My new address

My new address Corps de la Paix, BP 291 Maradi, Niger, West Africa. I'm finally in Maradi we are celebrating the new year. It's my first day here we are having pizza and cake. Just hanging out making new friends and having a blast. Go to my site this week don't know when yet.
This is all of us in Niger 2010 group. You should check it out. Written by Jacob. http://jacobmbarela.wordpress.com/2010/12/11/cha-and-farm-bios-2010/

So I can't add a slide show of pictures but if you go onto my facebook there will be an album for you guys. I did my last LPI and got intermediate low which is not what i needed. However Peace Corps is letting me swear in anyways. Since i learn the best in an immersion environment and showed a determination to learn the language. I will be having a language trainer with me to help me if i need it for two weeks. I will be retested in two weeks to make sure i get intermediate mid. But I'm swearing in and becoming a full volunteer!! I was so scared that i wouldn't be able to. Swear in is on the 30th and i move to my ville on the 2nd.

Christmas here was a blast I'm part of the committee and we had Christmas caroling. Made an amazing meal of sauteed vegetables, chicken, cake, cookies, fruit salad and bread. We did secret santa and decorated a chalk tree that was written on the blackboard. We had movies playing and games going all night. Along with a dance party! The next morning we had a pancake brunch and pizza for lunch.

Tell you more later. Love you miss you.

Language Immersion

So let me tell you about language immersion. Oh my god what have i got myself into! I think this is the hardest thing i have ever done in my life. I have reached every limit i have and have been pushed farther. I have cried laughed screams and smiled in a span of an hour. I wanted to quit and loved this place at the same time. i have been stressed, frustrated, relaxed and overjoyed. I wondered if this was for me and why i am doing this? What is this all for is it worth it? My answer to that is YES! I can and will do it I have strength to prevail. I am doing this for me and for the people of Niger who need my help. In the end it will be the best thing in my life.

SO let me tell you about language immersion it was hard and we spoke a fair amount of English but also a lot of Hausa. There was four participants and two trainers. The girls which were five of us had to squeeze into a small hut which was made for one person. Oh wow was it small but we did it. The food was good we had one of the local women make us food. Sometimes we cooked ourselves. You will never guess what i have started to eat eggs, crickets, and beans. I know i hate those foods at home but i think the need for protein is making anything taste good. We had class everyday and a lot of different activities to do. Like teach someone how to make an improved cookstove in Hausa and i was alone. It was hell! I think it was the hardest thing i had to do since i got here. I started to cry in the middle of it and wanted to disappear. But they seemed to like it or they were just being nice one or the other. I can't tell yet since the culture is so different.

I'm nervous for my village since i don't feel like i can speak Hausa really well. I don't really understand when people talk and i don't speak really well. I know that this is normal and that i have only been here for a month and a half but it is very discouraging. Sai hankori (have patients) and i will learn it. I just hope I can pass my LPI's i will learn alot when i get to my village. I will get my site announcement this friday I'm really excited. I hope it's in Maradi but i have a feeling it's not. Since that is what Sangra said which is my adviser person. I really like it here it is the place the i felt most at home.

Niger is good it's getting cold well Niger's version of cold which is like 60-70 in the mornings we need to put on a sweater and it's cold to sleep. I say savor it while it lasts since the hot season is right around the corner and i will be wanting to have this cold back. The days are comfortable though which is nice.

Miss you all and Love you

Details about NIger

Hey well I'm better! Let see what can I tell you about Niger. I have a bit more time to write now. Let me tell you a bit about the village. It has a market (Kasuwa) that comes every Tuesday. There you can get anything from food to electronics animals and clothes. The main problem is that they speak Zarma and I'm Hausa. However language immersion will be next week and i plan to use that time to learn everything i can. the village is very busy with a lot of children. It is funny they ask you for your name in french but they can't understand your answer so we have fun with that and respond with flip flop or water tower. We use it as a time to be creative.

The peace corps site is a place that we can be ourselves. There are a lot of us at different places and that is the only time that we are all together. I have alot of friend from other places so it is a relive to check up with them and see how they are doing. The site has a volleyball court and we play a lot of games after classes. I am a part of the sports committee we are going to try and play Quiddage.

