Well, I have completed all 8 units of Rosetta Stone French 1, Listening & Reading, exercise 1.
There are 4 exercises in listening & reading alone. Now I am going back to unit 1 and am going to do exercise 1 of just listening for all 8 units. I don't really need to know how to read and write French as much as I will need to know how to speak and listen. So from now on I am going to concentrate on the speaking and listening exercises, and not reading and writing.
Learning a whole new language isn't easy. I always get tricked into thinking it's easy because at first it is, and then it gets friggin complicated.
But I know a lot of nouns, verbs and question words now (or at least I can read them), so now it's a matter of being able to understand when it's spoken to me.
I really want to get as good at French as I can before I go so that I can concentrate on learning my local language and not French when I get there.
Alright listening-only exercises, here I come!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Additional Experience
So I have signed up for five cleanup opportunities (2 @ Franklin Canyon, and then some others I have never done before) between now and October 18. I skip Sat. Sept. 13 because that is the day we shoot the Emmys.
What I worry about is that most of this stuff is on the west side, even as far as Playa del Rey and Santa Monica...I just don't know how well my car will respond to taking such long trips (relative to how much I normally drive) each week. Old Red isn't in the best condition. But we'll see.
The first one is next Saturday and it's planting and maintaining a garden used for horticulture therapy with kids. I'm excited!
What I worry about is that most of this stuff is on the west side, even as far as Playa del Rey and Santa Monica...I just don't know how well my car will respond to taking such long trips (relative to how much I normally drive) each week. Old Red isn't in the best condition. But we'll see.
The first one is next Saturday and it's planting and maintaining a garden used for horticulture therapy with kids. I'm excited!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Finally Spoke to my PO
Finally got to have a conversation with my PO today! She asked me a couple of questions about my Ag experience and then told me that my application did not reflect my actual experience. Guess I was too modest?? She had no idea how extensive my organic gardening experience is and was under the impression that I had been nominated just based on my park cleanups.
She said I was right and my nominated program (Niger, Oct. 7) has been filled. I also found out today that my friend Santiago was, in fact, invited to Niger and accepted. My PO said she would try to get me into a program leaving in December. But she said it was a SUPER small Ag class, like, TINY, so there will be a lot of competition for very few slots. She said it was still Francophone Africa so to keep up with my French. But since the class is so small, I wonder if I can still keep it narrowed down to Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal or if it brings whole new countries into the mix. I already know Guinea is leaving Dec. 1, and they evidently have some AgroForestry volunteers, so who knows.
If she can't get me into that program, she said she'd contact me and we'd look at programs leaving February and later. I told her I really have my heart set on doing Ag and I really wanted to find something in that sector. Then I told her about the Moringa tree.
She said that I should go back to doing my park cleanups with LA Works and keep going to community gardens, maybe even find a Moringa tree plantation to volunteer at. She said to keep her updated via email once I put in a few hours and describe the kind of work I was doing.
In other news, Santiago and I are going to meet for eats at the Pan-African restaurant on Wilshire, called Ngoma. We are going to practice French, drink African beer, and cry over not being invited to the same program.
She said I was right and my nominated program (Niger, Oct. 7) has been filled. I also found out today that my friend Santiago was, in fact, invited to Niger and accepted. My PO said she would try to get me into a program leaving in December. But she said it was a SUPER small Ag class, like, TINY, so there will be a lot of competition for very few slots. She said it was still Francophone Africa so to keep up with my French. But since the class is so small, I wonder if I can still keep it narrowed down to Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal or if it brings whole new countries into the mix. I already know Guinea is leaving Dec. 1, and they evidently have some AgroForestry volunteers, so who knows.
If she can't get me into that program, she said she'd contact me and we'd look at programs leaving February and later. I told her I really have my heart set on doing Ag and I really wanted to find something in that sector. Then I told her about the Moringa tree.
She said that I should go back to doing my park cleanups with LA Works and keep going to community gardens, maybe even find a Moringa tree plantation to volunteer at. She said to keep her updated via email once I put in a few hours and describe the kind of work I was doing.
