All 9 of us trainees going to live in Kedougou ventured down to the Kedougou region for volunteer visit. So, all 9 of us left on a Landcruiser at 7 am. I was sick that morning and wasn’t looking forward to a 12 hour drive sitting sideways on bumpy African roads. Luckily, we arrived in 9 hours and the current volunteers had prepared a sumptuous Mexican meal for us with cake!!! They were almost as excited as we are to be there. We had a mini party and spent the night in the regional house of Kedegou but all of us trainees were exhausted so we went to bed at 10. The next morning the landcruiser came back to pick us up and drop us off. I’m the furthest volunteer west from Kedegou and I’m about 80 km west of Kedegou and that village is called Salemata. From Salemata, it’s about an hour hike to my village. So, on our volunteer visit the other fellow trainee wanted to stop and see her village of Ibel on the way to Salemata. Unfourtunately, the landcruiser got stuck in the mud for seven hours. It wasn’t that bad and time didn’t go that slow. I think it’s because I’m used to spending my time not doing anything. All of a sudden we heard a lot of screaming and the 20 men helping Amadou, the driver, were cheering got the car out of the water. Yes!! But, then 20 minutes later we encountered a road block, there was too much water for the Landcruiser to go through. A man was chest deep in the water carrying his bicycle over his head. However, Amadou still thought it would be a good idea to check it out. Seriously. We got window level in and the motor started fuming. We went back to Kedougou meme and spent a nice three days there. We ate warthog sandwiches, went swimming and watched movies at the regional house. We also did one short hike to a Bedik village that was really picturesque.
Etiolo, my future home, is a village 90 km southwest of Kedegou city. I will be living in a village of 1000 people in Southwestern Kedegou called Ethiolo. My village is 10 km from Guinea and it’s supposed to be beautiful. It’s also a Bassari village, and the Bassari are animists! This means that my village is about 90% Christian/Anismsts because are synonymous here. Ethiolo is supposed to be really picturesque on the top of a hill and its popular with tourists due to the initiations. The big initiations are in May and even tv stations come to see them. They’re apparently really cool. I’m living wit my counterpart and he is the owner of the campement. His name is Balingho and I heard he is pretty goofy. Also, he is featured in the Lonely Planet as the guy to go see in my village because he knows all the local hikes and where all the caves are! I’m really excited to work with him,
Language is coming on very slowly but it’s coming. Hope you’re all doing well. Only three more weeks of training!
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