To Do

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The To-Do List for today was quite intense.
1. Renew my residency card
2. Have lunch with Jackie and Brian

That plan was turned upside-down quite quickly. Drenched in sweat after a morning run my phone started to get a million text messages. They were from Talla asking me if I could be at the center within the next 15 minutes to present about the SED program. No further information. I pretended to bathe aka splash some water on my face, threw on a dress, and jumped in a cab. Fortunately, I wasn't the only volunteer totally caught off guard. Although they did receive a day of advance warning, Emily and Erin also didn't have a fancy presentation like some of the other people. I think I did the SED program proud and put in a good plug for the work we do and the type of help we can offer to other volunteers with their projects.

Being at the center meant that I ran into a bunch of people including our country director, which was great since I needed to talk to him. I also dropped off magazines and filled up on cold, filtered water. From the center, Brian and I walked over to the office where residency cards are renewed. Fortunately, the process was quick and easy and Jackie even showed up in time to get hers done. Paying internet and electricity bills was followed by a trip to Mme. Ly's where Jackie did some shopping and I did some planning. The three of us then had a delicious lunch at Pamanda's and chatted away the afternoon.

Brian and Jackie left in the mid-afternoon to return to site and I stayed at Pamanda's to get some work done. I barely managed to finish a cover letter before Emily and Erin reappeared and we all caught up. While I was pretending to start another cover letter Dioss called to beg me to come over. The catalog is actually in Thies and he desperately wanted me to see it, so I obliged and went all of the way across town to Dioss' house where I met a study abroad student interested in art education. It's always interesting to talk to study abroad students and hear just how different their perspective on things can be. I really try not to sound too jaded, which I think I achieved. Dioss is insanely excited and proud of the catalog. It's actually not as big or as nice as I was imagining, but it is beautiful and he is listed as the author.

The power was already out when I got home so I spent a lot of time staring at my family in the dark. I did listen to one of the most interesting conversations I've ever heard my family have. Khady and and my mom were discussing where Ahmed should go to school next year. Khady wants a school that teaches both French and English (since I've been working with Ahmed on English and Khady realizes the next PCV could as well) and sounds like it has high academic standards, while my mom wants a school closer by and where other kids from the neighborhood attend. I'm not sure if philosophy or cost was really the issue, but Khady seemed to put her foot down.