We had our long-awaited swearing in ceremony the other day, Friday the 13th actually. The ceremony took place at the Ambassador’s residence, which inspired a new life goal of mine: become an ambassador. The ceremony was really great; we were all dressed up in traditional-ish Senegalese clothes, and the American Ambassador, along with our Country Director and a few Senegalese Ministry officials were there, along with a sizeable chunk of the ex-pat community in Dakar, including some former volunteers. Everyone gave some lovely speeches, in an interesting mix of French, English and some native languages, and then we all stood up and recited the oath of office, and presto-change-o, we were real volunteers!
In Senegal there are quite a few native languages spread around the country, but the four major groups are Wolof, Pulaar, Mandinke, and of course my favorite, Serere. Each group from our stage had one member give a speech in their native language, and the Sereres picked me! Writing it turned out to be quite the task, but I’d like to think that it came out ok :)
This is a clip from the ceremony - you can all watch it and pretend to understand haha.
Spring 2011 Swear In Ceremony
On a slightly related note, CNN had done a story about the Peace Corps turning fifty, and they followed a girl from my stage through the Peace Corps process. They just aired it, so here is the link if you want to check it out. I mayyyy be in the background somewhere.
On a slightly related note, CNN had done a story about the Peace Corps turning fifty, and they followed a girl from my stage through the Peace Corps process. They just aired it, so here is the link if you want to check it out. I mayyyy be in the background somewhere.
CNN - Peace Corps Turns Fifty
I am currently at my regional house in the city of Kaolack, where all the volunteers are helping us get ready for install. I will be here for a few days, and then Tuesday afternoon I will be dropped off in my village, eek! I am really, really excited to have finally reached this step. Almost a year and a half ago I began this process, and it has all been leading up to this! Village life! We have this five-week challenge, where if you stay in village for your first five weeks, which is really the best method for integration, our country director will host a dinner for us at his house with actual, real American food – probably the best incentive out there for a starving volunteer!
I really have no idea how often I will try to get myself to a computer, so for the next two months don’t expect too much haha, but I will find one eventually. After two months we go back to the training center for IST, which is where we get to learn some serious tech activities, and I will have lots of internet there and I promise to respond to every one of your emails :)
Love and miss you all!
I am currently at my regional house in the city of Kaolack, where all the volunteers are helping us get ready for install. I will be here for a few days, and then Tuesday afternoon I will be dropped off in my village, eek! I am really, really excited to have finally reached this step. Almost a year and a half ago I began this process, and it has all been leading up to this! Village life! We have this five-week challenge, where if you stay in village for your first five weeks, which is really the best method for integration, our country director will host a dinner for us at his house with actual, real American food – probably the best incentive out there for a starving volunteer!
I really have no idea how often I will try to get myself to a computer, so for the next two months don’t expect too much haha, but I will find one eventually. After two months we go back to the training center for IST, which is where we get to learn some serious tech activities, and I will have lots of internet there and I promise to respond to every one of your emails :)
Love and miss you all!
My dearest Aimee, So exciting to hear from you and see you also! This blog was well worth the wait! It was so awesome to see the swearing in ceremony! I am so proud of you..wish I had been there..you know me, I would have been blubbering!!
ReplyDeleteAll my love and prayers go with you as you start village life!
Love, Mom xo