FRESHMEN!

well, the newbies (PSL-20) arrived July 20th around 10pm. I must say that PSL-19 (my training class) was very excited to see some fresh blood come into Benin. First impression was great! They were so positive...and clean! Their baggage got here first so we started unloading it and then they rolled in just as it started to rain. we helped everyone to their rooms, dripping wet but not caring at all. it was already apparent how much we had all changed in a year. nothing really describable but a general group feeling that we had, in fact, made some progress. the first night they all ate dinner and we tried to sit around and talk but the kiddies were all so fried that bed time came early. slighty crest-fallen from the anti-climactic experience of acting the "older, wiser" sibling, we headed out for a beer. the week only improved from there. these people are ready to work! one striking difference we all saw was in the technology they brought. my class came in with a few laptops and a lot of ipods. we have recently connected wireles internet in our library lounge and once they heard that, every single person in the room whipped out a computer, mostly apples. i'll post pics soon but the image of 20 laptops typing away was startling. i'm glad they all did (and they will be too) because it makes work and writing home so much easier. They went to their training sites Wednesday, so the fun has begun!