In other news, Santiago and I are going to meet for eats at the Pan-African restaurant on Wilshire, called Ngoma. We are going to practice French, drink African beer, and cry over not being invited to the same program.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Progress with the PO
Ok, so I just talked with the placement office. The asst. PO that answered was nice, but didn't seem to know if my toolkit would ever revert back to its state before the Administrative Error or not, but that I should be fine because everyone in their office is aware of the issue.
Then I asked if my PO was available. She said she was, but was there something she could help me with, which is what they are trained to ask when you ask for your PO. I told her the truth: that I had the inkling that I had been nominated to the Niger Oct. 7 program and that yesterday was the six-week-mark, so that ship had sailed and I wanted to ask my PO what things I could do to strengthen my file to encourage her to invite me in the future. The APO put me on hold for a minute, and then came back and said she would transfer me to my POs voicemail, gave me her direct extension (!!!), and said she would personally tell my PO that I called. So this APO is on my side!
I think PC really likes it when you show initiative and motivation and show you are willing to work hard to be invited. And I am definitely willing to do what it takes to be a strong candidate. If it means volunteering every weekend, working out to bring down my BMI, tackling Rosetta Stone for hours on end and taking a class on trees, then I will do that. I just need her to tell me what she wants.
Then I asked if my PO was available. She said she was, but was there something she could help me with, which is what they are trained to ask when you ask for your PO. I told her the truth: that I had the inkling that I had been nominated to the Niger Oct. 7 program and that yesterday was the six-week-mark, so that ship had sailed and I wanted to ask my PO what things I could do to strengthen my file to encourage her to invite me in the future. The APO put me on hold for a minute, and then came back and said she would transfer me to my POs voicemail, gave me her direct extension (!!!), and said she would personally tell my PO that I called. So this APO is on my side!
I think PC really likes it when you show initiative and motivation and show you are willing to work hard to be invited. And I am definitely willing to do what it takes to be a strong candidate. If it means volunteering every weekend, working out to bring down my BMI, tackling Rosetta Stone for hours on end and taking a class on trees, then I will do that. I just need her to tell me what she wants.
Well, the Niger Ship Has Sailed
No invite. So not going to Niger Oct. 7. Don't have any idea what program I'll be waiting for next. I am going to call my PO today and get a bead on my situation and ask her what things I should do to strengthen my file and encourage her to invite me to the next round.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Heart Attacks, seriously.
So when I woke up this morning I had the 'toolkit updated' email and went to my toolkit and read the words, "you have been invited!!" I foolishly assumed it was my invite to Niger. Then I looked more closely. It said my invite was for Burkina Faso. And then it dawned on me - this is the glitch the PO emailed me about yesterday!
I'm not really invited. This is the Administrative Error. All I can hope for is that magically it all changes to Niger come Monday or Tuesday.
Why must Peace Corps toy with my emotions?
And I got so excited...
I'm not really invited. This is the Administrative Error. All I can hope for is that magically it all changes to Niger come Monday or Tuesday.
Why must Peace Corps toy with my emotions?
And I got so excited...
Friday, August 22, 2008
2 more business days til no Niger for me...
Well, my PO went home for the day a couple hours ago, and no invite for me. I have heard of people receiving invite notification on their toolkits on Saturdays, but I am just not optimistic. I think I am going to call her on Monday and just try to get her to be straight with me and lay it out.
Can't handle the roller coaster!!
Many people on the message boards received invites today - Burkina Faso and Thailand and such...
I guess the only thing keeping me semi-optimistic is that I only know of 5 people who have been invited to the program, and in the end there will probably be, like, 30. If there were a slew of people with invites to Niger, I would be less optimistic. But there aren't. There are only 5. That we know of.
Can't handle the roller coaster!!
Many people on the message boards received invites today - Burkina Faso and Thailand and such...
I guess the only thing keeping me semi-optimistic is that I only know of 5 people who have been invited to the program, and in the end there will probably be, like, 30. If there were a slew of people with invites to Niger, I would be less optimistic. But there aren't. There are only 5. That we know of.
POs Giving Me Heart Attacks!
