5 days in!

So, I have been in The Gambia for five whole days... wow! A lot has happened in those five days and here is a quick recap for those that may be interested.

Day 1: After 28 hours of travel (Philly-New York-Brussels-Dakar-The Gambia) we arrived. It was about 6:30pm in The Gambia. As we exited the plane we were hit by the heat, and the amazing view of tons of trees. The airport was pretty remarkable, it was strange to fly into an airport that was a single building and that was not surrounded by other buildings. The tarmac was surrounded by lush green trees and low-laying buildings. Not what I have expected. After disembarking we went about collecting our mass of luggage and then loading it all and ourselves into the Peace Corps vehicles to take us to "the Stodge" which is what the transit house is called that we are staying in this first week. Once arrived at the Stodge we were greeted with smiling faces of current volunteers and also pizza and soda. I think the majority of us expected some more Gambian type food, but the pizza was great. We met some of the staff and the country director then it was off to find a room and a bed for the night.

Day 2: Up at 7am for breakfast... Nutella and bread... how can this be a bad thing? Then loaded on the bus and off to training. We began by getting a tour of the buildings, getting our shots (rabies and HepA) then lunch and lots of new languages. There are three main languages spoken in The Gambia... Pulaar, Mandinka and Wolof. We are learning the greetings in all three languages until our language is chosen for us based on our sites for a later date. After we came home that night we ate our dinner all together piled on the back patio, it is great to sit outside at night talking and eating.

Day 3: Up early again... and off to training. Today was much the same as Friday with language learning and various other classes on how to keep safe and what the Peace Corps does in the Gambia. However, we also went out this night to a local restaurant/bar for some drinks with an opportunity to meet some of the current volunteers in country, which was pretty cool. When we can home everyone was still pretty pumped up so there were games in the living room and a dance party in the kitchen... turns out we are a pretty lively bunch and the older volunteers totally dig us.

Day 4: Sunday, the day of rest. We were able to wake at our own speed on Sunday, which was really nice. We then ate our breakfast and headed down to the beach. The beach was totally remarkable, palm trees, blue water, big surf, hammocks. It was totally relaxing and fabulous. We lounged about for some time then headed back to the Stodge for some lunch and then a very special field trip. We loaded up the bus again and headed for The Gambian Reptile Farm where we got to see many species of Gambian reptiles such as the puff adder, hinged terrapin, monitor lizards, sand snakes and some creepy looking spider and centipede. At the very end we all got a chance to try on the ball python, I thought it made a lovely necklace and would have been quite pleased to take it home. After leaving the farm it was back home and time for dinner and a slide show of The Gambia.

Day 5: Monday began with breakfast and then a shuttle to training where we began with some pretty hilarious warm-ups/icebreakers. We then broke into groups that would get more shots (Typhoid and Meningitis), our interviews, and more language learning. The interviews will help the staff determine what language and site we will be placed in for the rest of our stay here in the Gambia. It was pretty low-key and tomorrow we will find out which language we will get. I'm kinda hoping for Pulaar cause it just seems to make the most sense to me. And now we are home and I am taking time to update my blog so that the world at large knows what we have been up to.

Next week will be really exciting because we will be going to our training villages up country where we will learn the language and also how to garden and live with a Gambian family. Perhaps the coolest part is that when we first arrive they have a Naming Ceremony (which is usually for 1 week old babies) but they do it for us and dress us up like Gambians and give us a Gambian name. I am very excited and hope that I get a name that will stick with me for some time.

Ok, I think that is kinda a lot for this post but I will try my best to update often. I would love to hear from everyone so feel free to email me or facebook me or write me a snail mail letter.