Sunday, January 20, 2008

Getting Ready...

Hello and I hope your New Years has started off well. I've been busy trying to get things ready around my home. You may be asking "Ready? Ready for what?"

I mentioned way back when I started this blog I was in the Peace Corp (Niger, West Africa) and had to return due to an injury. I'm now getting geared up to reapply. I'm 98% recovered from my knee surgery and I'm pretty certain I'll be ready to reapply for the Peace Corp in March. I'll be seeing my Orthopeadic Surgeon next month and he'll need to release me before I can return.

It's a pretty big ordeal to prepare for the Peace Corp. Your away for 27 months, which means you need to make sure your home, finances and pets are all in order...and I've added one more thing I want to make sure is in order before I leave....I'm teaching myself French. Most of the places the Peace Corp send Peace Corp Volunteers are French speaking, so I decided to try to make it easier on myself and try to learn the language before I leave. At this point if some said to me "Parlez-vous francais?" I could respond "Un peu." In other words "Do you speak French?" " A little."

I'm coming along pretty good. I have quite a few resources...A Learn to Speak French CD-ROM, French for Dummies with audio CD, French in 10 Minutes a Day workbook, and of course internet sources/websites. I've been able to study daily...for the most part. It's coming along. Though I do see one part making it a little difficult to learn French; I dont have a French speaking partner to bounce my new language off of. In Niger, I was learning Zarma at a pretty quick pace and I realized it probably was due to being immersed in the language, living it.

So, I'm doing what I can. When I go through the self-serve checkout's I select French as the language. Whatever I can do to "hear" the language. If your reading this blog and you have any suggestions, I would appreciate an email.

As I'm preparing and going through the application process, I'll be blogging. I hope you find my future entries both interesting and informative. Take care and God bless...

Sunday, January 6, 2008

New Years Resolution

Happy New Years!!!! The time is here...the time to evaluate what we've done in 2007 (or haven't done) and what we would like to change in 2008. Weight loss (or healthy living in general) and financial stability are the most common New Years resolutions we hear of, but how about adding community/global involvement?

I mentioned in the last blog about a Peace Corp Volunteer needing donations for a millet grinder. And, as of December 30th Brittany received the word from Washington DC the money was successfully raised for a much needed millet grinder in her village. For those of you that read my blog and contributed a huge THANK YOU!!! The millet grinder is providing her village a means to supply food without interfering with girls education. KUDOS! Another Peace Corp Volunteer, Lulu, is also in need of the same item...a millet grinder for her village. For more information click on the right "Lulu's Blog."

For those of you looking to contribute in a unique project check out Brittany's blog. She has an awesome idea to start an art class for the kids in her village. This gives the kids another means to make money and also, in essence, learn a "trade." Brittany is asking for people to donate items such as film cameras, film, money for film developing and so on. Click on "Brittany's blog" to read more.

The Peace Corp not only gives an INDIVIDUAL a means to contribute to worldwide causes but it gives our citizens a look at global issues in a way without some basis that the media can provide. Peace Corp Volunteers are in a foreign land using their college degree and/or training, evaluating their regions needs, and finding a means to meet those needs. Their "evaluations" are based on THEIR personal experiences and are without issues that can "muddy" interpretation such as donor responsibilities and preconceived ideals of how the areas should be.

Take care...May God bless you in the New Year...