Yes.............there is internet in the middle of nowhere in the desert. Al and I had a long, but relatively painless ride up here and it was kindof cool seeing the trees and rocks just evaporate into thin air. One ridge we passed and there you go, all desert. We will stay here for another day seeing the city and then most likely go out into the desert for an overnight camel ride, yes dad, making it over the hump. That might be your worst joke yet. Alrighty, my love to all. Becca...

Just in transit. Will stay with a friend near Kandi tonight and then it is off to Dosso, Abbys village, hopefully Als village and then riding camels in the Sahel. Bye bye

Another month has slowly flown passed. I find myself in a series of phases. This month it was reading and thus my house it a little dirtier, because last month I was in a cleaning phase. Our second set of tests for the year is next week, so I will be observing tests, then grading, and finally calculating the semester grades. All by hand.......yippee. Teaching is definately easier this year. Lesson plans do not take me as long, but I sometimes wonder if this is because I have become la...

I have oficially set a new record for meetings in one weekend. I think there were six in one day. Of all the days of boredom pleasantly spent in my hammock reading, it is quite a shock to be thrust into such a crazy environment. I think this is my new goal, somehow find this happy medium between not getting stressed out, be relaxed, but yet getting a lot done. I have seen people do such things, so I know that it is possible. Tests for the end of the semester are in two weeks. Then, I ...

The holidays are over and sadly, so is my vacation with my family. The boys are back safely and I am headed up North again to start the second quarter of school. A week late, but I am sure they understand. Let me fill you in on our trip. December 26th-27th Boys got in incredibly tired. Mike had to check his bag in order to provide lighting for the entire trip, feel free to ask him, thus his bag took a little longer. I kept on jumping off my tippy toes to catch sight of them. I...

Hello Hello!!!! School is out and thus I am here in Parakou finishing some grant work. School went by so quickly and I in general it was so much easier this year correcting the exam papers and preparing the students for the tests, etc. However, at the same time, sometimes I feel like I am cheating the students because this uear I have not spent as much time preparing lessons. More time has been spent doing secondary projects. It seems like I have continuously had something goin...

Well..... I am full beyound belief. I had three pieces of pumpkin pie and all the stuffing I could ever want with really really good mashed potatoes. It does not get any easier having holidays away from friends and family, but we made our own little party here in Nattitingou. There were 19 of us all eating together and although a turkey was not found, three pheasants did the trick. Things went well at post this last two weeks. The traveling sensabilization for Female Empowerment Vic...

So, I have been an elusive PCV the last three months, but never fear…I have the longest update in the history of updates coming and I guess I will try and do it around Chronological Order. End of vacation – Last week of September Mali was just too amazingly beautiful to comprehend. The roads were not paved and the taxis very run down so the traveling was slow and painful. It is funny how much seven to eight hours in a car squished to the brim doesn’t even effect me anymore. However...

GO WHITE SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why do they finally have a winning team when I leave. I guess I am the Chicago curse, forget the Billy Goat! Things are well here. School has started. Construction too! My teacher training formation went as good as it could have. Yep, nothing could be better, well except that it could be snowing outside and I could be eating a Mig Mac and fries, but look at everything I would have to give up!

HAPPY WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippeee Heidi and Matt are getting married in Indiana as we speak and please everyone think of them on this special day. As for me, I am just passing through, but have not fotgot about Mali. Update to come! I am busy with school starting, my English Teacher formation is this upcoming week, and Construction is about to be underway! Love you all!!!

Hello again. Your favorite PCV is back in Benin. My three week vacation was good, a little long, but on the whole a very enjoyable trip. I now have visited five countries other than Benin. My passport is almost full and I consider that an accomplishment. In general, I found it so interesting how each country had its own little nuances; own quarks, own hassles, and own charm. However, there was something still connecting each place. I still cannot put my finger on what exactly that coul...

Vacation is underway! Al and Abby are great and Niamey is hot and sandy, but a lot of fun. It has just been good to chill with good people, exactly what vacation is for I supose. Alrighty, I will be here till Friday morning and then it is on to Burkina Faso.

Well.....as everyone state side is going back to school, I am celebrating Labor Week by heading out on a three week vacation. School does not begin officially till the 3rd of October and my classes will not start till the 17th, so I am excited to get away. I leave tomorrow first for a week in Niger. Abby and Allison, two of my freinds from DPU are PCVs there and I am excited with the opportunity of seeing them! Then, on to Burkina Faso for some chill time in the capital. The last leg w...

Well... I only have two stomach parasites at my mid-service check-in. I consider that a major accomplishment. Officially my weight is 162 down from 204. My teeth have been cleaned and my eyes checked. So, a toast to my good health is perhaps in order. I have been comming and going from village. After the tragic accident, things were very normal. The parents of the girls I took seemed almost to be apologizing more to me for my loss. SDeath here is just taken in a completely diff...

I am about to write terrible news. The last day of our camp, three volunteers and ten adult women took our 34 girls to a local waterfall. Later that day only 32 girls came back as we lost two to a freak drowning accident. Thankfully, all of my girls arrived back safely. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, I was not there to do somthing, anything to help. The last few days have been playing the What If game. One of the girls who died - Aimee was from Djo...