We have arrived!!

So we made it!! We have finally landed in Africa and what a day it has been....

I break it down for you.

1. Land in Dakar Senegal at 4:30am
2. Takes 2 hours to load the buses and start our trip to Mauritania
3. 5.5 hour bus ride through Senegalese countryside and cities
4. Wait 2 hours at Senegal and Mauritania to take our buses across the Senegal River on a ferry.... (the ferry broke for a while)
5. Arrive in Rosso Mauritania and get greeting by at least 30 Peace Corps workers and Host Country Nationals (lots on handshakes and French and Hassiniya )
6. Have lunch (fish and rice with a tomato sauce)
7. Free time (get african phone number!! 0112224596587 <---that's the whole thing if you wanna call me, I have unlimited minutes if you give me a call. We are only 4 hours ahead...
8. First walk around Rosso with guide. Talk about culture shock! It really is an amazing place though. Today I was happy when a little kid came up and shook my hand and greeted me while I was walking down the street.
9. Talking with some Host Country Nationals (worked on my french)
10. Set up our mosquito nets outside to sleep under the stars.
11. Had dinner (cous cous and goat)
12. Found out we have wireless internet and wrote this blog....

On a plane to Africa!!

Well I only have a few mintutes before we board the bus and head to Africa. So I figured I would use my 15 minutes of free internet and blog real quick....

These past few days have been amazing. We have been in Hot-lanta for the Peace Corps staging. Its basically a two day event to help "prepare" us for Africa. It really has been a awesome experience thus far. My fellow volunteers are great people, everyone is just so outgoing and well educated and gifted in their various fields. Its a pretty eclectic bunch of people lol... Plus, the government was more than generous with their per diem! So it has really allowed us to live it up during our last days state side.

Because of staging though I am amazingly exicted to head to Africa. We're boarding the plane in a few hours and we'll get their just in time to see the sun rise in Senegal for our bus ride to Mauritania! Good bye North America and hello Africa!!

Au revoir mes amis!!

T-Minus 1 Day: My Address

In case you would like to write me a letter or send a care package:

“Eric Barnett” PCT
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 222
Nouakchott, Mauritania
West Africa

Well packing is practically complete. I only have a few things left! I am exactly at 80 pounds.....lol no more no less. I only have room now in my carry-on luggage.


Random Mauritanian Fact:

Ethnic Groups: 40% mixed Arab/Black, 30% Arab, 30% Black

T-Minus 15 days: Its coming fast

Well I figured I would just write a quick note about what's going on.

TIME IS FLYING!!! The 100 days of Eric are rapidly running out lol. But I really couldn't be more excited. I have started getting emails from my trainers and managers in Mauritania. In my basement, I now have a table that is filling up with all the things I'll be taking there.

Next week I'll put up the list of things I am packing for Mauritania!!

Random Mauritania Face:

The Population is 3,069,000