(Bi)Weekly Update: 5.3.11

GAD!!! The social highlight of the PCV year is GAD weekend – a huge, all-volunteer fundraiser party weekend held for/by the Gender and Development committee in Parakou. GAD funds a lot of our littler projects (world maps, women’s center nutritional murals, school gardens, girls’ club field trips), so it’s a really great cause. We pay a chunk of change to get together, get all dressed up (“America beautiful”), and bid on dates, jewelry, art, restaurant meals, and lots of America goods (spa stuff! Cheez-Its! Glee DVDs!). It’s fun and social, and it’s all for an important purpose, which makes it even better.


Night 1: You Wore What?? The first night was the talent show and date auction, and we were supposed to wear something ridiculous. I have to say, the creativity of a large group of people with very little money was astounding: Dione wore a dress made of plastic bags and duct tape, Bevin wore a dress covered in elephants, and Sam and I (yes, I’m bragging) made outfits out of hilarious matching Spongebob tissu we found in the marche. As a whole, we made a huge amount of money on the date auction (I went in with some girls to buy a taco night for $40 each, but some people spent more than double their monthly salary on a date). A ridiculous time was had by all.

Night 2: We Can So Look Pretty. Night 2 was the big night – the night we pull out our very best dresses and makeup. There were even hair straighteners. Hair straighteners! And yall, we looked hot, not just in a temperature-related way. I guess sometimes you forget how pretty PCVs can be when they try… anyway, it was good to feel attractive again. We bid on lots of silent auction items, and I won a beaded African-looking necklace! We ate lasagna with real cheese, danced American-style to America music, and towards the end, jumped into the pool fully clothed. It was a wonderful, wonderful evening. : )


TDW: Yet More Training. Except this was training I wanted to be at – the training to work stage with the new volunteers. And now I’m really excited! As a group, the RCH and TEFL trainers edited the packing list they send out (adding a “Things you think you need but don’t” section), chose the weeks we’ll work, planned sessions, and convinced admin to let us add a cooking session and soccer games for stress relief. I feel really good about what we came up with, and even better about the group of trainers I’m working with. PSL 24, we can’t wait to meet you – see you July 2nd!



Me, Dione, and Sam in our first night outfits.



My closemates Lou and Sam on the second night. :)