Last Weeks of Training
Sorry I haven’t been as religious the last few weeks about my blog updates, but I’ve been super busy. These last few weeks have flown by, and I can’t believe it but training is officially OVER!
So the main focus of the past few weeks has definitely been language. There is only one real test that we have during training and it is the LPI (Language Proficiency Interview). It is basically a recorded interview, where a trained interviewer asks you questions about various topics and you are required to respond as best as you can. What makes it hard? The entire thing is in the language you were trained in of course. Questions, answers, explanations, everything. No English is allowed. Ridiculousness. We had our LPI this past Tuesday and a practice one the week before, so our entire class the past few weeks has been preparing for that. If you fail the test you are still allowed to go to site, but you will have to take it again during IST (In-Service training) 3 months into service. If you fail it then, you definitely get in a lot more trouble.
As difficult as Tigrena is, I am very happy to say I’ve been doing much better than I ever could have dreamed. Based on my performance in class, I was chosen at the beginning of last week to give a speech in Tigrena for the swearing-in ceremony today, an honor bestowed on only one person in each of the three languages volunteers are currently learning. In addition, I beasted on the LPI, scoring Intermediate High on a scale set up by Peace Corps. It’s too difficult to explain the scale in detail, but it is quite a good score and at least twice as good as the score I needed to pass. I’m so excited to go to Tigray and show my new community how much Tigrena I’ve learned, especially since last time I went I knew almost nothing!
Other than that it’s just been preparation for our move to site. We had to say good bye to the families who gave us so much love, support, and shelter over the course of training on Wednesday, which was quite a sad moment. Thank you so much to Lula, Misiker, and Nani, a loving family I will miss dearly. We left our training towns this past Wednesday and made our way back to Addis Ababa, the capitol of Ethiopia. Yesterday was spent shopping extensively for various items we will need over the next few years. We travelled all over the city spending quite a bit of money, so needless to say we were exhausted by night time. But that doesn’t mean we still couldn’t have a little fun before bed. ;-)
Which brings us to today and our swearing-in ceremony. Everything went really well, including the speeches. I was incredibly nervous during mine, but I heard nothing but good things from my friends and teachers who all said my nervousness didn’t even show. We took an oath, shook the American ambassadors hand, and got our certificates validating us as official Peace Corps Volunteers. It was a super cool moment for all of us, and we are all super excited about what the next two years will bring. I even met the head of the Weltwarts program (Germany’s version of the Peace Corps), and he gave me the contact information for some volunteers in my area. I’m leaving Addis at 6am tomorrow morning, so the next time I will get to talk to you guys I will be in my home for the next 2 years! I can’t even begin to imagine the thing that will befall me over the course of my service. The people I will meet, the experiences I will have, the lessons I will learn… I can’t wait to get started. Until next time, I love and miss you guys as always and please let me know how you guys are doing!
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