Kim's new home

So here are some pics from my new home from my first few days at site. There have been some improvements but not too many.
So here is the outside of house on the porch. That door is for another room in my house that I can't use. The picture next to it is of the suicial rat I found when I woke up one morning. I heard it all night and then found in floating around in my bucket of water. The first one i found had died, but this one was still just kinda swimming.


This cow is right outside my house among with many other livestock. And the next picture is my kitten Moush, which apparently means cat in Susu. She's really tiny and is afraid of the mice in my house. (My neighbor named my cat.)

Here is my and cat. And next to that is my "Dining room table"
Here is my gas stove and where most of the cooking and preparing goes on in my house.
Ok On the left there is my other table for the kitchen and you can find my filter and bidons and the bucket where the rat fell in and many other things are there.

And then below is a picture of the window in my room. I havent decorated at this point.

ANd Here is my bed below under my mosiquito net. Very comfy surprisingly and the net helps keep those little bug out of my bed thankfully. And beside that picture is the door to my house. And the chair that I sit in and read from time to time.

So here is where I crap in the privacy of my backyard, which i can't stand when i have to pee after 8pm. lol. And then next to that picture is the orange tree that is in my front yard. Its not the season when they are the best but when it is, i'm gonna be having some oranges. lol.





And lastly here is my backdoor. I don't really use it too often but heres the backside of my home and the end of my trip. AT first I didn't like my house that much but now I really like it and it feels a little more like home. It helps that I decorated and it always looks more appealing after i clean. And much more appealing when there is food. lol. Anyway miss everyone, take care!

PIcs from PST

My New Home

Blog
March1, 2008
Its been two-three weeks in my new home away from home and so far I like it. It was very difficult at first to live here on my own by myself with no one to talk to, but its much better now that I have met people here and have entered the community. My friend got me a cat because it was very difficult trying to sleep with all the mouse running around in my house. lol. not very settling. The first night I heard so much noise in my house as well as outside also. I was terrified, when i woke up I found a dead rat in a bucket of water. I was a little scared when I found it but afterward I laughed. And I think I'll laugh some more when my kitten gets bigger and I find dead rats in my house. LOL.

Anyway so what have I been doing? A lot! I've met so many people and have been continuously studying and practicing my French and as well trying to learn Pular, which is a constant struggle but everyone really likes teaching me and also like laughing at me as i struggle with the difficult sounds my mouth can not make. It’s more funny than anything. I work at the health center where I observe and assist with weighing children and helping prepare such health necessities. I am also going to be doing sensibilizations in the community about HIV/AIDS, nutrition, ISTs, Family Planning and possibly female genital mutilation because that very important but difficult to talk about.

I am really starting to like my community more and more each day. When I first arrived I really didn’t like it but now I'm starting to adjust and see the positive side of this amazing place. I think the hardest thing to adjust to was being alone and living solo and not having any other Americans around. There wasn’t anyone I could talk to with easily but it’s gotten much better. And I find it easier to talk with the people here now. Also I tried to find people my age for friendship and I was wondering why I never saw women my age and the answer to my question was that is no lycee in my village so anyone my age would be either married already or en ville at the university. So most of my acquaintances are teenaged or much older which isn’t bad. I have found women my age to talk to but they live a bit far. Lol. And I have this one neighbor who at first I thought was very nice but is getting a little annoying. He asks me to go to the soccer field and watch soccer and then to the boutique late at night. And this is every day. I really honestly don’t mind these things but I can’t do these things everyday and every time I say no, that’s never enough. I say I’m tired I worked all day and then he asks what I did that day. And he’s like 15 years old asking a million and one questions and I’ve got to the point where I don’t bother with answering the questions and just say no I’m going to bed or just change the subject to something else. The little kids are the dearest here but I cannot talk with them because they haven't learned French yet and I don't know the local language yet. Its everyday that I get a group of petits that come and just sit, stand or play on my porch and just stare at me and say hi. Thats all I can understand. They stay for a while and then look for my cat and then eventually leave. Its cute but sometimes I’d like to just not have an audience as I try to cook or whatever I'm doing.

I have no electricity at my site and I’m absolutely terrified of the dark but I do have a lantern and candles and a flashlight.

I’ve been doing a lot of things on my own and It’s been difficult but also interesting. One thing, that I hate but kinda enjoy is going to the water pump. I like going because it gets me out of the house and it gives everyone a good laugh as I struggle to bring a 5gallon water jug back to my house. I have had offers to help but I just wanted to make sure I could do this rather depend on someone else to do it for me the whole two years. Also I recently did my own laundry. Note to self: Do not wait two weeks to do your laundry. I learned that the hard way I had to make so many trips to the pump to keep getting water and I was busy for about 2 hours and didn’t finish it all. I needed a break. I’ve also been cooking for myself mostly which is pretty interesting, mainly grains ad veggies and eggs, Simple things that I know I can’t screw up. I haven’t had a lot of meat because I don’t want to kill the meat and depluck it and I’m not ready to watch anyone do it either.

