The Peace Corps Volunteer Experience

My journey here in Senegal would not be possible without the Peace Corps program or the many wonderful people I've met and the experiences I've had along the way.

Location: 
Senegal

Photos

We took a field trip to an island famous for its role in the West African slave trade where more than a million people where transported through on their way to the Americas to work as slaves. The island is now a historic site for visitors to pay respects
We held a soccer match between counterparts and volunteers during our counterpart workshop. The local counterparts won easily before we mixed up the teams.
Each region of Senegal has a few local PC employees who are stationed to ensure the safety and well-being of volunteers. If I need to go to the hospital, or get medication or have an issue with my home, I can call the local team to come assist me.
We found out our site placements all at once on a large map of Senegal on the ground at the training center where we were led blindfolded for the big reveal.
We met for just one day in Philadelphia for a brief overview training about Peace Corps called 'staging.' We got dinner and went roller skating before flying out early the next day.
Every country that hosts a PC program has a training base. Ours was a former military base with dorms, a basketball court, gardens and many classrooms and training facilities.
At Peace Corps staging, we talked about broader concepts of the program such as cultural sensitivity and adherence to PC policies. We were required to complete some related homework online before this training as well.
The dorms at PC Senegal are simple rooms that house 2-4 each. I didn't realize what a luxury having electricity would be until I got out to my village and no longer have lights or a wall fan like I did here.

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