I just got an email from Peace Corps, and almost had a heart attack trying to read all the words at once:
Hi Dorian,
Greetings from the Peace Corps! My name is [name removed] and I am a placement officer on the Africa team. I’m writing to alert you that you might be receiving a confusing status update from your My Toolkit account online. I made an administrative error while updating our database, and inadvertently inputted some information in your record that was intended for another applicant with a very similar name. The error has been rectified, but you will likely be receiving a prompt stating that you declined an invitation to serve in Burkina Faso. Please just disregard the prompt, as it was intended for another candidate.
Your placement officer, [name removed], is aware of my error, and is also cc’ed on this email. Your application is currently under review with [name removed].
My apologies again for the confusion, and please do feel free to contact me if you need further clarification.
Best, [name removed]
So basically it means nothing...except that I know who my placement officer is and she is looking at my file!!! WOOT! I can't sleep at night the closer and closer we get to Tuesday, which is the day I will know if I'm going or not.
I am going to email them both back and say thank you and that I look forward to hearing from my PO SOON!!!
Hi Dorian,
Greetings from the Peace Corps! My name is [name removed] and I am a placement officer on the Africa team. I’m writing to alert you that you might be receiving a confusing status update from your My Toolkit account online. I made an administrative error while updating our database, and inadvertently inputted some information in your record that was intended for another applicant with a very similar name. The error has been rectified, but you will likely be receiving a prompt stating that you declined an invitation to serve in Burkina Faso. Please just disregard the prompt, as it was intended for another candidate.
Your placement officer, [name removed], is aware of my error, and is also cc’ed on this email. Your application is currently under review with [name removed].
My apologies again for the confusion, and please do feel free to contact me if you need further clarification.
Best, [name removed]
So basically it means nothing...except that I know who my placement officer is and she is looking at my file!!! WOOT! I can't sleep at night the closer and closer we get to Tuesday, which is the day I will know if I'm going or not.
I am going to email them both back and say thank you and that I look forward to hearing from my PO SOON!!!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Deferred Departures
There is a bruhaha on the message boards. Apparently PC sent out a slew of emails telling a bunch of SS Africa September nominees that their departure has been deferred - most likely to next year!! Luckily none of them were Ag programs...I think the Ag program is safe...and hopefully not full. There are only 4 members of the October Niger Ag program on the Facebook page, so hopefully there are still plenty of slots open!
My recruiter told me during my interview that PC is really hard up for people with any kind of gardening experience, so hopefully this means my program is not too competitive!
Here's hoping!!
My recruiter told me during my interview that PC is really hard up for people with any kind of gardening experience, so hopefully this means my program is not too competitive!
Here's hoping!!
Cool Backpack/Luggage Musings
I think that this is the backpack I'm going to get for Peace Corps. It's not too big, not too small, and I like that it has the removable daypack, which would mean that I wouldn't have to bring another small backpack, cuz it's two-in-one! I would still need to get a waist pack of some kind for long bike rides.
I read in the blogs that bush taxis will charge you more if you have a really big backpack, which turned me off from the idea of getting one of those huge backpacking packs. This pack is just a couple of inches bigger than the guidelines for carry-ons on airplanes, but I think I will try to take it as my carry-on anyway...put the main part in the overhead and take off the day pack with just stuff for the ride. Then I could still check two bags. I still have yet to decide which bags I want to bring and check.
I've heard mixed stories about luggage...some people say PC helps you with it until you get to site, so it's no big deal if you can't manage it all on your own. Others say they struggled greatly getting all their stuff from one place to another. Some say pack light, some say bring stuff and ignore the weight rule (i.e. bring the 100 lbs. allowed by the airline and forget the 80 lb. Peace Corps rule).
I'm thinking one of my checked bags will be my big, red, Samsonite (I think?) rolling duffel bag...so even if the rolling part is useless (i.e. walking thru sand), it could still get thrown over my shoulder as a duffel. Then the question is what to bring as the last bag??? Maybe I'll make it a real small one and put all the heavy stuff in it (all the liquids and toiletries you have to check anyway). Maybe two duffels and the aforementioned backpack...dude...I could fit A LOT of stuff in all that!
