World's largest archive of Peace Corps stories. http://peacecorpsjournals.com Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:22:56 PeaceCorpsJournals.com http://csteginmauri.blogspot.com/2012/05/unicef-transition.html <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/5787">The Next Page</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-28 08:56:00 </div> <div> These past few months have been very eye-opening. I have transitioned into my work at UNICEF and let’s just say it is very different than my former Peace Corps experience. I work out of an office Monday-Friday 8-5:30 with a computer and working internet. The office has a generator so even when power is out across town, we still have power and work continues as normal. Focus in my work has shifted from the community to the donors, which has its postives and negatives. Now the concern is the biggest impact and the best way to do so is to get money from donors to implement bigger projects in more communities. So communities are still the ultimate purpose, but the office must focus on writing reports to donors and working with the Cameroonian government to accomplish these ends, instead of simply working directly with the community members. I am still unsure about how I feel about this… In April, I traveled up to the two most northern regions (North and Far North) to evaluate the status of communities having participated in Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS). Being on the field was very satisfying, although days were packed with visiting 5-6 villages and so that did not leave much time for each place. I have made recommendations about visiting fewer villages in a day to get a more complete picture of the reality, but I know my comments are naïve because there is not enough money or time to do the trips this way. I wish there was some way to find a compromise. Since this trip I have been working to find a way to balance the life of a PCV and a UNICEF intern. How can I use the experience of the past two years being a PCV to help UNICEF projects? That is what I am currently trying to figure out. I have a lot of ideas, but being in the position I am in the office, I am finding it difficult to express them in a useful way. But my goal for the rest of the year is to figure this out and find a way for more communication and collaboration between the two organizations. Very soon I am participating in a conference in Garoua (North Region) to build capacity with local focal points. These are the people on the ground implementing UNICEF projects. After this conference I may have a better idea of capacity of on the ground workers and thus the reality of what we are able to realize using these actors. Wish me luck with all this hard work ahead of me! I will try to be better about posting more updates.<div><img width="1" height="1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6780787609844918908-6652245053428395983?l=csteginmauri.blogspot.com" alt="" /></div> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Russia-St-Petersburg-2012/23167036_fbj3XD#!i=1868906769&amp;k=R5M7fPj <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-26 17:31:37 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Johanna and Katya cooking at Sergey's; for some reason, he usually walks around shirtless (not that any of us minds)</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Russia-St-Petersburg-2012/23167036_fbj3XD#!i=1868906769&amp;k=R5M7fPj" title="Johanna and Katya cooking at Sergey's; for some reason, he usually walks around shirtless (not that any of us minds)"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Russia-St-Petersburg-2012/i-R5M7fPj/0/Th/059-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Johanna and Katya cooking at Sergey's; for some reason, he usually walks around shirtless (not that any of us minds)" title="Johanna and Katya cooking at Sergey's; for some reason, he usually walks around shirtless (not that any of us minds)" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1860490844&amp;k=TsCCpzD <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-22 01:20:44 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Monday, Day 2: Presentation of degrees of the College of Arts and Sciences (afternoon) Katie is on the big screen</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1860490844&amp;k=TsCCpzD" title="Monday, Day 2: Presentation of degrees of the College of Arts and Sciences (afternoon) Katie is on the big screen"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/i-TsCCpzD/0/Th/010-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Monday, Day 2: Presentation of degrees of the College of Arts and Sciences (afternoon) Katie is on the big screen" title="Monday, Day 2: Presentation of degrees of the College of Arts and Sciences (afternoon) Katie is on the big screen" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857978933&amp;k=mm4dz5R <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-21 01:02:23 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857978933&amp;k=mm4dz5R" title="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/i-mm4dz5R/0/Th/018-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year" title="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857979784&amp;k=pxgxft6 <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-21 01:02:45 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857979784&amp;k=pxgxft6" title="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/i-pxgxft6/0/Th/020-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year" title="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857980376&amp;k=7THW6sK <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-21 01:03:02 