For anyone who wants to mail me anything, my address is
Hannah Ross-Suits, PCV
US Peace Corps
PO Box 582
Banjul, The Gambia
West Africa
It's supposed to take about three weeks to get from the US to Gambia, but there's a designated week in which they pass out mail stuff. Training has been going well; we leave tomorrow for our training villages. We'll be put with host families and they'll have a naming ceremony where they give us Gambian names (they dress us up, make donut-like snacks, and pray over us).
We've gone on a few field trips--one to the local mosque and one to the crocodile pond. I can say now that I have petted a crocodile, but it was way tame so it wasn't as thrilling as I thought it would be. They're all over the park so we had to step over a couple as we were leaving. I also saw the biggest fattest and surpisingly gray spider on the wall of a museum. The body was slightly smaller than my palm and with the legs it was easily as big as my hand. Ewwwwwwww. We went to market yesterday and I bought some pretty fabric to make a Gambian outfit for myself (well, for a tailor to make one for me) complete with skirt, shirt, and headress. Unfortunately, the computers in the PC office don't recognize my camera so I can't upload photos. I may have to ask for another card later on down the road if I can't figure a way to upload pictures. Today, we went to visit one of the local schools. Oh my gosh Mom, it's so sad. The classrooms have about fifty kids in them, and the teachers aren't as well trained so they teach by writing on a chalkboard rather than doing things like labs, and there's no sort of practical application at all, so the kids just memorize. That's the kind of stuff I'll be working with.
I'm very excited to be leaving for a new place. The Gambians who have been teaching us are soooo friendly, and I'm starting to get used to being sticky all the time. I take two bucket baths a day--Gambians can take up to four. I've been washing my clothes out of a bucket as well, and mending small tears in my skirts. I feel very self-efficient. Yay! However, despite bug repellent, the mosquitos are eating my alive. I have an anklet on my right ankle of bites, and they are all over my feet. I will be surprised if I don't get sick. The Lariam they give us for malaria has given me some funky dreams, and I don't usually remember my dreams.
~Hannah :-)
Hannah Ross-Suits, PCV
US Peace Corps
PO Box 582
Banjul, The Gambia
West Africa
It's supposed to take about three weeks to get from the US to Gambia, but there's a designated week in which they pass out mail stuff. Training has been going well; we leave tomorrow for our training villages. We'll be put with host families and they'll have a naming ceremony where they give us Gambian names (they dress us up, make donut-like snacks, and pray over us).
We've gone on a few field trips--one to the local mosque and one to the crocodile pond. I can say now that I have petted a crocodile, but it was way tame so it wasn't as thrilling as I thought it would be. They're all over the park so we had to step over a couple as we were leaving. I also saw the biggest fattest and surpisingly gray spider on the wall of a museum. The body was slightly smaller than my palm and with the legs it was easily as big as my hand. Ewwwwwwww. We went to market yesterday and I bought some pretty fabric to make a Gambian outfit for myself (well, for a tailor to make one for me) complete with skirt, shirt, and headress. Unfortunately, the computers in the PC office don't recognize my camera so I can't upload photos. I may have to ask for another card later on down the road if I can't figure a way to upload pictures. Today, we went to visit one of the local schools. Oh my gosh Mom, it's so sad. The classrooms have about fifty kids in them, and the teachers aren't as well trained so they teach by writing on a chalkboard rather than doing things like labs, and there's no sort of practical application at all, so the kids just memorize. That's the kind of stuff I'll be working with.
I'm very excited to be leaving for a new place. The Gambians who have been teaching us are soooo friendly, and I'm starting to get used to being sticky all the time. I take two bucket baths a day--Gambians can take up to four. I've been washing my clothes out of a bucket as well, and mending small tears in my skirts. I feel very self-efficient. Yay! However, despite bug repellent, the mosquitos are eating my alive. I have an anklet on my right ankle of bites, and they are all over my feet. I will be surprised if I don't get sick. The Lariam they give us for malaria has given me some funky dreams, and I don't usually remember my dreams.
~Hannah :-)
posted by Hannah | 10:59 AM
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