Also I am still SUPER stoked about the Macabi skirt. They have yet to get back to me about a PC discount (I read somewhere that since she is an RPCV she sells them to FPCVs at cost). EDIT: They left a comment on my last entry about the skirt! They do give a pro discount to PCVs, so as soon as I am invited you better believe this will be my first purchase!
I read in the blogs that bush taxis will charge you more if you have a really big backpack, which turned me off from the idea of getting one of those huge backpacking packs. This pack is just a couple of inches bigger than the guidelines for carry-ons on airplanes, but I think I will try to take it as my carry-on anyway...put the main part in the overhead and take off the day pack with just stuff for the ride. Then I could still check two bags. I still have yet to decide which bags I want to bring and check.
I've heard mixed stories about luggage...some people say PC helps you with it until you get to site, so it's no big deal if you can't manage it all on your own. Others say they struggled greatly getting all their stuff from one place to another. Some say pack light, some say bring stuff and ignore the weight rule (i.e. bring the 100 lbs. allowed by the airline and forget the 80 lb. Peace Corps rule).
I'm thinking one of my checked bags will be my big, red, Samsonite (I think?) rolling duffel bag...so even if the rolling part is useless (i.e. walking thru sand), it could still get thrown over my shoulder as a duffel. Then the question is what to bring as the last bag??? Maybe I'll make it a real small one and put all the heavy stuff in it (all the liquids and toiletries you have to check anyway). Maybe two duffels and the aforementioned backpack...dude...I could fit A LOT of stuff in all that!
Also I am still SUPER stoked about the Macabi skirt. They have yet to get back to me about a PC discount (I read somewhere that since she is an RPCV she sells them to FPCVs at cost). EDIT: They left a comment on my last entry about the skirt! They do give a pro discount to PCVs, so as soon as I am invited you better believe this will be my first purchase!
Proof you should never stop reading blogs and message boards
Today I was reading a message board and someone had mentioned the Macabi skirt, which I guess was designed by a Peace Corps volunteer and she will sell them to you at cost: www.macabiskirt.com.
Dude...this is the best skirt EVER! I am in no stretch of the imagination pro-skirt, but dude...I want to get at least 3 of these before I go. 3 would be ideal. And the link with my mom in case I need a new one...amazing!! I want it!!! (in charcoal)
Proof you should never stop scouring the internet about Peace Corps stuff...no matter how many times you encounter the same old questions and packing lists over and over...a gem like this is waiting for you at the next click of your mouse!
Dude...this is the best skirt EVER! I am in no stretch of the imagination pro-skirt, but dude...I want to get at least 3 of these before I go. 3 would be ideal. And the link with my mom in case I need a new one...amazing!! I want it!!! (in charcoal)
Proof you should never stop scouring the internet about Peace Corps stuff...no matter how many times you encounter the same old questions and packing lists over and over...a gem like this is waiting for you at the next click of your mouse!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Is it Aug. 26 yet?
Dude I want it to be a week from now already so I will know if I am going to Niger October 7!!
I'm getting very restless! Very restless!! Very excited! Very ready! Very very wanting to know my near future!
I need to go through and refine/compile the lists I have made of tips and items I found while reading blogs, Facebook and the peacecorps2 yahoo group...what great resources for nervous FPCVs!
I'm ready to start packing. Let's do this!!
I'm getting very restless! Very restless!! Very excited! Very ready! Very very wanting to know my near future!
I need to go through and refine/compile the lists I have made of tips and items I found while reading blogs, Facebook and the peacecorps2 yahoo group...what great resources for nervous FPCVs!
I'm ready to start packing. Let's do this!!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Invitation Update
According to Jenna on the FPCV Facebook, PC has a strict policy of inviting no less than six weeks before departure. Niger Ag is leaving October 7, 2008. Which means they would have to tell me by next Tuesday, the 26th, if I am going! Also apparently it is not uncommon to never hear from your PO...I guess if they don't need anything from you, they don't necessarily talk to you!
