The Toughest Job You'll Ever Love

On September 10, 1988 I was sworn is as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer on the beach on the other side of the Atlantic in Libreville, Gabon. I was sworn in with 6 other volunteers; Cameron, John, Jonathan, Paul, Penny and Elizabeth. Soon after we were all shipped off to our respective posts to begin our tenure as fishery extension agents. John and I were sent south to Lebamba and Mekogeno. After just 6 weeks of French Training they dropped me off at my cement block house with no electricity and no running water. This was the adventure I had dreamed of. I struggled at first one with the language, I carried my French/English dictionary everywhere I went, I became proficient at expressing myself with a limited vocabulary, signs and drawing pictures on the little chalk board I carried in my backpack. Southern Gabon is very diverse as far as local languages go. My village spoke one language the next one out a different and the village after that a different language. I rode a motorcycle to and from the villages where I worked with fish farmers building and/or maintaining ponds. I also worked at the government fish station. I was the only white woman in my village. I almost always had an audience. I got to know the Boussougou family next door really well. I ate most of my evening meals with them. Gabon is a very beautiful country with beautiful people. I learned tons of things about myself and really enjoyed the experience despite having my outhouse floor collapse, hitting someone with my motorcycles and having malaria numerous times. Living in a third world country makes you really appreciate all that we have as Americans. It is nice to think back on my time in Africa and the friends I made and the lessons I learned. I like to look through my photos and remember the rain on the tin roof and the beautiful rainbows, the wonderful smell of the grapefruit trees in bloom and the sweetness of mangoes when in season. I remember all the people who befriended me including the priest at the catholic church who would invite me to Sunday dinner and my fish farmer in Memba who invited me to spend New Years with them. I remember learning not to ask what I was eating until I was done and the advantage of having a dimly lit dinning table with a dog underneath. I remember the excitement of the first time I stocked a new pond and the first time I harvested one as well. My fish farmers who often had very little almost always sent something home with me; eggs, bananas, peanuts etc. I remember always sleeping with my mosquito netting tucked in all around me and a flashlight under my pillow. I remember the boa constrictor that I saw in my out house once and my wonderful cat Bantu. I remember my fellow PC Volunteer Pamela who was a teacher in Ndende and spent the summer break with me while she did some work at the missionary hospital. I remember all the great kids who were part of my scout group. Yes the Peace Corps was the Toughest Job that I ever Loved and I came out the other side of the experience a better person. Thanks for letting me reminisce. I am going to try to get some pictures up once I find a way to scan them.