Oh my Goodness! I leave in a week and a half...
I feel obligated, after my post from last week and sounding less than enthusiastic, to share my growing excitement with whoever is reading this! Two weeks from now, I will be on a plane over the Atlantic, about 2 hrs away from the airport in Dakar. Soon after that, I will be almost taking a step back in time. Ironing clothes with an iron that you load with hot coals, bathing with 2 liters of non-running water, using a bike to get around (as long as the large thorns aren't too difficult)... granted, I will take advantage of some modern day marvels, such as a headlamp to help me see at night and the internet that may be available, but how incredible to simplify life to needs rather than the want that has become America's "need."
I'm also looking forward to making a difference on a level that will be somewhat new, yet somewhat familiar. Working as a mental health case manager for the past year and a half has likely prepped me well for the challanges I will face, though from my experience, the little steps in progress are some of the most amazing and worthwhile experiences! Especially those you don't see coming...
Don't get me wrong, I will absolutely get home-sick, I will cry many tears, and at some point I will likely wish for the life I currently know. But how many people can say they've slept under the stars on a regular basis, or bathed without a roof over their head with only 2 liters of water, or been woken up by the sound of millet being pounded for the days meal, or learned to balance heavy objects on their head? Ok, so maybe a lot of people, but not many Americans.
We spend too much time in our little bubble...
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Mailing Address for March - May '08
This is for those of you who were asking for a mailing address while I'm overseas... though this is only for the training period and I will have a new address when I move to my village
PCT Brittany Barnes
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 299
Thiès, Senegal
West Africa
...I can't believe I leave in less than 3 weeks...
So, I posted the address earlier today, but tonight I was trying to decide what to pack for storage, what to pack to donate if I make it 6 months (kind of a safety net, but I don't think I'll need it) and I came across some pictures and random stuff I had thought 3 months ago that I would want and need with me. Turns out, that stuff's not so important... this had me thinking about what kind of person I am, where I came from, and who I will be when I return from this journey. Hopefully I like whoever I am while I'm volunteering and when I return... and hopfully my friends and family do, too.
I've also been on this roller coaster thought pattern about whether I think I'll be able to handle it or not (leaving home for so long, whatever assignment I take on, all the bugs, the culture shock, learning the language, etc, etc). Last night a good friend told me "no one's going to call you a quitter if you come home early." In a strange way, I needed to hear that though I know I would not respond well if I didn't carry out my whole commitment. It's just nice to know that other people won't be as hard on you and you're your own worst critic and blah blah blah... someone else mentioned how self-conscious they are about having a blog... me too. This is kind of awkward...
PCT Brittany Barnes
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 299
Thiès, Senegal
West Africa
...I can't believe I leave in less than 3 weeks...
So, I posted the address earlier today, but tonight I was trying to decide what to pack for storage, what to pack to donate if I make it 6 months (kind of a safety net, but I don't think I'll need it) and I came across some pictures and random stuff I had thought 3 months ago that I would want and need with me. Turns out, that stuff's not so important... this had me thinking about what kind of person I am, where I came from, and who I will be when I return from this journey. Hopefully I like whoever I am while I'm volunteering and when I return... and hopfully my friends and family do, too.
I've also been on this roller coaster thought pattern about whether I think I'll be able to handle it or not (leaving home for so long, whatever assignment I take on, all the bugs, the culture shock, learning the language, etc, etc). Last night a good friend told me "no one's going to call you a quitter if you come home early." In a strange way, I needed to hear that though I know I would not respond well if I didn't carry out my whole commitment. It's just nice to know that other people won't be as hard on you and you're your own worst critic and blah blah blah... someone else mentioned how self-conscious they are about having a blog... me too. This is kind of awkward...
Sunday, January 27, 2008
ETD 6 weeks
So I'm not entirely sure how to start this out... here goes...
