New Placement!

So, I was sent an email yesterday (I know! Sunday! The PC office is definitely working hard on getting us reassigned!) which I got today (due to the internet being temperamental).

I am going to Senegal!

Now, for the introduction to Senegal:

• Senegal is just south of Mauritania.
• Senegal has lots of animals! Impalas, lions, cheetahs, monkeys, giraffes, oryx, warthogs, foxes, jackals, gazelles, rhinos, hippos, water buffalos, etc. Basically, the animals you would expect to see in Africa!
• It is approximately the size of South Dakota (~76,000 sq miles) with a population of ~13 million.
• While predominately Muslim (Sufism), 5% of the population is Catholic! Approximately 1% of the population practices tradition African animism. Senegal prides itself on religious tolerance.
• The city of Saint-Louis, Senegal is the African equivalent of New Orleans...a mecca for music (Jazz!) and the arts, it has also retained much of its French influence.
• Food will be similar to what I was expecting in Mauritania... though I haven't noticed any mention of the communal dish/eating by hand common to Mauritania... Maybe the food is the same, but the culture different in that aspect.
• Peace Corps will issue me a bike and helmet! For some reason, this is one of the more exciting things for me.
• Dress will be somewhat similar to what I'd already anticipated and packed for. However, it is much more progressive. Skirts only need to be below the knee, and it doesn't appear that I need to cover my shoulders. Loose fitting clothing is recommended. It will be socially acceptable for a Western woman to wear pants (though I probably don't want to make a habit of it).
• I will be living with a host family for the entire time I am there. I am guaranteed my own private room (including my own 'latrine'). Culturally, it is perceived as very odd if someone lives alone, therefore, PC places us with families... after all, being blonde-haired and blue-eyed is enough of an oddity!
• Best of all: "Senegal’s political stability has in many ways been a shining light in what has otherwise been a difficult post-independence struggle for most of sub-Saharan Africa." -PC Welcome Book, Senegal I have also read that Senegal is one of the few African nations that has never seen a coup d'etat. :) It is a socialist republic. (I can just imagine Mr. Hamilton's reaction...)
• I will be a "sustainable agriculture extension agent". The role is similar to my prior assignment, but is more focused on sustainability and community outreach/support/involvement.
• What it all boils down to is good things! Less sand, more fruits and vegetables, more animals, more tolerant and progressive culture, more water...

I am leaving August 10th.

I was just getting used to the idea that I might be here until the middle of September.

Now I'm feeling frantically crunched for time.

I have 2 cattle drives, a trip to Big Fork, a trip to Great Falls?, a hike/ride up to Edith Lake, Fair/Rodeo, and the training of 2-3 horses to do! Besides study as much French as possible and re-pack!

I depart in approximately 42 days.

Well, so long as I don't get a call a week out postponing things... ;)

Not going to Mauritania. period.

I just got a call from Peace Corps. They decided that, rather than string us along for a few months, they'd offer us new placements. They will construct a brand-new Mauritania class if/when Mauritania gets their act in gear. They are not, by any means, canceling Mauritania's program. They do not view yesterday's murder as anything anti-Peace Corps, they do not believe current volunteers are in any sort of danger. Mauritania and all of the presidential candidates have expressed their desire to keep Peace Corps.

Here is a small list of other countries I could possibly go to...and when. I might not be in an agricultural program anymore. I might not be going to Africa. I might not be in a francophone country.

August 2nd = Uganda

August 10th = Guatemala, Senegal

August 11th = Panama

August 17th = Namibia

August 18th = Dominican Republic

August 19th = Belize, Kazakhstan

August 20th = Philippines

August 24th = Eastern Caribbean

August 31st = Nicaragua

September 1st = Mexico

September 3rd = Micronesia and Palau

September 7th = Morocco

September 9th = Peru

September 12th = Vanuatu

September 14th = Macedonia

September 16th = Togo

September 17th = Cameroon

September 23rd = Malawi, Paraguay

September 27th = Ukraine

September 28th = Azerbaijan, Mozambique, Turkmenistan

October 2nd = Ethiopia

October 22nd = Jordan

November 11th = Lesotho

November 30th = Guinea

Some of these are highly unlikely. I.e.: Guatemala, I do not speak Spanish and my aunt owns a home there. Though, not all of these are likely possibilities, by any means. Some do not have programs that I am eligible for. Some speak languages I have no knowledge of.

