40-something of us (47, 48?) arrived at the Dakar airport this morning after an uneventful 7 1/2 hour flight, and now have some down time to enjoy the lovely business center/grass hut at the PC compound in Thies. Dakar was hectic and full of people, sights, animals, and lots of smells... Outside the city, there are more gardens and open space, less of the city sights. The compound is really beautiful - dorms, meeting rooms, gardens, a volleyball court, and greenery all around. We were greeted by the staff singing, dancing, and drumming- wonderful! We're staying here for about 4 days, then it's out to the real Senegal with host families.
Staging in DC was also very nice; we stayed in Georgetown and had some time to wander around, eat, and chat with our fellow volunteers. The actual staging part of staging was about 7 hours of icebreaking, getting to understand expectations, and reviewing the rules, regs, and logistics. The big surprise was a CNN film crew at the hotel and airport gate - so look for me in the background if you get a chance to watch the show, which apparently airs in about 2 weeks.
The hard part starts tomorrow!
Sarah - I can't wait to follow your posts and hear about what you are doing and learning. How exciting! Carol H
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