I'm here!!!
And the computers at the cyber near my house are wonderful and have English keyboards!! Woohoo!! Now, I PROMISE I will get my pics up because I have a ton of good ones.
Anyhow, I've moved my things into my room and I have a little outdoor latrine for the time being because my family is having a big, nice house built right now and we are scheduled to move in in about a month (inchallah = God willing). In the mean time I don't have any furniture or anything and will try to only buy the necesities because I'm not sure how big my space will be in the new place. I live with my mom and dad whose names I don't know because they were really long and difficult (and I, therefore, forget them), my mom's 25 yr old sister and her 20 yr old brother (whose names I've also forgotten for the moment), my 17 yr old sister Hadama, my 14 yr old brother Allaj, my nine yr old sister Mamahaddie, my five yr old brother Suelemon (I've also decided he is my Senegalese boyfriend because he is the cutest boy ever!), my two year old sister Haddie Gaye (also adorable), and my one year old brother Papa who looks like Don Cheetle (spelled that wrong for sure) but is still a cutey patootey. Oh, and I forgot to mention, my name is Haddie Dieng (pronounced Hottie Jang). I think my parents like the name Haddie.. what do you think?
Yesterday, the Peace Corps staff dropped me off at my house and I've been on my own since, sooooo I've been out on the town exploring everything and talking to people. I had my first work meeting with my counterpart and my supervisor this morning and it went quite well. We planned what we will be doing next week and decided it would be best for me to get settled in at home for the remainder of this week (which I really appreciate because the move has been quite difficult for me since I've been sick for a week). Now I can begin to make a home for myself and study some French/Wolof because if I can test out of Wolof in three months I will be able to start learning a third language (Pulaar)!! I also forgot to mention that on top of electricity, running water(which apparently is free for me because my dad works for the water company),and a refridgerator, I was also given a stove which is being installed this Friday!! So I will start learning how to cook for myself. I am very excited for the possibilities.
Tamba is a really cute town, decently clean, my family is cool, the people seem very nice, my supervisor and counterpart seem like they will be fun to work with, and I've already met some Americans from NGOs (NonGovernmental Organizations) living here that are interested in working on things with me!! I'm definitely glad to finally be here. And it's not even that hot!! Which isn't really surprising because it's the cool season now(and it is definitely not cool, I am sweating, but it is bareable)... But all is good in my hood for now.. The only downside... You can't get chocolate ANYWHERE here, no chocolate or ice cream at all, not even in the toubob (white person) stores.. so if you want to send me some I can put it in my fridge (chocolate that is ;)... ps- I just learned my address.
PCV Ashleigh C. Lovett
B.P.320
Tambacounda, Senegal
West Africa
Oh!!! I almost forgot! There are a ton of NGOs in Tamba and a very kind American couple has invited some of the other volunteers and me over to their house tomorrow for Thanksgiving dessert which is awesome and will make my day!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone and I hope to get back here soon with pics!
Anyhow, I've moved my things into my room and I have a little outdoor latrine for the time being because my family is having a big, nice house built right now and we are scheduled to move in in about a month (inchallah = God willing). In the mean time I don't have any furniture or anything and will try to only buy the necesities because I'm not sure how big my space will be in the new place. I live with my mom and dad whose names I don't know because they were really long and difficult (and I, therefore, forget them), my mom's 25 yr old sister and her 20 yr old brother (whose names I've also forgotten for the moment), my 17 yr old sister Hadama, my 14 yr old brother Allaj, my nine yr old sister Mamahaddie, my five yr old brother Suelemon (I've also decided he is my Senegalese boyfriend because he is the cutest boy ever!), my two year old sister Haddie Gaye (also adorable), and my one year old brother Papa who looks like Don Cheetle (spelled that wrong for sure) but is still a cutey patootey. Oh, and I forgot to mention, my name is Haddie Dieng (pronounced Hottie Jang). I think my parents like the name Haddie.. what do you think?
Yesterday, the Peace Corps staff dropped me off at my house and I've been on my own since, sooooo I've been out on the town exploring everything and talking to people. I had my first work meeting with my counterpart and my supervisor this morning and it went quite well. We planned what we will be doing next week and decided it would be best for me to get settled in at home for the remainder of this week (which I really appreciate because the move has been quite difficult for me since I've been sick for a week). Now I can begin to make a home for myself and study some French/Wolof because if I can test out of Wolof in three months I will be able to start learning a third language (Pulaar)!! I also forgot to mention that on top of electricity, running water(which apparently is free for me because my dad works for the water company),and a refridgerator, I was also given a stove which is being installed this Friday!! So I will start learning how to cook for myself. I am very excited for the possibilities.
Tamba is a really cute town, decently clean, my family is cool, the people seem very nice, my supervisor and counterpart seem like they will be fun to work with, and I've already met some Americans from NGOs (NonGovernmental Organizations) living here that are interested in working on things with me!! I'm definitely glad to finally be here. And it's not even that hot!! Which isn't really surprising because it's the cool season now(and it is definitely not cool, I am sweating, but it is bareable)... But all is good in my hood for now.. The only downside... You can't get chocolate ANYWHERE here, no chocolate or ice cream at all, not even in the toubob (white person) stores.. so if you want to send me some I can put it in my fridge (chocolate that is ;)... ps- I just learned my address.
PCV Ashleigh C. Lovett
B.P.320
Tambacounda, Senegal
West Africa
Oh!!! I almost forgot! There are a ton of NGOs in Tamba and a very kind American couple has invited some of the other volunteers and me over to their house tomorrow for Thanksgiving dessert which is awesome and will make my day!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone and I hope to get back here soon with pics!
posted by Ashleigh | 8:09 AM
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