Always in the deep woods when you leave familiar ground and step off alone into a new place there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread. It is an ancient fear of the unknown and is your first bond with the wilderness you are going into. What you are doing is exploring. -- Wendell Berry

The TRIP: GUINEA - wonkifong --> MALI - bamako, djenne, douentza, Dogon Country --> Burkina Faso - ouagadougou, bobo-dioulasso, bala, ouagadougou --> GHANA - tamale, mole national park, tamale, yeji, volta lake ferry, akosombo, accra, green turtle lodge, elmina, cape coast, accra, hohoe and wli falls --> TOGO - kpalime, atakpame, lome --> BENIN - cotonu (transport stop) --> NIGER - niamey, tahoua, agadez, camel trek in aiir mtns, niamey --> BENIN (abomey, grand popo, ouidah, ganvie, cotonou) --> CAMEROON (douala, buea, top of Mt Cameroon, limbe, sangelima, yaounde, kribi, douala) --> MAURITANIA (nouakchott, atar, chinguetti, camels into the sahara, terjit, choume, ride the coal train, nouadhibou) --> MOROCCO (western sahara, dakhla, agadir, essaouira, marrakesh, imlil, summit of jebel toubkal, fes, chefchaouen) --> cross the Strait of Gibraltar --> Malaga, Spain --> fly to Geneva, Switzerland --> Les Grangettes, France
Click for a map. Updated April 30, 2007

samedi, avril 08, 2006

Official Invitation Received 4/5/2006

When I arrived home on Wednesday a large packet was waiting on my porch. My official invitation to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea. I will be in the secondary education program and my title is "Secondary Science Teacher."

Potential class size: 25 - 100 (avg around 40).
Grade Levels: 7th - 10th

In just three months I will leave Portland for orientation on the east coast. At the orientation I will join the group of Guinea volunteers. I have been told that the size of the group may range from 20 to 30 people. After two days of orientation classes, immunizations and whatever else we will leave for Guinea. Three months of cultural, language and technical training await the group in Guinea. Sometime during this training I will find out where my community for the next two years is located. The only other job related information that I have is that I will be assigned to a school in a village or small town. My school will be within walking distance of my home. Schools have large classrooms, often with open sides instead of windows. Simple desks and a blackboard will be in the classroom.

Let the countdown begin!

posted by Frank @ 3:53 PM