I crossed another border! Traveling in West Africa is pretty crazy, but first let me explain what I did before my spontaneous decision to visit Guinea.
On Thursday, 7 of us rented out a car and made the 12 hour trek to Kedougou. Our gift upon arrival: RAIN! It felt amazing after such a long car ride. The next morning, we hiked about 7k to visit five hippos in a river. Don’t worry Dad, we didn’t get too close! Truthfully, they were pretty lazy in the late morning and stood up once or twice but didn’t put on much of a show. Saturday we went to Salemata, to spend the night on the ground since the campement couldn’t exactly provide us beds. And the next morning was the Bassari Rights Festival.
Kedougou is in the far south-east corner of Senegal and it looks and feels nothing like the rest of the country with its mountains, waterfalls and animists! There is an ethnic group called Bassari that live outside of the Salemata, south of Kedougou. Every year, a group of boys come of age and go through an initiation rights ceremony. The night prior to the circumcision, there is dancing done by the already-initiated men of the village. The next day, hundreds of men dress up with traditional masks and beading with red paint from head to two. They blow whistles and cry out, and when all of them do it, it gets pretty noisy! There is a fight between the already-initiated and the boys in their late teens, but this fight can’t be filmed, nor watched by women. I guess I would lose my fertility if I watched such an event! It was still pretty incredible that such a tradition has lasted through all the years of influence by the west. I mean, people were selling t-shirts of Barack Obama at the event!
The next morning, Erin and I biked to the garage to scope it out. A few of our friends have gone to Guinea and all of them have said it takes about 3 days to fill up a car, since transport won’t leave until it has enough people to pay for the gas. Well, we showed up and as they were putting baggage on top of the pick-up, they said “Yes, we have 2 spots available!” Erin and I weren’t really expecting that. So we biked back to the house and went back and forth. Should we go? Should we wait to go with Pulaar speakers? Should we wait and bike in July (since transport is even slower in the rainy season)? ….
So we are going then?! We packed up quickly, called our Safety Security Coordinator and got vacation days approved and were on our way to a city called Labe, 300k, or 200mi south of Kedougou. It took 27 hours. No joke. We stopped a few times since the pick-up truck had 32 people and baggage and couldn’t make it up the mountain with all of us. Yes: 32. There were 3 people in the front, 3 on top of the baggage on the roof, 5 nursing babies, 2 toddlers and 19 adults crammed in the back of a pick-up. We stopped other times to pray and cool down the engine and other times since we needed to get out when we nearly tipped over. The road was AWEFUL and all uphill. Kedougou is at sea-level and Guinea has mountains at over 1500 meters. We stopped for dinner at 10:30pm (yes, we left just after breakfast and only had a few cookies and a mango) and slept for almost 8 hours in some village. No one told us this would happen. We thought we were just stopping to eat and then they told us to lie down. Erin and I figured they wouldn’t leave without their 2 toubabs so we took up the chance to sleep on some cots made out of bamboo and palms. Better than the ground but not all that great of a night’s sleep. We woke up at sunrise and were back on the “road”. We made it to Labe and made the biggest, best tasting spaghetti either of us had ever tasted. Then we wandered around town to stretch our legs. We found numbers of other PCVs in Guinea who gave us advice on what to do. Obviously, we didn’t have much planned!
The next morning, although it was raining like crazy, we rented a car out and had a driver take us to the Chutes de Saala – a very impressive waterfall! So cool: we got to walk all around it since the water level was so low. That evening we hung out with some PCVs and woke up early the next day to get back in the car to go to Mali (a city in Guinea). In Senegal, a 7-place is a station wagon that has 7 seats, for 7 people. Makes since right? Well, this one had 16. Guinea is crazy! We got to Mali and met their SED volunteer after finding out that the car that goes to Kedougou “just left” and that “this one will leave on Sunday, Inchallah”. I think the “God willing” part was the fact that the sad looking truck only had 3 tires. It was Thursday. We needed to get back to site, so we got a list of villages, food, water and tape on our feet and within a few hours, we started hiking to the top of the last mountain that was uphill on the way to Senegal, the Grande Dame de Mali. It’s a rock formation that looks like the face and body of a woman. We decided to get a few kilometers head start and stay at a campement that the volunteer works at and get the advice of people who supposedly do this hike all the time.
