Monday, February 21, 2011

WAIST - The West African Invitational Softball Tournament

Check out the brand new collection of photos and videos at the right.  They're from this last weekend where Garrison joined virtually every PCV in the region for some good fun, food and softball.  I was on a business trip and was actually able to "drop in" for the weekend.  This picture is of all the Kaolack region PCV's complete with their Tu Tu uniforms.
Bandwidth is precious in Senegal so Garrison asked me to post these for him.

Enjoy, Randy (Dad)
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7 comments:

  1. Wendy UlrichFebruary 27, 2011 at 1:13 PM

    Hi Garrison,
    My daughter Nicolette Ulrich (Nicky) departs next Sunday March 6th for D.C. then Senegal. Your blog has helped me out so much! Thank you!
    From California'
    Wendy (Nicky's mom)

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  2. GarrisonFebruary 28, 2011 at 9:56 AM

    Thanks Wendy. Good to know its been useful to someone :-). I don't think I'll be at the airport for this stage, but I'm sure I will run into Nicky sooner or later. The initial few weeks in country were hard for me, but its a really great group of PCV's and staff here and I adjusted quickly enough. She's in good hands. Tell her I say hi and good luck!

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  3. Wendy UlrichFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:52 PM

    Garrison... I am amaized how quickly you can respond....Nicky has all of the "bells and whistles" as far as solor chargers,etc. Will she be able to communicate with us as often as you can?
    Where in California are you from? We are in Huntington Beach, Southern Calif. I am a kindergarten teacher and Nicky's dad, "Ron" is an engineer. We are planning to visit summer 2011! Tell us about your family.
    Again...you put me at ease knowing you are making this all work out!
    Fondly,
    Wendy

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  4. Wendy UlrichFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:55 PM

    Oh yes...about receiving stuff in the mail. Everyone says it costs a lot for you guys to pick it up and it is unreliable...so... I want to send you some stuff from your wish list and of course send Nicky stuff...but...will you get it? Or do we just take a chance???
    Thanks Garrison!
    Wendy

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  5. Wendy UlrichFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:59 PM

    ok last comment for tonight. Can you email or blog Nicky and remind her the first few weeks and or months will be challenging?

    Her email:NicoletteUlrich@gmail.com

    Blog: http://loveandpeacecorps.blogspot.com/

    You are my strength right now Garrison...thank you!
    Wendy

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  6. GarrisonMarch 2, 2011 at 4:35 AM

    Hey Wendy. I have to admit that I don't usually respond quite this quickly. I'm at a training for Master Farmers right now in Thies. I will say though that communication frequency is more dependent on personal choice than availability of internet/ cell phone service. If Nicky wants to she can call home every day and probably get internet once or twice a week. We really aren't the Peace Corps of the 60's.

    I'm from SoCal as well. I live in a lovely small town just east of Ventura called Ojai. My mom works for the David Allen Company (they do productivity consulting) in their products department, and my Dad works for Patagonia at their headquarters in Ventura. My brother lives in Boston now where he's starting up his own computer programming company.

    As for packages. I've never had one just not show up at all. Sometimes it can take 2 or even 3 months but they always seem to get here. Packages to Thies generally get here as fast as 3 weeks though. They can be expensive to pick up but its not outrageous and still well worth the contents. I appreciate that you want to send me stuff but believe me you money is better spent on Nicky. My dad just visited over WAIST and brought me a giant suitcase of American food.

    I think I'm going to write a blog entry with advice for the new stage in the next couple of days. So stay tuned :-). Tell Nicky that she's right and she is definitely not dying. She's just standing at the open door of the airplane about to jump out. Free fall will be terrifying and it may feel like you're going to die and that the parachute will never open but rest assured it will (I like metaphors). Embrace the lack of control and the ambiguity of the next couple of months. You will get a handle on all of it and pretty soon it will just be a job like any other job, albeit a strange one, full of failure and success and lots of work! I think that's good advice for all parties involved, PCT and parents alike.

    Cheers,
    Garrison

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  7. Wendy UlrichMarch 2, 2011 at 6:04 AM

    Thank you Garrison! You have helped me pack up my fears and place them high up on a shelf. I know where they are now...and I will take them down if I need them (I love metaphors too)
    Take Care,
    Wendy

    ReplyDelete

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