Quote of the
Day
“Airplane travel is nature’s way of making you look like your
passport photo”
THE STORY
Don’t trust your scales at home.
BACK UP
Today I arrived in Senegal.
Yes you read that right, this girl is on another continent so
watch out!
After officially telling the Peace Corps that I would love to
be one of 70 people to go to Senegal to be a volunteer, I got the job title of
Sustainable Agriculture Specialist. After packing all of my items into two very
large and overweight bags, we headed off to Washington D.C for a direct flight
to Senegal. As we arrived at the airport, I started to get nervous. We were the
first guests to be helped at South African Airlines to not so happy airline
members. So here I am. Strolling up with what I knew was potentially two pounds
overweight…or five pounds…. I was in denial and in my defense thought my home
scale was accurate when it said it just weighed over five pounds.
I had packed a bag so heavy that the airplane members working
the booth said that my luggage would have to be stored in cargo where the
oversize CARGO goes which would cost a whopping $200 dollars.
After hearing to total of what it potentially would cost me,
I started to scramble. I started putting all of my food in my ukulele case, my
clothes in my carry on, and anything that would be able to make it through
security on my back or in my friends bags that were there waiting for me. That is
when the stressful emotions came out. I begged the airline attendants to wave
the fee because I was a volunteer. Surprise though, they had no idea what Peace
Corps even was. After I (in the most dramatic I have ever done) explained to
them about the commitment of serving in a different country for two years and
leaving my family behind they finally understood what it was. And guess what…
They WAIVED THE FEE.
THE ARRIVAL
You know those people who look great getting off planes? The
ones that wear the nice clothes and do their makeup before landing? I am not
one of them. As we arrived in Dakar and got off the plane we walked across the tarmac
to a bus that would take us to our luggage. As we checked in with Peace Corps,
we loaded up on huge buses that would take us to the training center. And then….
The bus broke down. My theory? My bags literally broke the bus because they
were so heavy.
So yes friends and family, I pushed a bus to help get it
moving in Senegal on my first day, after the airplane ride, after crying and
being dramatic in D.C., and in a skirt that covered my knees.
ANYTHING
ELSE?
I am happy to be here. I have made some great friends and I have
survived the heat so far. Looking forward to more sun, more fun, and getting to know this beautiful
country.
Next week starts training, language learning, and then some
integration through living at a host families house for a couple of weeks!
Get
ready for this crazy ride!