So here's fingers crossed for an invite in the next 9 days!
So here's fingers crossed for an invite in the next 9 days!
Best. Discovery. EVER!
Dude...sour cream is my FAVORITE condiment...I <3 it! If this powder is for real...and I could have some semblance of a sour cream in Africa...all will be right with the world!! Also, this site: www.barryfarm.com has powdered cheese sauce and stuff (like from Kraft Mac & Cheese) and all kinds of powdered and dehydrated stuff that would be excellent for care packages!
Another good one for foodstuffs is http://www.harmonyhousefoods.com/. They have faux-meat and dehydrated vegetables and soups and stuff like that...
I hope my family sends me some of this stuff regularly!! I also plan to bring a couple of Tupperwares full of some of this stuff...especially stuff like the cheese sauce, which could be a great alternative to millet and "snot sauce" as many PCVs refer to the common okra-and-millet/sorghum dish.
UPDATE: I just ordered this from Harmony House.
Also I ordered from Barry Farms: the sour cream, dried refried pinto beans, dehydrated red & green bell peppers, dehydrated shiitake mushrooms, and the dehydrated vegetable soup blend.
I figure, once I get through all of that I'll have a good idea of what is good and what isn't!
Another good one for foodstuffs is http://www.harmonyhousefoods.com/. They have faux-meat and dehydrated vegetables and soups and stuff like that...
I hope my family sends me some of this stuff regularly!! I also plan to bring a couple of Tupperwares full of some of this stuff...especially stuff like the cheese sauce, which could be a great alternative to millet and "snot sauce" as many PCVs refer to the common okra-and-millet/sorghum dish.
UPDATE: I just ordered this from Harmony House.
Also I ordered from Barry Farms: the sour cream, dried refried pinto beans, dehydrated red & green bell peppers, dehydrated shiitake mushrooms, and the dehydrated vegetable soup blend.
I figure, once I get through all of that I'll have a good idea of what is good and what isn't!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
News from the PO
Well, today I called the Placement Office to get a bead on the situation. I think I have been assigned a placement officer named Josh, though I have never spoken to him. The woman who answered the phone said that if he were waiting for any forms from me, he would have contacted me, so hopefully I am all good. She also said that my program is still leaving at the beginning of October (beginning...eek!!) and that it didn't look like it was full yet. She said I should be getting my invitation, if I am going to be invited to that program, by the end of the month. It is already the 13th, so basically I should be getting it in the next 2 weeks if that is going to be my assignment.
This morning I spent a half hour or so talking to Ahmed, who is our night security officer at the building I work in. He is from Togo, the capital...I dunno what the capital is, but that's the city he's from. His dad owns a trucking company that has about 15 trucks that go all over West Africa. He said if I do go to Africa and am going to travel in Togo, I should contact him and he will have his brothers or cousins show me and my PCV friends around. That would be cool!! They'd know all the best stuff! He came to the US for school, but we didn't get into what he is studying or where. He said he learned English in Niger. He said I will really like Africa, that it's great there. He also said that he likes the food at Ngoma, which is a Pan-African restaurant on Wilshire, but that the food in-country is even BETTER....that's good, because I liked Ngoma! I want to go again.
So already one African person likes me! He said I will do really well there because the people are friendly and so am I. He also said Niger is HOT! But I knew that... He knows 4 or 5 languages including English and French, he seemed to enjoy that I knew there would be many languages to learn, as most people are shocked he knows so many. All-in-all a fun conversation, and reassuring, as he didn't seem worried at all about me going or being unsafe.
This morning I spent a half hour or so talking to Ahmed, who is our night security officer at the building I work in. He is from Togo, the capital...I dunno what the capital is, but that's the city he's from. His dad owns a trucking company that has about 15 trucks that go all over West Africa. He said if I do go to Africa and am going to travel in Togo, I should contact him and he will have his brothers or cousins show me and my PCV friends around. That would be cool!! They'd know all the best stuff! He came to the US for school, but we didn't get into what he is studying or where. He said he learned English in Niger. He said I will really like Africa, that it's great there. He also said that he likes the food at Ngoma, which is a Pan-African restaurant on Wilshire, but that the food in-country is even BETTER....that's good, because I liked Ngoma! I want to go again.
