Anne’s Arrival in Dakar
April 4, 2003
Anne’s arrival
Hello everyone, and greetings from Dakar. It is a beautiful warm day –perfect. I got here Saturday night after traveling for ages (including an 8 hours wait in Paris – but I couldn’t go into town since I had one of our cats with me). Everything is great. The house is spectacular – I love it – right out of a fantasy of what I always wanted. There are balconies all over and it is very light and airy. We can see the ocean and hear the waves from our bedroom. The weather is nice also. Cool (maybe 75-80) and very breezy, particularly where I live on the coast. So far I haven’t done much work – mainly just setting up an office, getting computers settled, etc. People are very nice and helpful.
There is this great woman who works here at Peace Corps, Mari, and she has been wonderful. We met many years ago in Morocco through a mutual friend. She met me at the airport at 10:00 pm Saturday and had food and goodies (a wonderful French pastry) in my house. Then she took me to lunch the next day at a lovely open restaurant next to the ocean and her colleague, the medical officer, had us over to dinner that night. This Saturday there is a big party at the American Club to celebrate Senegalese Independence Day which is on Friday. It will be my first time there. I can’t join yet since I am still only on a contract, not full time. Then Mari and I are going on an all day catamaran boat trip on Sunday, so I am having fun also.
Next Monday I present a training session on American diversity at the training site and spend a couple of days there to see how things are going.
Both my cat and I are adjusting well to all. Keep writing. Lots of love –
Anne
April 10, 2003
An update. Our computers were down for a computer update (all new equipment – yeah!) so I’ll add news since my last letter above. I have been out for several days to the training site here where there is training for new volunteers going on. I’m really impressed by both the site and the quality of the staff. A couple of days ago I taught a session and this afternoon I am going back out to do a session on Adult and Non-formal education for the staff. The food is great out there – wonderful traditional Senegalese food.
I got a call on the cell phone while in a car driving through the Senegalese countryside from the Country Director in Mauritania (Isn’t technology amazing?!). Because that country is more Arab than African, there have been a lot of anti – American and anti-war protests. Several volunteers have been harassed and others have had to leave their sites. So they are going to have a one week conference/meeting to help people de-stress, learn some coping skills, study language and cross-culture and have some fun. It is a very conservative country, so this will be a big break for everyone – staff and volunteers together. I am going to do several of my Covey 7 Habits sessions and also be the main facilitator or MC for the whole week. It should be very interesting.
Things here are very calm, protest wise. This government is very pro-West so there is no problem. I miss everyone, but am busy and happy also. Last Saturday I went with my part time gardener to buy lots of plants and flowers to plant and that was fun and the all day catamaran trip up and down the coast was wonderful.
South African (co-coded with American Airlines) has twice weekly flights from New York – so come visit!!!
Love and hugs to all – write – Senegal Anne/Anzie
