May 28th - PRAIA PRAIA PRAIA

I had recently found out that I had been invited to help participate in PST 2009. Basically I would help the trainers and coordinators plan and facilitate the training activities for the incoming volunteers. We were originally told in an e-mail that the training was at the end of June, but on Tuesday we found out that the training was at the end of May, or two days away. Whoopsie daisy. Off to Praia we went.

The training was great. We worked with the technical trainers and LCF's (language teachers) to sequence the COTE and the different sessions. I hate to admit how shocked I was at how smoothly everything went. We even have the potential days for the TT sessions figured out. When there were disagreements, people offered really thoughtful responses to argue their opinions, and the group was able to negotiate agreements. The entire process felt productive. We even had the chance to check out the new site for the TT volunteers. Unfortunately they will not be staying in the same village I stayed in, but the new site looked like it will be a great place. The people there were really helpful and the volunteers can easily hook up with the youth association for some projects.

Aside from the obvious excitement at getting to see the staff and other volunteers, I also got to visit Tuga and my host family. Walking to Achada Galego most things looked the same, except now I could actually talk to people in my old stomping grounds. When I got to Tuga's and saw Yaya, I could actually make out a little bit of what she was saying. Granted it was only a slight bit, but if you heard Yaya talk you'd understand that a little bit is a huge amount. It's crazy how much the language has changed over the last few months. I still have time talking (apparently I pronounce things with a NY accent), and some conversations are easier to follow than others, but I feel like this weekend made me feel pretty confident with my Creole. A few months ago I would have never thought that I could sit and be able to hold a conversation for a few hours. Overall it was a great weekend.

One random thing that I absolutely have to share is that I saw a dog legit humping itself. It was standing over another dog, but since the other dog was laying down it couldn't reach it. Pretty sure it thinks it was though, not realizing it was just going to town on it's own belly. Hysterical. Now that's inbreeding for ya.