Thanksgiving will be an affair we are going to cook dinner and have a blast. I missed Tabaski which is the killing of the sheep and celebration for two days. I was in Naimey but i got to have some of the meat (nama). Right now we are doing some shopping and learning about Naimey.

What else classes are long but they make it fun. We switch teacher every week so that we can learn a new accent. The tech sessions are what are most fun for me. I am learning about tree nurseries, composting, and gardening as of right now but there will be alot more later on. The med training is a bit boring i know most of it but there is still more to know. I find my English is getting bad so i hope everyone can understand this.

I miss you all but I'm having a blast. I didn't tell you about the sand storm did I. Well i was in a sand storm it was loud and sandy we had to go inside to sleep. It was beautiful in the morning there was a new layer of sand everywhere making it look clean and pure. The nights hear are beautiful there are so many stars and the moon can be like it's day time. Sometimes it hard to sleep with that much light. The prayer can wake me up as well as the animals but I'm beginning to learn how to sleep through both.

The weather is hot hot hot at least we are going into the cold season aka not 113 F. It's only in the 90's. Which is really cool for here. LOL. The nights are cold though we have to wear a sweater to bed at times.

Niger and sick but having fun

So here is an update! I finally got here and it is hot. I have bacteria and amibas right now so I feel sick and I'm ontons of pills. But don't worry about me. Ina day or so I will be back to normal. So I went through a sand storm we had to go inside to sleep and sand was everywhere. I'm learning alot in my lessons though I still feel like I don't know anything but that will come with time. We got to go to see a real site which was awesome. I can't wait to really get involved in a site but that is a long time from now. I miss you all and love you. I also have a bunch of friends here it is a great environment everyone is really nice. My family has 9 kids they are all so funny. They help out alot with the language and can always make me smile. I'm getting alot of rice and milit. Don't really like milit though.

Training

So I got a lot new info. One important thing is that I won't have any contact besides letters for three weeks after I get there. There is an estimated amount of volunteers of 45. They will keep me very busy! So here is my schedule for training.

I arrive in Niger at 3:20pm on Oct 22.

• I have to navigate luggage security and customs on my own. We meet up with the Peace Corps staff in the parking lot. We are whisked away to Hamballaye the training sight. Which is about 45min away.
• When we get there there is a welcoming ceremony, dinner and orientation

Oct. 23

• 7:00 breakfast, Orientation by training Manager
• Introduction to medical sessions and survival tips

Afternoon

• interviews and language proficiency (French)
• With a culture fair

Oct 24

• Overview of Pre-Service Training and language classes
• Visit the Chef de Canton (the Chief) and get a tour of Hamdallaye
• Session on how to use Nigerien tools

Lunch

• Put valuable in safe
• host family orientation and reception with family
• Move into host house

I will live with your adoptive family throughout the 9 1/2-week training, up until swearing-in as a Volunteer. I will have a round thatched hut, with a pit latrine and outdoor bucket bath area in your family’s compound in or around Hamdallaye. My family will speak the language that I will be learning in Pre-Service Training, Hausa or Zarma. I will eat dinner with my family during the week and have most meals with them on the weekends.

Oct 26

• debriefing of the night with the family
• rest of the day is medical sessions and Safety and Security

Weekend
GET TO KNOW YOUR HOST FAMILY!

Most days I will be leaving language, technical and cross-cultural training
Tuesday and Friday will travel to training sites for core sessions and safety and security training. it can be a 5-20 min trip walking or biking.

Nov 6
Leave for demystification (Demystification is an opportunity to visit PCVs in the field.)
I will lave with a group on public transportation and be with another currently instated Volunteer Sunday and Monday. I will see what they are doing and practice the language.

Nov 10
I will navigate the public transportation alone to get back
demystification trip debriefing

Swearing-In Date Thursday, December 30, 2010 at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Niamey

Immunizations

· Optional HPV Vacinne #1 (for women)

· Rabies #1, #2 and #3

· Typhoid

· Hepatitis A&B

· Meningitis

· Flu

· Diphtheria

· Tetanus

Influenza

If I can't speak at and Intermediate Level when you are sworn in you have 10 days of intense language training if you still can't you have two weeks of language. If after that then they declare you hopeless.

