bookSo happy belated Tabaski! The Muslim holiday that follows two months after Korite. Tabaski is as big as Christmas in America. Preparations are expensive and chic: everyone has to have their hair done and get brand new clothing made; markets are like shopping malls and the food is real good… but let me explain.
So when I moved in to my family’s compound, they mentioned there are like 3 or 4 spare rooms that relatives stay in for holidays. So when I saw that Fatou, my host mom purchased not just one sheep, she got three, I figured we were having quite a few guests. I guessed wrong! One guest was here for lunch, and two others made it in time for our second dinner. 2 others were here to… umm… prepare dinner.
The day started when I wanted to go and get breakfast but Fatou had already been up for a few hours and let me have some bread. Then we started cutting potatoes and onions, and pealing garlic. At this point, I still thought we were going to be feeding an army, no joke. I probably pealed 4 entire cloves of garlic! After the call to prayer in the morning, we grabbed the unluckiest sheep of the three and the men held it down as we all stood in a line holding each other. I could barely watch but the sound of the knife and breathing out of a slit rather than its mouth was mortifying. Use your imagination – they dug a hole in the sand to absorb the blood. My host sister took pictures on her camera so I hope to get them put on here!
The first piece of meat that was eaten was the liver. Next were the testicles. I didn’t ask if there is a reason for this but that’s just what we did! The liver was delicious, surprising, even though I was thinking the whole time that just a half hour ago, this liver was a perfectly functioning liver in the sheep that lived in our backyard for the past few days. I didn’t dare touch the testicles; there’s always next year.
The rest of the meat kept coming, and we had just about every part of it grilled on the open flame. It really was tasty (still trying to get the sound of it out of my head before it died). Since there were only about 7 of us eating and entire sheep, and our fridge is dorm-size, we ate a lot and I would get harassed every time I tried to say I was full.
After dinner, we sat around and people came to visit. One of our guests is from Guinea and only moved here two years ago and I loved it when I would get complimented that I speak better Wolof than him. (I really don’t but people are nice on the holidays) Kids do what seems like trick-or-treating and go house-to-house asking for change, but they were all dressed in pretty boubous rather than as monsters. After another meal, I went to meet neighbors and had them teach me how to dance Senegalese in my new outfit. Then I went with my sister around to see some more people and since she had on heals that hurt, we walked at a snail’s pace around Bambey. Came back after 11 and Fatou tried to offer more food but I successfully turned it down. Instead of tea, we had hot milk with a mint flavor and I was in bed by 1. The morning after I could smell meat cooking outside but took my time getting ready!
I have big plans to celebrate the Christian way starting the 23rd. I went to see my Thies host family because they were really bummed I couldn’t made it for Tabaski and because I miss little Oumar. Monday, Mandi and I are headed up to Richard Toll and see the northern country for a week and enjoy a mini vacation. I think we may even make some eggnog! I have friends spread all along the boarder of Mauritania so we all are going to get together. Then, and this is the best part, we are staying in a hotel (yes, a hotel) with a pool for 3 nights in Saint Louis to celebrate 2008!
Merry Christmas to all! Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
Accomplishments
Hoping that you are all planning for Christmas and 2008! Crazy how time is flying right? I just don’t have snow and Xmas lights to remind me what time of the year it is. It’s kind of sad, but I do have plans for Christmas up north and a fun celebration for New Years in St. Louis with lots of Americans.
So since it’s been a while since I’ve filled you in, I’ll try my best to summarize. Last week, Mark and Bamba (my bosses) came to visit me. I tried my best to show them around and it felt good to tell them what little I have done. From there, I took a free ride in a nice Peace Corps car to Diourbel to hit up the bank and hang out with Christyne. We then headed to Dakar for the weekend. Played a little softball and had fun meeting the Peace Corps family that all live in this region, many people I hadn’t met yet. Came back to site Sunday and started quite a productive week Monday!
I had my first tutor session and it went rather well. It will be a different learning environment for sure since it was my teacher, Awa, and her mom, sister, sister’s kids and my counterpart. Not exactly the easiest place to concentrate but I did alright. I think it may work out once Awa understands what Wolof I know already and how she can help me. She has taught literacy courses before, but only to fluent Wolof speakers. I’m a bit of an exception! Anyways, it should work.
Later in the week, I met with all the presidents of women’s groups in Bambey. They meet together once a month and pay dues and discuss different issues. It was a challenging 2½ hours since it was all in Wolof and they don’t really understand why I am here. But I hope to help them out in the future. I also met with my neighbor, Sophie, who works at a new microfinance mutual. She explained what she does and how all the loans work. A lot of work can be done there linking the women to microfinance since they are the people who take out loans, and not the men. That may be a lot of what I’ll do in Bambey and the rest of my work will be in Ndem.
Just got back today from a nice stay there. I went with the PC Country Director and 3 other volunteers. Pete and I are the closest to Ndem and will be working together often. They other two, Christopher and Daniel are closer to Thies and hope to help out as well. We were all there randomly when a woman representing USAID was there so we talked with her about how they can help fund Ndem. After everyone left, I stayed and worked in the office with Abdou, my older brother when it comes to my name in Ndem – Rokhaya. We hope to get funding for an Internet line out of Ndem from Bambey with the help of USAID. Keep your fingers crossed. Put together a proposal with Abdou and have hopes to get Ndem fair trade certified with www.IFAT.com.
I sometimes feel like I am pretending to know what I am doing. I am so new at all this. As if the language was enough, I am learning how a relatively new business in a third world country runs and what can be done to improve it! I am in good spirits and hope I can make a positive impact. If you have any hints or clues, let me know!
So since it’s been a while since I’ve filled you in, I’ll try my best to summarize. Last week, Mark and Bamba (my bosses) came to visit me. I tried my best to show them around and it felt good to tell them what little I have done. From there, I took a free ride in a nice Peace Corps car to Diourbel to hit up the bank and hang out with Christyne. We then headed to Dakar for the weekend. Played a little softball and had fun meeting the Peace Corps family that all live in this region, many people I hadn’t met yet. Came back to site Sunday and started quite a productive week Monday!
I had my first tutor session and it went rather well. It will be a different learning environment for sure since it was my teacher, Awa, and her mom, sister, sister’s kids and my counterpart. Not exactly the easiest place to concentrate but I did alright. I think it may work out once Awa understands what Wolof I know already and how she can help me. She has taught literacy courses before, but only to fluent Wolof speakers. I’m a bit of an exception! Anyways, it should work.
Later in the week, I met with all the presidents of women’s groups in Bambey. They meet together once a month and pay dues and discuss different issues. It was a challenging 2½ hours since it was all in Wolof and they don’t really understand why I am here. But I hope to help them out in the future. I also met with my neighbor, Sophie, who works at a new microfinance mutual. She explained what she does and how all the loans work. A lot of work can be done there linking the women to microfinance since they are the people who take out loans, and not the men. That may be a lot of what I’ll do in Bambey and the rest of my work will be in Ndem.
Just got back today from a nice stay there. I went with the PC Country Director and 3 other volunteers. Pete and I are the closest to Ndem and will be working together often. They other two, Christopher and Daniel are closer to Thies and hope to help out as well. We were all there randomly when a woman representing USAID was there so we talked with her about how they can help fund Ndem. After everyone left, I stayed and worked in the office with Abdou, my older brother when it comes to my name in Ndem – Rokhaya. We hope to get funding for an Internet line out of Ndem from Bambey with the help of USAID. Keep your fingers crossed. Put together a proposal with Abdou and have hopes to get Ndem fair trade certified with www.IFAT.com.
I sometimes feel like I am pretending to know what I am doing. I am so new at all this. As if the language was enough, I am learning how a relatively new business in a third world country runs and what can be done to improve it! I am in good spirits and hope I can make a positive impact. If you have any hints or clues, let me know!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Noo tudd?
So life in Senegal is going. Man is it ever tough sometimes. Ive been here almost 3 months and the language is coming along slowly. Confusion is a constant state of being and I am really trying to learn to fit in here. Give me a few months!! Im glad the PC gives us the 3 months of integration cuz I need it!
About my names! I get one every where I go! It took me a while to get used to Diama Gueye pronounces Ja-ma Gay. But here in Bambey Im Yaay Ouria Mara, yaay rhymes with eye and the Rs are like spanish; but this causes a great deal of trouble. People in my town who know my host mom get it.. but the name is actually Guinean and not senegalese so people get real confused. And since I was named after my host moms late mother; i technically replace her so my host mom calls me yaay, aka mom and she is my daughter! funny right? completely normal though..
But today I jsut got back from Ndem! I do really love that village, just 11k down the road. They have beautiful stuff since its an artisanal village and they are already exporting abroad. They are the ultimate success story and i get to work with them!! Well anyways; they werent happy with my guinean name so I will be Rokhaya Dieye. Yea; I cant pronounce it either, you prolly do it better than me! Besides all of the work that we were doing; my work being struggling to understand normal conversation, my favorite parts were enjoying all the stars at night (it doesnt get better than that) and when we were eating lunch, someone went to go pick limes off the tree to squeeze on our rice. soo good!! youre missing out!
all and all; life is good but a constant struggle. im to the point where i can mostly understand if conversations are considerate of toubab ears. im just having trouble responding. i want to do a lot here.. ive just gotta figure out how. im lucky because there is lots of opportunity here, not every pcv is as lucky. i hope i can figure out how to pronounce my names and start to respond correctly to questions; and it will be an accomplishment!
thats all!! and anyone reading this needs to get on the phone and call my dad -- his number is 920 851 0641. he has yet to hang christmas lights.... scrudge! get on his case ;)
About my names! I get one every where I go! It took me a while to get used to Diama Gueye pronounces Ja-ma Gay. But here in Bambey Im Yaay Ouria Mara, yaay rhymes with eye and the Rs are like spanish; but this causes a great deal of trouble. People in my town who know my host mom get it.. but the name is actually Guinean and not senegalese so people get real confused. And since I was named after my host moms late mother; i technically replace her so my host mom calls me yaay, aka mom and she is my daughter! funny right? completely normal though..
