Back from Post

Unfortunately I didn’t have much time to write a blog because I had post visit last week and I traveled up to Natitingou my post!! It was sooo amazing I am really lucky to be posted there! It is beautiful with rolling hills and a little bit drier less hot temperature (well for right now at least until the hot season comes). It is about the same distance between Dallas and Houston but it takes an average of 10 hours! There is a work station there with free wifi so I need to set up Skype dates with everyone once I am at post! That will give you about three weeks to set up an account and figure out how to use it! There is also a Marché there named Marche Yara!! Can you believe it?? It’s meant to be! I am also really lucky that I am inheriting a lot of furniture for my new house! I am replacing Alicia but I am getting a new house with all her stuff. My house has two rooms; a large living room that I am using as a living room/spear bedroom and kitchen, and then a bedroom with an outside kitchen and shower area. I think its better to have the kitchen inside than outside and dirty.

Just an update….I officially have my first heat rash…the doctor told me it’s nothing to worry about; I also made my first African child cry just by looking at her. I also almost kidnapped my first African child…during post visit there was the cutiest sweetest little boy that I almost took home with me! We visited a Marché where they make traditional medicine with tree branches and beans and leaves. It as so crazy to think that actual people go there and buy tree bark and boil it with water to get ride of a bacterial infection in their stomach. I also got my first spider bite and my hand swelled up a bit but everything is fine now! The other day I spent 20 minutes trying to kill a HUGE wall spider that was about the size of my hand….then I couldn’t sleep well that night because I kept dreaming the spider was going to come into my mosquito net!! (still can’t find that sucker…) It’s so weird to think whats going to become normal to me after two years.

We had another person ET (early terminate) and go home after post visit. Apparently there is a ET bingo that the current volunteers have made…I don’t think I am at the top of the list. This is our last week of classes, and we have our official last language interview on Friday so every before you go to bed on Thursday say a prayer that I get Intermediate high so I can swear in as a volunteer!!!!!! Then next week is our official last week of stage where we meet with our APCD and go over everything we’ve learned and prepare for post!! I am seriously over stage, I love my post and I can’t wait to go to my house and cook for myself and read and meet people and start working!

Also side note…I am thinking of cutting my hair short….sorta like a boy but a bit longer. I have to take bucket showers for the next two years and I figure when will there be a better time to have short hair??!?!?! It will grow out before I come back home and it will be super easy to wash and take care of! I wear it in a pony tail every day so why not cut it off! I’ll post pictures if I actually go through with it!

Today after class we are playing American football so that should be a good stress reliever…hopefully I can get some frustration out! Then my mama is going to pick up my tissue from the tailor so I’ll see what my outfits look like!

Also I have my new post address…..SO SEND ME PACKAGES THERE!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!

Veronica Swank
PCV- Corps de la Paix
BP 168
Natitingou, Benin
Afrique de l’Ouest

Hope everyone had a great Labor day weekend!