I've now spent 3 months at my site on the North Bank of The Gambia. I've weighed babies, conducted nutritional surveys and health talks, visited James Island, talked to all 75 households in my village as part of a community needs and assets assessment, and much more.
All of this leads me to what I've been doing this past week: In-Service Training. In order to continue the training of us new health volunteers, the Peace Corps brought us back to Kombo to learn some practical health promoting tools: behavior change communication, project development, grant funding sources, soak pit construction, gardening, etc. And we were able to make American food and desserts!
The soak pit is a great way to get rid of standing water, thereby reducing malaria. 1) Dig a pit, 2) Fill with cleaned rocks, 3) Fit pvc pipe/rolled corrugate from draining site to center of pit, 4) Cover with rice bags or something to keep dirt/sand from filling the pit, 5) Cover bags with dirt, 6) Cement pipe to the draining site.
Gardening is something that is practically a necessity for volunteers as the Gambian diet is NOT normally sufficient.
AND I was able to visit my Training Village!!!
So, the week has ended and now it is time to return to my site on the North Bank. American fellowship will soon be no more...no more being around people who understand my desire to not eat rice, to wear pants, and my dislike of child beating. But then again I did NOT join the Peace Corps to be understood or to live a life of comfort. No one in the Peace Corps did. That's why it's called, "The hardest job you'll ever love."
I know it can get you down at times but it is great to see you have a great attitude about it. I am proud of you.
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