But today I jsut got back from Ndem! I do really love that village, just 11k down the road. They have beautiful stuff since its an artisanal village and they are already exporting abroad. They are the ultimate success story and i get to work with them!! Well anyways; they werent happy with my guinean name so I will be Rokhaya Dieye. Yea; I cant pronounce it either, you prolly do it better than me! Besides all of the work that we were doing; my work being struggling to understand normal conversation, my favorite parts were enjoying all the stars at night (it doesnt get better than that) and when we were eating lunch, someone went to go pick limes off the tree to squeeze on our rice. soo good!! youre missing out!
all and all; life is good but a constant struggle. im to the point where i can mostly understand if conversations are considerate of toubab ears. im just having trouble responding. i want to do a lot here.. ive just gotta figure out how. im lucky because there is lots of opportunity here, not every pcv is as lucky. i hope i can figure out how to pronounce my names and start to respond correctly to questions; and it will be an accomplishment!
thats all!! and anyone reading this needs to get on the phone and call my dad -- his number is 920 851 0641. he has yet to hang christmas lights.... scrudge! get on his case ;)
Friday, November 30, 2007
Attaya
So it’s been a while since I’ve had a nice entry here. It has been a tough two weeks, not going to lie about that. In the past several years, I have been way too busy. In school I would make lists of what needed to be accomplished before going to bed and I kept myself working over 50 hour weeks in the summer. I dreamed about being bored and that’s exactly what I am getting good at now; watching cement dry.
The first three months of Peace Corps out of training are called the “integration period”. I am supposed to go around with my counterparts, 2 assigned influential men from the PC that live in Bambey, and meet with people and become familiar with my city. Moctar and Ibrahima are my counterparts and we met for 2 days in training in an attempt to explain what PC is and how they can help me. We made a detailed list of all the places they wanted to me see along with a schedule of when we would do it all. Haven’t really gotten to that schedule just yet….
The first week I was here I spend all my time trying to figure out my housing situation and have been remodeling ever since. Even today I had people installing my screen doors. I hope you find humor in this like I do: the screen doors didn’t exactly fit into the cement frames that existed. Instead of bringing the doors back to be remade, they broke down the cement walls to make room! Haha, I could hardly believe it. So they were back today applying fresh cement but now I wish I had hired my painter after this was all done. Oh well! At least some of the mosquitoes will stay out now (needless to say it’s not a perfect fit and only the smart ones will make it in my room). Hopefully it’s the dumb mosquitoes that carry malaria!
So for the past week I have been priding myself of greetings and getting breakfast but I think I can consider the last 24 hours a breakthrough. Last night, Moctar came to my house and we went to Ibrahima’s house. Although they both told me they are busy and don’t have time to show me around just yet, we set up appointments in the middle of December. I may have to find my way around until then… hmm. I am rather frustrated that they don’t have time just yet but I’m patient. I do have a time set up to go to Ndem next week with Pete (he’s one of my closest neighbors working with artisans; he’s been here over a year) and Daniel (another near neighbor who is interested in helping with basket exporting). That will be productive. And Moctar’s wife may be able to tutor me in Wolof. So work is as good as it can be in Bambey.
And you are wondering about “attaya”. It is famous here. During the hot afternoons when there is nothing you can seriously do besides sit, we drink tea. And about the heat, it is getting cooler, alhumdulilaye, and I wake up in the middle of the night and when my sheet is no longer efficient, I put on a sweatshirt and smile. Anyways. I was leaving the compound to get some cookies and to find a new store with people to chat with and impress them that I’m the new toubab in town who knows how to greet in Wolof, and my name was called from down the street. You have no idea how good this feels. Well, it was my Senegalese name, Ouria, but I answered to it happily trying to hide my smile. It was the guy I met and explained to you that I was hoping he wouldn’t want a plane ticket to America, remember? Well, since I stood him on that Saturday afternoon, and avoided him another time last week, he invited me for attaya=tea with his friends. My cookies could wait.
I ended up talking with him, my family’s tailor and a few of their friends for almost two hours. They were interested in why I am here and what my goals are for the next 2 years. Mostly, the conversations are in French, but every time there was silence, they’d teach me something new in Wolof telling me if I come hang out for attaya often, I’ll be fluent in Wolof before I know it. Attaya is kind of strong and sugary, but I may take them up on it.
The first three months of Peace Corps out of training are called the “integration period”. I am supposed to go around with my counterparts, 2 assigned influential men from the PC that live in Bambey, and meet with people and become familiar with my city. Moctar and Ibrahima are my counterparts and we met for 2 days in training in an attempt to explain what PC is and how they can help me. We made a detailed list of all the places they wanted to me see along with a schedule of when we would do it all. Haven’t really gotten to that schedule just yet….
The first week I was here I spend all my time trying to figure out my housing situation and have been remodeling ever since. Even today I had people installing my screen doors. I hope you find humor in this like I do: the screen doors didn’t exactly fit into the cement frames that existed. Instead of bringing the doors back to be remade, they broke down the cement walls to make room! Haha, I could hardly believe it. So they were back today applying fresh cement but now I wish I had hired my painter after this was all done. Oh well! At least some of the mosquitoes will stay out now (needless to say it’s not a perfect fit and only the smart ones will make it in my room). Hopefully it’s the dumb mosquitoes that carry malaria!
So for the past week I have been priding myself of greetings and getting breakfast but I think I can consider the last 24 hours a breakthrough. Last night, Moctar came to my house and we went to Ibrahima’s house. Although they both told me they are busy and don’t have time to show me around just yet, we set up appointments in the middle of December. I may have to find my way around until then… hmm. I am rather frustrated that they don’t have time just yet but I’m patient. I do have a time set up to go to Ndem next week with Pete (he’s one of my closest neighbors working with artisans; he’s been here over a year) and Daniel (another near neighbor who is interested in helping with basket exporting). That will be productive. And Moctar’s wife may be able to tutor me in Wolof. So work is as good as it can be in Bambey.
And you are wondering about “attaya”. It is famous here. During the hot afternoons when there is nothing you can seriously do besides sit, we drink tea. And about the heat, it is getting cooler, alhumdulilaye, and I wake up in the middle of the night and when my sheet is no longer efficient, I put on a sweatshirt and smile. Anyways. I was leaving the compound to get some cookies and to find a new store with people to chat with and impress them that I’m the new toubab in town who knows how to greet in Wolof, and my name was called from down the street. You have no idea how good this feels. Well, it was my Senegalese name, Ouria, but I answered to it happily trying to hide my smile. It was the guy I met and explained to you that I was hoping he wouldn’t want a plane ticket to America, remember? Well, since I stood him on that Saturday afternoon, and avoided him another time last week, he invited me for attaya=tea with his friends. My cookies could wait.
I ended up talking with him, my family’s tailor and a few of their friends for almost two hours. They were interested in why I am here and what my goals are for the next 2 years. Mostly, the conversations are in French, but every time there was silence, they’d teach me something new in Wolof telling me if I come hang out for attaya often, I’ll be fluent in Wolof before I know it. Attaya is kind of strong and sugary, but I may take them up on it.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Little by Little – Ndank ndank
The first four days, I only left the compound with the help of my host mom or sister or Dabakh to go to Diourbel. Needless to say, that wasn’t very often and I have finished 2 books and am on my third. BUT! Yesterday I actually got myself breakfast and sat outside under the tree and read. It’s the little victories! Having white skin is quite the attraction, especially since I live on the road that goes to the market. I’m trying really hard to figure out how to establish a good reputation in a city where I will be working, but if I understood correctly, I think I have a date lined up for Saturday afternoon, under that same tree. Great. You all are saying “I told you so”. I can hear it. But this really isn’t what I want, not right now. I want someone to show me around the city, introduce me to people and not want a ring on their left hand that is the equivalent to a one-way ticket and visa in America.
I am proud of myself for the little things I have accomplished. I want to try and get a routine set up so I can figure out how to survive here. So today, with that in mind, I went down to buy breakfast at a little boutique. They all called me by name, which is one of the greatest feelings in the world, since Fatou introduced me to them the first day I was here. So I got a French style baguette, the only type of bread around (damn) with onion sauce. Very typical here and it only costs 110 cfa = about 20 cents. After that, I swept out my little apartment and did some yoga. Physical exercise doesn’t exist here and I’m dying to sweat for some other reason than the heat! I filled up my water filter since I bought water from a guy who sells it on a donkey pulled cart. We do have a tap, but its really salty water. Gross! Even fancy powders don’t cover that up! I’ll be buying water and bleaching it…
So my plans for the afternoon! I think I’m going into town to maybe buy a broom and go to the cyber. I may even wait for Fatou to get home since I think we have some errands to run and she’s acting like my security blanket. I would have never thought I would be the type of person that wants to run to my room to hide from it all, but I’ve had that feeling more than I’d like to admit. Hopefully I’ll get my counterparts to help me out and find me a tutor in Wolof so I can get more confident. I am the only white person and although I came to Africa with the plan to become a minority for 2 years, it’s truly frightening until I meet those people that are searching for a friend rather than an airplane ticket.
Have a happy Thanksgiving! Don’t worry about me; lots of us volunteers are getting together to enjoy a typical Turkey Day meal in Koalack, about an hour from here. I hear there is even pumpkin pie for dessert! Miss you – enjoy some raw cookie dough at the cookie bake!
I am proud of myself for the little things I have accomplished. I want to try and get a routine set up so I can figure out how to survive here. So today, with that in mind, I went down to buy breakfast at a little boutique. They all called me by name, which is one of the greatest feelings in the world, since Fatou introduced me to them the first day I was here. So I got a French style baguette, the only type of bread around (damn) with onion sauce. Very typical here and it only costs 110 cfa = about 20 cents. After that, I swept out my little apartment and did some yoga. Physical exercise doesn’t exist here and I’m dying to sweat for some other reason than the heat! I filled up my water filter since I bought water from a guy who sells it on a donkey pulled cart. We do have a tap, but its really salty water. Gross! Even fancy powders don’t cover that up! I’ll be buying water and bleaching it…
So my plans for the afternoon! I think I’m going into town to maybe buy a broom and go to the cyber. I may even wait for Fatou to get home since I think we have some errands to run and she’s acting like my security blanket. I would have never thought I would be the type of person that wants to run to my room to hide from it all, but I’ve had that feeling more than I’d like to admit. Hopefully I’ll get my counterparts to help me out and find me a tutor in Wolof so I can get more confident. I am the only white person and although I came to Africa with the plan to become a minority for 2 years, it’s truly frightening until I meet those people that are searching for a friend rather than an airplane ticket.
Have a happy Thanksgiving! Don’t worry about me; lots of us volunteers are getting together to enjoy a typical Turkey Day meal in Koalack, about an hour from here. I hear there is even pumpkin pie for dessert! Miss you – enjoy some raw cookie dough at the cookie bake!
