update

Quick update

I have moved into my training village.  My host family speaks Mandinka and that is also, what I am learning.  The language learning is going slow but I am picking it up It isn’t a mud hut technically like I thought because they add cement to the mud when making the blocks.  There is no electricity and I shower using a coffee cup and bucket.  The food is good rice, fish, and vegetables with a  sauce of sorts.

TSA didn’t actually steal anything, I searched a little harder and found them so a sigh of relief there. 

Update

Things are going good.  We have classes on language, culture and religion from 8-8 daily up at 7 for breakfast and in bed about 10ish.  We are staying at an eco tourism lodge, they have power from 6-8am and 7-11pm.  We stay there half the time and come into the city which, is an hr drive to the Peace Corps headquarters for some of the classes.  My roommates are good one is from port WA the other is from AZ. I am the only one from OR out of the 30. 

The computers are slow so pictures will be coming later.

Chicago - The Final Frontier...

I made it to Chicago on Monday night with no problems.  There is some GREAT pizza here.  My first day of orientation was today, and I'm getting more and more excited. 

The final to-do list: 1) eat more pizza before I leave, 2) get a yellow fever shot, 3) hop on a shuttle, 4) hop on a plane. 

This will be my last post for a while, but keep that snail mail comin!

So you can start practicing your Gambian for your visit - here are some common phrases

English	Mandika	Wolof
Thank you	Abaraka	Jerejef
Hello	Asalamu Alikum	A Salamu Alikum
How are you?	Heraba / I be di?	Na Nga Def?
Good Morning	Hera Laata	Jamangen Fanaan
Good Evening	I Wuraara	Jamangen Enddu
Goodbye	Fo Waati Koteng	Ci Jamma
Today	Bee	Tey
Tonight	Bii Suutoo	Ci Gudi Gii
How Much	Jelu?	Nyaatala?
What is your name?	I Ton Ndii?	Na Ka Nga Tudda?