Ok fine. My mom has been nagging me to start a blog so here goes. I have reached my 10 days and counting mark before I leave for Africa. When I was in Denver a few weeks ago there was a snowstorm, which was kind of odd for May; and now back in Gurnee we have had a week straight of thunderstorm warnings and flood watches. I think the weather gods are trying to give me my last few weeks of precipitation before I head to the unforgiving heat that is the Western Saharan Desert. The coolest it gets there is about 70 degrees, and the average rainfall per year is 0-5 inches! I have been running around like crazy trying to get everything on my bucket list accomplished. In the past few months I have officially graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison (again, but this time for real), said almost all of my goodbyes, had 3 different graduation/going away parties (I'm really milking it!), watched my little sister Anna graduate from 8th grade, gone skiing, gone to a Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) concert in Texas with my Aunt, gone to a Cubbies game, shopped a lot, and now I have created my blog, yet I have still managed to add more to my list than I have crossed off. I do have some cool new stuff though, like a mosquito net tent, and a solar power battery charger! I can't wait to play with them. I have my official date of departure: June 17th at 4:55 pm I will be going to Atlanta, GA for my staging (paperwork and immunizations, can't wait!) They are putting us up in the Sheraton, it looks really nice! I suppose they want to spoil us before kicking us out into the sand. I think that is all for now! Please keep in touch and send me your addresses and stuff so I know how to get a hold of you!Here is my first phrase in pulaar (one of the possible local languages I could be speaking in Mauritania): Assalaa Maaleykum! Peace Be Upon You.
Jaime
2 comments:
Only 4 more days now! We need to send our 1st letters now since she will beat them there!
Jaime Pollard c/o
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 222
Nouakchott, Mauritania
West Africa
Par Avion (Air Mail)
- Number your letters so we know if they arrive out of order or if one is missing.
- Here are some other helpful hints about sending mail:
1. Address the envelope in red ink.
2. Don't include anything valuable inside like checks or cash.
3. If sending a postcard, put it in an envelope, as they tend to get lost or stolen.
Write a lot. I'm sure Jaime will love to hear from us all.
A little more information I received from the Peace Corps on sending packages:
The Volunteer must be ready to accept a significant change in the frequency and reliability of communications with friends and relatives, and everything s/he can do to prepare for this reality--and prepare families and friends--will help the Volunteer greatly in the coming weeks and months.
-- Sending packages: Families and Volunteers like to send and receive “care packages” through the mail. Unfortunately, sending packages can be a frustrating experience for all involved due to high incidence of theft and heavy customs taxes, as well as the time period it may take for packages to arrive. You may want to try to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail.
The use of padded envelopes is recommended, if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more heavily. Custom fees for the Volunteer can be quite expensive. For lightweight but important items (e.g. airline tickets), both DHL and UPS (express mail services) operate offices in Mauritania. If you choose to send items through DHL or UPS, address the package to:
the Country Director, c/o Corps de la Paix Américain, B.P. 222, Nouakchott, Mauritania, West Africa
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