When I'm leaving

Just got my staging info! I'm so excited. There is also a facebook group for all of us that are going to Niger in Oct. 2010. There are 13 of us as of now. It's so cool seeing who will become my family while I am there. My staging will be in Philly on Oct 20th. It will go for two days then off to Niger!

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT ITINERARY:

21 OCT 10 - THURSDAY
AIR DELTA AIR LINES INC FLT:8581 COACH DINNER
NEW YORK JFK-PARIS DE GAULLE 705P 07HR 30MIN
22 OCT 10 - FRIDAY
AR PARIS DE GAULLE 835A NON-STOP
ARRIVE: AEROGARE 2 AIR AIR FRANCE FLT:548 ECONOMY MEALS
LV PARIS DE GAULLE 1100A
EQP: AIRBUS A330-200 DEPART: AEROGARE 2 05HR 20MIN
AR NIAMEY 320P NON-STOP

I figured that there wasn't anything to update but I was told other wise but many different people.

I also want to take the time to say that,
ALL INFORMATION THAT IS POSTED ON THIS BLOG IS THE THOUGHTS AND VIEWS OF MINE. THIS DOES NOT REFLECT THE VIEWS OF PEACE CORPS, THE US GOVERNMENT, NIGER, OR ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION.

So here is what has been going on. I am currently trying to learn three languages at one time French, Hausa, and Zarma. French is a lot like Spanish with has helped and hurt me. The structure and flow of French is the same but words that are similar are confusing me greatly such as counting. I have a private tutor that I see two times a week and have been studying privately everyday. Hausa and Zarma are provided for my through the Peace Corps website. They are both very similar languages but are not overly hard to learn.

I will hear in the week where my staging will take place. There are a few places that this can happen at, Florida, Washington DC, Philadelphia and one other place that I can not remember. Staging or pre-departure orientation will be two or three days then i will be shipped off to Niger. I will be in training for two months where I will learn everything that I will need to know about my job, Niger, language, safety, health, and much more. If I pass this I will officially be a Peace Corps Volunteer. I am scared that I will not pass the language but I know that it is all irrational and that I will be fine.

I'm going to Niger

Well a slight change in plans, I'm not going to South or Central America but to Africa. Niger Africa to be exact. I will be working in Food Security where I will be working with local farmers to help them improve their farming techniques and help with their diminishing natural resources. I can't wear my normal clothes I will have to have counseling loose clothing. So no shorts of skirts above the knee. No reveling tops.

I will be leaving on Oct 17 and get back in Dec 2012. There will be a pre-orientation then that is for a week. Then training in Niger for two months. If I pass that training I will be taken to my site. People don't usually fail training. Once I get to my site I have two to three month of site training which is learn the language and the village that I'm in. They want me to learn about the people to become part of the community before really starting my work. We all meet up again and then I would start my job at the site.

Ok so what my living conditions are expected to be. I will be taking "bucket showers" which consists of pouring water over me with a bucket. I will have no running water or electricity. They will provide water purification and a gas stove. I will be getting my water from a well. My house is an adobe type house and I will most likely be sleeping outside. The floor will be cement which is a luxury, lol.

There is no civil war so don't worry about that!

Prepare Your Friends and Family Staying in Touch

Prepare Your Friends and Family

Staying in Touch

Anyone who has seen a Volunteer open a letter from home knows how much support comes from the families of Volunteers. Keeping in touch during your loved one's two years of service will be important to you both. In fact, families and Volunteers are encouraged to stay in touch with each other. Family members and friends are also welcome to visit a Volunteer overseas.

The following basic information covers communicating both on a regular basis and in the case of an emergency.

LETTERS AND PACKAGES

Before departure, your Volunteer will receive information about you can keep in touch during his or her years of service. The instructions will be tailored to his or her particular country. If you have questions about communicating with your Volunteer, you may call Peace Corps headquarters and ask for the Country Desk.

