lot, but I will try to put this in perspective. I believe it was around the 15th of Nov. a group of individuals tried to kidnap American’s from a hotel in Niger… we were placed in stage 1: Steadfast.. aka don’t leave the village… then stage 2: Consolidation:all volunteers headed to their regional hostels.. we headed to the training site… we believed just for a short amount of time.. then other incidents occurred… things were going to have to change but we were staying.. then right before Thanksgiving the decision was reached that our stage will be going to Madagascar.. I’ve kind of covered my feelings on this already.. sadness but excitement!
Now What?!
So yes, my next update (lord knows when I will:P) will be from Madagascar where I will be a health trainee soon. We fly out Sunday night, have 28 hrs in Paris SCORE!, then head off! So wish me luck, ask my parents or Cole how I’m doing (or for my cell number if you want to call and say hi!) and write me letters once my new address is up!
Peace, Love, and Goats!
Matthew AKA Ali (oot I forgot to mention that is my name here!)
Monday, October 19, 2009
Note 6
It is currently according to my clock on here 12:02 in the A.M. on Tuesday October 20th, 2009. That is right, per plan I shall board a plane for Philly in a handful of hours and continue this journey I started back in January. Tonight I have said goodbye to many friends and family via text, internet, and phonecalls... i tucked in my two nephews whom I adore for the last time for a long time and have packed my bags and they wait by the back door. I carry on weighing roughly 30 lbs.. one big duffle to be checked weighing 48.5 lbs.. and a personal item in the form of a camera bag...
Current feeling? Somewhere between about to pee myself and about to cry.... I has sunk in that I will be gone for two years... pardon the expression but shit...
The other day at Kinkos a funny thing happened.. as I picked up a packet of Peace Corps stuff the guy behind the counter commented that the lady I passed on the way in picked up the same packet.. so potentially (unless he was loco) I will be on the same plane as said lady... yay!
I am trying to remember if I was this nervous last summer as I prepared to leave for Botswana... however I can't remember... I do know that I feel like a new sunrise is soon to come in my life and I am taken back emotionally to Kgale hill in Gaborone... the place where I made the promise to myself that I will return to Africa and I will live abroad.... this goal comes true starting tomm.
To all my friends and family.. know that through the years though I might not have shown it the best I do love each and every one of you... everyone I have encountered from those I have held close to those I have casually passed has had an affect on my life... and I hope I have had an effect on yours. Thank you for being my world.
Here goes an adventure.. here goes everything!
Current feeling? Somewhere between about to pee myself and about to cry.... I has sunk in that I will be gone for two years... pardon the expression but shit...
The other day at Kinkos a funny thing happened.. as I picked up a packet of Peace Corps stuff the guy behind the counter commented that the lady I passed on the way in picked up the same packet.. so potentially (unless he was loco) I will be on the same plane as said lady... yay!
I am trying to remember if I was this nervous last summer as I prepared to leave for Botswana... however I can't remember... I do know that I feel like a new sunrise is soon to come in my life and I am taken back emotionally to Kgale hill in Gaborone... the place where I made the promise to myself that I will return to Africa and I will live abroad.... this goal comes true starting tomm.
To all my friends and family.. know that through the years though I might not have shown it the best I do love each and every one of you... everyone I have encountered from those I have held close to those I have casually passed has had an affect on my life... and I hope I have had an effect on yours. Thank you for being my world.
Here goes an adventure.. here goes everything!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Note 5 (Biyar)
Sannu! I should be cleaning or packing buuuuut I felt a nice post coming on!
So it is eleven days until I will no longer reside on US soil.... it hits me at the most random times and I have one of multiple reactions. I have to hold back tears at times, i have to keep from curling in a ball, i have to keep from jumping up and down and screaming excitement... aka I am emotionally a train wreck as I approach what I am certain will be the most life altering moment of my life thus far.. But I am sooo ready! Let's get this party started ya'll!
To those of you writing me letters.. start sending some!! I will get things you send now two weeks after I arrive! Send me some love, funny cards, pictures of your purty faces!
So kinda a scary concept I have been think about a lot!
http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Summary.pdf
Niger is ranked last... that brings a couple thoughts. That terrifies me as I worry I am not strong enough for the task I have been assigned... however it also excites my soul because it means when the placement officer looked at my information they decided "hey this guy can pull this off" and put me to such a hard task. None-the less... wow this is gonna be an adventure!