I have a home!
This is great news. As of last night, I moved into where I’ll be living for the next 2 years, Inchallah (god willing in Arabic, used at the end of every sentence, along with alhumdulilaye, which means thanks be to god). It was kind of weird at first, but now I’m used to it. Anyways!
So I was supposed to get to Bambey Tuesday, the lucky 13th, remember? But then I didn’t move in until the 15th, but here’s what really happened. On the morning of the 15th my boss came to pick me up and brought me to Bambey to interview a possible host family. So around 9ish, we went to the high school where Fatou (my new host mom) works. We chatted with her and Mark explained the situation of how it should all work. Then we went to her house to have a nice look around. It is just her and her daughter, N’dack, in one structure and 2 subleasers, Dabakh and Sophie, in another structure, within the same compound. I would be renting 2 rooms in the second structure like the subleasers. When she showed us the rooms I was rather dumbfounded. There was a lot of furniture and about an inch of dust and we eventually had to carry out 2 large buckets of broken cement that had either chipped off the floor and the walls, not easy sweeping. Needless to say I was shocked, but at this point I couldn’t be picky. Then she showed us the bathroom. Since no one was using it for as long as no one was using my 2 bedrooms, she shut the water off and we had to move a door that was used as a gate to keep the goats and chickens in the back of the compound. So the bathroom was a complete disaster and pretty much only had a hole cut out in the cement to potentially pee in. There is another functioning bathroom with a shower on the other side of the compound, but I would have to share this with everyone and the Peace Corps is cool about giving us our own bathrooms whenever possible. So Mark told her that we should start asap renovating the bathroom and bedrooms and PC would pay. In the mean time, I would move into one of the spare bedrooms. So when can I move in?! was my thought exactly…
Since by this time it was after 10, we would have to drive back to Thies and then back to Bambey with all of my things. It’s only an hour drive from Thies, alhumdulilaye, so we were back in Bambey before my host mom’s lunch break was up. So I was really bummed and wanted to finally move things out of my suitcases and into a real place for the first time in 2 months, but I had to wait. Things did move along quite quickly, which is surprising in this country, which I am very happy for. We went shopping the next day and had a painter there in the afternoon to start my rooms, baby blue – darling. Bought a fancy Turkish toilet and showerhead and flooring and spent money faster than I thought possible! (I’m cheap like my dad and hate spending money!) And then it got stressful again. Mind you, this is all in another language and although I’ve taken a lot of French, I still have trouble. They asked me about how I want to do the bathroom since we can’t paint it since the paint would just chip off the cement when it got wet. So, Fatou, suggested tile. Sure, thinking it would be cheap and not a lot of it right? Wrong. Since it was too expensive in Bambey, we would have to go to the next closest large city to get it. Dabakh would be the one installing it and since he knows what his doing, he brought to to Diourbel to go to the bank and to buy tile. I had to withdrawal pretty much all of my money from the PC “move-in allowance” to pay for everything possible before getting reimbursed. Then we went to the tile place. Dabakh wanted to get 15 square meters! I didn’t think this was necessary but I didn’t really have a choice at this point. We came all this way and I tried texting my boss to get a second opinion but he didn’t get back to me in time. I spent A LOT of money on tile, which come to find out, since it wasn’t necessary, I won’t get reimbursed. We could have just put fresh cement on the walls and been fine, but no. By the end of today, I will have the best looking bathroom in all of Peace Corps Senegal, thank you French degree. Now I’ll just need a set of locks to keep the whole neighborhood out.
So I was supposed to get to Bambey Tuesday, the lucky 13th, remember? But then I didn’t move in until the 15th, but here’s what really happened. On the morning of the 15th my boss came to pick me up and brought me to Bambey to interview a possible host family. So around 9ish, we went to the high school where Fatou (my new host mom) works. We chatted with her and Mark explained the situation of how it should all work. Then we went to her house to have a nice look around. It is just her and her daughter, N’dack, in one structure and 2 subleasers, Dabakh and Sophie, in another structure, within the same compound. I would be renting 2 rooms in the second structure like the subleasers. When she showed us the rooms I was rather dumbfounded. There was a lot of furniture and about an inch of dust and we eventually had to carry out 2 large buckets of broken cement that had either chipped off the floor and the walls, not easy sweeping. Needless to say I was shocked, but at this point I couldn’t be picky. Then she showed us the bathroom. Since no one was using it for as long as no one was using my 2 bedrooms, she shut the water off and we had to move a door that was used as a gate to keep the goats and chickens in the back of the compound. So the bathroom was a complete disaster and pretty much only had a hole cut out in the cement to potentially pee in. There is another functioning bathroom with a shower on the other side of the compound, but I would have to share this with everyone and the Peace Corps is cool about giving us our own bathrooms whenever possible. So Mark told her that we should start asap renovating the bathroom and bedrooms and PC would pay. In the mean time, I would move into one of the spare bedrooms. So when can I move in?! was my thought exactly…
Since by this time it was after 10, we would have to drive back to Thies and then back to Bambey with all of my things. It’s only an hour drive from Thies, alhumdulilaye, so we were back in Bambey before my host mom’s lunch break was up. So I was really bummed and wanted to finally move things out of my suitcases and into a real place for the first time in 2 months, but I had to wait. Things did move along quite quickly, which is surprising in this country, which I am very happy for. We went shopping the next day and had a painter there in the afternoon to start my rooms, baby blue – darling. Bought a fancy Turkish toilet and showerhead and flooring and spent money faster than I thought possible! (I’m cheap like my dad and hate spending money!) And then it got stressful again. Mind you, this is all in another language and although I’ve taken a lot of French, I still have trouble. They asked me about how I want to do the bathroom since we can’t paint it since the paint would just chip off the cement when it got wet. So, Fatou, suggested tile. Sure, thinking it would be cheap and not a lot of it right? Wrong. Since it was too expensive in Bambey, we would have to go to the next closest large city to get it. Dabakh would be the one installing it and since he knows what his doing, he brought to to Diourbel to go to the bank and to buy tile. I had to withdrawal pretty much all of my money from the PC “move-in allowance” to pay for everything possible before getting reimbursed. Then we went to the tile place. Dabakh wanted to get 15 square meters! I didn’t think this was necessary but I didn’t really have a choice at this point. We came all this way and I tried texting my boss to get a second opinion but he didn’t get back to me in time. I spent A LOT of money on tile, which come to find out, since it wasn’t necessary, I won’t get reimbursed. We could have just put fresh cement on the walls and been fine, but no. By the end of today, I will have the best looking bathroom in all of Peace Corps Senegal, thank you French degree. Now I’ll just need a set of locks to keep the whole neighborhood out.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
SEND MAIL!
Hey hey!! Im a resident in Bambey... so now you need to send me letters! My address is:
PCV Kira Keuhn
BP 03
Bambey, Senegal
West Africa
Some quick hints since I only have 10 min left at the cyber:
international stamps are 90 cents! cant wait to have christmas cards on display all over my bedroom walls!
there is a flat rate box that you can pay for and stuff with as heavy of stuff you want... if necessary; it may be worthwhile to look into. i dont really know that much about it!
For ideas on what to put in to the packages; FOOD! haha does that really surprise you? the best stuff we crave is candy, mom got scolded for not sending chocolate in the last one; and junk food; beef jerky and dried fruit: i,m easy to please! if you are real inclined; send your fav funny movie or burn a new cd... but make sure to take it out of the wrapping since otherwise a newly packaged electronic thing would be highly taxed on my behalf and i cant afford that!
thats really all ive got! next time i have more time, ill fill you in on my living situation in bambey! real big switch. i went from having 9 younger siblings to now one and a mom with 2 subleasers! its calm and im a big fan!
no more time! anxious to get your letters!!
PCV Kira Keuhn
BP 03
Bambey, Senegal
West Africa
Some quick hints since I only have 10 min left at the cyber:
international stamps are 90 cents! cant wait to have christmas cards on display all over my bedroom walls!
there is a flat rate box that you can pay for and stuff with as heavy of stuff you want... if necessary; it may be worthwhile to look into. i dont really know that much about it!
For ideas on what to put in to the packages; FOOD! haha does that really surprise you? the best stuff we crave is candy, mom got scolded for not sending chocolate in the last one; and junk food; beef jerky and dried fruit: i,m easy to please! if you are real inclined; send your fav funny movie or burn a new cd... but make sure to take it out of the wrapping since otherwise a newly packaged electronic thing would be highly taxed on my behalf and i cant afford that!
thats really all ive got! next time i have more time, ill fill you in on my living situation in bambey! real big switch. i went from having 9 younger siblings to now one and a mom with 2 subleasers! its calm and im a big fan!
no more time! anxious to get your letters!!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
All I can do is Laugh
So site installations went fairly well for everyone, with on exception. I was the second to last to leave Thies. Everyone by now is safely in their regions at least… except for me. Want the long version or short? Haha – I have time, how about the long version?
So we packed up the Peace Corps Land Cruiser with my luggage inside, and my mattress and bike on top. It is only about an hour drive to Bambey so we left “fashionably late” because my install coordinator, Mamadou, said that if we got their early, no one would be there. I already knew this and had no problem hanging out at the center taking a quick noppalu (nap ci wolof). So after 2 we left and arrived in Bambey right around 3. First we went to the police station to exchange numbers and get them familiar with me and what I would be doing there. It feels good to have an in with the police chief! After that we went to the Mayors office where I should have met the mayor and my counterpart and my future host dad. None of whom we found so we went to my supervisor’s house. (I already met my supervisor and counterpart and they were well aware that I was coming on the 13th… so I thought) So, surprisingly by freak chance, my supervisor also wasn’t home and had left his cell at home, where he wasn’t. So we waited and Mamadou called some people to find where my counterpart lived. We found him! Success! Everything should get better from here, right?
