So this past week I started my 27 month long service in Senegal with the Peace Corps! It started with all 55 Senegal agriculture trainees arriving in DC last Monday. From there we made the not too long flight (8 hours 10 minutes) to Senegal to start our African adventure.
Since arriving we've been under compound arrest until we go through safety training. (You should be happy about that info parents :) ) However, this doesn't mean that we haven't had anything to do. Every day we've been in meetings and classes learning all about the Senegalese culture, the wolof language, and today we even did a bit of compost making. The most difficult cultural difference here is that they don't use their left hands, because there left hands are used for...this:
These are the really nice restrooms by the way. Where I'm going I won't have anything nearly as posh.
Senegalese food, much like the culture, is very rich. And delicious. It's so very very delicious. In fact most volunteers here gain weight. Senegalese women think they haven't been a good host if you you don't gain weight. Thankfully it is completely ok to not eat everything placed in front of you.
According to the sign in front you can tell by this elephants ears that it is alert and ready to charge...even though it's lifeless...
In closing here are two pictures of where I've been living the past couple days.
Entry way to the hospital
View from our giant pagoda
