after long travels on wednesday and thursday, we're here and preparing for life in guinea! our four-day stay is at the peace corps headquarters of guinea - a very nice compound where they take good care of us. we were warmly greeted by current volunteers at the conakry airport on thursday morning and spent the day learning about what life in guinea would be like. hearing all the details makes me even more excited about what's to come.first of all, i am happy to report that all of the PCVs (peace corps volunteers) have told us, without the authorities around which makes it more believable, that they feel really safe in guinea. and they all love it. our director says that peace corps guinea is the quintessential peace corps placement, as we are all headed to huts and villages with no electricity or running water. i guess that's what everyone envisions in their minds when they think peace corps. right now, only 17% of guineans are high school educated. the literacy rate 30%. 51% of people in guinea have access to safe water. that's not running water - just safe water. but overall, the country is very peaceful and friendly according to those we've spoken with so far.
most of our trainers are guineans. i had my language test to day with an elderly guinean man who kept asking me question in french and i kept responding "i don't speak french." he just didn't believe me! finally, he got really serious and told me i was going to have to work really hard if i was going to make it. luckily, there are a few others in the same boat as me. one of the other trainers lived in brighton for a while he did his master's at BU. we joked about the B line. from what i understand, in guinea, time has new meaning - many things are slow, late, delayed - but even he thought the B line was outrageous.
today we got a lot of medical info - learned about how to prepare our water, received a big case of "stuff" to take with us to site. we also had a guinean band come to the rooftop of our house and perform during lunch. lots of awkward american dancing. real awkward. but the band was great - they sang in french and a local language. lots of drums.
this evening i played volleyball on the beach with some locals. did i mention the peace corps house is on the beach? the photo up top is tonight's sunset. amazing, huh? okay, i'll be honest here. the beach here reminds me a lot of revere beach. it is the ocean, it is a beach, i like it - yet you can't swim in it, and it is filled with garbage. they've cleaned up revere a bit - but this beach is trashed. from what i understand, you really can't swim anywhere off the coast of guinea except for some islands off of the coast. oh well...it is still the beach!
on monday we will have our adoption ceremony where we meet our host families and move out of the peace corps house and into their homes for 11 weeks. no internet there, but we'll be in the capital now and then - and hopefully i can give you an update on things. i hope i'll say things like "i leaned how to wash my clothes" and "i learned how to say circle, square, and count to 100." who am i kidding - 100 - i need to know a lot more numbers than that. also, by the next time i write, i'll know what region i'll be in for my placement. each of the current volunteers loves their region, so i guess all are fine. there is a region along the coast. that would be nice.
i'll leave you with a photo of a couple of new friends, larc and ashley, and i - just to prove i'm here :) we really don't get out much to meet people from guinea (lots of meetings all day) - so i hope i have stories of some new guinean friends by my next entry.
Woo hoo! I was so excited to see an update from Guinea. Thanks for keeping us posted! Your host family is going to LOVE you as much as we all do! And don't lose any sleep over the language issue; you're a quick study. Besides, you'll find yourself in some funny situations in the meantime. And that's what it's all about right? The journey, not the destination?
ReplyDeleteJe t'embrasse! Gros bisous! Je t'aime!
un, deux, trois
ReplyDeleteyup...lots of numbers to learn
holding you in my heart...hope your new family is wonderful. D
What a beautiful view to settle into each evening! You sound so excited with all your new challenges, you'll do great! and what a small world..a new friend there from Brighton.
ReplyDeleteA hut in the village...what an interesting adventure. Wish I was there for that experience.
Good luck on your French.
I love your beautiful picture!
Clean that h2o!!
I love you*
momma
Heya!! What are the odds that you get put on a beach?? Wait a minute, it's Emily Samek--of course there will be a beach nearby! :) Glad to hear you're having fun and meeting loads of new people. Keep sending pictures whenever you can. I'll send pictures of my new closet design. . . you know, just to keep the "awesome picture" ratio in check :)
ReplyDeleteCA
Emily, first off you're amazing, you're updates have been fun and inspiring, the photos have been great, i especially like the one in you're "about me". looking forward to more, have fun, be safe cuz.
ReplyDelete"i like it - yet you can't swim in it, and it is filled with garbage. they've cleaned up revere a bit - but this beach is trashed."
ReplyDeletehmm... sounds like Edgewater Park. Are there perch in there?
Cleveland and I miss you :)
Hi Ms. Samek! I love reading all of your updates and I'm glad you made it to Guinea safe and sound. It sounds so beautiful there, but so challenging at the same time. I feel so blessed to know you and I can't wait to read more of what is to come. <3 Tully
ReplyDeleteFirst 2 hurdles down - Philly and a safe arrival. Pretty picture. Glad the lantern made the weight cut. (Did you have to pay extra or dump anything?) From your previous post about seeing old friends and family friends - I hope I'm in the latter:)It was wonderful to see you, and I promise to be a true and faithful bloggee. Sudsy and I are praying for you, and your family, too. Take good care of yourself, and put the peace in peace corps!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that we got to hang out before you left. You are an awesome person doing great things for the people of guinea! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteRandy
p.s. I hope you got to bring some high quality graph paper with you.
"Heeyy" Mother Shamek! I'm happy to hear you made it safe. It sounds like you had a good welcoming and a good first impression. It looks so pretty over there. Good luck with the French. I know you will catch on quickly. Best of luck with everything and know that you're in my prayers. Be safe and have fun!
ReplyDeleteYour Daughter,
Smarthine
Emily Samek! I can't wait to hear more about your trip! Glad you made it safely, homeskillet. And your page rocks my face by the way. You seen my page?
ReplyDeleteleatoto.blogspot.com
You might find some similarities. Great minds think alike, I guess. :) Take care, my friend.
Emily,
ReplyDeleteYou write so beautifully!
You will need to write a book when you return.
You are always in my thoughts and prayers - especially as I read "Three Cups of Tea".
I check your blog nearly every day - even though I know you can't get to it often. I can't wait for your next entry. You're amazing - and so are your new friends - extend my prayers to them! God bless all of you as you bless the children of Guinea. De
Hi Emily, thanks for the wedding gift! We had a wonderful time at the wedding and on the cruise. You sound like you are having a wonderful adventure and it is just the beginning! It will be fun to hear more about your stories. No clean water reminds me a lot of living on the reservation in NM. So I know how that goes. Good luck with learning french and have fun! Oh I like the refernce to revere beach! My mom grew up there. It was not clean then either. But Duxbury beach is a whole nother story! It is great!
ReplyDeleteWe'll be thinking about you.
Janice and Billy
GOOD LUCK MS SAMEK!
ReplyDeleteYou were always a huge inspiration for me in the 4 years you taught me, and continue to be a great inspiration on me.
God Bless!