Wrong! My counterpart took me to my host family’s house. They, needless to say, weren’t expecting me (I specifically told my counterpart two times to talk to them to tell them I will be coming on the 13th) I wished from here on out that I didn’t understand Wolof or French, because that’s what they all figured and talked about me when I was standing right there. So we went back to the mayor’s office, for the third time within an hour, and I met my host dad, kinda. Mamadou put him on the phone talking to my Peace Corps supervisor, Bamba. My host dad seemed extremely uncomfortable and after a long conversation, I came to find out that he had given my apartment to someone else. He says that he waited until November and since he “couldn’t get a hold of Peace Corps” he couldn’t afford to wait any longer and is now renting it to someone and her daughter. This was just decided a few weeks ago, right around the time that my counterpart got back from the counterpart workshop…
After this, my counterpart went home and we went back to my supervisor’s house to wait for him. We waited until after 5 and decided to head back to Thies. Surprisingly, we saw my supervisor on the road so we stopped. He apologized a great deal, saying this hurts him that I will not be there yet. He is a wonderful person, highly influential in the town and very wise. I do really appreciate that I have him and seeing him cheered me up at this point, which I needed. Bamba and Mark, my PC bosses are working with him now to get a new family set up.
Like I said, all I can do is laugh about this. If it were a perfect world, there would have been a welcome committee waiting for me at my house, when in reality, that’s what I got when I got back to Thies. My host mom was called to make sure it was alright for me to come back to use my room. She was more than happy but since I got home before she was done with work, my family was very happy to see me again, and incredibly confused. In wolof, I tried to explain that I have no home in Bambey and they were like great! Stay here! No problem! I am lucky that I have such a great family. Not everyone is this lucky. So now I just get to hang out in Thies! Rough Peace Corps life…
So we packed up the Peace Corps Land Cruiser with my luggage inside, and my mattress and bike on top. It is only about an hour drive to Bambey so we left “fashionably late” because my install coordinator, Mamadou, said that if we got their early, no one would be there. I already knew this and had no problem hanging out at the center taking a quick noppalu (nap ci wolof). So after 2 we left and arrived in Bambey right around 3. First we went to the police station to exchange numbers and get them familiar with me and what I would be doing there. It feels good to have an in with the police chief! After that we went to the Mayors office where I should have met the mayor and my counterpart and my future host dad. None of whom we found so we went to my supervisor’s house. (I already met my supervisor and counterpart and they were well aware that I was coming on the 13th… so I thought) So, surprisingly by freak chance, my supervisor also wasn’t home and had left his cell at home, where he wasn’t. So we waited and Mamadou called some people to find where my counterpart lived. We found him! Success! Everything should get better from here, right?
Wrong! My counterpart took me to my host family’s house. They, needless to say, weren’t expecting me (I specifically told my counterpart two times to talk to them to tell them I will be coming on the 13th) I wished from here on out that I didn’t understand Wolof or French, because that’s what they all figured and talked about me when I was standing right there. So we went back to the mayor’s office, for the third time within an hour, and I met my host dad, kinda. Mamadou put him on the phone talking to my Peace Corps supervisor, Bamba. My host dad seemed extremely uncomfortable and after a long conversation, I came to find out that he had given my apartment to someone else. He says that he waited until November and since he “couldn’t get a hold of Peace Corps” he couldn’t afford to wait any longer and is now renting it to someone and her daughter. This was just decided a few weeks ago, right around the time that my counterpart got back from the counterpart workshop…
After this, my counterpart went home and we went back to my supervisor’s house to wait for him. We waited until after 5 and decided to head back to Thies. Surprisingly, we saw my supervisor on the road so we stopped. He apologized a great deal, saying this hurts him that I will not be there yet. He is a wonderful person, highly influential in the town and very wise. I do really appreciate that I have him and seeing him cheered me up at this point, which I needed. Bamba and Mark, my PC bosses are working with him now to get a new family set up.
Like I said, all I can do is laugh about this. If it were a perfect world, there would have been a welcome committee waiting for me at my house, when in reality, that’s what I got when I got back to Thies. My host mom was called to make sure it was alright for me to come back to use my room. She was more than happy but since I got home before she was done with work, my family was very happy to see me again, and incredibly confused. In wolof, I tried to explain that I have no home in Bambey and they were like great! Stay here! No problem! I am lucky that I have such a great family. Not everyone is this lucky. So now I just get to hang out in Thies! Rough Peace Corps life…
Saturday, November 10, 2007
no longer in Training!
Its official! I am a volunteer in Senegal! We swore in yesterday in Dakar and ate wonderful food and put on a funny skit after singing the national anthems. It was a good time. My host family said they saw me on national tv during the skit.. haha amazing! There are a few pictures up of the skit. It wasn't very good and i screwed up one of my 3 lines i had to memorize. But you are reading the blog of a famous toubab in africa!
So needless to say, it feels good to be a volunteer finally. We had a big dinner with one member of our family last night after getting back from Dakar at the training center and danced until after 1. They brought in a dj and we danced in an attempt to burn off some calories. There is this problem I have, as well as other city volunteers. We have many friends that are moving out into the bush and will serisouly lose weight since there are not proper nutrients available. Me, on the other hand, will be in a decent city of 25,000 but feel like I still need to eat the delishous food available for us at the training center. Oh well! Life is good!
So I will be moving to Bambey on Tuesday! I am getting rather nervous to meet my new family and get to know the entire town. I can't believe its actually happening though. Remember when I first came up with the idea to do the Peace Corps? It's going to be real now. Crazy!
Well check out my pictures and next time I write on here I should have a new address that you will have to send mail to. I'm bummed that I haven't got any lately.. you will have no excuses when I have a permenant address! :-) Love and miss you all!
So needless to say, it feels good to be a volunteer finally. We had a big dinner with one member of our family last night after getting back from Dakar at the training center and danced until after 1. They brought in a dj and we danced in an attempt to burn off some calories. There is this problem I have, as well as other city volunteers. We have many friends that are moving out into the bush and will serisouly lose weight since there are not proper nutrients available. Me, on the other hand, will be in a decent city of 25,000 but feel like I still need to eat the delishous food available for us at the training center. Oh well! Life is good!
So I will be moving to Bambey on Tuesday! I am getting rather nervous to meet my new family and get to know the entire town. I can't believe its actually happening though. Remember when I first came up with the idea to do the Peace Corps? It's going to be real now. Crazy!
Well check out my pictures and next time I write on here I should have a new address that you will have to send mail to. I'm bummed that I haven't got any lately.. you will have no excuses when I have a permenant address! :-) Love and miss you all!
Monday, November 5, 2007
The Number 13
I have always hated that number - 14 being my fav obviously. And the number is haunting me. I arrived in Senegal on the 13 of September, I have cubby hole 13 meaning I'm 13th in the alphabet in our stage. My cell number is 221-77-713-3897 (call anytime - I'd love it) and of a possibility of 5 days to be installed at site in Bambey, it will be the 13th of November. Lucky 13 right?
So life is pretty good considering. I have a bit of a stomach ache to say politely. I am thanking Schuelke from the bottom of my heart for the largest 3 containers of drink mix powder. The gatorade is coming in handy today! (as side note - Schuelke, the best former swim coach in WI, set me up with enough drink mix for the next two years, so if you are as kind, don't send any, I'm set!)
So to say again, I am (hopefully) moving to Bambey next week. Hopefully since I still have to pass my oral Wolof exam. EEEK. If not, I'll be hanging out in Thies for another week or two with a private tutor. But about Bambey, I guess it will be more accurate then, but I did get to meet my supervisor and my counterpart last week. They will be helping me introduce myself into the community and seem to be pretty good so far. I don't know that much but time will tell.
That's about all I have time for right now. Keep me in mind on the 13th!
So life is pretty good considering. I have a bit of a stomach ache to say politely. I am thanking Schuelke from the bottom of my heart for the largest 3 containers of drink mix powder. The gatorade is coming in handy today! (as side note - Schuelke, the best former swim coach in WI, set me up with enough drink mix for the next two years, so if you are as kind, don't send any, I'm set!)
So to say again, I am (hopefully) moving to Bambey next week. Hopefully since I still have to pass my oral Wolof exam. EEEK. If not, I'll be hanging out in Thies for another week or two with a private tutor. But about Bambey, I guess it will be more accurate then, but I did get to meet my supervisor and my counterpart last week. They will be helping me introduce myself into the community and seem to be pretty good so far. I don't know that much but time will tell.
That's about all I have time for right now. Keep me in mind on the 13th!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Equipe Toubab!
So we had a soccer game against the trainers last night. For the first time the toubabs (aka foreigners, which I am proud to be) won!! This is amazing and has been the talk of the center, such a good feeling. We played on a rocky, sandy dirt with a real goal on one side and 2 rocks on the other. I should have had a point if our ref wasn’t a trainer… a serious bias, saying that my shot was over the imaginary post. Whatever. We won 2-1 and we get to rub it in their faces for the rest of training! It feels good.
That’s one huge difference here. Have I talked about racism? It doesn’t exist here, at least the entire concept of it being taboo. I am different because I have white skin and they make it known. They have different class systems of different ethnic groups here and they tell each other (teasingly) that one is a slave to another. Would that fly in corporate America? I think NOT! I am somehow getting used to it. For example, greetings here are super important. But all they are really saying is: Nanga def? Maangi fii…, which means How are you doing? I am here. So the obvious is stated. Yaangi toog? Waaw, maangi toog. Are you sitting? Yes, I am sitting. These are greetings necessary to survival in Africa. So in a few months, when I am complaining about how people are calling me toubab and fat and that I can’t speak Wolof, remind me that it is just a part of the culture and I need to get over it. Thanks. Be blunt… its life in Senegal.
So does anyone else think that time is flying like crazy? I have been in Senegal for over 6 weeks. Does that surprise anyone besides me? Time is flying and in just 2 weeks I will be swearing in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer and moving to my home in Bambey. WHAT?!!! I am not ready for this. Prepare yourself for some emotional blogs about how I am not happy and how life is just better in America. But just remember that I do love it here and that my life will improve (I will need to be reminded of this often… ok?) I am here for many reasons and truthfully; I would not be enjoying life in America anymore. You have a desk job?! Ha! Sorry, I am getting paid by the government to have three-month vacation. My only expectation until February is to meet people and make relationships. We need to integrate ourselves and get an idea of what is available at our sites. And that can take up to a year to do… so my frustration is going to be about how I have never had time to just sit in America, and that’s what I will be doing for the next 2 years… maangi toog. I am going to be bored out of my frickin’ mind!
So I know you are wondering what you can do for me! Send me mail, comments and wall posts, email and packages. You just may want to wait now until after my address changes... I don't know what it is yet. I want to know what is going on in America and the rest of the world. I want to know the scored of games whether its your intramural team or the Packers. You would be surprised about how disconnected I already am. Partly, my fault since CNN is not my favorite site to spend time on when I am paying for the internet but how else can I get Hollywood gossip if I don’t do my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. (I used to pick long lines just to read People).
