The Other Road

It does look increasingly like the Sierra Leone won't be up and running this year. I haven't heard any news from the Peace Corps and likely won't until the last possible minute. I know the Peace Corp is hopeful that they will be able to run the program on time but the news just seem worse and worse. It is my continued hope that I will be in Sierra Leone in June but I have been considering alternative assignments. 

My alternative choices include Botswana, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda and Zambia. I am also looking at some non-teaching postings, though I suspect that classroom teaching experience is my most valuable skill. I wonder if part of the reason  am so enamored with Sierra Leone is because the PC picked it for me. The thought of making my own choice and then living with it is much more intimidating than being assigned a country.  

I am mostly leaning towards Malawi, Tanzania, Swaziland, or Zambia I think. Tanzania especially seems like a good option. The accounts I have read seem very much like Sierra Leone. It is considered one of the "hardcore" posting, mostly without running water, electricity, and sometimes paved roads but the PC staff seems great and the people of Tanzania seem warm and welcoming. 

Most of my opinions are based on PCVs' blogs, so I do worry that I just happened to run across some awesome blogs and that I should be taking more into account. I suppose I will cross that river when I get to it! It's frustrating to know that I won't get an official invite for months, and won't depart for months after that (if I make it through medical clearance).