"It's going to be an adventure"- if you have talked to me recently I have prob. said that exact phrase to you. This is because I seriously am clueless how I should state everything I am feeling in a way you could understand... so yes... this is going to be an adventure!
I've had some pretty randomly sucky moments recently.. but I feel that times are looking good as I look onto my departure... I quick shout out to my best friend.. you know who you are and you know I love you... nuff on that!
I haven't been saying goodbye... i see people I know that I won't see again for two years and I can't.. I can't look into peoples faces and say "hey cya in two years" so instead I say "cya" and call it good... i suck at goodbyes!
Currently I am watching "Degrassi" and having commentary with Alison... good times! It is rather cool that I have met many of the people going with me to Niger via Facebook... it is actually kind of comforting b/c it lets me talk with people who are sharing in my fears and excitments.. love all you non-peace corps peeps too though! On that note, you should check out my fellow stagers blogs.
11 days my friends.. here goes everything!
So it is eleven days until I will no longer reside on US soil.... it hits me at the most random times and I have one of multiple reactions. I have to hold back tears at times, i have to keep from curling in a ball, i have to keep from jumping up and down and screaming excitement... aka I am emotionally a train wreck as I approach what I am certain will be the most life altering moment of my life thus far.. But I am sooo ready! Let's get this party started ya'll!
To those of you writing me letters.. start sending some!! I will get things you send now two weeks after I arrive! Send me some love, funny cards, pictures of your purty faces!
So kinda a scary concept I have been think about a lot!
http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Summary.pdf
Niger is ranked last... that brings a couple thoughts. That terrifies me as I worry I am not strong enough for the task I have been assigned... however it also excites my soul because it means when the placement officer looked at my information they decided "hey this guy can pull this off" and put me to such a hard task. None-the less... wow this is gonna be an adventure!
"It's going to be an adventure"- if you have talked to me recently I have prob. said that exact phrase to you. This is because I seriously am clueless how I should state everything I am feeling in a way you could understand... so yes... this is going to be an adventure!
I've had some pretty randomly sucky moments recently.. but I feel that times are looking good as I look onto my departure... I quick shout out to my best friend.. you know who you are and you know I love you... nuff on that!
I haven't been saying goodbye... i see people I know that I won't see again for two years and I can't.. I can't look into peoples faces and say "hey cya in two years" so instead I say "cya" and call it good... i suck at goodbyes!
Currently I am watching "Degrassi" and having commentary with Alison... good times! It is rather cool that I have met many of the people going with me to Niger via Facebook... it is actually kind of comforting b/c it lets me talk with people who are sharing in my fears and excitments.. love all you non-peace corps peeps too though! On that note, you should check out my fellow stagers blogs.
11 days my friends.. here goes everything!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Note 4
I currently sit here listening to the rain falling softly outside my living room window. A couple minutes ago I called SATO travel and scheduled my flight from KC to Philly. Suddenly it all is so real and tangible. In a few short weeks on October the 20th I will be getting on a plane (at 7 am :P) and making a quick jaunt to Philly from which the next day I will be taking a much longer jaunt to Niamey. I have thus spent the last few minutes jumping around excited, contemplating my life, and facing every emotion I have in my box of fun. My journey thus far has been long, but I know it shall pale in comparison to what will come my way in 4 weeks.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Note 3
Wow, I have not even left yet and already I am forgetting to update this thing. My current mood is a little wonky! I just recieved an e-mail informing me I will leave for my staging in Philly on the 19th or 20th.. how funny is it that the 3 day difference actually makes me sad!? I'm super excited to get up and go! On the upside I will get to spent from the 14th-20th in KC with my mom, my nephews and Cole!
My family is throwing a going away party for me on the 10th of this month... just a get together eat and have fun day!
I have added the how to mail me info on the right side of the blog.. mail me pwease! and add comments on here as they make me feel happy.
I had a fun night last night. My sister, cole, our neighbors and my parents all got together and had dinner, wine and drinks. Well as we sat around outside under the stars talking over the fire I decided to go for a run to get rid of my hiccups. Long story short I was later in a tub of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and other smelly junk to get the skunk spray off!!!!!
Top 10 things I'm going to miss (in not particular order)
1. Cole and Jjinger. Cole has been a big big part of my life for the past 3.5+ years and although I am super excited for this trip I know that it is going to be hard not to be super sad all the time. Jjinger has been my fuzzy cuddle buddy since highschool and yeah.. I'm gonna miss her wet nose, doggy breath, and the warmth of her curled up beside me in bed.