One quick plug of a small frustration I have to deal with is that I am living with Muslims who don’t drink. It’s Friday. I went to a bar with friends at 6pm for 3 beers. I came home and my 21 and 19-year-old sisters took me aside and told me they could smell alcohol. They were not happy and said that the Peace Corps said we couldn’t drink. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy. I am American and drink alcohol and that may never change.
This is Africa. TIA.
That’s one huge difference here. Have I talked about racism? It doesn’t exist here, at least the entire concept of it being taboo. I am different because I have white skin and they make it known. They have different class systems of different ethnic groups here and they tell each other (teasingly) that one is a slave to another. Would that fly in corporate America? I think NOT! I am somehow getting used to it. For example, greetings here are super important. But all they are really saying is: Nanga def? Maangi fii…, which means How are you doing? I am here. So the obvious is stated. Yaangi toog? Waaw, maangi toog. Are you sitting? Yes, I am sitting. These are greetings necessary to survival in Africa. So in a few months, when I am complaining about how people are calling me toubab and fat and that I can’t speak Wolof, remind me that it is just a part of the culture and I need to get over it. Thanks. Be blunt… its life in Senegal.
So does anyone else think that time is flying like crazy? I have been in Senegal for over 6 weeks. Does that surprise anyone besides me? Time is flying and in just 2 weeks I will be swearing in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer and moving to my home in Bambey. WHAT?!!! I am not ready for this. Prepare yourself for some emotional blogs about how I am not happy and how life is just better in America. But just remember that I do love it here and that my life will improve (I will need to be reminded of this often… ok?) I am here for many reasons and truthfully; I would not be enjoying life in America anymore. You have a desk job?! Ha! Sorry, I am getting paid by the government to have three-month vacation. My only expectation until February is to meet people and make relationships. We need to integrate ourselves and get an idea of what is available at our sites. And that can take up to a year to do… so my frustration is going to be about how I have never had time to just sit in America, and that’s what I will be doing for the next 2 years… maangi toog. I am going to be bored out of my frickin’ mind!
So I know you are wondering what you can do for me! Send me mail, comments and wall posts, email and packages. You just may want to wait now until after my address changes... I don't know what it is yet. I want to know what is going on in America and the rest of the world. I want to know the scored of games whether its your intramural team or the Packers. You would be surprised about how disconnected I already am. Partly, my fault since CNN is not my favorite site to spend time on when I am paying for the internet but how else can I get Hollywood gossip if I don’t do my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. (I used to pick long lines just to read People).
One quick plug of a small frustration I have to deal with is that I am living with Muslims who don’t drink. It’s Friday. I went to a bar with friends at 6pm for 3 beers. I came home and my 21 and 19-year-old sisters took me aside and told me they could smell alcohol. They were not happy and said that the Peace Corps said we couldn’t drink. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy. I am American and drink alcohol and that may never change.
This is Africa. TIA.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
BEANS
If you know me at all, you know this is no good.
Last weekend we ate richly, since it was a holiday. I am paying for it now. 2 nights in a row... beans. Nothing but beans cooked in some type of sauce. 2 nights ago they were mashed before they were cooked, and I honestly couldnt eat them. Last night they were whole.
I hope dinner tonight is better. I just figured you all needed to know that it took 5 weeks, but beans were for dinner: enough said.
Last weekend we ate richly, since it was a holiday. I am paying for it now. 2 nights in a row... beans. Nothing but beans cooked in some type of sauce. 2 nights ago they were mashed before they were cooked, and I honestly couldnt eat them. Last night they were whole.
I hope dinner tonight is better. I just figured you all needed to know that it took 5 weeks, but beans were for dinner: enough said.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Bambey … India?
So I know where I am going to be living for the next 2 years of my life! This is such a big deal! I only planned usually one year in advance to lease signing and all that and haven’t known where I would be living since high school! I am excited to have my own home and make it just that so that I will be comfortably living, considering, in Senegal! I will have a double bed and fridge… it will just be under a mosquito net and a mini fridge filled with filtered and beech water!
So the Peace Corps is very good at torturing us. They have known our sites for weeks since we have been learning the language that is spoken at our cities for over 3 weeks. They interviewed us and placed us but don’t like to tell us early just in case things change. Well, this is not very nice in my opinion. 2 years! And this year, because of a major change in scheduling, our site announcement date was moved back a day and a half. So when this time came, it was so exciting!
How they tell us is by taking us to the basketball court at the training center. It is painted as the country of Senegal labeling major cities all over. They make us stand in Mauritania and close our eyes. Then quietly, they spun us around and brought us to where our sites are. It was so fun! So that’s what a few pictures are from if you wanted to see. I had an ancien (a current volunteer that has been here over a year) take pictures. So when we all opened our eyes we could see where we were and who was near us! I am moving to Bambey! It is close to Thies, where I am right now and Dakar is my regional house… meaning whenever I need to get out of my town and relax to remind myself that I am an American, I get to hang out and spend too much money in Dakar! Pretty cool!
So what I know about Bambey—is not much really. I am the first volunteer ever to go to the city of 25,000. There is agriculture, animal raising and commerce in the area with a large daily market. What is extremely exciting for me is high concentration of artisans in a nearby town of Ndem (I’ll talk about that in a sec). There are available microfinance institutions, women’s associations and youth groups in Bambey that all need management training. I will be living in a compound with a family of 8. I will have 2 rooms, private bathroom with wonderful amenities such as cement floor, metal roof, bars on windows, locks on doors, electricity and water available. That probably means bucket baths for the next 2 years… oh well.
Myself and another volunteer were talking with a current volunteer who is COSing (close of service) in October. He has been working with the people of Ndem and hopes we will be continuing his work. He gave me contact numbers and information on their business of exporting baskets. They have already started exporting to Europe. I will need to (first learn and then) help with computerized inventory and accounting systems, along with improve English capacities in order to get into the American market. I will be working hard to get marketing improved along with basic computer skills to improve their website.
How cool is this?! I have a lot to learn about what they are doing now and how we can improve it. It will be a very slow start. My goal over 3 months is first to meet everyone and become friends. There is no way for my to jump in and make a change in the first month or two. I get, from the Peace Corps, a 3-month window to hang out, drink tea and greet everyone in town! After 3 months, we come back to Thies for IST (In-service training) where they will train me to help me with what I want to accomplish in the next year or so. What you could do to help me if find people/businesses that are interested in importing hand-made baskets made from palm trees! Haha – thank god for the internet!
So the Peace Corps is very good at torturing us. They have known our sites for weeks since we have been learning the language that is spoken at our cities for over 3 weeks. They interviewed us and placed us but don’t like to tell us early just in case things change. Well, this is not very nice in my opinion. 2 years! And this year, because of a major change in scheduling, our site announcement date was moved back a day and a half. So when this time came, it was so exciting!
How they tell us is by taking us to the basketball court at the training center. It is painted as the country of Senegal labeling major cities all over. They make us stand in Mauritania and close our eyes. Then quietly, they spun us around and brought us to where our sites are. It was so fun! So that’s what a few pictures are from if you wanted to see. I had an ancien (a current volunteer that has been here over a year) take pictures. So when we all opened our eyes we could see where we were and who was near us! I am moving to Bambey! It is close to Thies, where I am right now and Dakar is my regional house… meaning whenever I need to get out of my town and relax to remind myself that I am an American, I get to hang out and spend too much money in Dakar! Pretty cool!
So what I know about Bambey—is not much really. I am the first volunteer ever to go to the city of 25,000. There is agriculture, animal raising and commerce in the area with a large daily market. What is extremely exciting for me is high concentration of artisans in a nearby town of Ndem (I’ll talk about that in a sec). There are available microfinance institutions, women’s associations and youth groups in Bambey that all need management training. I will be living in a compound with a family of 8. I will have 2 rooms, private bathroom with wonderful amenities such as cement floor, metal roof, bars on windows, locks on doors, electricity and water available. That probably means bucket baths for the next 2 years… oh well.
Myself and another volunteer were talking with a current volunteer who is COSing (close of service) in October. He has been working with the people of Ndem and hopes we will be continuing his work. He gave me contact numbers and information on their business of exporting baskets. They have already started exporting to Europe. I will need to (first learn and then) help with computerized inventory and accounting systems, along with improve English capacities in order to get into the American market. I will be working hard to get marketing improved along with basic computer skills to improve their website.
How cool is this?! I have a lot to learn about what they are doing now and how we can improve it. It will be a very slow start. My goal over 3 months is first to meet everyone and become friends. There is no way for my to jump in and make a change in the first month or two. I get, from the Peace Corps, a 3-month window to hang out, drink tea and greet everyone in town! After 3 months, we come back to Thies for IST (In-service training) where they will train me to help me with what I want to accomplish in the next year or so. What you could do to help me if find people/businesses that are interested in importing hand-made baskets made from palm trees! Haha – thank god for the internet!
Spaghetti with my Hands
So I would have never thought possible. Instead of rice for dinner a few days back we had spaghetti! So exciting, except there was no sauce, just oil and noodles with meat, probably goat. They gave me the only fork in the house but I have a bit of trouble with a fork and my right hand so I gave that up shortly after losing a few noodles onto my feet. Just had to let you know that this brought eating with your hands to a whole new level… spaghetti! My dad used to make Kris and I eat our French fries and tater tots with forks! Loving it here! No complaints on food. And what is also nice and has taken some time to get used to, it is perfectly acceptable to insult the cook. If I don’t like something, I can say that and either they will give me their rice without the yucky sauce or make me something else. The honesty is brutal, but it’s better than suffering by eating supakanja, in my opinion.
So Ramadan is finished! Korite is the big celebration that caused us to cancel class on Saturday and we were to spend the day with the family. I totally lucked out by the way. Everyone wears traditional Senegalese clothing and all the trainees needed to go and get it made. I, on the other hand, got not one but 2 dresses made for me. My mom is one of the best tailors in town and my namesake is also a tailor. SWEET! I look good! Pictures coming soon. So today was the first time that I got to eat a very good meal with my family during the day, without the use of a flashlight! Since otherwise we had to eat after sunset and dinners have been after 9 usually. It is going to be interesting to see how everything changes since people have been fasting in the past 4 weeks that we’ve been here and they haven’t been the most enthusiastic during the heat of the afternoons. Overall, the holiday of Korite was rather uneventful. I was expecting a huge celebration filling the streets but people just got real dressed up to head to the mosque and then the night life was supposed to be amazing since my sisters said they went out until 3 last night. I was going to go but got the feeling I would feel out of place since it was about 6 late teenagers asking if I could pay for the taxi. Not thanks! I got over 10 hours of sleep last night instead and LOVED it.