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857980376&amp;k=7THW6sK" title="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/i-7THW6sK/0/Th/021-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year" title="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857981067&amp;k=3mjqX5X <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-21 01:03:20 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857981067&amp;k=3mjqX5X" title="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/i-3mjqX5X/0/Th/022-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year" title="Sunday, Day 1: Katie's last performance with the Madrigal Singers of Boston College, for which she served as president during her senior year" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857981499&amp;k=Jq5hX8J <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-21 01:03:32 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, leadership, and scholarship during her four years at Boston College.</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857981499&amp;k=Jq5hX8J" title="Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, lea ..."><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/i-Jq5hX8J/0/Th/157-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, lea ..." title="Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, lea ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857981716&amp;k=Ddk7skm <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-21 01:03:37 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, leadership, and scholarship during her four years at Boston College.</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857981716&amp;k=Ddk7skm" title="Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, lea ..."><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/i-Ddk7skm/0/Th/158-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, lea ..." title="Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, lea ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857981733&amp;k=msH4C8j <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-21 01:03:38 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, leadership, and scholarship during her four years at Boston College.</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/23084233_qmxr7L#!i=1857981733&amp;k=msH4C8j" title="Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, lea ..."><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/USA-Boston-MA-Katies/i-msH4C8j/0/Th/154-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, lea ..." title="Sunday, Day 1: Awards Ceremony, College of Arts and Sciences Katie is the recipient of the Francis A. Brick Award, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, lea ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWSmp-gillk&amp;feature=youtube_gdata <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/4130">YouTube Videos matching query: "peace corps" "Mauritania"&search_sort=video_date_uploaded</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-10 18:19:07 </div> <div> <div> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td width="140" valign="top" rowspan="2"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWSmp-gillk&amp;feature=youtube_gdata"><img alt="" src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bWSmp-gillk/default.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td width="256" valign="top"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWSmp-gillk&amp;feature=youtube_gdata">Maternal Health &quot;Ah ha!&quot; Moment - Peace Corps Service Leads to Career as a Midwife</a> <br></div> <div><span>Peace Corps Volunteer Caitlin Givens talks about her &quot;Ah ha!&quot; moment in the Sahel desert that led her to shift career paths and become a midwife. During nursing and midwifery school, she serves as a doula and helps women plan for labor and birth. She draws from her Peace Corps experience to connect with and care for women from diverse backgrounds in the US</span></div></td> <td width="146" valign="top"><div><span>From:</span> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46qXl6vwZ-ShRsX-j0QeGQ">peacecorps</a></div> <div><span>Views:</span> 1</div> <div><img align="top" alt="" src="http://gdata.youtube.com/static/images/icn_star_empty_11x11.gif" /> <img align="top" alt="" src="http://gdata.youtube.com/static/images/icn_star_empty_11x11.gif" /> <img align="top" alt="" src="http://gdata.youtube.com/static/images/icn_star_empty_11x11.gif" /> <img align="top" alt="" src="http://gdata.youtube.com/static/images/icn_star_empty_11x11.gif" /> <img align="top" alt="" src="http://gdata.youtube.com/static/images/icn_star_empty_11x11.gif" /></div> <div>0 <span>ratings</span></div></td></tr> <tr><td><span>Time:</span> <span>02:53</span></td> <td><span>More in</span> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/videos?c=29">Nonprofits &amp; Activism</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://amandainafrica.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/a-day-in-the-life/ <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/2205">Amanda in Africa</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-05-03 23:18:23 </div> <div> Today was a pretty standard day in what a working day would consist of since I moved to NYC and have been working at the Foundation Center. My alarm went off at around 7am, but I was up just slightly before because I don&#8217;t have blinds so that beaming morning sun hits down through my [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=amandainafrica.wordpress.com&amp;blog=3077335&amp;post=290&amp;subd=amandainafrica&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://livingthehyphenated.