Oh well. We'll see.

The Placement Office will have some possible placements for me, or some more definite timelines hopefully by next Tuesday. Which would be truly amazing! All of us Mauritania rejects will be given priority placement, etc, etc. And, like I just told my PO on the phone, (oh, and that's Placement Officer, not parole officer, smarty-pants!) I just can't imagine being on their end figuring out all of these logistics. Ugh! Just tell me where to go and when to be there and I'm okay!

I just hope that wherever I go, I can still use my new long dresses and long skirts! Though, I will not complain if I am going the South Pacific or the Caribbean. :) Really, I won't complain if I am going to Ukraine or Azerbaijan, either.

Uncertainties

An American has been killed in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott. Read here. And there is still a lot of Election hullabaloo.

I am worried that tensions will not ease after the election.

I think I'm just paranoid because I read "Left to Tell" yesterday. Reading about all of the political uncertainties in that situation makes me imagine the worst eventualities in this situation.

Time will tell.

Not en route to Africa

The good news:

1) I didn't cry constantly this whole past week.

2) I didn't stress about re-packing my bags.

3) I have a couple more months to practice my French.

4) I am able to better organize all the junk I'm leaving in the states.

5) I will be able to go to another Broadwater County Fair and Rodeo.

6) I will get to attend my niece, Quincy's, 5th birthday party.

7) I will (most likely) get to see Kirchhoff's when they come up to MT to visit.

8) I will get to enjoy another MT summer.

9) I will get to watch Harry Potter in the theaters!!

10) I have a little more time to save a bit more money.

The bad news:

1) I will have to say a 2nd round of good-byes.

2) I have to unpack my bags.

3) I have to keep studying Rosetta Stone. (I think I'll punch my computer some day!)

4) I need to look at the stuff I'd hoped to not look at for the next 2 years.

5) I have to explain to people why I am still in the States.

6) When I come home from Mauritania, it will be October 2011.  Going from Mauritania October to MT October will be a HUGE shock to my system!!

7) I have to find/start/end a job in less than 2 months.

8) I will have to repack my bags.

9) I have a couple more months of student loan payments.

10) I found all this out exactly 1 week ago.  Exactly 1 week before I was to have boarded a flight to Philadelphia for staging.

So.

What happened?

The Mauritanian government has decided to not issue any new visas until after their presidential elections.  (Their elections were initially scheduled for early June and have been rescheduled for July 18th.)  I appreciate their foresight (after all, it would NOT be fun to have just gotten there while there are riots, slightly unstable government, etc).  The Peace Corps did try to pull every single string they had and call out every old favor.  But ambassadors, etc could not create a miracle.

Peace Corps is confident that our visas will be issued promptly after the election.  They figure we will be headed out mid-August.  

And.

What am I going to do now?

Well, preferably, a whole lot of nothing! I figure I need to pin down a part-time job somewhere. I am pretty flexible on the location...Kalispell, Townsend, Billings, Durango, maybe even Great Falls! But I plan on trying to make myself relax a bit.  If I stay in Townsend, I will likely spend the time breaking my (not-quite-so-young) fillies (well, maybe they qualify as mares by now) and helping out my parents.  If I go up to Kalispell, I will likely find a job in a nursery and have fun with my nieces.  If I go to Billings, I will house-sit for my aunt while she is out of the country, and maybe go to Guatemala with her.  If I went to Durango, I would find a job...and probably have to do a fair bit of dog-sitting...and Esther might make me run.  If I went to Great Falls, my life would be similar to life in Kalispell.

I made myself not stress about all of this last week.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Oregon with my sisters and my time in Seattle with Cas and Amanda.  

So, uh, keep posted...Mauritania has been delayed...but I am trying to not be too discouraged about it.

The rundown...for any who've missed it

1) What am I doing?  Why?  

I started my application for the Peace Corps 1 1/2 years ago.  Literally.  But I didn't click the submit button until the end of October.  Mid-January, I was nominated for an agricultural program in Mauritania.  Normally, specific information re: the country is not given to the applicant at this time.  I don't know why I was so lucky.  But it gave me a TON of time to adjust to the thought of Mauritania.  I was officially invited in April and I fly out of Seattle for orientation (aka: "stage") on the 15th.

