The Next Step...

I found out my site this past Thursday and I’m going to the Maradi region, out east and about a 12-14 hour bus ride from Niamey. My town Aguie (pronounced 'Agay') is about 90 kilometers East of Maradi city, the capital of the region. It’s a pretty big town because it’s the capital of the sub region, so there is a middle school and high school, some NGO’s have offices, and I’ll have electricity, running water, and indoor plumbing. Next week is “live-in” where all the trainees go to their actual posts and live there for a week. After that we come back for two weeks of training and then we swear in. It’s hard to believe that we will be done with training before we know it and finally become official PCVs.
I’ve grown so used to my routine during training and being around all my friends and the other PCVs that when I move to my site after swear-in, it will be a big change. I’m looking forward to the quiet time and all the reading I’ll be able to do – a nice break after these nine hectic weeks. We’re not allowed to travel outside of our region for the first three months, to ensure that we are integrating into our community. It’s crazy to think about how different daily life is here in Niger versus in America. In America, you have a schedule for you day of meetings and things to get done, so you are generally more productive. But here in Niger, with exception to our time during training, most days are very relaxed. I think this difference will be weird at first and maybe a little hard to get used to, especially the feeling of wasting time, but I have two years to get work done, so I’m in no rush. Plus, reading, relaxing, sleeping, eating, and talking to people all day does not sound like such a bad idea!
Above the daily annoyances and everything else, I still have yet to question my decision about joining the Peace Corps and coming to Niger. I just can’t wait to move to my community and my new home (my first house – whoa!!), not only to get started but to also regain that sense of independence. The possibilities that lay before me are endless and for the next two years, I hope to push myself and do things I never thought possible, I know it might sound corny but it's the truth. I hope all is well with everyone reading this back home, take care!