By The Numbers: Pre-Service Training
Here’s my tally of random happenings that sum up my Peace Corps Pre-Service Training.
- Days of Pre-Service Training: 69
- Hours of formal language classes: 75
- Number of training sessions (health, security, cultural, technical): 94
- Insect bites (mostly mosquitoes and ants): 164
- Days with diarrhea: 7
- Times I had an oopsie-poopsie: 0
- Times I peed on myself while trying to use my pit latrine: too many to count
- Highest fever: 103.2 degrees Fahrenheit
- Skin rashes: 3
- Skin infections: 1
- Times I ate domoda: 16
- Times I ate benechin: 14
- Days I didn’t consume rice: 4 (Two of which were merely because I didn’t eat anything while sick)
- Mangos devoured: 32
- Times I ate something without a clue what it was: 6
- Times that meal was actually pretty good: 4
- Pounds I lost: 12
- Times someone called me “toubab”: too many to count
- Days with rain: 27
- Spiders seen inside my house: 23
- Rats seen inside my house: 0 (Thank Heavens!)
- Lizards seen inside my house: 5
- Hippos seen (inside the river): 2
- Times I crossed the River Gambia: 2
- Swims in the ocean: 1
- Villages visited: 9 (plus 6 that I walked through during Marathon March)
- Flat bike tires: 1
- Gelly-gelly breakdowns: 0
- Books read: 3.5 (Personal, not counting stories I read to kids)
- Pictures I took: 722
- Blogs posted: 22
- Text messages sent: 631
- Text messages received: 869
- Times I thought: “What did I get myself into?”: too many to count
- Times I thought: “Peace Corps is the best decision I ever made!”: too many to count
–JDF
I love your list, but definitely have some questions the next time we Skype!
*Times I miss you: Too many hours to count!
Love you,
Your American Mom
Jessica, you’re a real trooper! I can’t believe you have had so many experiences, most of which I don’t envy! We miss you & love you. Take care. Nora