Really, I have always wanted to travel.  And I enjoy helping people.  I have always felt drawn to international outreach.  And I finally got to the point in my life where it seemed stupid that I wasn't joining the Peace Corps.  I couldn't come up with any good reason why I wasn't volunteering.  So, I am saying good-bye to my student loans, family, friends, most of my possessions, my horses, running water, electricity, showers, and comfort food for a couple of years.  Don't worry, I'll be back (and those student loans aren't ever going away!)

2) Mauritania:

Is a real country (I know, I almost didn't believe it either!)

Located in North West Africa.  South of Morocco and next door to Mali (home of Timbuktu).

Is big.  Almost 420,000 square miles.

Has approximately 3 million residents.

Approximately 2,988,00 of those residents are Muslim.

Oh, the official title for Mauritania is "Islamic Republic of Mauritania"

It is truly (confirmed by most every site I've read) one of the most under-developed countries in the world.

4/5 of Mauritania is the Sahara Desert.

Is currently under a military junta.  Democratic elections were scheduled for June 6, however, they have been postponed until August.

3) Agroforesty Agent:

I will be trying to help grow more sustainable, nutritious, and plentiful crops.  While decreasing erosion (ie: sand storms) and desertification (the Sahara has been expanding due to severe drought since the 1960s) by using conservation agriculture methods like no-till farming and planting trees.  

4) Details:

This is a 2 year commitment.  I have 2-3 months of training in country (Rosso, Mauritania  it is in the south, along the border of Senegal) followed by placement somewhere.  Where I may or may not have another white person in my village and I may or may not live with a host family.  I also may or may not have electricity, running water, or internet.  I may live in a mud hut.  I will have a cell phone. :)  And I will have internet access at least once a month when I have to report in to the regional capital. 

5) Contact:

I will have a cell phone.  So, depending on how expensive it is to use for international calls, I may be able to actually talk to people!!

I will have internet access intermittently.  I will try to keep this blog updated, update my Facebook, etc and send out personal and mass emails.

I have a sneaking suspicion that I will LOVE getting real mail.  Especially if there is some kind of goody tucked in there. :)

My address (for the first few months, anyway):

Teresa Schnur, PCT

Corps de la Paix

B.P. 222

Nouakchott, Mauritania

West Africa

One needs to write "Par avion" on the envelope.  Apparently mail does still travel by boat.  Mail that is delivered via boat takes months.  Versus the weeks via plane.  Also, please number your letters to me.  I hear that I may miss some, or get many at the same time.  I would like to know what order to read them in. (And I'll number my letters to you!).

6) To answer all those other questions:

What will I eat?

Rice and lamb. Couscous and lamb. Rice and fish. Couscous and fish. With some random vegetables thrown in. I will drink lots of mint tea.  I will eat my meals out of a communal dish.  Using my right hand rather than cutlery. Being in a Muslim country, I will not be eating pork. :'( Due to lack of refrigeration, I will also not be eating the cheese I am used to. :'(

What will I wear?

Ankle length skirts. Legs are super-sexy.  They must not be seen.  I should also keep my shoulders covered.  And my head, depending on how conservative of a region I am in.  I will be wearing sandals (I bought 2 pairs of Chacos which I love), as shoes must be taken off before entering a house...and shoes and socks would be quite hot.

Diseases?

Malaria is endemic.  I will be on anti-malarial drugs, which I hear produce some very colorful dreams.  I will be vaccinated for Yellow Fever.  HIV/AIDS is not nearly so predominant as it is in many other areas of SubSaharan Africa.  There is a nasty parasite in fresh water, called schistosomiasis...therefore I must avoid swimming/bathing/wading in lakes and rivers.  Most illnesses are parasitic or related to poor food quality (ie: lack of refrigeration).  Diarrhea is one of the main killers of children.

Well, that about covers everything for now.

Especially since I mostly posted all of this in order to procrastinate studying French and packing.  Now it is 11 and I have to pack...or else sleep on the floor.

Mauritania in 15 days!