Hilary in Senegal.

I did it! Yesterday me and 45 other trainees became actual, real life, live in a hut on your own VOLUNTEERS! The swearing in ceremony was held at the U.S. ambassadors house in dakar. it was really nice...and it felt a lot like a graduation ceremony except the intense swearing in part. the country director, chris hedrick, along with the training staff and a couple other trainees made speeches. we were our training director's (etienne senghor) first training class so he was beaming with pride all day just like a dad on graduation day. chris said something like we are all raindrops working together to cause a flood? it was very poetic and i just butchered it, but the gist was that we are all working together for the same goals. if nothing else, the ceremony reminded me why this is so important to me and why i am here. i have already been invested in peace corps for a year (from the time i first applied), and probably now more than ever i am committed to this and i am beyond excited to get started meeting my community!

now i am in thies for the day and tomorrow we leave for our regions at 6am, which probably means 7am. (i am already getting used to senegalese time) then i will buy all my housewares and such on monday and move into my hut on tuesday! wish me luck! (pictures coming soon...)