Adjusting

We’ve just finished the first official week of training and I’m exhausted. In order to turn one class of Trainees who entered with various skills into a class, my in-country training consists of many hours of language, security, medical and other classes combined with family homestays. There are some very beneficial aspects to this arrangement: I learn several new things a day and have a resource for dealing with my host country’s climate and culture. Each day feels like a day and a half, starting at 6:30 am when I take my bucket shower and get ready for breakfast. This is becoming more challenging as I get more acclimated and no longer wake up as early as possible to escape the pool of sweat that has formed on my bed. Several of the host families know each other and there are a few clusters spread throughout the city, making it convenient to visit my friends. This weekend I have some light homework and household chores to do (laundry), but it’ll be nice to decompress for awhile before the cycle starts over next week. Still, I remember some of those long lonely afternoons when I first moved to France and would much rather be engaged and active.