Final details on when I leave - pushed out a bit but now finalized... I would fly out 6/1 except I'm leaving earlier to visit Bryan in North Carolina first. More on that later. For Peace Corps details:
Staging: Wed., JUNE 2, 2010 in Phladelphia 12:30 registration and meeting ending 7:00 p.m.
JUNE 3, 2010: 3 a.m. check out of hotel (what?aghhh) & 3:30 a.m. bus arrives for loading & departure to NY JFK Airport. 11:35 flight departs to Lesotho trhough Johannesburg South Africa by South African Airlines. From Lesotho we go to Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. Why we leave so early for 6 hours at the airport since it's a 2 1/2 hr drive max I have no idea...
We are to dress comfortably but upon arrival professional attire is expected - it will also be the beginning of their Winter so slacks are ok for women. Otherwise long skirts are appropriate. Business casual is the expected attire.
JUNE 4 & 5: We are at the Peace Corps Training Center in Masero - classroom, dining room & dorms for initial briefing, begin language classes, walk around Maseru (part of training) and our only "phone home" call to confirm arrival.
JUNE 6 thru AUG 5: June 6 after language lessons we depart to our Community Based Training Villages (CBT) were we will meet & stay with our own Host Family for the rest of training. the CBT site is about 15 kilometres from Maseru (1 kilometer = about . 62 miles) so aka a little more than 9 miles from town. So starting Monday June 7 we walk to this CBT from our new host homes nearby.
Training during this time includes language lessons (Sesotho Language), job training, safety & security briefings, lessons on using public transportation, the use of local money, etc. June 12 we have a field trip to Masero again for shopping which appears to be our one time "out" during this time period. This may be when we get cell phones & set up bank accounts....just guessing.
AUGUST 6: SWEARING IN CEREMONY. Assuming we've attained the level of language we needed to graduate, we graduate at this swearing in ceremony and become legitimate volunteers. Until this time we are trainees.....
NEXT STEP: We will now be posted somewhere in Lesotho in villages where we will be "adopted" by families and the community in that village for the balance of our 2 years.
-----
HOW TO REACH ME:
- I will have little to no computer access from June 6 - Aug while training & then getting up & running at my permanent post.
- I will have no cell phone after June 2 until I get one "in country" as noted above & this may or may not happen June 12. If not, it eventually will happen...I just don't know when.
- I've just now added in the Masero address from letters which may be the only way I can communicate for awhile. (look to the right under my profile)
MISC.:
I've decided to memorize immediately the following:
Bua butle (boo-ah hop-ay) aka Say it again.
Bua butle (boo-ah boo-tlay) aka Speak slowly
LOL