Everything is going wonderfully with my family. They were extremely worried about me since I didn’t break the fast the other night. I was so tired and needed to just lay down with my door shut and I could hear them talking about me for most of the evening. It is quite a challenge to sleep around here. They are noisy! But life is good and I am going to take today as a day to relax since I feel a fall cold coming on… I guess it doesn’t need to be cold out to get one!
So Ramadan is finished! Korite is the big celebration that caused us to cancel class on Saturday and we were to spend the day with the family. I totally lucked out by the way. Everyone wears traditional Senegalese clothing and all the trainees needed to go and get it made. I, on the other hand, got not one but 2 dresses made for me. My mom is one of the best tailors in town and my namesake is also a tailor. SWEET! I look good! Pictures coming soon. So today was the first time that I got to eat a very good meal with my family during the day, without the use of a flashlight! Since otherwise we had to eat after sunset and dinners have been after 9 usually. It is going to be interesting to see how everything changes since people have been fasting in the past 4 weeks that we’ve been here and they haven’t been the most enthusiastic during the heat of the afternoons. Overall, the holiday of Korite was rather uneventful. I was expecting a huge celebration filling the streets but people just got real dressed up to head to the mosque and then the night life was supposed to be amazing since my sisters said they went out until 3 last night. I was going to go but got the feeling I would feel out of place since it was about 6 late teenagers asking if I could pay for the taxi. Not thanks! I got over 10 hours of sleep last night instead and LOVED it.
Everything is going wonderfully with my family. They were extremely worried about me since I didn’t break the fast the other night. I was so tired and needed to just lay down with my door shut and I could hear them talking about me for most of the evening. It is quite a challenge to sleep around here. They are noisy! But life is good and I am going to take today as a day to relax since I feel a fall cold coming on… I guess it doesn’t need to be cold out to get one!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Photos Posted!
Life is good in Senegal! I posted more photos on facebook for you lovelies to enjoy! There are all from either Thies – at our favorite restaurant that gives us beers for 500cfa ($1), at Popinguine, which is an eco-tourism site and some photos of some of my family! The eco site was a field trip for us to see what it was all about. You Americans may not realize that Senegal is a hot spot for rich Europeans. Obviously, after seeing this city, if I were rich and European, I’d go too! The water was super warm – unbelievable I didn’t swim in it right? If only they gave us more than 2 minutes to touch it! And the pictures of my family are limited to whoever was around at that time before I had to hide my camera from my 2 and 4-year-old brothers! I do have a new sister or cousin… she is going to be hanging out for a while in the next few days/weeks. Her name is Soxna and she’s in the pictures!
So today we got a lecture from our Wolof teacher than we are not doing as well as she wants. I need to practice more with my family but it has been tough since Soxna makes it 4 Senegalese young women gossiping non-stop, with hundreds of children coming and going as they please. I brought over 3 of my guy friends and my sisters were excited and making them dance and repeat phrases so they can pretty much be entertained by us. Who knew having white skin could be such an intriguing thing? Children love us! I just need to get the language down! Maybe after Korite, the holiday that will end Ramadan, I will have more time to sit and chat with my yaye. She is extremely busy with her clothing shop making beautiful dresses and boubous for the entire neighborhood it seems! I saw my dress today and I love it! I haven’t tried it on but although it is a simple style, I love the pattern. I’ll be just like the Senegalese next weekend! We will all eat chicken, drink coffee and visit with neighbors, not to mention dance! Should be fun!
The heat hasn’t let up. At the center, we are under fans and in the shade all day but at lunch today, I walked with 2 friends to my yaye’s shop. I remember what it was like sitting in the lifeguard stand at the Neenah Pool, sitting, watching the water and dripping, surprisingly since you are not physically moving. SAME HERE! It’s hot and humid and all the Senegalese keep saying it will get better in October. I’m waiting! But I have heard rumors the dry season is just as bad and worse in some areas. Oh well – it will be a game to see if I can drink enough water to replace my sweat. And that’s another thing that reminds me of the pool – our water at the center is filtered and bleached. It is cold right out of the filter, but if it sits around and warms up, it tastes like the pool. Mmmm right? If you do send a package, send powder gaterade, juices and tea! I’ll love you forever! other things that would be wonderful is if you print off your favorite photos that i have saved put on facebook and I can give them out as gifts to people here! it would be nice to have some photos on my walls! Thanks! :)
So today we got a lecture from our Wolof teacher than we are not doing as well as she wants. I need to practice more with my family but it has been tough since Soxna makes it 4 Senegalese young women gossiping non-stop, with hundreds of children coming and going as they please. I brought over 3 of my guy friends and my sisters were excited and making them dance and repeat phrases so they can pretty much be entertained by us. Who knew having white skin could be such an intriguing thing? Children love us! I just need to get the language down! Maybe after Korite, the holiday that will end Ramadan, I will have more time to sit and chat with my yaye. She is extremely busy with her clothing shop making beautiful dresses and boubous for the entire neighborhood it seems! I saw my dress today and I love it! I haven’t tried it on but although it is a simple style, I love the pattern. I’ll be just like the Senegalese next weekend! We will all eat chicken, drink coffee and visit with neighbors, not to mention dance! Should be fun!
The heat hasn’t let up. At the center, we are under fans and in the shade all day but at lunch today, I walked with 2 friends to my yaye’s shop. I remember what it was like sitting in the lifeguard stand at the Neenah Pool, sitting, watching the water and dripping, surprisingly since you are not physically moving. SAME HERE! It’s hot and humid and all the Senegalese keep saying it will get better in October. I’m waiting! But I have heard rumors the dry season is just as bad and worse in some areas. Oh well – it will be a game to see if I can drink enough water to replace my sweat. And that’s another thing that reminds me of the pool – our water at the center is filtered and bleached. It is cold right out of the filter, but if it sits around and warms up, it tastes like the pool. Mmmm right? If you do send a package, send powder gaterade, juices and tea! I’ll love you forever! other things that would be wonderful is if you print off your favorite photos that i have saved put on facebook and I can give them out as gifts to people here! it would be nice to have some photos on my walls! Thanks! :)
Friday, October 5, 2007
Happy Birthday Daddy!
Everyone reading this needs to send a birthday wish to my dad since I am not able to as easily! He is half a century old today!!! And he loves me for making this known on the internet; right dad? Love you!
I am rather upset since I am at the cyber without my USB. I sat up last night typing a long blog entry and with about 40 new photos to show you all and I fogot it at home! you will have to be patient! but since im here i figured id have to fill you in on my most stressful day since you havent heard that side of me just yet. here it goes
so you know i have been taking wolof and trying my best to practice with my family. the problem is that i rely on my french toget me out of any trouble i have and its all good. well! today we have 6 hours of wolof class and we were all dreading sitting in the classroom for so long! so what our teacher said this morning is that we werent going to be in class all day! great right???!! NOT! everyone loaded into the peace corps bus that took us into town to a large plaza. they dropped us off with a few simple rules. we could not have a buddy, we could not speak french and we could not speak english. awesome. i had to walk up to groups of people and start conversations! what?! it was extremely stressful and what our teachers kept saying is that this is reality! this is what we will have to experience every day when we move to site! needless to say it was eye opening.
(side note: a grasshopper just jumped onto my computer)
the country of senegal known as the country of hospitality. they are so nice and will bend over backwards for you. this aspect was essential today. imagine in the states; if you were enjoying your afternoon in the park reading or simply people wathing and some non-english speaker came up to you to carry on the conversation of a 3year old. i know how to say where i live and what i am doing in senegal, but if they get too specific in questions; i have no clue! it was the most interesting activity we have done so far.. but im still here; fighting harder to learn the frickin language of wolof....
trying my best to laugh off the misery of today and enjoy the thought of my dad drinking a spotted cow for me, since im not there to do that with him.
keep the letters and comments coming -- i need it!
I am rather upset since I am at the cyber without my USB. I sat up last night typing a long blog entry and with about 40 new photos to show you all and I fogot it at home! you will have to be patient! but since im here i figured id have to fill you in on my most stressful day since you havent heard that side of me just yet. here it goes
so you know i have been taking wolof and trying my best to practice with my family. the problem is that i rely on my french toget me out of any trouble i have and its all good. well! today we have 6 hours of wolof class and we were all dreading sitting in the classroom for so long! so what our teacher said this morning is that we werent going to be in class all day! great right???!! NOT! everyone loaded into the peace corps bus that took us into town to a large plaza. they dropped us off with a few simple rules. we could not have a buddy, we could not speak french and we could not speak english. awesome. i had to walk up to groups of people and start conversations! what?! it was extremely stressful and what our teachers kept saying is that this is reality! this is what we will have to experience every day when we move to site! needless to say it was eye opening.
(side note: a grasshopper just jumped onto my computer)
the country of senegal known as the country of hospitality. they are so nice and will bend over backwards for you. this aspect was essential today. imagine in the states; if you were enjoying your afternoon in the park reading or simply people wathing and some non-english speaker came up to you to carry on the conversation of a 3year old. i know how to say where i live and what i am doing in senegal, but if they get too specific in questions; i have no clue! it was the most interesting activity we have done so far.. but im still here; fighting harder to learn the frickin language of wolof....
trying my best to laugh off the misery of today and enjoy the thought of my dad drinking a spotted cow for me, since im not there to do that with him.
keep the letters and comments coming -- i need it!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Little Victories
Alright, so I am having trouble going back and forth between the French keyboard any my own. In the “cyber” as we call it, I spend an hour or so getting used to the keyboard where the A and the Q and the Z have all traded places, not to mention many others. So getting used to my laptop again is a challenge. It is easiest for me to write my blog and save it to a disk rather than type at the cyber….