2. A full kitchen. I am really interested to learn how to adapt and cook while in Niger. This being said I am going to miss the ability to reach into the cabinet and grab a random assortment of herbs and foodstuffs.. throw it together and make a multicourse meal. Now its me, some foodstuff in a bin (no fridge lol), and a little gas burner. Woot!
3. Green. The color green this year is holding on super late here in KS. Our front yard and trees are still emrald beauties. I remember from being in Botswana that the color green is not something one sees a lot of, therfore the next two years I feel will be rather greenless :(
4. Family and friends. I think this one is pretty self evident. I consider myself a pretty independant person, however I enjoy calling and talking with my parents or sister a lot and yeah... not going to be happening as often.
5. Icecream. Also self evident. I love me some icecream with lots of choclate syrup and nuts and cherries and... hmm I need to visit DQ a lot before I leave.
6. The news. I have a feeling that it will be quite interesting trying to catch up on whats going on all around the world when one lives in the bush.
7. A comfy mattress. I don't think pillowtop exists in Niger :P.
8. My nephews. I realize this might be odd that I put them seperate from family. But it really hits me that while I am away they will continue to grow and learn and I can't be there for all the fun moments. As I think about it there is another set of nephews and a niece that I've grown pretty fond of that I will miss dearly.
9. Going out. I am not a drunk (college weekends aside :P) but I love nothing more than sitting with friends at a bar or club and just enjoying the night life. Granted I know there will be times when I go to the city in Niger, but nothing compares to aggiville or downtown KC.
10. Coffee. Yes yes I know I will get coffee there (instant at least) but I loveeeeeee waking up to the smell of a whole pot of coffee and don't know how that will fit into my hut life.
There of course is much more that I will prob. miss and I know that when I am there this list will most likely change, this is where I sit right now :D.
That is where I sit right now!
My family is throwing a going away party for me on the 10th of this month... just a get together eat and have fun day!
I have added the how to mail me info on the right side of the blog.. mail me pwease! and add comments on here as they make me feel happy.
I had a fun night last night. My sister, cole, our neighbors and my parents all got together and had dinner, wine and drinks. Well as we sat around outside under the stars talking over the fire I decided to go for a run to get rid of my hiccups. Long story short I was later in a tub of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and other smelly junk to get the skunk spray off!!!!!
Top 10 things I'm going to miss (in not particular order)
1. Cole and Jjinger. Cole has been a big big part of my life for the past 3.5+ years and although I am super excited for this trip I know that it is going to be hard not to be super sad all the time. Jjinger has been my fuzzy cuddle buddy since highschool and yeah.. I'm gonna miss her wet nose, doggy breath, and the warmth of her curled up beside me in bed.
2. A full kitchen. I am really interested to learn how to adapt and cook while in Niger. This being said I am going to miss the ability to reach into the cabinet and grab a random assortment of herbs and foodstuffs.. throw it together and make a multicourse meal. Now its me, some foodstuff in a bin (no fridge lol), and a little gas burner. Woot!
3. Green. The color green this year is holding on super late here in KS. Our front yard and trees are still emrald beauties. I remember from being in Botswana that the color green is not something one sees a lot of, therfore the next two years I feel will be rather greenless :(
4. Family and friends. I think this one is pretty self evident. I consider myself a pretty independant person, however I enjoy calling and talking with my parents or sister a lot and yeah... not going to be happening as often.
5. Icecream. Also self evident. I love me some icecream with lots of choclate syrup and nuts and cherries and... hmm I need to visit DQ a lot before I leave.
6. The news. I have a feeling that it will be quite interesting trying to catch up on whats going on all around the world when one lives in the bush.
7. A comfy mattress. I don't think pillowtop exists in Niger :P.
8. My nephews. I realize this might be odd that I put them seperate from family. But it really hits me that while I am away they will continue to grow and learn and I can't be there for all the fun moments. As I think about it there is another set of nephews and a niece that I've grown pretty fond of that I will miss dearly.
9. Going out. I am not a drunk (college weekends aside :P) but I love nothing more than sitting with friends at a bar or club and just enjoying the night life. Granted I know there will be times when I go to the city in Niger, but nothing compares to aggiville or downtown KC.
10. Coffee. Yes yes I know I will get coffee there (instant at least) but I loveeeeeee waking up to the smell of a whole pot of coffee and don't know how that will fit into my hut life.
