Being Extreme in the Extreme North

Dear All,

I know that I have been a HORRID blogger these last three months, but I do have a good excuse...internet sucks and time is always an issue. Anyway, on Thursday, we officially swore in and I am now an official Peace Corps Volunteer.  The US ambassador came and gave some speeches and so did our host families. Thursday night we all had quite the party--lots of drinking and dancing. It was very fun, but I felt like crap on Friday morning. We left on Friday to go up North...17 of us in all. Saying goodbye to all of the amazing people I have spent every single day with for the last 11 weeks was far from easy. Being the total emotional freak I am, I cried for about 2 hours on the bus.  The 13 hour train ride was uneventful, but I woke up absolutely freezing! It was wonderful. It is so nice to be in an area without humidity...thank the lord. Waking up was quite a shock..bye bye greenery and hello dust and sand.  My favorite part of the train is at every stop people come to the windows selling all sorts of things..honey, mandarines, bananas and other amazing deliciousnesses.

I will be in Maroua (Regional Capital of the Extreme North) for a few days, getting some supplies and trying to contact my counterpart, whose phone has been off...ugh. Hopefully I don't have to just show up in my village alone! Going to try to get a refrigerator and a bed, but still have no clue how I am going to get all my crap to village.  Cannot believe I am starting this new adventure for 2 years...HOLY COW. I think about every  minute "Am I even qualified to do this?!?!?" We are not suppose to start any projects these next three months--just have to integrate myself into the community and learn local languages and such...this means lots of sitting on my butt. I guess I can use this time to lose my training weight and get back into shape :)  After three months we all come back together in the West for some additional training. Should be interesting.

Anyway, I will write again soon...Hope all is going well with everyone else. ALL MY LOVE!!!!! xoxoxo