Quick Update

I realize that I have not given a real update in a while. So I thought, before I headed back to The Niani, I would give you a little insight to what I've been doing lately.

Well I am still around, loving life her in Africa. I have been bombarded with holidays, both Senegalese and American. Tabaski just past at the beginning of November, and then Thanksgiving, and today is the Islamic New Year, then not to mention the quickly approaching Christmas and New Years. I feel like I am in chaotic spiral of running around, trying to get things done and have fun at the same time. Besides these holidays, Peace Corps is keeping me very busy with Volunteer Appreciation Day (which was yesterday) and then the upcoming  All Volunteer Conference and W.A.I.S.T. (West African International Softball Tournament); both of which are in January. I feel like my life is booked out through April which will also mark my "mid-service" which just begins to give me a panic attack. What have I been doing for the last year? Crazy to think its all going so quickly!

As for work, I am in the process of various items. Mud Stoves are still very high on the list. I will be making another one in the next couple of days called a "Rocket Stove". Hopefully this will prove to be beneficial and a good alternative model for some people. We still need to work on the marketing and pricing side of the mud stove business, but that will come a little later. Besides that, I have been trying to work on funding for the library we are trying to get built in Maleme Niani. I wrote about it in an email that went out to a lot of people, and also in my last blog post. Getting this project off the ground will open so many more doors for me and my site mate, Josh Proffitt. It is going to be a HUGE step for our community and really allow us to see actual development. It will be awesome and I am just anxious to get it going. Click here to read more about the project and if you are able to donate any amount of money, it would be greatly appreciated.

Other then those things, my region, Tambacounda, is in the process of planning a marathon. It is really exciting and coming up so quickly in March. I am training for the 1/2 marathon portion of the race. We are having a great time supporting one another and helping each other reach new goals in time and distance. Its really bringing out region together and has been a great project to work on. All the proceeds for this marathon are going to go towards girls education here in Senegal and to our organization called SeneGAD which supports female education and scholarships. Click here to see the website for the marathon.

Finally, things that are on the "To Do List" are Girls Camp planning and excecusion in April, solar power energy research and implimation at the middle school in Maleme Niani, working with Environmental Club for reforestation, creating women's garden and the list continues.

Also I have been working with various American classes with some cultural exchange and Pen Pal programs.Hello to Madame Kandell's French classes! I have LOVED talking to you all! And hello to Mrs. Earl's class! I have Flat Stanley and we are embarking on some wonderful adventures together. Pictures to come.

On that note, I know I have seriously lacked on my picture posting while here. I am very sorry and blame it 100% on the VERY slow internet I encounter while I am here. I plan on uploading ALL my pictures and videos are soon as I get to The States and have a couple of spare minutes. And that leads directly into ME COMING TO AMERICA! I leave in about two weeks and it could not come any faster. I am very excited to see my family and friends and cannot believe its coming up so fast. I know that it will fly by though. I just want to soak up every single moment with all of my wonderful friends and my incredible family. I have missed you all so much and think about you everyday.

From here, I will head back home to say hello my family and finish packing up some things from my hut. I will then return to Tambacounda, where the other volunteers and I will get ready to head up to the East boarder of Senegal to a city called Bakel. There we will be assisting in an Eye Clinic. This is a yearly event that takes place in different areas of Senegal. I will be assisting in translation. It is a week long and I have heard extremely fun! After that, I will head to Dakar and anxiously await my trip home! What an eventful couple of weeks to look forward to! I cannot wait!

Thats all for now!