These experts said it would take 7 hours and that there was no way we would get lost. Well, Erin and I have been here long enough to know that was BS. We hired a guide and didn’t regret a single cent! We left the campement at 6:15. The toughest part was getting down the mountain. Our guide knew all the shortcuts and Erin and I just kept looking back at the Dame de Mali, completely impressed with ourselves; she just kept getting smaller and further away! We ate hard boiled eggs, bread, tomatoes, sardines and mangoes and oranges. We stopped in every village to get more water and probably drank about 5 liters each. We rested from 1-2:30 and were really starting to question ourselves. I took off my tennis shoes at 3ish and switched to less invasive flip flops. I had one blister the size of a quarter on my big toe and 6 others. Ouch. But then, before 5, Alseny, our guide, turned around and said, “We’re in Senegal”. Wait a minute – no border crossing?! The next people we met said Dindefelo is just at the bottom of this mountain. That’s where a fellow PVC lives and works with a campement! YES! The last mountain was the toughest. Have I ever been this sore?! Erin twisted her ankle but was so determined to get down that it didn’t slow her much. We made it at 5:45pm. So this is what we figured: about 12 hours, about 3 miles an hour, if we figure terrain, breaks, heat and exhaustion: anywhere from 30 to 40 miles!
The people at the camepment took such great care of us. It was wonderful to speak Wolof again instead of Pulaar greetings and French. We ate dinner and slept so well. Everyone laughed at how slowly we were moving but were utterly impressed. As were Erin and I:
“Erin, remember when we walked from Guinea”
“Kira, we didn’t walk! We hiked! We’re awesome!”
This will go down as unforgettable forever. The roads are bad! So we walked back! No, we hiked back!
And you would think that was it right? Nope, Dindefelo has one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Senegal that is spring fed, so thus unaffected by the amount of rainfall. It was the most relaxing morning swimming and recounting our story of the day before. And although we were at first annoyed with the other tourists commenting on how slowly we were moving, they ended up giving us a free, air conditioned ride back, with seat belts!
There would have been no way to actually plan this trip – being spontaneous pays off! It was so much fun! Best 10 days I have had in a long time!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Wait... what?!
Upon installment at site, Peace Corps generally introduces each volunteer to city officials, including police and government. If you don't remember what my installment was like, check back to November 2007, but it was unlike any other PCV. I didn't meet anyone in particular. But I found out later that we actually didn't have a mayor because President Wade kicked him out, probably because he was being corrupt someway or another. So when a mayor was elected in March 2009, I wanted to meet her, this Aida Mbodj, official mayor of Bambey, at last. She was quite talked about since most of Wade's party lost elections all over Senegal except a handfull - Aida is one on his team. Good or bad? Not sure.. She has been really active her first few weeks - cleaning up and has some good ideas to help the population, but of course I hear that from her supporters. So anyways, I waited until this week to arrange a meeting - and what an interesting meeting it was!
I went to the mayor's office Monday, but was unsuccessful. I came back on Friday, and she was still out of the office, but I was told she would be in Saturday so I should come back around 10 and find her then. So I did, and she was in a meeting, duh! Would she just be waiting for me?! Of course not, she doesn't even know I want to meet her. So I went home and came back around 11 and attracted the attention of her brother, Bira. He approached me and was wondering what I was doing and who I was, why I was this white girl greeting everyone in front of the mayor's office. I introduced myself and explained a bit that I just want to meet with Aida and talk to her about my projects in Bambey, that is, if she has time. As she has been quite active in Bambey with neighborhood clean-ups, I explained to Bira my compost project. Well, this sure got his interest and so he said I can meet her at her house at 6. But I wouldn't be allowed in, I should just wait by the door since she will be coming home from a different place at 6. Sweet! Sketchy... but sure!
So since I'm so integrated, obviously I didn't show up at 6, but rather called Bira at 6:45. He didn't answer but texted me that he'd call me right back. From here it just gets wierder! 5 minutes later he said I should go to the house and wait outside under a tree: she's coming. Okay! But then around 7:30 he calls me again. "Are you there? Waiting?"
Yes, Bira, is she still coming home?
"Yes, wait there"
So obviously he got off the phone with me and called the guard, since he then came up to me and was like, "Bira called and asked if there was a toubab waiting out here. Are you waiting to see Aida?"
Yes
"Okay, I'm supposed to let you inside"
Great! So he get's me a plastic chair and sits me in the courtyard to wait. By this time, its getting dark. But then the most beautiful SUV pulls in. (I know I've been here a while but this is nicer than any car my parents have owned!) The driver tells me to get in. Wierd, where is he taking me? --- okay! He takes me to the other house Aida was at, about a 3 minute drive away. He walks me into the house and Aida is waiting:
"Ouria Mara! How are you? Come sit!"
Aida was in a room with 5 other men but only 2 were introduced as her assistant mayor and a neighborhood rep. I explained that I've been here like a year and a half and then she asked me about my compost project. I explained that we've been collecting since December with about 10 houses and have a donkey cart driver and we manage it with a women's group. Then she said how she wants to contact my partner in Dakar that sells the garbage cans and ask how many she can buy. She said she wants me to meet with all the women's groups of Bambey and teach them this project. We can get together next week to talk more specifically about this and for her to get contact info from the Dakar partner, but less than 10 minutes after the greetings, I was walking out of the house saying : WAIT, WHAT JUST HAPPENED!!???!
