Peace Corps Guinea

There are some big gaps in time to fill as I realize I've neglected my blog duties for the past year. In short, I've been in North Carolina, USA since October, up to the usual shenanigans and adventures. North Carolina is the home I've been away from since high school. I found a beautiful life here, close to my family, working in downtown Asheville at a day care center with 2 year olds. I renewed old friendships and made lots of new ones. It has been a really fun, good year in my home state. Fortunately and unfortunately, today I said goodbye. I moved out of my home in Asheville, and went to my parents house to pack my bags. Tomorrow morning I fly to Philadelphia.

I've been offered the opportunity of my life and I accepted. Soon I will be an education volunteer with the Peace Corps in Guinea in West Africa. I arrive on Wednesday.

For the first three months Ill be 60 miles north of Conakry, the capital, for training, living with a host family and taking intensive classes on health and safety, language, cultural studies, etc. During my service, I’ll be teaching in French, so hopefully my French is still up to speed and I can move quickly to studying one of the tribal languages during training. Afterwards, I move to my post (I won't know where until half-way through training) to begin my two years of
service as a secondary school math teacher.

I'll have my own place, which may or may not have running water and electricity. I get a mountain bike, which other than possibly my walking shoes, will be my main source of transportation. It seems, Ill be eating a lot of rice and sauce. Ill rarely be on the internet or near a phone so Ill go ahead and post my address.

Emily Tully
Corps de la Paix Americain
B.P. 1927
Conakry, Guinea
West Africa

Please send a letter if you can. I promise to write back. I read that if you send a post card it should be put in an envelope or else it might not make it past the wall of the local post office.

Guinea is going to be different than anywhere I've ever been before. I am excited and nervous but the anxiety has been killing me and I'm just ready to get on the plane tomorrow. No looking back, no known territories. I want to go. Now more than ever.

Thanks to all of you who have supported me through this long decision-making and application process. I wouldn't have the courage to do something like this if I didn't feel a tremendous amount of love and support from the people in my life.

I will be in touch when I can.