Your instructions will include an address for the initial 10-12 week training period. After training, you likely will receive new mailing instructions from your Volunteer.

Please check the guidelines before sending care packages from home. Weight, content, and customs restrictions will apply. There may also be prohibitions against sending food items. You should consider carefully before sending items of great value, too. Please abide by the suggested regulations in order to prevent the loss or delay of items.

Keep in mind that another country's postal system may take longer to distribute mail than the United States Postal Service. It is not uncommon for correspondence to take several weeks for delivery. For this reason, you and your Volunteer may want to number any letters you both write to keep track of your correspondence.

PHONE CALLS

Telephone systems vary from country to country, and both phone systems and access to a telephone may be different than you are accustomed to in the United States. Volunteers may have a phone in their home, or they may have to place calls from their place of work or a public facility. Other Volunteers make calls from a nearby town or a friend's house.

E-MAIL

Access to e-mail is becoming more common but is far from universal. Your Volunteer may or may not have access to e-mail during his or her service.

The reach of the Internet around the world is changing rapidly. In some Peace Corps countries, Internet cafés and computer access are common. In others, they are rare and expensive. Access may vary widely within a country, depending on the nature of a Volunteer's assignment and the community in which the Volunteer lives.

Your Volunteer's Welcome Book packet will contain more specific guidance for his or her country of service.

FAMILY EMERGENCIES

Parents should call Peace Corps' Office of Special Services (OSS) at any time if they need to advise their Volunteer of a critical illness or death of a family member (telephone: 800-424-8580, ext. 2254 or 2256; 24-hour duty officer: 202-638-2574). OSS, in coordination with the attending physician, will determine whether the situation is critical enough to grant the Volunteer special emergency leave, at government expense, for two weeks. Even if the situation does not fall under the guidelines for obtaining special emergency leave, OSS will inform the Country Director so that the information is passed on to the Volunteer as soon as possible.

VISITING A VOLUNTEER

Family and friends can make the trip to see a Volunteer in his or her overseas community. Visiting a Peace Corps Volunteer is one of the most exciting ways to see and learn about another country's people, cultures, and traditions. The cost of your vacation travel is your responsibility. The Peace Corps provides two vacation days to Volunteers for every month of service.

Prepare Your Friends and Family Volunteer Safety

Prepare Your Friends and Family

Volunteer Safety

Whether you are considering joining the Peace Corps, about to accept an invitation to serve in a particular country, or a family member or friend of a current or prospective Volunteer, it is important for you to understand the realities of Peace Corps service, particularly with regard to personal safety and welfare. If you or someone you know is about to accept an assignment to serve overseas, this is surely an exciting time, and we want your expectations to be as realistic as possible. The more you learn now about the realities of Peace Corps service, the better prepared you will be to handle the challenges and rewards ahead.

Because the Peace Corps works in some of the least developed countries and in some of the most remote areas in the world, health, safety, and security risks are an unavoidable part of life and of Volunteer service. While the majority of Volunteers serve their two years without major incident, it is important for you to know that Peace Corps service does involve certain risks, including road accidents, natural disasters, crime and civil unrest. The Peace Corps devotes significant resources to minimize safety risks to Volunteers and to ensure that they are given the training, support, and information they need for a safe experience. However, there are many variables beyond the agency's control that impact Volunteers' welfare and it is not possible to eliminate all the risks associated with Volunteers' service overseas. Probably the greatest concern families have is for the health of their loved ones in the Peace Corps. As the family member of a Volunteer, you should know that your loved one's health and safety are the Peace Corps' highest priority.

KEY POINTS ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE PEACE CORPS

In matters of safety and security, the Peace Corps makes the following key assumptions:

Serving as a Volunteer Involves Safety and Security Risks

Living and traveling in an unfamiliar environment, having a limited understanding of local language and culture, and being perceived as well-off are some of the factors that can put a Volunteer at risk. Many Volunteers experience varying degrees of unwanted attention and harassment. Petty thefts and burglaries are not uncommon, and incidents of physical and sexual assaults do occur.

