Woot!

It's official: I am a Peace Corps volunteer!

Yesterday was the swearing-in ceremony marking the end of our time as trainees and the beginning of our two-year commitment as volunteers. We went to the American ambassador's home in Dakar and listened to a few speeches, received mandates from the Senegalese government, and got our Peace Corps i.d. (Pictures of me and my friends in our fancy, matching jewel-toned African complets are up on Picasa.) After a lunch reception we headed back to Thies and then had our own little celebration at a nearby speakeasy. Dance party!

People began heading out to their sites this morning. Our installs have been staggered throughout the week according to what PC cars are available and what staff member is dropping you off. I won't leave til Wednesday with two other PCVs and the head of the small enterprise development program. We'll overnight in one of the other towns before doing my install on Thursday.

So that's it. I don't think terrified remotely expresses how I'm feeling right now. The simple thought that I have to re-pack all of my stuff and still buy new items to take to my site is intimidating beyond belief. Once I get through that, I still have no clue what I'm walking into. It feels like the first day of homestays all over again, and the first day of homestays was paralyzingly scary. (To be honest though, all the rumors I've heard about my site have been positive.) No matter how awesome my new home and town and family are, I am going to be very far away from other Americans, from the other volunteers that I’ve become good friends with. I sincerely hope PC gets its act together and negotiates this deal with Orange telecom for free texting between volunteers; otherwise I’m sure I’ll waste a good deal of my stipend texting Alyssa to bitch about, well, everything.

And really it’s also scary to know that this is it; this is the beginning – the real beginning – of what I set out to do when I left in August. Eeeps! Anyway, I’ll try to take advantage of the internet until Wednesday (since after that who knows when I’ll next be online) and keep this updated on how packing goes. Oooh, fascinating.