Woke up early, left Jalanbereh, it was a long, long trip
back to Kombo/Banjul and I slept through most of it but we finally made it!
Dropped stuff off in the transit house, had a couple of
sessions, went back to dinner, went out to some bars, redeemed myself from my
last (weak) encounter with the native beer called Julbrew, went to the beach at
night, and got rocked by the waves… scars to show.
We got our final evaluations! I scored an advanced low on language
and got really sweet reviews by my Program Manager/PCVL/Program Assistant. My
Program Manager congratulated me on the work well done, my PCVL said I should
relax because I put a lot of pressure on myself (truth) and my Program Assistant
said I was really easy to work with, yay.
I received my packaged from my mom!!! YAY So useful it was
like opening the Christmas present I’ve been dying for.
Got flu shots, important later
Ended sessions forever for PST, we all rushed home to either
Internet or beach. I went to the beach and braved the waves + played Frisbee in
the ocean – hard shit being a PCV.
THURSDAY, woke up mad early again because my room was
frigid. This counts as day two of early self wake up, wtf. Today was a 4:30 AM
wake up call, damn you body.
Swear in ceremony was incredible – Motley Crew (our official
group name) looked fabulous and even the PCVs who attended were saying we all
looked smokin in our asoebes (AH-SO-BEES; outfits with matching fabric)! Everyone had their
own style and the fabric was great. I loved wearing my dress – it came out so
good! I took made selfies with everyone and had a permanent smile on my face. I
sat through some long speeches but I was busy rewriting my portion of the
speech anyways so I didn’t mess up. Finally, Dani (the one who read Mandinka),
Becca (who read Pulaar), Malcolm (who read everything in English), and I
approached the stadium for our turn at speeching. It was super fun and everyone
laughed at me especially when it was my turn (I read very animatedly) because
legit only two people in the audience understands Serehule and I’m this random
Chinese girl talking it. Whatever it takes to make people laugh! PS I was
televised on national TV… no big deal.
We all sang the Peace Corps song but we were HORRIBLE
because everyone forgot the lyrics and I couldn’t help but laugh throughout it.
We sounded like dying cows. I was also in the front and was bursting out
laughing, oops.
Took the oath and became an official PCV!!
I ate, got rushed back to the transit house to change, and was herded into an important sudden meeting.
Went to meeting and all the PCVs already in country were
sitting there! They were waiting in the room and the Country Diretor basically
told us that in the first time in forever, literally unprecedented, all the
oppositional political parties were peacefully demonstrating in/around Kombo.
This is significant because usually they’re very divided groups. Now, they
chose to come together. This meant that all travel out of Kombo was illegal for
PCVs so no one could exit until at least Sunday. This meant that all the new
swear ins (Motley Crew) only had a day and a half of shopping, yay. Right after
the meeting, more like 45 minutes after the meeting, we all had to embark on
our crazy ass shopping adventure that is 18 people going to shop together for
their houses.
BUT FIRST We had to go to the bank and wait forever because
a handful of us (me including) sent our checks up country and waited at least
one hour to get money withdrawn the hard way and held everyone up. It’s 3:30 PM
now and they are still gung ho about us getting our beds and other larger
things (stoves, gas tanks, etc) for our house. WOMP.
We went to the mattress store AKA big bounce house to
purchase our beds. It was very fun and such a tease because I was so tired and
just wanted to sleep!
Went to buy gas tanks, burners, and other miscellaneous
items which meant a LOT of waiting because, like I said, we were 18 people all
shopping at once. People were going all over the place and we had to wait for
them to come back to place their order/pay their money, bah. I did do some
bargaining in Serehule, however, and that was exciting.
Went back to the transit house, exhausted, changed into
schmancy clothes and went to our party! Our own party which we were late for
since everyone was already there! It was so weird seeing Motley Crew in things
other than village attire and we all looked so hot.
