Training Tales

We’ve almost finished the first month of training and things are moving at a far brisker pace. I’m glad to be getting more exposure to my local languages in addition to French practice. However, the physical and mental stress is starting to wear on me a bit. Classes six days a week in an immersive environment doesn’t leave a lot of individual downtime. Luckily, I brought some great books and downloaded a few more thanks to the Internet. After polishing off “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest,” I got midway through “Mysteries of Udolpho” before turning to “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency: The Full Cupboard of Life” for some quick entertainment. Emails and conversations with friends and family from the States reenergize me, though I admit to being a bit tardy with responses. Even though I spend most of my day with other Trainees, I relish lazy late afternoon conversations with them as a way to de-stress from une longue journée très (voire trop) chargée! Regular naps and Crystal Light lemonade also help the transition. Thankfully my body seems to be adjusting to the heat and the food. I seem to have found a morning breakfast drink: two scoops Nescafe, one scoop powdered milk, one cube of sugar, one cup of hot water. It may not taste like a traditional café au lait, but I appreciate the few moments of silence each morning when I can drink this unique concoction and observe the world around me a bit. Chickens crowing, people cleaning and chatting, water being drawn from the spigots. A few days ago I went running with some friends. After five minutes on the trail, we found ourselves in a lush forest that gave way to a small neighborhood. It turned out to be the nice landscaping of a golf course, but a few moments surrounded by la verdure and endorphins from the run did wonders for my mental health. While training can be exhausting, I’m also very excited to dive into new material. We’re preparing for more practical experience in the classroom and will hear more about our eventual living/working arrangements later. Notice how many times I said “we” in the past few sentences: though it can be hard to find individual time to recharge, sharing this experience with amazing Volunteers and Trainees reminds me that I do have a place here.