Volunteers Are Expected to Adopt a Culturally Appropriate Lifestyle to Promote Their Safety

Being a Volunteer requires changes in lifestyle preferences and habits in deference to host country cultural expectations and in order to minimize security risks. Choices in dress, living arrangements, means of travel, entertainment, and companionship may have a direct impact on how Volunteers are viewed, and thus treated, by their communities. Navigating the differences in gender relations may be one of the most sensitive and difficult lessons to learn, but one which could have a direct impact on the Volunteer's safety and the protection provided by the local community. Mature behavior and the exercise of sound judgment will enhance personal safety.

Each Peace Corps Post Maintains a Volunteer Safety Support System Designed to Minimize Safety Risks, as Prescribed by Peace Corps Policy

Fundamental to the Peace Corps approach to Volunteer safety is the fact that Volunteers can most effectively minimize their safety risks by building respectful relationships with those in their community. The Peace Corps has instituted a broad and systematic approach to increase Volunteers' capacity to keep themselves safe during their two-year service. This approach is based upon several fundamental tenets of Volunteer safety and security, which are outlined below. These include: building relationships, sharing information, training, site development, incident reporting and response, and emergency communications and planning.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IS KEY TO VOLUNTEER SAFETY

Like the Peace Corps mission, safety and security are predicated on the development of close interpersonal relationships between Volunteers and host-country community members. The agency recognizes that Volunteers' daily safety is, for the most part, best assured when they are well integrated into the local community, valued and protected as extended family members, and viewed as contributors to development. To this end, the Peace Corps strives to build and maintain the support of host country governments, authorities, and local communities for the Peace Corps' presence in country and the work the Volunteers have been requested to perform. The responsibility of Volunteers is to learn the local language and integrate into the host community. Volunteers are expected to build and maintain respectful relationships with sponsoring agency representatives, colleagues, and other community members. These relationships help Volunteers establish a presence in their new homes, pave the way for many work and social opportunities, and become the basis of their new support systems in country.

KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT HELPS APPLICANTS AND VOLUNTEERS MAKE INFORMED CHOICES

The Peace Corps is committed to providing accurate information about Volunteer service to interested individuals. This information describes the nature and conditions of Peace Corps service; the challenges Volunteers face; the impact that serving in another culture will have on individual lifestyle, comfort, and safety (e.g., living with host families, conservative dress, restrictions on movement and night travel); and the support Volunteers will receive in their respective countries of service. From the moment an applicant is invited to serve in a particular country, specific information about potential challenges is provided from a variety of sources. These challenges often include unwanted attention; harassment; health and safety risks; and cultural behaviors that an American might find offensive, uncomfortable, or threatening. With this information, potential Volunteers can make informed decisions about whether Peace Corps service is right for them and whether they are prepared to live at any site in their host country, where local community members will be their primary support system. Once the Volunteers are in-country, Peace Corps staff will keep them informed of security issues and provide guidance for maintaining their safety and well-being as appropriate.

In addition, for the welfare of Volunteers, Peace Corps policy requires that Volunteers report their whereabouts when they travel away from their sites or change residences, and that they obtain Peace Corps authorization if they intend to leave their country of assignment for any reason.

ON-GOING TRAINING EQUIPS VOLUNTEERS FOR A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE SERVICE

The Peace Corps takes an integrated approach to Volunteer training. Through language, cross-cultural, and health and safety instruction, training is designed to raise the Volunteer's awareness of their new environment, build their capacity to effectively cope with the many challenges they will face, and provide the tools the Volunteers need to adopt a safe and appropriate lifestyle. Volunteers are also instructed in Peace Corps policies and procedures and the Volunteer's responsibility to abide by them.

Before reporting to the communities where they will live and work, Volunteers participate in 8-12 weeks of intensive training in their country of service. During pre-service training, Peace Corps typically places Volunteers with local families to aid in cultural integration and language acquisition. This early home-stay experience begins the process of building and maintaining various networks of friends and contacts with host country nationals and fellow Volunteers that will support each Volunteer's efforts for a successful service. The Peace Corps provides this integrated safety training throughout the Volunteer's tour of service to help Volunteers better understand their surroundings, how to cope with unwanted attention, and how to develop personal safety strategies.