I had so much fun. I ate curry for the first time in ages,
DJ’d and I think people enjoyed my
choices. I think. I like to think that, just let me dream. I danced my BUTT
off. Laughed at people, got laughed at by people. Let’s just say there was a
kissing booth involved. I hollered to some songs. I ALMOST lost my wallet but
didn’t, thank God! I tested out the water at the beach because a lot of people
went skinny dipping but it was freezing and I went straight on board the Nope
Train back to the transit house. I slept like a BABY.
Woke up the next day (Friday) and felt like I got round
house kicked in the body. Like, something giant steam rolled over me. I shook
it off, was fed some left over breakfast, and out the door with Tyler Bear to
shop.
We got ripped off at some ritzy place, and begged to return
our items. Somehow my charm worked thank God! I bought a bunch of stuff and
food and hauled it back home AKA small boy’d Tyler into carrying a huge bag but
still broke my own back with all the cans I friggin purchased.
Went to the beach.
Went back to buy some more stuff, officially ran out of
money.
Attended the Open Mic Night and had lots of fun. I attempted
to play the violin but that shit’s really hard. Maybe next time.
Returned to the transit house to study for a little – YEUP,
all while buzzed, and I journaled in Serehule. I Skyped back home and fell
asleep soundly.
I awoke to a phone call. Still slept great, though! A PCV
named Sebastian who by the way can dance like none other, anyways he was
willing to take the newbies out shopping. I mobilized myself, sent out some
texts, and a rag tag team was of to Serekunda Market – one of the biggest if
not the biggest in Gambia.
I had to borrow money but I bought pretty much everything
and bargained in Serehule yet again from many stores. All thanks to Sebastian!
It was pretty chill yet tiring but I definitely wasn’t bored at looking
everything.
Went back and discovered that seven of my Motley Crew
comrades were down from sickness! I think it’s from the flu shot we got earlier
in the week. I took care of the two in my room since I was reminded of how nice
it was for Elizabeth to look after me when I was sick. I also got a hair cut.
Meandered over to the bonfire to chill with PCVs, went back
to the transit house and packed for MONDAY!
Successfully went to the beach every day I was in Kombo! I
woke up relatively late but that’s okay since I had all my stuff in chests and
ready to go. Watching the staff tetris pack the cars was something else –
they’re so efficient! All the luggage easily was twice the height of the car.
Drove 5/6 hours up country – it was not as packed inside as
I had thought but I was tired as hell and Dillon being the saint that he was
just grabs my head and puts it on his shoulder even though I’m pretty sure I
already dozed off on him, oops. Bless his soul.
Arrived in Kulari first, threw everything in my hut, waved
goodbye to my friends, and waved hello to my new family. Right now I really
like them and I really hope they like me too! I also hope it stays like this
for the next two years.
Opened my trunks/luggage to discover that the two stools I
purchased in Jalanbereh COMPLETELY molded over and that was pretty nasty. It
got on some of my other stuff but luckily my mom sent over cleaning/chlorox
wipes so that was fun.
I never have good luck with this – either my oatmeal spills
or I get mold all up in my shit.
Ate dinner. Went out to chat. Somehow miraculously
negotiated/told my rent to my family and expressed my gratitude for them. I
translated a study consent for them which I hope they understood. I had to
write it all out first, hah. I think they’re catching onto my quirks. I tried
unfiltered juice and didn’t diarrhea – sweet success.
TUESDAY/ Day 1 of official unpacking: my shit was everywhere
it was a disaster. Mostly organized everything into my trunks, sun dried my
moldy chairs, and had a lot of shit to organize.
WEDNESDAY/Day 2 of unpacking: Much better today. Got my
curtains, bed and bed net up – which means a lot for those of you who know how
irrationally afraid I am of spiders and bugs, and I braved through touching the
cob-webby roof to tie my bed net up. I rearranged it like 5 times, too, but
it’s finally perfect! Re organized my trunks, washed my buckets with solution
to be extra clean, and went on an adventure and a half to find safe pump water
because there was no sun today and the boar hole is solar powered…great. And
the pump that’s closest to me is broken. Extra great.
Tired as hell, falling asleep now!
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