So already one African person likes me! He said I will do really well there because the people are friendly and so am I. He also said Niger is HOT! But I knew that... He knows 4 or 5 languages including English and French, he seemed to enjoy that I knew there would be many languages to learn, as most people are shocked he knows so many. All-in-all a fun conversation, and reassuring, as he didn't seem worried at all about me going or being unsafe.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Invitation!?
Yesterday when I went to check my mail, there was a Peace Corps envelope in it and I nearly had a heart attack. The fleeting thought that the envelope was too small to be my invitation didn't stop me from ripping it open and finding...my letter of dental clearance. Haha.
Today I came to realize that you have to have an interview with your placement officer before you will be invited. I have never heard from the placement office and don't even know if I've been assigned an officer yet. According to the future PCV Facebook group, even September Africa nominees haven't heard anything yet. I also read that certain programs like TEFL and Community Development are being suspended until PC can figure out their budget problems in the face of skyrocketing gas prices and the weakened dollar. Luckily I am an Agricultural nominee, and this is a program PC cannot sacrifice (after all, we are the ones helping to feed villages).
I was expecting to get my invitation by the end of the month. Now I'm thinking it might be well into September before I hear anything. Monday I may call the placement office and see if I've even been assigned a PO yet. They might be waiting for forms from me and I don't know it.
Today I came to realize that you have to have an interview with your placement officer before you will be invited. I have never heard from the placement office and don't even know if I've been assigned an officer yet. According to the future PCV Facebook group, even September Africa nominees haven't heard anything yet. I also read that certain programs like TEFL and Community Development are being suspended until PC can figure out their budget problems in the face of skyrocketing gas prices and the weakened dollar. Luckily I am an Agricultural nominee, and this is a program PC cannot sacrifice (after all, we are the ones helping to feed villages).
I was expecting to get my invitation by the end of the month. Now I'm thinking it might be well into September before I hear anything. Monday I may call the placement office and see if I've even been assigned a PO yet. They might be waiting for forms from me and I don't know it.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
It Looks Like Niger
Well, I saw on the Niger Facebook page that a girl has been invited for Agriculture in October in Niger.
...So it looks like Niger, folks. Unless one of the other three also has a group leaving at the same time for the same assignment.
So of course I have been scouring the Niger blogs. There aren't as many/as detailed/as recent as there are from the other countries. I think this is because you can only get internet in Niamey, not in all regional capitals, as is the case in some other countries.
But I did find a pretty good photo page with captions, a blog from a current PCV whose parents transcribe her letters home to the blog, and this one: http://meandmyswissarmyknife.blogspot.com/
I'm still in her 2007 posts...I don't know if she's still there or has come home yet, but she seems to make it to Niamey fairly regularly to post really long, detailed entries.
Even more interesting, I know an RPCV who served in Niger in the 90's. I've been meaning to talk with her more, but didn't quite know what to ask. I kind of want to figure out what country it will be for sure before I really talk with her.
I should get my invitation in the next 2-4 weeks. Nerve wracking.
...So it looks like Niger, folks. Unless one of the other three also has a group leaving at the same time for the same assignment.
So of course I have been scouring the Niger blogs. There aren't as many/as detailed/as recent as there are from the other countries. I think this is because you can only get internet in Niamey, not in all regional capitals, as is the case in some other countries.
But I did find a pretty good photo page with captions, a blog from a current PCV whose parents transcribe her letters home to the blog, and this one: http://meandmyswissarmyknife.blogspot.com/
I'm still in her 2007 posts...I don't know if she's still there or has come home yet, but she seems to make it to Niamey fairly regularly to post really long, detailed entries.
Even more interesting, I know an RPCV who served in Niger in the 90's. I've been meaning to talk with her more, but didn't quite know what to ask. I kind of want to figure out what country it will be for sure before I really talk with her.
I should get my invitation in the next 2-4 weeks. Nerve wracking.
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