One Friday afternoon, after my lunch of "Thiebou Djeune" (rice with fish: Senegal’s national dish) I layed down in my room and as I was falling asleep, my phone rang. I got up and took the phone, without knowing that this call would completely change a part of my life.
Me: Hello!
Interlocutor: Hello, is this Mr Gueye?
Me: Yes, it’s me.
Interlocutor: Great. My name is Mr. Mamadou.
Me: Yes Sir, it’s great to hear from you.
Interlocutor: I called to inform you that you have been selected for the CorpsAfrica Volunteer internship
Me:😳😊 Thank you, received.
Having already an idea of what was expected of me, the quote "Growing up means accepting and getting out of your comfort zone to go and meet other." came back to my mind.
When I arrived at Pre-Service Training (PST), I saw faces I had never met in my life. They were all from Senegal’s four corners and ready to offer a part of their lives to somewhere they knew nothing about. Each Volunteer was ready to serve, stimulate the development, happiness, and the smile of a community somewhere in Senegal far from the warmth of their own cities.
Now, my only satisfaction will be to actively participate at all levels in local development in my working area.