Anyways, I just wanted to fill you in a bit more on my family life. It’s great! At the center, we all talk about each other’s experiences and I have heard horror stories about cockroach infestations and cruel, backstabbing uncles, but besides a ‘terrible two’ year old, life is good. And if you know me at all, I love Cher Oumar too much already to complain about his crying every so often. He is actually throwing crayons around in my room right now and I only have the vocab to say déedéet – which means no. He just kinda looks at me and smiles. I just got him to pick up about half of the crayons. Little victories… little victories. (I do miss my Fischer kids!) Now, my goal is to answer a single question he asks me before I leave – unlikely, but hey, it’s a goal. The language barrier is very evident with the kids. The girls that are 17, 19 and 21 speak French beautifully and help me daily with my Wolof. My yaye – or mom is also very good at French but encourages me daily to use my Wolof. My papa is working in St. Louis, a city about 5 hours away. He is only home every other weekend. But the kids are a challenge! I try so hard to listen to their conversations but they are very quick! I’ll get it though; it’s only been a week!
Last night, when I was lying in bed reading comfortably under my mosquito net, one of my sisters came down from the roof and asked me if I wanted to come up. So our house is all cement pretty much, and the roof is flat. They call it the terrace because there are stairs up to it and a railing and everything. Its like a second story without a roof, because it is one! Haha! At first I said no cuz I was tired, but I changed my mind since I don’t have school today, since it’s Sunday. They had blankets and pillows and some kids that sleep here sleep under the stars. It was beautiful. And I sat and listened to them. I’d get excited when I understood and would chime in a bit (little victories). Then they taught me all the names of body parts. There is a song a lot like head, shoulders knees and toes. I am no good and they kept teasing me! The kids think it is just hilarious when a toubab – aka white foreigner speaks their language! One of my sisters is going to have me write down and memorize all the parts today. I am back to the status of a 4 year old!
And this weeks training went well. It is tough to concentrate for the 8 hour long day. We get there before 8 so we can have breakfast and then start usually with language. On average, I’d say it’s been about 4 hours a day, but I guess that’s going to pick up! We do get a nice 2 hour break for lunch when sometimes we go to the cyber or market. When we do, we always pass my house and see my family and then we pass my mom’s shop and say hello to everyone there. My mom is a tailor! Which makes most people jealous! I haven’t had anything made just yet, besides a simple skirt when I was in Richard Toll. But I brought in some business for her. My friend is getting a whole outfit made so he can be dressed like the Senegalese. The fabric and they style they wear here is beautiful. I will get something made in a few weeks. Right now, my yaye is very busy with a holiday coming up. After our lunch break, we are at the center until 6pm. At around 7 we break the fast (it’s the month of Ramadan and Muslims don’t eat between sunrise and sunset). Lately dinner has been after 9 sometime. For me, by that time, I’m exhausted and head to bed. Yesterday afternoon when I was getting my hair braided, my sisters were saying that I am pretty much a loser because I don’t watch the African basketball tournament on TV and hang out with them. I never really liked TV in the states (besides Greys and Friends) and basketball? Come on! It’s women’s and they only score like 60 or 70 points in a game… Sleep is higher on my priority list!
Alright, I like Oumar again. He just gave me cookies! I’ll try to get pictures up of my family soon! I haven’t taken any just yet but I’ll get there! Love you all!
Anyways, I just wanted to fill you in a bit more on my family life. It’s great! At the center, we all talk about each other’s experiences and I have heard horror stories about cockroach infestations and cruel, backstabbing uncles, but besides a ‘terrible two’ year old, life is good. And if you know me at all, I love Cher Oumar too much already to complain about his crying every so often. He is actually throwing crayons around in my room right now and I only have the vocab to say déedéet – which means no. He just kinda looks at me and smiles. I just got him to pick up about half of the crayons. Little victories… little victories. (I do miss my Fischer kids!) Now, my goal is to answer a single question he asks me before I leave – unlikely, but hey, it’s a goal. The language barrier is very evident with the kids. The girls that are 17, 19 and 21 speak French beautifully and help me daily with my Wolof. My yaye – or mom is also very good at French but encourages me daily to use my Wolof. My papa is working in St. Louis, a city about 5 hours away. He is only home every other weekend. But the kids are a challenge! I try so hard to listen to their conversations but they are very quick! I’ll get it though; it’s only been a week!
Last night, when I was lying in bed reading comfortably under my mosquito net, one of my sisters came down from the roof and asked me if I wanted to come up. So our house is all cement pretty much, and the roof is flat. They call it the terrace because there are stairs up to it and a railing and everything. Its like a second story without a roof, because it is one! Haha! At first I said no cuz I was tired, but I changed my mind since I don’t have school today, since it’s Sunday. They had blankets and pillows and some kids that sleep here sleep under the stars. It was beautiful. And I sat and listened to them. I’d get excited when I understood and would chime in a bit (little victories). Then they taught me all the names of body parts. There is a song a lot like head, shoulders knees and toes. I am no good and they kept teasing me! The kids think it is just hilarious when a toubab – aka white foreigner speaks their language! One of my sisters is going to have me write down and memorize all the parts today. I am back to the status of a 4 year old!
And this weeks training went well. It is tough to concentrate for the 8 hour long day. We get there before 8 so we can have breakfast and then start usually with language. On average, I’d say it’s been about 4 hours a day, but I guess that’s going to pick up! We do get a nice 2 hour break for lunch when sometimes we go to the cyber or market. When we do, we always pass my house and see my family and then we pass my mom’s shop and say hello to everyone there. My mom is a tailor! Which makes most people jealous! I haven’t had anything made just yet, besides a simple skirt when I was in Richard Toll. But I brought in some business for her. My friend is getting a whole outfit made so he can be dressed like the Senegalese. The fabric and they style they wear here is beautiful. I will get something made in a few weeks. Right now, my yaye is very busy with a holiday coming up. After our lunch break, we are at the center until 6pm. At around 7 we break the fast (it’s the month of Ramadan and Muslims don’t eat between sunrise and sunset). Lately dinner has been after 9 sometime. For me, by that time, I’m exhausted and head to bed. Yesterday afternoon when I was getting my hair braided, my sisters were saying that I am pretty much a loser because I don’t watch the African basketball tournament on TV and hang out with them. I never really liked TV in the states (besides Greys and Friends) and basketball? Come on! It’s women’s and they only score like 60 or 70 points in a game… Sleep is higher on my priority list!
Alright, I like Oumar again. He just gave me cookies! I’ll try to get pictures up of my family soon! I haven’t taken any just yet but I’ll get there! Love you all!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Left Brained – not Handed!
Life is still wonderful in Senegal. I spent four days in Richard Toll to demystify the Peace Corps experience. Richard Toll is a large city of about 70,000 people and is on the Mauritania boarder up north. It was wonderful getting out of Thies and the center for a mini vacation, if you will. Mandi and I stayed with Bryn and she showed us around. Everywhere we went, kids would yell out “Bonjour toubab!!” which means hello foreigner!! It was really funny, but I know eventually I will like to be called by my name! We also got together with 2 other current volunteers with 3 demysters and played at a local hotel pool. It was wonderful!
So I have started my family stay. I am no longer Binta… I am Diama Gueye. (Di = J so Ja-ma… ) Yea, I can hardly pronounce it either! I was named after my host mother’s big sister. So my family in Thies is huge, and honestly I am having quite a hard time learning all of their names. Here’s why: My mom is Astou, but I call her maman or yaye in wolof. My dad is Daouda, or Papa. I have 3 sisters around my age – Nogaye, Khadi, and Astou. And I have four very young siblings: Ahmadou, Cher Dianjan, Maman Ami, and Cher Omar (who just turned 2). There are also other children who possibly live here as well, like Madi and one other. I also have an uncle Cheikh Ndiaye and an older brother whose name I don’t know. There are a few of us here! But I have my own room with 2 windows and a fan (and a few bugs that I kill and pretend are now extinct)! I have a twin bed, 2 chairs and a table that makes many other trainees jealous. Everyone has very different living situations. I live on the same street as two other volunteers and we are less than a 5-minute walk to the center. As for a bathroom, I do have a western style toilet (excellent!) that I share with my parents and all the kids use a Turkish toilet. Honestly, I would have no problem using that because I used it in France for 4 months, but I won’t tell them that!! Instead of a shower, I take bucket baths, which are better than you think. It’s not weird to take like 5 showers a day to stay cool, which is nice. Last night I actually slept underneath a sheet because I was chilly in the middle of the night! Crazy right? It was a first since arriving!
Food is still delicious. We eat a lot of rice and fish. Last night was the first time that I got to eat with my hands! It is quite common here, which is crazy with rice, but that’s not what we had last night. It was lettuce, something like French fries (just not potatoes) onion sauce with fish. It was very with bread. Oh, and about being left handed…so much for that in the next 2 years! That hand is considered dirty and only used in the bathroom, if you know what I mean. I am now a righty, which tends to be challenging at times! It is an insult and frowned upon to reach for something or give something with your left, not to mention eat! After 2 years of this, will I ever be normal again? Haha! But I can’t complain about the food really. I like the spice and haven’t been sick yet (knock on wood!!) Some people in the group have had some problems with the mefloquine prophylaxis that we take for malaria but I must have a tough stomach! It’s a good thing to have here!!
I have a cell phone now! 221 713 3897.... 6 hours ahead? We don’t do fall back.. so i think we will be 7 hours ahead soon... but hey! feel free to text me and then buy a calling card with international minutes!
Training at the center has started and it will be a lot of intensive learning. We start the day at 8, after breakfast, and go from 8-6 with a nice 2-hour lunch break from 12:30-2:30. It is mostly all language right now, and since I passed out of French, I am learning Wolof. This is also what my family speaks. I am able to use French with everyone except the young kids but I am trying to use as much Wolof as possible. Maybe I will be tri-lingual when I leave!
I will try to make sure you all can see photos on my facebook account. It is the fastest way to download them!
Send letters to me! I just bought stamps and should send some stuff out soon! For you, you can buy 90cent stamps at the post office. It is a bit more for me, but you are worth it if you write to me!
So I have started my family stay. I am no longer Binta… I am Diama Gueye. (Di = J so Ja-ma… ) Yea, I can hardly pronounce it either! I was named after my host mother’s big sister. So my family in Thies is huge, and honestly I am having quite a hard time learning all of their names. Here’s why: My mom is Astou, but I call her maman or yaye in wolof. My dad is Daouda, or Papa. I have 3 sisters around my age – Nogaye, Khadi, and Astou. And I have four very young siblings: Ahmadou, Cher Dianjan, Maman Ami, and Cher Omar (who just turned 2). There are also other children who possibly live here as well, like Madi and one other. I also have an uncle Cheikh Ndiaye and an older brother whose name I don’t know. There are a few of us here! But I have my own room with 2 windows and a fan (and a few bugs that I kill and pretend are now extinct)! I have a twin bed, 2 chairs and a table that makes many other trainees jealous. Everyone has very different living situations. I live on the same street as two other volunteers and we are less than a 5-minute walk to the center. As for a bathroom, I do have a western style toilet (excellent!) that I share with my parents and all the kids use a Turkish toilet. Honestly, I would have no problem using that because I used it in France for 4 months, but I won’t tell them that!! Instead of a shower, I take bucket baths, which are better than you think. It’s not weird to take like 5 showers a day to stay cool, which is nice. Last night I actually slept underneath a sheet because I was chilly in the middle of the night! Crazy right? It was a first since arriving!