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/lessons-learned-traveling-with-a-eurail-pass/ <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/2213"></a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-04-24 22:54:42 </div> <div> The travel guide books (Lonely Planet, Rough Guide &#38; The Idiot&#8217;s Guide) that I used did not provide information on how to use the pass. I guess they assumed that it would be a breeze to use. I would like to think that I am a savvy traveler (c&#8217;mon I traveled to China and lived [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=livingthehyphenated.wordpress.com&amp;blog=3373156&amp;post=422&amp;subd=livingthehyphenated&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809969807&amp;k=5nb8fdT <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-04-24 03:21:52 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Saturday afternoon: one of the first sights we saw once we got onto the grounds of the Santa Margarita Ranch</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809969807&amp;k=5nb8fdT" title="Saturday afternoon: one of the first sights we saw once we got onto the grounds of the Santa Margarita Ranch"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/i-5nb8fdT/0/Th/P1000081-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Saturday afternoon: one of the first sights we saw once we got onto the grounds of the Santa Margarita Ranch" title="Saturday afternoon: one of the first sights we saw once we got onto the grounds of the Santa Margarita Ranch" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809969961&amp;k=CpPL5HS <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-04-24 03:21:57 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith.</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809969961&amp;k=CpPL5HS" title="Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith."><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/i-CpPL5HS/0/Th/P1000082-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith." title="Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809970018&amp;k=s2FhF9S <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-04-24 03:21:59 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Saturday afternoon: one of the first sights we saw once we got onto the grounds of the Santa Margarita Ranch</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809970018&amp;k=s2FhF9S" title="Saturday afternoon: one of the first sights we saw once we got onto the grounds of the Santa Margarita Ranch"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/i-s2FhF9S/0/Th/P1000080-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Saturday afternoon: one of the first sights we saw once we got onto the grounds of the Santa Margarita Ranch" title="Saturday afternoon: one of the first sights we saw once we got onto the grounds of the Santa Margarita Ranch" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809971638&amp;k=C7jV3BK <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-04-24 03:22:48 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith.</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809971638&amp;k=C7jV3BK" title="Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith."><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/i-C7jV3BK/0/Th/P1000083-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith." title="Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809973938&amp;k=Wnb9Nqc <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-04-24 03:24:03 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith.</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/22605399_ncqHjS#!i=1809973938&amp;k=Wnb9Nqc" title="Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith."><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Weddings/USA-Santa-Margarita-CA-Ariana/i-Wnb9Nqc/0/Th/P1000087-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith." title="Saturday afternoon: arrival at the ranch. Before we got on the train we got to leave our fingerprints, like leaves, on a tree as a keepsake for Ari and Keith." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://livingthehyphenated.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/my-disastrous-eurail-story/ <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/2213"></a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-04-22 20:23:49 </div> <div> I bought my EuRail pass from STA Travel before I left for Europe. It was touted as the best option for people who wanted to travel in Europe, because you didn&#8217;t have to reserve seats except for express trains such as the TGV. My sister had bought one when she was in Europe, and suggested [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=livingthehyphenated.wordpress.com&amp;blog=3373156&amp;post=491&amp;subd=livingthehyphenated&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-Madrid-2012/21372835_sVQR52#!i=1707072276&amp;k=RwTVsbz <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-02-11 17:04:43 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />I saw this in a shop window and thought it was curious: looks like an evening bag with a handle of brass knuckles.</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-Madrid-2012/21372835_sVQR52#!i=1707072276&amp;k=RwTVsbz" title="I saw this in a shop window and thought it was curious: looks like an evening bag with a handle of brass knuckles."><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-Madrid-2012/i-RwTVsbz/0/Th/P1110972-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="I saw this in a shop window and thought it was curious: looks like an evening bag with a handle of brass knuckles." title="I saw this in a shop window and thought it was curious: looks like an evening bag with a handle of brass knuckles." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-La-Linea-2012/21183535_mGfBPL#!i=1690643694&amp;k=WWW69m7 <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-01-29 17:40:19 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-La-Linea-2012/21183535_mGfBPL#!i=1690643694&amp;k=WWW69m7" title="monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-La-Linea-2012/i-WWW69m7/0/Th/P1100936-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for" title="monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-La-Linea-2012/21183535_mGfBPL#!i=1690643722&amp;k=cwtFnPS <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-01-29 17:40:21 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for (Maybe water is drained in the winter?)</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-La-Linea-2012/21183535_mGfBPL#!i=1690643722&amp;k=cwtFnPS" title="monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for (Maybe water is drained in the winter?)"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-La-Linea-2012/i-cwtFnPS/0/Th/P1100938-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for (Maybe water is drained in the winter?)" title="monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for (Maybe water is drained in the winter?)" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-La-Linea-2012/21183535_mGfBPL#!i=1690650346&amp;k=LCQV5nM <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-01-29 17:46:10 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-La-Linea-2012/21183535_mGfBPL#!i=1690650346&amp;k=LCQV5nM" title="monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for"><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-La-Linea-2012/i-LCQV5nM/0/Th/P1100937-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for" title="monument to Jose Monge Cruz - not sure who he was, but this monument is not very well cared for" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://csteginmauri.blogspot.com/2012/01/first-few-weeks-in-yaounde.html <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/5787">The Next Page</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-01-24 15:54:00 </div> <div> Hello again Cameroon. But this time it is a bit different. I am still struggling to figure out what it is that I am supposed to be doing. I started a new job with UNICEF working on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). It seems that my direct boss is out until February, so I am left hanging a bit until she comes back. In the mean time I am reading a lot of documents in French from UNICEF to try and figure out the current situation of my program in Cameroon. It has been informative, but it gives me a headache after a few hours.<br /><br />On other fronts, I have moved into my new apartment. It is a bit big for me, but hopefully soon I will have some new wicker furniture to fill it. I bought a bed and a fridge and now I am broke. Living in a big city has a much higher cost of living than a village. I could walk everywhere, but I am under more time constraints so I am forced to take cabs. The taxis are not expensive, but it adds up. Also food is much more expensive because all of it is trucked or trained in from villages. To add, there are more opportunities to spend money, like going out to a Chinese restaurant for Chinese New Year. I am trying to get into a habit of buying food on the weekends for the whole week, but I am not there yet.<br /><br />Recreation and relaxation options are much greater in the city. Peace Corps Volunteers are always in and out and ready to hang out. My fellow UNICEF workers are a very interesting and experienced group of people that I hope to get to know more. My officemate is a French volunteer working on a malaria initiative. There is also an expatriate community here that organizes activities like: ultimate Frisbee and yoga! So for now, until work picks up, I am enjoying discovering the city and all of its surprises.<div><img width="1" height="1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6780787609844918908-8511817835610100209?l=csteginmauri.blogspot.com" alt="" /></div> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-Ceuta-2102/21166803_SzmqSk#!i=1684265389&amp;k=xSTdPTQ <div style="margin-bottom:8px"> <div> <img src="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/images/flags/pcj/16/mr.png" alt="Mauritania" width="16" /> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/country/49/mr" style="font-weight:bold">Mauritania</a> <a href="http://peacecorpsjournals.com/journal/3993">Jay Davidson's recent photos</a> </div> <div style="color:#888"> 2012-01-24 09:26:24 </div> <div> <p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com">Jay Davidson</a><br />Hercules: Ceuta was referred to as Abyla. On the other side, Gibraltar was referred to as Calpe. These are the two Pillars of Hercules that span the Mediterranean at this point.</p><p><a href="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-Ceuta-2102/21166803_SzmqSk#!i=1684265389&amp;k=xSTdPTQ" title="Hercules: Ceuta was referred to as Abyla. On the other side, Gibraltar was referred to as Calpe. These are the two Pillars of Hercules that span the Mediterranean at this point."><img src="http://jaydavidson.smugmug.com/Travel2012/Spain-Ceuta-2102/i-xSTdPTQ/0/Th/P1100777-Th.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Hercules: Ceuta was referred to as Abyla. On the other side, Gibraltar was referred to as Calpe. These are the two Pillars of Hercules that span the Mediterranean at this point." title="Hercules: Ceuta was referred to as Abyla. On the other side, Gibraltar was referred to as Calpe. These are the two Pillars of Hercules that span the Mediterranean at this point." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00