So, Charles and Kate are going to Africa for about two years through the Peace Corps. This is their blog. I will be posting up any news I get from them, whether by snail mail, messenger pigeons, or a message in a bottle, for their avid fans.
Kate is going to Niger from July 2008-October 2010 to work in Municipale and Community Development. Charles is not set to leave for Africa until September. He's in New Orleans from Aug 5th-8th if you want to see him before he leaves!
11 comments:
Ahhh! Kate leaves for Niger TOMORROW!
Kate made it to Niger we heard this morning :) Hmmm not sure if i can post a picture on here let me know if any of you know how.
-Kate's sister Alannah
It's Kate's birthday today. We sent her off with B.cards to open today. She is supposed to get access to a phone after 3 weeks. I am counting the days.
Mom/Mary
We had a postcard from Kate today; a picture of camels on route to Agadez. She wrote it on July 13th. She said, "so far the experience is exceeding any expectations". She describes the people as warm, outgoing and humorous. She also said the air smells great but the water tastes of chlorine!
Kate called today! She managed to get service on our Irish phone. It's outrageously expensive as she is on roam all the time so don't try it..
She is fine, a little homesick but overall doing great. She is visiting another pcv for a few days. She got dropped off on Sat. but makes her own way back on Tuesday..a test to see if she can do it. Then next week they start to get more freedom and true to form Kate is already planning a day in the capital to celebrate somebody's birthday!
Mary
Today we got our first email from Kate/Fadila( means generous and distinguished
Fo Fo Family!
This note has to be short because I have limited internet use, but i happen to be in the capital traveling back from a weekend away from training. Everything is going well so far. I live with a host family in a rural compound right outside the town of hamdallaye. We dont have any running water or electricity. My house consists of a round thatch roof hut and a walled in concession. my shower and latrine are seperate. the latrine is clearly just a hole, and the shower is cement room. there is a letter in the mail with some more details so you should be receiving that soon.
Everything is going pretty well- It definitely is harder than anyone says it is but it is also more amazing than I could describe. I am practicing my new language everyday and am already getting the hang of it. I have made a solid group of really good friends and all the people in my training group are really supportive. The trainers and the language teachers are all really great and have been helping us through all the difficult times. My family has given me the name fadila so everyone in hamdallaye calls me that. I either here fadila or anasara (white person) being yelled across the feilds wherever i go. at first being called white person all the time sucked but now i respond by calling them borobi which is black person and is a pretty good joke.
I miss you all tons and hope everything is well at home. I should be getting a new cellphone number soon so i will text you all when i have it. Happy Birthday James! and send me letters everyone with all your news because i feel really out of the loop.
I love you guys
-kate (perhaps a little more african, but still kate)
Kate Elizabeth Sheerin
Peace Corps Niger: July 2008-October 2010
Municipal and Community Development
Today we got a Kate letter.She wrote it before we talked to her so some of it you've heard before. One of her fellow PCT's has developed a severe peanut allergy and is returning to the US so he offerred to mail a letter from his home in California. Another letter is somewhere in the mail from Niger.
excerpts from her letter...
The night sky is amazing,I have never seen stars stars like this! I went for my first run, the landscape is amazing. You can see for miles and it is very green as it is the rainy season. She has no electricity or running water but takes a bucket bath every day. She says that she still wears her good clothes, wears makeup and brushes her hair everyday. Still Kate!!
She is learning a new language 'Zarma' and is beginning to make some sense of what people are saying to her. She has some good friends and lives near 2 PCT guys, who keep her company, walk her to school etc. She is quite homesick but determined to get over it. She loves to get letters about our everyday stuff so if you have a chance drop her a line. A stamp is about $1:00 Make sure you write 'Air Mail' on the envelope.
her address is
Kate Sheerin
Corps de la Paix
BP 10537
Niamey
Niger
you can text Kate @ 011353876541553
She can read them but can't reply to them as she has a very weak signal at best. Once she gets a new African # she will be able to text back.
hey everyone I got a number in africa so set up skype or get a phone card and call me at 011-227-963495891
oh and a real blog entry to come maybe next week!
Hi Kate,
Hope you are adjusting to life in Africa. We are all thinking of you and we know you will be fine, with your personality and sense of humour you are a winner all the way. Keep up the good work.
Lots of love
Ita and all the gang x
Post a Comment