Bambey has over 60 registered women's groups.
I have 5 months left of service, but enough planned that I probably won't be a site more than 2 1/2 months before COSing.
Aida wants me to teach 25,000 people how to separate and compost their trash. Hmmmmm
And this story only gets better: Today, I went to see Djebaye, my charet driver to ask when we are going to go door to door to get more people's down payment on their garbage cans to put in another order. During this meeting, Astou Kan, the women's group pres walks up, furious. They had a huge, yelling fight and after 20 minutes, it was decided to completely stop the project. We are no longer collecting compost since Djebaye wasn't really doing his job of collecting like he said he was. I didn't know how bad it really was until Astou Kan brought me to her house and showed me.
So how are we suppose to make a project work for the entire city if we can't convince a donkey cart driver to collect at 10 houses consistantly?
I went to the mayor's office Monday, but was unsuccessful. I came back on Friday, and she was still out of the office, but I was told she would be in Saturday so I should come back around 10 and find her then. So I did, and she was in a meeting, duh! Would she just be waiting for me?! Of course not, she doesn't even know I want to meet her. So I went home and came back around 11 and attracted the attention of her brother, Bira. He approached me and was wondering what I was doing and who I was, why I was this white girl greeting everyone in front of the mayor's office. I introduced myself and explained a bit that I just want to meet with Aida and talk to her about my projects in Bambey, that is, if she has time. As she has been quite active in Bambey with neighborhood clean-ups, I explained to Bira my compost project. Well, this sure got his interest and so he said I can meet her at her house at 6. But I wouldn't be allowed in, I should just wait by the door since she will be coming home from a different place at 6. Sweet! Sketchy... but sure!
So since I'm so integrated, obviously I didn't show up at 6, but rather called Bira at 6:45. He didn't answer but texted me that he'd call me right back. From here it just gets wierder! 5 minutes later he said I should go to the house and wait outside under a tree: she's coming. Okay! But then around 7:30 he calls me again. "Are you there? Waiting?"
Yes, Bira, is she still coming home?
"Yes, wait there"
So obviously he got off the phone with me and called the guard, since he then came up to me and was like, "Bira called and asked if there was a toubab waiting out here. Are you waiting to see Aida?"
Yes
"Okay, I'm supposed to let you inside"
Great! So he get's me a plastic chair and sits me in the courtyard to wait. By this time, its getting dark. But then the most beautiful SUV pulls in. (I know I've been here a while but this is nicer than any car my parents have owned!) The driver tells me to get in. Wierd, where is he taking me? --- okay! He takes me to the other house Aida was at, about a 3 minute drive away. He walks me into the house and Aida is waiting:
"Ouria Mara! How are you? Come sit!"
Aida was in a room with 5 other men but only 2 were introduced as her assistant mayor and a neighborhood rep. I explained that I've been here like a year and a half and then she asked me about my compost project. I explained that we've been collecting since December with about 10 houses and have a donkey cart driver and we manage it with a women's group. Then she said how she wants to contact my partner in Dakar that sells the garbage cans and ask how many she can buy. She said she wants me to meet with all the women's groups of Bambey and teach them this project. We can get together next week to talk more specifically about this and for her to get contact info from the Dakar partner, but less than 10 minutes after the greetings, I was walking out of the house saying : WAIT, WHAT JUST HAPPENED!!???!
Bambey has over 60 registered women's groups.
I have 5 months left of service, but enough planned that I probably won't be a site more than 2 1/2 months before COSing.
Aida wants me to teach 25,000 people how to separate and compost their trash. Hmmmmm
And this story only gets better: Today, I went to see Djebaye, my charet driver to ask when we are going to go door to door to get more people's down payment on their garbage cans to put in another order. During this meeting, Astou Kan, the women's group pres walks up, furious. They had a huge, yelling fight and after 20 minutes, it was decided to completely stop the project. We are no longer collecting compost since Djebaye wasn't really doing his job of collecting like he said he was. I didn't know how bad it really was until Astou Kan brought me to her house and showed me.
So how are we suppose to make a project work for the entire city if we can't convince a donkey cart driver to collect at 10 houses consistantly?
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Connected!
I am one of those spoiled PCVs: after living in a town with running water, electricity and internet for almost 20 months, I now no longer have to leave my room to Skype, check facebook and oh yeah, get work done with the artisan network. Internet has been installed and at this very moment, I am sitting in my furniture-less room, in front of the fan, enjoying a lazy Sunday in, most ways, typical of any Sunday anywhere else.
