Arrivé

Conakry – Arrival in Guinea on 9 July 2011, approximately 18:45 local time. Weather somewhat hot and quite humid, customs simple given expert Peace Corps guidance, baggage collection zoological, cars taken to Peace Corps compound shinier than all others. House staff introduced, names forgotten, shwarma consumed, then sleep.

Saturday is training day 1. Rooftop staff-trainee icebreakers do little to help us learn names. Those of the new recruits who already speak some or lots of French are envied by the remainder. Senegalese cuisine with lots of cooked vegetables for lunch; apparently Guineans borrow from nearby regions for their more festive meals. Post-lunch activities are held post-lunch. How to mix a stool sample, swallowing of malaria prophylaxis, typhoid jab. Dinner next door by the pool. No less than 3 other non-PC Americans present, along with traditional American dishes and Guinean beer. Demi-vivant music by a blind gentleman, a drum machine, and his keyboard. All songs sung in English.

Sunday is group day and language day and cellphone day. Physics teachers are together, Mariamou Diallo their trainer. They will work together for the next eleven weeks to understand what physics to teach Guineans and how to do it. In French.

The trainees depart Tuesday midday for the training site. They will meet their host families, use the pit latrine, take a bucket bath, and go to bed. Other sundry activities are diligently explained by Ousmane. Their families will be happy to cook food with less oil and hot pepper, but they must speak up!