There of course is much more that I will prob. miss and I know that when I am there this list will most likely change, this is where I sit right now :D.
That is where I sit right now!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Note 2
So, I have met some of the wonderful people I will be staging with and we did an introduction thingy.. here is mine!
Wow! Haha the more I read the more excited I am for training with all of you. My name is Matt (haha tech. spelled Matthew but have been going by Matthieu since college).. the middle name thing is a Setswana word "Kagiso" which means peace.. as a side story a lady I worked with in Botswana gave me the name because I looked like a hippie and was always happy :D. I'm currently 22.I grew up in rural Kansas (graduated with like 60 kids) and actually lived in the same house same bedroom same everything for the first 18 years of my life. I was fortunate enough that my family traveled all over the US (including Alaska... freaking awesome place btw!) but I never left the country until College when I spent about 3 months living/traveling/working in Gaborone, Botswana. Aka this will only be my second trip abroad.
Oot and since everyone else mentioned it I am a Spiritual Agnostic (to me that basically means I believe there is a higher being(s), purpose(s), power(s), and/or meaning(s) to life, but I don’t feel I currently (or will ever) know what that is. Pretty much I live my life in accordance to the idea of treating everyone with respect and seeing the inherent good in all people.
I obtained a BS in Social Work from Kansas State this August (I am yet to take the test to get my license.. but will before we leave although it is kinda pointless right now!) and minored in Leadership Studies and Music .
The Peace Corps is a chance for me to spread my wings farther. It is something I often thought about growing up, but last summer in Botswana cemented the idea of wanting to live and work outside the US. Throughout college I worked/volunteered/annoyed the hell outta peeps doing HIV/AIDS prevention/awareness both at my college and through my local community and state. Recently I started to become interested in mental health as well after working two months at the state psych. Hospital. I do plan to return and obtain my MSW and eventually go clinical.
My application process was kind of fast it seems. I submitted my application in January of 2009 and at that time was told the earliest I would leave was the start of 2010. However, near the end of June I was nominated for a trip leaving for francophone Africa leaving mid September (I would be leaving right now lol). Exactly 6 weeks prior to mid September I received a call that 1)I was not going in September and 2)they would renominate me. I was really upset, however at the end of the phone call I was told I was officially invited and my packet would arrive in 7-10 days. Aside from the whole odd timelines thing it all went well.
My favorite things include: music (I randomly break out into song), reading, writing, traveling, games (I’m excited to learn local games!), talking with people, and a lot of the time just hanging out and getting to know others. (Best days of my life were spent in hostels in Zimbabwe and South Africa!) Kind of like Karista I love swimming (although I feel it may be a little harder to come by in Niger) and looove to cook (and eat ;)). I'm kind of looney and like living life and having fun as I do it.
I'll be doing Community Health Education. As I touched on earlier I have worked extensively doing HIV/AIDS awareness and some Hep. Awareness, but feel the dynamic of a diff. culture will be challenging. I also have worked with feeding projects and think the smiles of children are infectious! I recently got recertified in CPR and first aid this summer and my HIV/AIDS education certification is still going strong! Every day brings a new biggest fear for me.
Somedays I am scared I’ll get sick and be sent home, some days I worry about the language, some days I even worry that the PC made some kind of mistake and I am not going to be strong enough. But then the days come when I go “Holy&%^ I’m going back to Africa and this is going to be amazing!.”
I’m gonna miss a lot. But mostly I think Cole and Jjinger are going to be my big heartbreaks. I’m leaving my partner of 3+ years right after we both completed college when we had planned to start our lives together. It’s going to be trying but we both feel what ever happens will be for the best. Jjinger is my Jack Russell I have had since high school. She’s pretty much a child to me and I know it will be hard having her soo far away for so long.
I can't wait to meet you all and can't believe its 5 weeks away!
Wow! Haha the more I read the more excited I am for training with all of you. My name is Matt (haha tech. spelled Matthew but have been going by Matthieu since college).. the middle name thing is a Setswana word "Kagiso" which means peace.. as a side story a lady I worked with in Botswana gave me the name because I looked like a hippie and was always happy :D. I'm currently 22.I grew up in rural Kansas (graduated with like 60 kids) and actually lived in the same house same bedroom same everything for the first 18 years of my life. I was fortunate enough that my family traveled all over the US (including Alaska... freaking awesome place btw!) but I never left the country until College when I spent about 3 months living/traveling/working in Gaborone, Botswana. Aka this will only be my second trip abroad.
