First week down
hi all
I shall try to not post any more misspelled titles in french on this blog!
since wed night i have been with my host family, and they are great: two young parents my age and Nadya their little six month old baby , who is just adorable and fun to play with. I would say they are middle class bec they have a TV and electricity but no running water; therfore i take bucket showers and travel to the latrine nearby. i have my own room and a bed on the ground with a mosquito net. we are doing fine with communication actually and my french has improved in three days: although it can be frusterating at times. they are patient and help me a lot
btw
we are in Natitingou for 9 weeks training; more northern part of Benin
so here is a typical day:
i get up at 630 with chickens and call to prayer ; mosque nearby:
take a bucket shower that feels amaxing as i sweat all night long in bed
walk or moto taxi across town to station where we have variuos sessoins with PC staff and other volunteers which can be language; culture; or technical training for our work
then we have three hour lunch break with families who feed me great by the way and do random stuff like filter and boil water; play with children; practice french with folks; go to market; get a beer with other trainnees; etc
then more work until dinner which is usuqlly fish; rice and sauce with veggies; fish is big here and i love it; more than the goat meat lol
then i study and hang out wwith family: **
today we got our mountain bikes and they are nice but we look like morons even more so LOL
today i fetched water and did laundry and thats a huge ordeal
people ask why the hell im not married with kids at my age! i tell them i have a boyfriend in US waiting so they dont think im a total freak : its just a big thing here
by the way; are u the lucky guy whos name i use?? * wink wink*
love to you all
sara
I shall try to not post any more misspelled titles in french on this blog!
since wed night i have been with my host family, and they are great: two young parents my age and Nadya their little six month old baby , who is just adorable and fun to play with. I would say they are middle class bec they have a TV and electricity but no running water; therfore i take bucket showers and travel to the latrine nearby. i have my own room and a bed on the ground with a mosquito net. we are doing fine with communication actually and my french has improved in three days: although it can be frusterating at times. they are patient and help me a lot
btw
we are in Natitingou for 9 weeks training; more northern part of Benin
so here is a typical day:
i get up at 630 with chickens and call to prayer ; mosque nearby:
take a bucket shower that feels amaxing as i sweat all night long in bed
walk or moto taxi across town to station where we have variuos sessoins with PC staff and other volunteers which can be language; culture; or technical training for our work
then we have three hour lunch break with families who feed me great by the way and do random stuff like filter and boil water; play with children; practice french with folks; go to market; get a beer with other trainnees; etc
then more work until dinner which is usuqlly fish; rice and sauce with veggies; fish is big here and i love it; more than the goat meat lol
then i study and hang out wwith family: **
today we got our mountain bikes and they are nice but we look like morons even more so LOL
today i fetched water and did laundry and thats a huge ordeal
people ask why the hell im not married with kids at my age! i tell them i have a boyfriend in US waiting so they dont think im a total freak : its just a big thing here
by the way; are u the lucky guy whos name i use?? * wink wink*
love to you all
sara
posted by Sara Birkenholz at 10:18 AM
3 Comments:
Anyway, my French isn't any better, as it turns out - it's "etre", not "aller". Quelle retard. Getting ready, actually BEING ready to leave immediately for Russia and not yet having a visa invitation that will allow me to even apply for the visa is making me insane. As is the rest of my life. Yours sounds so nice - just sit around and soak up the sun and culture and language and look like a moron! I can and do do the latter any place and any time, so clearly it does not improve with age.
You sound good/well. I'll keep checking your "blog" (why is that such an ugly word?) as long as I have e-mail.
Cheers,
Mary
Hi Sarah,
Glad you are settling in ok. I enjoyed reading the summaries. I hope you will have a chance to post some pictures too! I am interested in knowing more about your interaction with the educational setting (if any) -- schools, children, teachers, language etc etc.
Keep well!
Leah K.
Ames, IA
SARA...I love the blog, I'm so glad you are doing well over there! Keep blogging away!
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