Reconnect and All-Vol

July was a whirlwind month, to say the least! I spent only two days in Hella Kunda the whole month! Yikes!
At the end of June my group of Ag-Fo’s had our reconnect conference. For three days we talked about projects, the challenges and successes we’ve had, and our plans for going forward. At this point in our service we are done with Three Month Challenge and In Service Training. It’s the end of the hot season and the rains are fast approaching; upcountry they have already started!
Personally, I was at a low point on the roller coaster of service. My projects weren’t really projects, and I didn’t really feel like I was using anything I went to school for. Here I am, a forestry volunteer, not doing anything with a forest. What’s going on? I’ve promised myself that over the next year I’m going to find my sense of humor and joy again. I’m going to be an optimist and stop being so cynical. I’m surprised that my goals for the next year have so little to do with ‘work’ and my village, but living here has (at this point) made a negative impact on me, and who I want to be. So, if I can use work to regain these aspects of myself, all the better. It turns out I will not be saving the world as originally planned, but I think that’s ok.
Also at reconnect I took a language test. My current level is Advanced-Low. That means I can muddle through conversations and people can kind of understand what I’m saying, but I have a ways to go. It also means I’m improving (which I already knew) from my last test before swear in. I’m able to talk with my host family and joke with my host wife.

After reconnect I participated in the first Peace Corps/The Gambia Beer Pong Tournament. And lost in the first round.