Basically a one month involuntary taper. Day off yesterday. Day off today. Left log at home. Off of cals for the full month, too...pullup callouses seem like their deteriorating. Restless sleep the past few days/ weeks. Two weeks out from French classes today. Minimal background research into placement beyond materials provided.
Finally, I think, we're just about to the point where this doesn't matter.
Very invigorating to meet the other Trainees. To have a cohort again. We've wiggled through the application process in separate corners of the country, alone, and now we get to see we all mostly share the same worries: will I learn the language? will I know what I'm doing? did I pack too much? Looking around the airport, many are on phones and computers, making the last round of emails, phone calls, blog posts. Step into something like this with someone else...an easy way to make some insta-friends.
Yesterday, leaving the hotel with my fam, our bell hop was from Mali, married to a Nigerien. I told him where I was going and he said "That's my people". He became very excited, talked to us for several minutes about Niger, and kept giving me handshakes and hugs. I had been organizing and reorganizing my bags, getting dressed, putting my contacts in for the last time, and I was snapped out of the past (when I packed) and the future (what will this day hold?) to the present. Oh. Right. This is what this is all about. I gave him my email. He said he would look after me.
I couldn't help but comment, his English was far superior to my French.
No idea how often I will be able to post. So many things to do (still). For a given experience, should I jot in down in my new journal? Prepare a blog? Snap a pic? Take a video? Not worry about recording it at all?
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