Alive and well!

Greetings, earthlings!
It's been forever, I know. Today is really the first opportunity we've had for internet access. We are all hanging out in Niamey for the morning, as we've all returned from "Demystification" weekend, where we live with a current volunteer to see what their lives are like "in the field." It was fun but slightly overwhelming. Our volunteer had been away for a few weeks, so I think the combination of two additional "anasaras" coming into the village and our host vol having been gone made the villagers extra chatty. We spent about six hours yesterday walking around greeting people. You get to feel a little like either a politician or Justin Bieber. Everyone is super friendly and curious, so it's just something to get used to.
Things are going pretty well overall! We are so, so busy with training. We are up at the PC training site two days a week for "core" sessions, such as how to take (our own) blood samples for malaria testing(!) and "the ABCs of Islam." The other days we spend in our host village (we all basically live in the same one, though with different families) learning a new language (mine is Hausa). We have lunch and dinner each day with our host families, so I'm getting my fill of rice. Beans, too, when we are really lucky.
The weather has been a bit of an adjustment because although it's HOT, it's also like tornado-strength windy. There were a few mornings when I woke up with sand in my mouth. It's worth it to sleep outside though (under a mosquito net) because the stars are amazing.
I need to get off the computer for the sake of my fellow vols, but know that I miss everyone. I learned within approximately three minutes of landing at the airport to take things one moment at a time. It's a constant rollercoaster for sure, but certainly we are learning a lot. Each Nigerienne I've met has been extremely warm and welcoming, so that's an adjustment in its own way.
Toodles for now!

A l'aeroport!

Hello lovely readers. We're sitting in the Philadelphia airport waiting for our flight to Paris, then Niamey. Staging went well yesterday, though we left one tired bellhop at the hotel. Poor dude lugged our bags around like crazy, and apparently I was one of the few and proud who packed far less than the 80lb limit. One of our fellow trainees actually just brought one little backpack; I'm not sure how he managed that.
Everyone in our group (there are 33 of us) are AWESOME. I truly look forward to spending two years with these folks. Or at least in their proximity. Nice mix of ages, too.
We are all excited, although admittedly freaked out. Apparently there is a severe drought again in Niger this year, so we are a bit concerned about how that will affect our host communities. We shall see.

A little surreal

I can't quite believe I'm leaving in 4 days, but I'll be darned if these haven't been a great couple of weeks off, spending lots of time with my parents and friends (and HGTV, I can't lie). Thanks, Lauren, for a great day today.
Official packing begins tomorrow, as I have 99% of what I'm taking sitting on the floor of my room at my parents' house. One large backpack, one medium duffle, and one school-size backpack. These will contain my posessions for my two-year adventure. I highly doubt it'll all weigh anywhere near 80lbs, but I could be sorely mistaken. And I mean that literally, since I'll be toting all of it around.
My biggest dilemma is which pair(s) of Birkenstocks to take. Certainly the "dressy" pair is a given, but I'm not sure between the blue patterned pair and the orange ones. I'll stick out so much anyway, I doubt that orange sandals will make much of a difference. Bwa ha ha.