Oot and since everyone else mentioned it I am a Spiritual Agnostic (to me that basically means I believe there is a higher being(s), purpose(s), power(s), and/or meaning(s) to life, but I don’t feel I currently (or will ever) know what that is. Pretty much I live my life in accordance to the idea of treating everyone with respect and seeing the inherent good in all people.
I obtained a BS in Social Work from Kansas State this August (I am yet to take the test to get my license.. but will before we leave although it is kinda pointless right now!) and minored in Leadership Studies and Music .
The Peace Corps is a chance for me to spread my wings farther. It is something I often thought about growing up, but last summer in Botswana cemented the idea of wanting to live and work outside the US. Throughout college I worked/volunteered/annoyed the hell outta peeps doing HIV/AIDS prevention/awareness both at my college and through my local community and state. Recently I started to become interested in mental health as well after working two months at the state psych. Hospital. I do plan to return and obtain my MSW and eventually go clinical.
My application process was kind of fast it seems. I submitted my application in January of 2009 and at that time was told the earliest I would leave was the start of 2010. However, near the end of June I was nominated for a trip leaving for francophone Africa leaving mid September (I would be leaving right now lol). Exactly 6 weeks prior to mid September I received a call that 1)I was not going in September and 2)they would renominate me. I was really upset, however at the end of the phone call I was told I was officially invited and my packet would arrive in 7-10 days. Aside from the whole odd timelines thing it all went well.
My favorite things include: music (I randomly break out into song), reading, writing, traveling, games (I’m excited to learn local games!), talking with people, and a lot of the time just hanging out and getting to know others. (Best days of my life were spent in hostels in Zimbabwe and South Africa!) Kind of like Karista I love swimming (although I feel it may be a little harder to come by in Niger) and looove to cook (and eat ;)). I'm kind of looney and like living life and having fun as I do it.
I'll be doing Community Health Education. As I touched on earlier I have worked extensively doing HIV/AIDS awareness and some Hep. Awareness, but feel the dynamic of a diff. culture will be challenging. I also have worked with feeding projects and think the smiles of children are infectious! I recently got recertified in CPR and first aid this summer and my HIV/AIDS education certification is still going strong! Every day brings a new biggest fear for me.
Somedays I am scared I’ll get sick and be sent home, some days I worry about the language, some days I even worry that the PC made some kind of mistake and I am not going to be strong enough. But then the days come when I go “Holy&%^ I’m going back to Africa and this is going to be amazing!.”
I’m gonna miss a lot. But mostly I think Cole and Jjinger are going to be my big heartbreaks. I’m leaving my partner of 3+ years right after we both completed college when we had planned to start our lives together. It’s going to be trying but we both feel what ever happens will be for the best. Jjinger is my Jack Russell I have had since high school. She’s pretty much a child to me and I know it will be hard having her soo far away for so long.
I can't wait to meet you all and can't believe its 5 weeks away!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Note 1
Well here goes nothing, my first post on the blog that will chronicle my life for the next 2+ years. Looking at some of my fellow invitees blogs they have been at this for awhile and chronicled their application process. I was not that organized and apologize as I know the time line of how it all played out would be helpful to future applicants. So I shall write a brief paragraph telling how it all played out!!
The summer of 2008 (from the end of May till the start of August) I lived at the University of Botswana and worked at a feeding project and an education centre in Gaborone. This was a service learning trip through the civic leadership department of my college. Jokingly I refered to this as my Peace Corps light trip." I had for years considered doing Peace Corps but had always talked myself out of it. That trip gave me new insight into myself and what I wanted to accomplish in my life. I returned home in August and although I missed the continent dearly Peace Corps was not on my mind. ( The blog from that summer can be seen at http://botswanabound.weebly.com/matts-log.html).
I began thinking about Peace Corps again, spoke with a recruiter, and in Janurary of 2009 I had an application submitted. She seemed posotive about my HIV education experince and my volunteer work, but she reminded me it was highly highly competitive. Soon the moment came (after much much paperwork) where I had a two hour web interview with my recruiter. She mentioned she wanted to nominate me but I wouldn't be leaving till early 2010 for a French speaking African country. I was stoked! She informed me that she would not be able to officially nominate me for the trip she had in mind until the start of May.
