p.s. I'm moving to the Sahara.

Okay, so technically, it's the Sahel, but it's so much cooler to say you live in the Sahara than to say you live in the Sahel.

I found out my post assignment last week, and I'm moving to a town called Sinthiou Garba in the northeastern part of the country, close to the Mauritanian border. When I told my host father where I was going, his face lit up and he said, "Ah, Sinthiou Garba. That is a good town. There are cars there. It is on the paved road." Apparently, it is a town of about 8,000 people. At first, I was a little disappointed not to be placed in a tiny village where I could learn everyone's name, but I think ultimately I will appreciate the amenities available in a bigger town, such as a market. It also has a health post, two primary schools, and a junior high, so I will have people I can work with right away while I'm still getting a handle on Pulaar (only educated people speak French in that part of the country- well, in most rural areas in general). Still don't know too much about the living situation, but I'm hoping for a hut. Because, come on, how cool is it to say you live in a hut? On the other hand, if I live in a batiment (building), I'll probably have electricity, so there are upsides either way.

I spoke to some volunteers who are working in that area and they said the family I'm moving in with is very cool, and that I'm moving in with the family of the village chief. They also said that the people of the town are very excited to have a Peace Corps volunteer and are very motivated, so that was nice to hear because I will have lots of good people to work with. It sounds like the volunteers up there have a strong community, so hopefully I'll get to meet some more cool people I can spend time with so I don't forget English (Don't laugh, it's already a problem. My brain now constructs sentences in a strange nonsensical mix of Pulaar, French, and English, and once in awhile it shorts out and produces random words in Spanish, which is of no use at all.).

I'm really excited about my site and I will tell you all about it when I get there. Three weeks and counting. Gotta get in a lot more Pulaar lessons before that.