Finally arrived!

---

After months of multiple applications, blood samples, and random jobs I arrived in Guinea last night. I'm with a group of 36 other volunteers-to-be and we all sort of freaked out when we were waiting in Philadelphia for three days at our staging. The moment we landed in Conakry though it was like coming home. All the stress and anxiety immediately disappeared. I knew right away that I'd made the right choice. The streets in the capital are crazy and crowded. People are everyone at all times of the night. Driving is hectic to saw the least. I'm extremely grateful that I'm not allowed to drive awhile I'm here.

My first impressions of Guinea are incredible. I've never seen such a beautiful country. Guineans are the nicest most hospitable people you'll ever meet. We're being extremely spoiled and staying at the Peace Corps/Guinea compound for the next couple of days. We're living dorm-style in the transit house that has electricity, running water, AND air conditioning. They're feeding us lots of amazing food that we'll probably never eat again here.

We've been doing basic administrative stuff and getting more shots everyday. In the past 3 days I've had 3 shots and I get two more tomorrow. There will be more to come. Also, we've all started talking our Mefloquine (once a week malaria profolaxsis) on what has now been dubbed "Malaria-Mondays."

Since I'm in the capital I do have access to the internet for awhile, but this will no longer be the case after a couple days. I'll be moving to a smaller town to live with a host family and begin my language and technical training. We're all really excited for the day to arrive because then it'll only be 9 more weeks before, inshallah (hopefully), we start our service as volunteers.

---

Photos

Dorm-style Comfort
Mosquito nets rock. That's my bed on the bottom right. Go spend $10 at malarianomore.org so someone besides me can have a net too.

Comments

[Robert]

Welcome to Guinea
Bonjour Sam, Upon my arrival to Conakry in 1963, I likewise experienced similar feelings. Upon being posted to Kissidougou, I really fell in love with Guinea and the Guineans. Forty years later, I had a chance to return to Kissidougou and search for Guinean families whom I had known in 1964. It was a very fruitful and rewarding experience. Please enjoy your stay in Guinea! Robert