Saturday, August 26, 2006

N tie volunteedi

As of last night I am now officially a Peace Corps Volunteer. After three extremly crazy months of training we had our swearing in ceremony last night at the US embassy. Training (or stage as we call it here) has been full of ups and downs, but I am glad to say that with everything that we've been through, 32 out of 33 stagiaires became volunteers last night. During the ceremony 5 stagiaires gave speeches in the 5 languages we have been taught: French, Jula, Moore, Fulfulde and Gulmancema. Luckily we don't each have to know all five, three of the five is plenty for me. We have spent this last week of stage here in Ouaga, wrapping up classes, enjoying showers and eating a ton of good food. Tomorrow is the day when we get to see if all this training really worked as we get affectez'd to our sites (sorry that is a little franglish for you all). We will be getting dropped off with all of our stuff, and told to go at it and then the car will drive away and the next chapter of this crazy adventure will begin.

(oh and the translation of the Gulmancema title is I am a Volunteer, just in case you where wondering)