VOLUNTEER SITES ARE ASSESSED TO MEET SAFETY AND SECURITY CRITERIA

Peace Corps staff in-country are responsible for assessing and approving the communities where Volunteers will live and work to ensure that placements are appropriate and safe and that secure housing and work sites are available. Site selection is based on established safety and security criteria that reflect consideration of site history; access to medical, banking, postal, and other essential services; access to communication, transportation, and local markets; availability of adequate housing and living arrangements; and the potential for obtaining and maintaining the acceptance and consent of host country authorities and the population-at-large. During their service, Volunteers are visited periodically at their sites by Peace Corps program managers and medical staff members to monitor issues related to Volunteers' site assignments. If a Volunteer's safety or well-being is placed at risk or compromised, the Peace Corps staff will try to resolve the situation or move the Volunteer to another location.

PEACE CORPS RESPONDS TO VOLUNTEERS' SAFETY CONCERNS

Volunteers are strongly encouraged and expected to report safety concerns or incidents to the appropriate Peace Corps staff member. Staff members are prepared to provide appropriate medical, emotional, and administrative support as each case warrants. In such cases, Volunteers' need for confidentiality will be respected. The Peace Corps also maintains a collaborative relationship with the U.S. Embassy and host government officials in order to respond to Volunteers' safety and security concerns as they arise. Improvements in safety reporting have allowed the Peace Corps to identify associated risk factors (time of day, location, alcohol use, means of transportation, etc.) and develop strategies to help Volunteers address them. Volunteers are urged to be aware of their environment and to adopt a safe lifestyle and exercise judgment in a manner that reduces their exposure to risks.

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AND PLANNING

Typically, Volunteers live and work with community members, at some distance from the Peace Corps office in the capital city. Volunteers are expected to stay in touch with the Peace Corps office on a periodic basis. They are required to report their whereabouts when they travel away from their sites, and are required to receive Peace Corps authorization if they intend to leave the country of assignment for any reason. Although some Volunteers consider notification of movement and regular contact with the Peace Corps office restrictive, it is necessary to ensure that Volunteers can be contacted in case of emergency.

The Peace Corps addresses larger security concerns through country-specific Emergency Action Plans (EAP) that are in place in each Peace Corps country. These plans, developed to address such events as natural disasters or civil unrest, set forth the strategies developed by each Peace Corps office to prepare for, respond to, and recover from such crises. The plan defines roles and responsibilities for staff and Volunteers, explains standard policies and procedures, and lists emergency contact information for every Volunteer in country. These plans are tested and revised annually. A critical element of the EAP is a comprehensive locator form for each Volunteer, which ensures that Volunteers can be contacted in case of emergency and for important notices. Volunteers receive training about the EAP, are provided a copy of the EAP, and are expected to familiarize themselves with their roles and responsibilities during times of crises.

The Peace Corps works very closely with the U.S. Embassy to share information, develop strategies, and coordinate communications in a crisis. If a situation arises in country that poses a potential threat to Volunteers, the Peace Corps will immediately assess the nature of the threat and respond in a manner that ensures the Volunteers' safety and well-being. If the decision is made to evacuate Volunteers from a country, the Peace Corps will commit every resource at hand to safely move each Volunteer and staff member out of harm's way. Although the Peace Corps does not automatically contact family members in all crisis situations the Peace Corps will, in the event of an evacuation, initiate calls to the emergency contact persons each Volunteer has identified.

SAFE JOURNEY

Every staff member at the Peace Corps is committed to providing Volunteers with the support they need to successfully meet the challenges they will face to have a safe, healthy, and productive service. We hope that the information provided here will help you gain a sense of these challenges, the changes in attitude and lifestyle that may be required to adapt to a new environment, and the level of support that can be expected from the Peace Corps, local colleagues, and host communities. The success of each Peace Corps Volunteer is our goal. We rely on Volunteers to exercise personal responsibility, demonstrate a keen awareness of the world around them, and a willingness to adjust their behavior in a manner that will enhance their safety and well-being. In the end their efforts will be rewarded with an incredible, unique experience.