Site Placement

Friday, April 14, 2006

Today was site placement and for me, it was eventful. After lunch, all the trainees gathered in the back of the training center at the basketball court. On the court, there is a rustic map of Senegal. We were all told to close our eyes, and then eventually, we would be led to where our sites will be.

Slowly, I am led across Senegal, bumping into people. Finally, I got to my resting point only to hear the voice of my Wolof tutor cracking jokes at me. My eyes were still closed at the time and couldn’t tell what she was entirely saying, so I just kept saying "waaw, waaw, waaw," which is ‘yes’ in Wolof. It has become my favorite word. We were told to open our eyes and I was standing on…….not what I expected. But, I realized what my tutor was joking about, she said I was drowning because I was standing in the Atlantic Ocean.

I don’t say that with enthusiasm or animosity, but my site placement was more of a shock/surprise. Going into today, the other guy in urban ag and I knew we were going to either Thies or Mbour. It is what we had heard from several sources. Well, the other guy is headed to Mbour, but I’m not going to Thies. I’m headed to Dakar.

As it turns out, my site placement was the result of a last minute change. I will be replacing a volunteer who is leaving early and continuing his projects, which are incredible and quite impressive. The reality of the matter hasn’t really hit me yet, most likely due to the fact that it was so unexpected from several angles. First, this time last month, I never would have even thought that Dakar would be a possibility. It isn’t living in the bush, in a mud hut, wearing only a loin cloth that many of you and myself once thought. Instead, it is quite the opposite. It is the largest city in West Africa, so why would a PC volunteer be needed? Second, having the mindset of going to either Mbour or Thies without thinking about the possibility of a sudden change.
I didn’t join the Peace Corps to go where I wanted to or do what I wanted to, but to go to a place that needed a Volunteer. If Dakar is where I am needed, than that is where I will invest my heart and soul and do the best that I can. It would be no different if I were in Thies, Mbour, Tamba, Kolda, or anywhere else for that matter. Every location has its positives and negatives, its just figuring out how to handle them.

So, what do I think about it the surprise site selection of Dakar? I’m not going to lie, I’m scared shitless. Dakar is a huge city. It is the New York City or Los Angeles of Senegal. While its infrastructure is great, it is far different than that of any American city. While I am scared to death due to its size, I am also very optimistic. First, I am taking over an amazing project, which has more room to grow and still be sustainable. Second, while finding my niche in the city regarding any additional sustainable urban ag projects will be difficult and take time, there is so much potential and need. Third, when all of you come visit Senegal, it will be much easier to get you. Fourth, from what I heard, Dakar offers in a sense is a melting pot of Senegal and the West. Western goods can easily be found as well as an international array of food choices. It has something going on all the time. Fifth, other volunteers have to come to Dakar atleast once a year for medical appointments, so I will get to catch up with other volunteers. Sixth, it is a very diverse city, which is great. I’m hoping I won’t get called ‘Toubab’ that much, but who knows. Finally, I will not only have the opportunity to use Wolof, but also greatly improve my French, which might be important for a job after Peace Corps.

I wish I could tell you more about my project and where I will be living in Dakar, but due to it being a last minute change, I got an empty envelope with only "Justin Land - Dakar" on it. While I know alittle more now, I don’t know much.