6 months in site- a reflection

Six months as a sworn in PCV, nearly six months since install in my village. I've read about 25 books (and taken about as many mefloquine (anti-malaria) tablets). I've grown markedly more confident and comfortable in the language, with the people, and my role here. Listening to the newly arriving volunteers makes me smile- all those worries I had in the beginning have faded away. Sometimes I even have to remind myself that I'm living in Sengal, that I've made it to Africa- the massive continent romanticized as a single location. I also keep staring at world maps, both pondering ways to see more here, give my time 'in Africa' more legitimacy, and also staring at new, unknown corners of the world, with newfound confidence to venture there. At times my life here feels stagnant, each day passing quickly but seemingly unproductive. Yet each day provides amusing moments-- from having to run to a stranger's latrine, to finally having the vocab to tell someone off when they insist you should be married for the 100th time, to taking horse or donkey charrettes to most nearby destinations-- things that now seem normal yet still ring of foreign-ness when compared to my previous life. The life where I'm not eating lunch at Teesbar and getting home before Futuro, the calls to prayer that structure my schedule. The life where laundry doesn't leave your knuckles raw. The life where my knees are tan. Do I miss that other life? Sometimes, definitely. I've been day-dreaming about a cold, fresh nectarine for weeks now. But then I realize I've got the best job ever- hanging out with people, learning a culture, and becoming part of a community that I can eventually contribute to. So despite the difficulties I'm going to sit back and enjoy it. There'll be plenty of nectarines whenever I get home.