Friday, May 15, 2009

I Solomely Swear... I'm An Official Volunteer!

Well it has actually happened! I'm an official Peace Corps Volunteer and can now begin my two years of Peace Corps Service in Rwanda. This means I can officially return back to the States in two years. Yes, I do that know that that is a long time away. So now I’m in a village by myself working at a Centre de Santé (Health Center for all you English folk) and teaching English to the nurses and government officials. I have my own little house behind my resource family’s home. It’s actually their storage rooms that they converted into a house for me. I have a little sitting room, bedroom and my own latrine/wash area. Oh! I also have my own kitchen but it’s outside and I don’t really know how to start a fire yet, so I rely on food from my resource family.

I have posted the picture of the Swearing-In ceremony with all the volunteers and the American Ambassador to Rwanda (in the back-center). It was a nice day but it rained the whole time - so my hair was completely ruined.

It’s been a little difficult getting used to my new environment (my little village with very little to do or eat here). I’ve been really homesick and also I experienced my first intestinal/stomach sickness – Giardia! It was awesome; vomiting and other pleasantries for over a week! When the nurse gave me the antibiotics she told me “Welcome to Africa – this is the first of many.”

Can’t wait for people to visit!



3 comments:

Jenn Alvarez said...

It's like you're on Survivor! Too bad there's not a million dollars at the end of it all.
There's definitely not a million dollars at the end of my road. Eric told me that I'm probably getting laid off as of July 1st. I haven't completely freaked out yet, but it's coming. I can feel it.

Meg said...

Yay! Congrats Mary Rose! We really need to catch up sometime.

Papa said...

Hi Maze, you look great in the picture. I made a copy of it. Take good care. Love always, ... Papa