Food is still delicious. We eat a lot of rice and fish. Last night was the first time that I got to eat with my hands! It is quite common here, which is crazy with rice, but that’s not what we had last night. It was lettuce, something like French fries (just not potatoes) onion sauce with fish. It was very with bread. Oh, and about being left handed…so much for that in the next 2 years! That hand is considered dirty and only used in the bathroom, if you know what I mean. I am now a righty, which tends to be challenging at times! It is an insult and frowned upon to reach for something or give something with your left, not to mention eat! After 2 years of this, will I ever be normal again? Haha! But I can’t complain about the food really. I like the spice and haven’t been sick yet (knock on wood!!) Some people in the group have had some problems with the mefloquine prophylaxis that we take for malaria but I must have a tough stomach! It’s a good thing to have here!!
I have a cell phone now! 221 713 3897.... 6 hours ahead? We don’t do fall back.. so i think we will be 7 hours ahead soon... but hey! feel free to text me and then buy a calling card with international minutes!
Training at the center has started and it will be a lot of intensive learning. We start the day at 8, after breakfast, and go from 8-6 with a nice 2-hour lunch break from 12:30-2:30. It is mostly all language right now, and since I passed out of French, I am learning Wolof. This is also what my family speaks. I am able to use French with everyone except the young kids but I am trying to use as much Wolof as possible. Maybe I will be tri-lingual when I leave!
I will try to make sure you all can see photos on my facebook account. It is the fastest way to download them!
Send letters to me! I just bought stamps and should send some stuff out soon! For you, you can buy 90cent stamps at the post office. It is a bit more for me, but you are worth it if you write to me!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
flat lizards
Hey hey!!
so before i forget, my title is PCT Kira Keuhn.. so completely ignore my last post! im sure mail will still get here if you sent it to pst, but just for the future! im an idiot i guess!!
so you want to know how africa is? i like it! should i start from the beginning?
so training in atlanta was great. they put us up in a sweet hotel and besides the 10 hour days of training stuff, it was simply amazing meeting people who know just as much, and little, as i do about senegal!! the peace corps likes to keep us uninfomed/misinformed/oblivious from time to time. its all good! all part of the adventure right?
the first day we got to thies - pronounced Chess - was exhausting. it wasnt the flight really, just the fact that we were in a federal building from before it opened until 4 hours later-ish sucked! i got 2 of the 3 possible shots (and had 2 the otherday and will get like 10 more) and then once we got to senegal, the sun wasnt yet up and we had to wait a while to get through customs and ride a bus for 2 hours. all in all a long day but sooo worth it! everyone is aamazing!!
so they have been feeding us very well (only bugs) and im learning wolof! weve had interviews on our language and business skills and we should know where we will be placed in like 3 weeks! ooo and im not eating bugs! there is baguettes and tea in the morn, rice and fish/chicken/beef for lunch and dinner. fresh fruit is everywhere and although i havent had a mango yet, i will tonight! it is all very tasty and moving to africa will not cause me to lose weight. (all my hopes and dreams down the drain. ha) so last night was pretty much the first night that we we not that tired that we all stayed up pretty late and talked. its kinda like summer camp! but thats changing right now!
today, 9 of us got in a peace corps van and drove north. every hour of so we would drop people off at a current volunteers site. they call this demystification. so me and one other girl are staying so far north we can see the Mauritania border from our volunteers bedroom window! its just across the river and its wonderful! we went outside today for bread and i got my first senegalese name! they dont bother to ask what your american name is, but mom and dad, so much for kira, im Binta until i get back to Thies!
oo and your probably wondering --flat lizard? i saw one on our walk to use the internet. rather unfortunate because we were on a side walk, so it must have been a bike that took it out? sad, i know.
thats all i will write for now!
send me letters and i will love you forrever! when i get stamps ill send you mail and the cell phone should be within the week!
love you
ps dad - call grandma and read this to her! love you!
so before i forget, my title is PCT Kira Keuhn.. so completely ignore my last post! im sure mail will still get here if you sent it to pst, but just for the future! im an idiot i guess!!
so you want to know how africa is? i like it! should i start from the beginning?
so training in atlanta was great. they put us up in a sweet hotel and besides the 10 hour days of training stuff, it was simply amazing meeting people who know just as much, and little, as i do about senegal!! the peace corps likes to keep us uninfomed/misinformed/oblivious from time to time. its all good! all part of the adventure right?
the first day we got to thies - pronounced Chess - was exhausting. it wasnt the flight really, just the fact that we were in a federal building from before it opened until 4 hours later-ish sucked! i got 2 of the 3 possible shots (and had 2 the otherday and will get like 10 more) and then once we got to senegal, the sun wasnt yet up and we had to wait a while to get through customs and ride a bus for 2 hours. all in all a long day but sooo worth it! everyone is aamazing!!
so they have been feeding us very well (only bugs) and im learning wolof! weve had interviews on our language and business skills and we should know where we will be placed in like 3 weeks! ooo and im not eating bugs! there is baguettes and tea in the morn, rice and fish/chicken/beef for lunch and dinner. fresh fruit is everywhere and although i havent had a mango yet, i will tonight! it is all very tasty and moving to africa will not cause me to lose weight. (all my hopes and dreams down the drain. ha) so last night was pretty much the first night that we we not that tired that we all stayed up pretty late and talked. its kinda like summer camp! but thats changing right now!
today, 9 of us got in a peace corps van and drove north. every hour of so we would drop people off at a current volunteers site. they call this demystification. so me and one other girl are staying so far north we can see the Mauritania border from our volunteers bedroom window! its just across the river and its wonderful! we went outside today for bread and i got my first senegalese name! they dont bother to ask what your american name is, but mom and dad, so much for kira, im Binta until i get back to Thies!
oo and your probably wondering --flat lizard? i saw one on our walk to use the internet. rather unfortunate because we were on a side walk, so it must have been a bike that took it out? sad, i know.
thats all i will write for now!
send me letters and i will love you forrever! when i get stamps ill send you mail and the cell phone should be within the week!
love you
ps dad - call grandma and read this to her! love you!
Friday, September 7, 2007
minor error in address...
Hey - so my title needs to be changed: I am in Pre-Service Training in Thies -- so here's what my address really looks like:
PST Kira Keuhn
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 299
Thies, Senegal
West Africa
Sorry about that! :-/
PST Kira Keuhn
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 299
Thies, Senegal
West Africa
Sorry about that! :-/
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
How to pack for 27 months.....?
Hey - so about 99 of you asked me how I am supposed to pack for 27 months. I tried to pacl this afternoon and the answer for you is coming soon. I have no idea today. I'll let you know!
I'm still extremely excited -- and a hint nervous.
5 days.
Much love :-)
Kira
I'm still extremely excited -- and a hint nervous.
5 days.
Much love :-)
Kira
Monday, August 27, 2007
Tickets are Purchased (by the government)
Hey! This is hard to believe it is finally coming true! I decided I was doing the Peace Corps about 1 1/2 years ago and have been doing paperwork for about 13 months and I now have plane tickets!
I fly out of the Appleton Airport at like 7am on Monday Sept 10 to go to Atlanta, GA for orientation. We are in a bunch of meetings for that evening and all day the 11th. Then, we check out of our hotel at 6am on the 12th, get to the clinic and stay there until about 1pm. YEY! Who knows how many shots I will get in that 6 hour period! Then, we fly directly to Dakar, Senegal!
Thanks to everyone who came to my going-away party on Saturday! It was great seeing you all! If you couldn't make it, and would like my address while I am in training there it is:
PCT Kira Keuhn
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 299 Thies, Senegal
West Africa
But just remember, that is only for the first 2-3 months and then it will change when I get my 2 year assignment!
I've got plenty to do in the next 14 days, but if you are close and want to do a meal or coffee together I'm game! Let me know!
I fly out of the Appleton Airport at like 7am on Monday Sept 10 to go to Atlanta, GA for orientation. We are in a bunch of meetings for that evening and all day the 11th. Then, we check out of our hotel at 6am on the 12th, get to the clinic and stay there until about 1pm. YEY! Who knows how many shots I will get in that 6 hour period! Then, we fly directly to Dakar, Senegal!
Thanks to everyone who came to my going-away party on Saturday! It was great seeing you all! If you couldn't make it, and would like my address while I am in training there it is:
PCT Kira Keuhn
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 299 Thies, Senegal
West Africa
But just remember, that is only for the first 2-3 months and then it will change when I get my 2 year assignment!
I've got plenty to do in the next 14 days, but if you are close and want to do a meal or coffee together I'm game! Let me know!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Set to jet: Sept 10
Hey! You found my blogspot!
I have been hearing good things about how I will (hopefully) have power (most of the time) and internet not too far away. I am a lucky one because I will be doing Small Enterprise Development (SED) and will be bringing my laptop and most likely will be in a more developed area of the country.
I will be starting my training on Sept 10ish and will be in Thies for 2-3 months. During that time, I will be living with an African family. After that, I will be placed into a village or city where I will get my own house/hut.
All if this is very exciting for me and I just want to thank everyone for your support! Hope to see you in the last few weeks that I am home - but please keep in touch! I will get posting my address here in a few weeks and your snail mail will be appreciated greatly, I'm sure! :-)
I have been hearing good things about how I will (hopefully) have power (most of the time) and internet not too far away. I am a lucky one because I will be doing Small Enterprise Development (SED) and will be bringing my laptop and most likely will be in a more developed area of the country.
I will be starting my training on Sept 10ish and will be in Thies for 2-3 months. During that time, I will be living with an African family. After that, I will be placed into a village or city where I will get my own house/hut.
All if this is very exciting for me and I just want to thank everyone for your support! Hope to see you in the last few weeks that I am home - but please keep in touch! I will get posting my address here in a few weeks and your snail mail will be appreciated greatly, I'm sure! :-)
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