This is now the blog of an official Peace Corps Volunteer! How exciting! This morning was the Swearing In Ceremony. Luckily, I passed all the training. (Was I really worried? Nah…)
The ceremony was at the US Ambassadors Residence, on the Atlantic Coast. Seriously, he has a door to the beach! It was beautiful, the weather was perfect! We got started around 10:30. The ceremony included a talk by the Country Director, the Ambassador and a Keynote address by the Gambian Secretary of State for Forestry and Environment. There were about 100 people from the government, Peace Corps, other agencies and even the press.
All 25 trainees became volunteers, which is a feat in itself. We didn’t lose anyone! All the trainees/new volunteers looked sharp in our asobe, with the AgFo’s in blue and Health and Community Development in khaki/red. Asobe is clothing made with matching fabrics, and is very popular with Gambians.
We pledged to be true to our country and give the best of ourselves to those we serve. It was good to reaffirm why we are here and to remember our purpose.
The ceremony was at the US Ambassadors Residence, on the Atlantic Coast. Seriously, he has a door to the beach! It was beautiful, the weather was perfect! We got started around 10:30. The ceremony included a talk by the Country Director, the Ambassador and a Keynote address by the Gambian Secretary of State for Forestry and Environment. There were about 100 people from the government, Peace Corps, other agencies and even the press.
All 25 trainees became volunteers, which is a feat in itself. We didn’t lose anyone! All the trainees/new volunteers looked sharp in our asobe, with the AgFo’s in blue and Health and Community Development in khaki/red. Asobe is clothing made with matching fabrics, and is very popular with Gambians.
We pledged to be true to our country and give the best of ourselves to those we serve. It was good to reaffirm why we are here and to remember our purpose.
(Unrelated pictures because I forgot my camera cable)
Hey, it's Dad. I'm at work so this will be short. CONGRATULATIONS!! Now the real work starts along with the satisfaction of doing what you do and doing it well. I read you comment about not leaving your village for the next three months - Wow! That's a long time. We'll continue to look for e-mail messages and blog comments just in case you have some access. If you can call us in your new situation, we'll talk to you, too!!! We'll continue to send snail mail to let you know about things around here, both trivial and, perhaps, not so trivial. So for now, may God be with you. We are sending all our love and prayers to you always. Love, Dad.
ReplyDeleteAshley, Congratulations! It's nice to be officially recognized and your official ceremony lends authenticity to your presence there in Gambia. Ahh, the bees, the stinging - I can truly feel your pain. I got stuck in the top of a tree after disturbing a nest of wasps and it took a looong time before I wouldn't react violently to any buzzzzz sound (even if it was just from a fly)! Sounds like the experience gives all of your compound neighbors something SPECIAL to remember you by. You are in my prayers, Ashley.
ReplyDeleteCynthia