If I haven't said it before: I am very happy I moved. :o)
My friend Erin came to my site this weekend and it was rather productive. I enjoy that she knows people here, likes sitting at Matar's shop to watch him work (he's finishing up 3 new pairs of pants for me since all my jeans needed retiring 3 months ago) and has just about the same idea as I about travel plans in our remaining months of serive: NO IDEA! "Why not wing it?"
It's rather crazy that my service is dwindling. Check this out: I have plans for the next 6 months:
May: Bassari Rights festival in Kedougou. (the animists have an initiation ceremony that I know nothing about and will let you know after I come back) Then maybe we are going to bike to Guinea. Still undecided since Erin and I aren't exactly daily bikers. We may wait until July. I will be seeding more trees in my school and working one-on-one with my artisans and maybe even making some progress on my composting this month. We will see...
June: early on is my artisan training and expo. The 3-7 I will be running around like crazy. The 8th, I hope to fly to Ghana to visit a friend doing an internship there. 10 days in Ghana rainforests, beaches and animal parks is the plan. After Ghana, I have my COS (close of service) Conference. No, I can't believe that this is so soon that I will be talking about reverse culture shock!
July: Beach resort for the 4th, then Guinea if we don't end up going in May. After that, I am going to sure try and stay at site for a few weeks, although the rain, power outages, constant flooding and mosquito feasting is not my idea of fun.
August: the first week there is an English Camp in Dakar where PCVs lead typical camps for youth interested in improving their language skills. Last year I was on vacation but have heard really great things. The 5k open water swim to Goree Island is sometime before Ramadan starts too... I better get practicing! After that I hope to do some traveling to Erin's site (she knows Bambey so well and I wish I could have visited her sooner) and then to Mauritania.
September: ok, well maybe I don't have plans here. But it's my last full month in Senegal so I will surely have people to see and chebbu jen to eat whenever I can find families that aren't fasting for the month of Ramadan!
October: Kenya :-)
Although I am as busy as ever, my time here feels so disconnected from American lifestyle. We PCVs constantly talk about how this and that will be so akward when we return. I try not to think about it. Like I said, I am so happy right now with how work is going and my living situation. I am bummed that I don't have such a strong relationship with my family like some people do but I am ok with how it all worked out.
PS even though I am nearly finished with my service - still fill me in on your life! Miss you all back home in the States - so tell me a story! Send me an email, and I'll hopefully get back to you quickly!
If I haven't said it before: I am very happy I moved. :o)
My friend Erin came to my site this weekend and it was rather productive. I enjoy that she knows people here, likes sitting at Matar's shop to watch him work (he's finishing up 3 new pairs of pants for me since all my jeans needed retiring 3 months ago) and has just about the same idea as I about travel plans in our remaining months of serive: NO IDEA! "Why not wing it?"
It's rather crazy that my service is dwindling. Check this out: I have plans for the next 6 months:
May: Bassari Rights festival in Kedougou. (the animists have an initiation ceremony that I know nothing about and will let you know after I come back) Then maybe we are going to bike to Guinea. Still undecided since Erin and I aren't exactly daily bikers. We may wait until July. I will be seeding more trees in my school and working one-on-one with my artisans and maybe even making some progress on my composting this month. We will see...
June: early on is my artisan training and expo. The 3-7 I will be running around like crazy. The 8th, I hope to fly to Ghana to visit a friend doing an internship there. 10 days in Ghana rainforests, beaches and animal parks is the plan. After Ghana, I have my COS (close of service) Conference. No, I can't believe that this is so soon that I will be talking about reverse culture shock!
July: Beach resort for the 4th, then Guinea if we don't end up going in May. After that, I am going to sure try and stay at site for a few weeks, although the rain, power outages, constant flooding and mosquito feasting is not my idea of fun.
August: the first week there is an English Camp in Dakar where PCVs lead typical camps for youth interested in improving their language skills. Last year I was on vacation but have heard really great things. The 5k open water swim to Goree Island is sometime before Ramadan starts too... I better get practicing! After that I hope to do some traveling to Erin's site (she knows Bambey so well and I wish I could have visited her sooner) and then to Mauritania.
September: ok, well maybe I don't have plans here. But it's my last full month in Senegal so I will surely have people to see and chebbu jen to eat whenever I can find families that aren't fasting for the month of Ramadan!
October: Kenya :-)
Although I am as busy as ever, my time here feels so disconnected from American lifestyle. We PCVs constantly talk about how this and that will be so akward when we return. I try not to think about it. Like I said, I am so happy right now with how work is going and my living situation. I am bummed that I don't have such a strong relationship with my family like some people do but I am ok with how it all worked out.
PS even though I am nearly finished with my service - still fill me in on your life! Miss you all back home in the States - so tell me a story! Send me an email, and I'll hopefully get back to you quickly!
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