Peace Corps Benin July 2010 facebook group!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=2104310&ref=profile#!/group.php?gid=122200677808199&ref=mf

I created one!

If anyone knows of any other Benin invitees for July, please have them join the group so we can start getting to know one another before staging!

I also linked my blog to the Benin page instead of the applicant page which feels super legitimizing haha.

Not much more to update. My aspiration statement was not that spectacular as I am in massive finals mode right now and definitely not capable of thinking deeply about my future. But, I had to write it since it was due. C'est la vie.

I got friended on fb by a current Benin volunteer who is also a Wellesley grad--small world!
Getting excited,

Elaina

Check marks and the end of an era

So I've got all my check marks now!
I woke up this morning and had an email informing me to check my online status. Complete!

I accepted the invitation on Wednesday.

I have sooo much paperwork to fill out. I think I would actually enjoy it in a strange, masochistic way if I didn't have so much other work to be doing. I have 8 things to do before I can graduate--papers, finishing assignments, and finals--and this Peace Corps mass of forms just does not make my life easier right now.

On the bright side, I am now finished with all classes that I will ever have as an undergraduate at this fabulous institution. I've never been one for institutional pride, but I'm really going to miss this place, this experience. I'm not really ready to hash out my feelings about graduating, yet, but when I do it's going to make me cry lol.

I just need to get my stuff completed, get my passport situation figured out, meet with loan people, etc about deferments, figure out packing and shipping everything back to the Midwest for summer, and then relax for at least a week or two before I start worrying about getting everything packed and finalized for July 14th.

At least my senioritis is sort of under control. I don't really WANT to be doing any of my work, but I realize that it is necessary...I'm also realizing that a lot of these assignments and studying sessions are the last ones I'll ever be doing here. This stress is the last stress like this I'll be having. It may be weird, or corny, or whatever, but in a way, that actually makes me feel a little sad.

I'm at the point where I can really only emotionally focus on one big thing in my life and right now that is graduation. As ready as I've been for months and months to be out of here, the fact that it's just around the corner now is very bittersweet. I know it's time for me to be finished, but part of me is not sure I'll be ready for leaving this experience, these friends, this place.

I can't believe graduation is only 3 weeks away.
I'll be back to talk more PC in a couple weeks, once I have everything under control and i can emotionally handle Africa!

Elaina

Going to........BENIN!

BENIN!


I so called it!

I am so happy right now! Top choice ftw!

I am leaving for staging July 14th, training in Porto Novo until September 17th and then it's life as a community health advisor!

I am soooo stoked!

I'll be back later with more information!

E

Tool kit update!

Logged in this morning to find this gem! There's not a lot of information there, just a few things about travel and staging that is relevant. But they don't tell anything about the country of service, haha. I can't wait until I get my huge blue pack!

E

Eeny Meeny Miny Mo

Ok I can't help it. I've created a pro/con list for each country to help me work through my thoughts before I actually have to absorb the placement. I know it probably seems a bit neurotic, but it helps me. And it also serves as procrastination since I've gotten all caught up on all the television shows I watch!

Benin

pros: Jungles, the typical African atmosphere with humidity and heat! I've read a lot about Benin and feel a connection with the country already from spending hours imagining myself in the place of many PCV bloggers. West African culture is something I don't want to miss. Beaches. Higher standards of living than the others. Very democratically stable comparatively.

cons: Humidity sucks. Could be primarily speaking a super specific local language that may not be useful after the peace corps.

Mali

pros: Deserts and dry heat. West African culture ftw! Cool rock climbing locations. A lot of sweet history. Wicked music festival in the desert each year. Maybe I'd get placed in the village of the RPCV who wrote Mango Rains?

cons: No beaches, very landlocked. Lower standard of living than Benin/ is one of the top two most difficult programs for PC volunteers to serve in, I've heard.

Niger

pros: West Africa, desert. Cool Muslim influences. And still on the main land. Fulfulde is a cool sounding language, too.

cons: hot and dry. Very poor country and very politically unstable. PCVs have had to evacuate in the past.

Madagascar

pros: Madagascar is way cool. People know about it and think it's awesome. Malagasy is pretty sweet sounding. The "8th continent" has a lot of unique biodiversity and NICE weather. This is pretty much the only one of my options where the weather won't suck/be ridiculously hot all the time, but is still Africa. And super close to Tanzania where the amazing Lauren will be serving!

cons: Is it really Africa, though? It's not on the mainland which is a MAJOR bummer. There was a lot of political instability last year and the PC program was suspended for some time and only just re-opened up. There are only 11 volunteers there right now! I also really don't want to listen to people singing "I like to move it move it" constantly before I go.

So there's that! Murphy's law says that my placement will be Madagascar but we'll see. I'd be super happy no matter where I end up but I'll be honest up front that I would prefer the mainland. But if that's not in the cards for me, I'll make the most of it. Lemonade and all that.

E