I leave 6 weeks from tomorrow to start my Peace Corps adventure, which starts with 3 days of Staging in Atlanta. After that, our group flies out to Thies, Senegal for 2 months of training. We learn the language, the culture, and what region of the country will be our home for the next 2 years. I can say wholeheartedly that I am very excited. I am also a mixture of scared, anxious, and over all emotional. It's strange going about my current life normally (going to work, taking care of day-to-day things, seeing people I currently see on a regular basis) and knowing that is all going to drastically change in just a few short weeks. It's quite stressful in a strange, looming way. I know the stress will increase, as will the excitement, as March 10 approaches, and I have my mother to thank for the anxiety aspect (I swear it's genetic).
I have to say thank you to all my family and friends (you guys are amazing), who have been very supportive. My mom, my dad, and my brother have been truely amazing and I really don't think i could be embarking on this adventure without them backing me. ok, this is sounding too much like an Academy Award speech... so let's move on.
6 weeks left in the states, 5 weeks left of work (with approximately 1 week to be spent in Vegas). I have to finish packing, which is interesting because I have a hard enough time packing for a weekend trip let alone 2 years in a country I've never visited. So far I have:
1 daily planner
1 large hiking backpack
1 regular sized day pack
1 large sudoku book
1 compass
2 can openers (1 for me and 1 as a gift to my host family)
1 waterproof watch
1 game of UNO
1 rain jacket
1 large roll of duct tape
2 skirts that hit below my knee (knees are scandalous)
2 long sleeved shirts
1 lock for a trunk
1 heavy duty lock for my hut door
2 toothbrushes to start me off
1 pair Teva sandals
1 pair tennis shoes
1 battery operated alarm clock
1 head lamp
about 10 tank tops
And I still have a few items to get (toothpaste, sunscreen, bandanas, my glasses so I can see, granola bars, a pillow, a photo album, journal, pens, pencils, zip drive, etc) so, I guess I'm well on my way to being as prepaired as I can be for this adventure. I'll be sure to post my contact info on here when I know it, as well as any answers to questions you may have, so feel free to ask!
I leave 6 weeks from tomorrow to start my Peace Corps adventure, which starts with 3 days of Staging in Atlanta. After that, our group flies out to Thies, Senegal for 2 months of training. We learn the language, the culture, and what region of the country will be our home for the next 2 years. I can say wholeheartedly that I am very excited. I am also a mixture of scared, anxious, and over all emotional. It's strange going about my current life normally (going to work, taking care of day-to-day things, seeing people I currently see on a regular basis) and knowing that is all going to drastically change in just a few short weeks. It's quite stressful in a strange, looming way. I know the stress will increase, as will the excitement, as March 10 approaches, and I have my mother to thank for the anxiety aspect (I swear it's genetic).
I have to say thank you to all my family and friends (you guys are amazing), who have been very supportive. My mom, my dad, and my brother have been truely amazing and I really don't think i could be embarking on this adventure without them backing me. ok, this is sounding too much like an Academy Award speech... so let's move on.
6 weeks left in the states, 5 weeks left of work (with approximately 1 week to be spent in Vegas). I have to finish packing, which is interesting because I have a hard enough time packing for a weekend trip let alone 2 years in a country I've never visited. So far I have:
1 daily planner
1 large hiking backpack
1 regular sized day pack
1 large sudoku book
1 compass
2 can openers (1 for me and 1 as a gift to my host family)
1 waterproof watch
1 game of UNO
1 rain jacket
1 large roll of duct tape
2 skirts that hit below my knee (knees are scandalous)
2 long sleeved shirts
1 lock for a trunk
1 heavy duty lock for my hut door
2 toothbrushes to start me off
1 pair Teva sandals
1 pair tennis shoes
1 battery operated alarm clock
1 head lamp
about 10 tank tops
And I still have a few items to get (toothpaste, sunscreen, bandanas, my glasses so I can see, granola bars, a pillow, a photo album, journal, pens, pencils, zip drive, etc) so, I guess I'm well on my way to being as prepaired as I can be for this adventure. I'll be sure to post my contact info on here when I know it, as well as any answers to questions you may have, so feel free to ask!
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