Near the end of April I missed a call from my recruiter.. I was nervous... why was she calling so early! The next morning the moment the office in Dallas was open I called as I walked to class (I remember it had been raining but the sun was out so it was a nice cool morning). My fingers were trembling! She told me a handful of spots had opened up and she wanted to nominate me for French speaking Africa leaving in September!! I was excited, scared... everything! I called my partner Cole, my family, my friends, and everyone else that was in my phonebook.
I then went through all the medical, eye, dental, legal etc etc etc... piles of paperwork. I won't lie, there were times when I wondered if it was all worth it! However, I kept my head up and kept working through it all.
Time whittled away... I cleared everything.. dotted each i and crossed each t.... news never came. I watched as mid July went by. I became worried and started sending e-mails (which in turn directed me to other e-mails) in time I was told they would tell me at a minimum of 6 weeks prior to departure if I was officially invited. Time wore on.. and on. Finally I got an e-mail:
The summer of 2008 (from the end of May till the start of August) I lived at the University of Botswana and worked at a feeding project and an education centre in Gaborone. This was a service learning trip through the civic leadership department of my college. Jokingly I refered to this as my Peace Corps light trip." I had for years considered doing Peace Corps but had always talked myself out of it. That trip gave me new insight into myself and what I wanted to accomplish in my life. I returned home in August and although I missed the continent dearly Peace Corps was not on my mind. ( The blog from that summer can be seen at http://botswanabound.weebly.com/matts-log.html).
I began thinking about Peace Corps again, spoke with a recruiter, and in Janurary of 2009 I had an application submitted. She seemed posotive about my HIV education experince and my volunteer work, but she reminded me it was highly highly competitive. Soon the moment came (after much much paperwork) where I had a two hour web interview with my recruiter. She mentioned she wanted to nominate me but I wouldn't be leaving till early 2010 for a French speaking African country. I was stoked! She informed me that she would not be able to officially nominate me for the trip she had in mind until the start of May.
Near the end of April I missed a call from my recruiter.. I was nervous... why was she calling so early! The next morning the moment the office in Dallas was open I called as I walked to class (I remember it had been raining but the sun was out so it was a nice cool morning). My fingers were trembling! She told me a handful of spots had opened up and she wanted to nominate me for French speaking Africa leaving in September!! I was excited, scared... everything! I called my partner Cole, my family, my friends, and everyone else that was in my phonebook.
I then went through all the medical, eye, dental, legal etc etc etc... piles of paperwork. I won't lie, there were times when I wondered if it was all worth it! However, I kept my head up and kept working through it all.
Time whittled away... I cleared everything.. dotted each i and crossed each t.... news never came. I watched as mid July went by. I became worried and started sending e-mails (which in turn directed me to other e-mails) in time I was told they would tell me at a minimum of 6 weeks prior to departure if I was officially invited. Time wore on.. and on. Finally I got an e-mail:
Hello Matthew,
My name is ______________, I am your Placement Officer at Peace Corps. I am currently considering your application for placement. I would like to arrange a 30-minute phone interview with you to complete the final evaluation of your application. Please let me know a day and time, beginning Thursday, August 12th when you would be available for a phone interview and the best number at which to reach you. I am available Monday through Friday between 9:30am to 5:30pm EST.
Thank you,
I was again excited.. scared.. everything. (plus confused... the 12th was a Wednesday). The interviewed occurred and the first thing I was told was that I would not be leaving in Sept. and would be renominated for another trip. I was pretty much heartbroken.... buuuuut!!!! I then was told I was nominated and invited to leave mid October! My packet was to be in the mail and arrive within the next 7-10 business days.
I knew it would be hard times.. then it occurred! On the 17th of August I received my invitation packet. I accepted on the 20th and have since completed more paperwork and began to get prepared.
Yeah that is what I have thus far... I'm prepping... working at my old high school.. and trying to network with people would will be staging with me!
Here we go!
I was again excited.. scared.. everything. (plus confused... the 12th was a Wednesday). The interviewed occurred and the first thing I was told was that I would not be leaving in Sept. and would be renominated for another trip. I was pretty much heartbroken.... buuuuut!!!! I then was told I was nominated and invited to leave mid October! My packet was to be in the mail and arrive within the next 7-10 business days.
I knew it would be hard times.. then it occurred! On the 17th of August I received my invitation packet. I accepted on the 20th and have since completed more paperwork and began to get prepared.
Yeah that is what I have thus far... I'm prepping... working at my old high school.. and trying to network with people would will be staging with me!
Here we go!
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