I also never realized how many freaking chores I’d have to constantly do everyday such as cooking, cleaning, getting water, laundry, as well as my work at the health center and working with the languages. And I’d like to get everything down before the sun goes down which also makes things a little more difficult cause I hate waking up so early but also can’t really sleep in. I’m generally tired around 8pm.
So about the boutique? There’s boutique in my ville where the young people go to watch television because the commercant has a generate and he has a television and dvd player and he charges phones which is pretty nice in a town with NO ELECRTICITY. LOL. And every once in a while I go there and watch movies in French and sometimes music videos but it’s the same old music videos from like last year. Like Akon, the Monica song, the beautiful lair and a couple others. Not a lot.

So how’s Africa? Why does everyone ask this question? I can’t possibly describe everything and it’s all been enjoyable here. It has it’s ups and downs, I’m healthy (for the most part), I have no electricity, I have an outdoor latrine, and I’m speaking two unfamiliar languages everyday. I could eat with one of my many neighbors, they do constantly ask me to come and eat but I refuse to eat rice and sauce everyday. And if you know me, you know I’m very picky and I’d hate to go there and see what they are eating and then turn around and say I’m full or I’m not hungry anymore. How awkward would that be?

So my name in my village is Kadiatou Sow and everyone knows it because I’m the only American in my village. And I’m so bad at remembering everyone’s name. And when I’m not at the health center I read, I write, I bike, I cook, I clean or visit people in my village. I think I really lucked out with my site placement because there are many things my village does not have but I live very close to a big city, about 15km away. And most things I can find there if I don’t have them in my village. There are even internet cafes which is pretty sweet.

My domestic roommate is a tiny kitten named Moush, my neighbor named her. I asked her why Moush and she said because it’s pretty. I was gonna name her Sophie but I think I’ll stick with Moush. But I really like having a kitten, I’m still not sure if I wanna keep here indoors or not.

Do I miss home? Yeah I do miss home. I miss seeing and talking with family and friends and I also miss warm showers, electricity, Walmart, Chinese food, take out and delivery, fast food, reliable transportation, a cell phone that actually works, chocolate that hasn’t gone bad, skittles, not having to bleach my water, knowing where things are, being able to crap in the comfort of my own home without worrying if there is a lizard watching, washing machines, running water, a blender would be nice, uh I think I’ll stop there. There are also many things I love about being here I’m learning so much as far as French and Pular and the culture here in Guinea as well as how to cook, how to take care of myself, and so much everyday. I’m also helping people learn English who want to learn and giving a lot to a community that has so little.

P.S. I love packages and I had pictures to post but of course forgot the cord, but Ill post some from PST in Forecariah. Miss you love you!

Swearing-In Ceremony pictures!

A short update!

Training is finally over all the hard work and frustration is somewhat over. It was very hard to say goodbye to all my family and friends in Forecariah. I’ve grown so close to them and so fond of them. So my last day went pretty awesome I bought my family a chicken for the family and also game them a puzzle along with connect four and some other little trickets I thought they’d like. I had bought a jewelry set, a necklace and matching earrings and I wasn’t sure who would like them. And today at the ceremony I saw my mom wearing them and it matched wonderfully with a complet she had and that made me really happy that she liked them and it looked awesome.
My family gave me a complet which I had to absolutely wear at the ceremony. My sister and I were twins and she definitely looked better in it but I still think it was very cute. I liked that we matched, I was very close with my host sister. I think we would have been closer with my language skills were better but we have some time, I’m not too far away. I miss my host family already. Who is going to kill the spiders in my room? LOL. Yes I have called my sister in to kill the huge spider in my room but that was during the first two -three weeks.
My family seemed just as sad as I did. I didn’t want to cry but I knew that I would have trouble stopping if I started to cry. My brothers were being brothers and were just saying, au revoir, a beintot and such. My little sister and cousin said goodbye earlier because they had to go off to school and I gave them huge hugs. They are so cute. I have so many pictures of my host family now. My sister LOVED taking random pictures so I have plenty of photos of them and I also need to develop some and send those to them.
So the agenda for the next month or so involves me shopping and preparing for my service. I will be heading out to my site sometimes next week and I’m very nervous and also very excited. My only worry is what will I eat my first night there, I hope I can find a family to eat with.
Today was the ceremony and now I’m officially a Peace Corps Volunteer and it feels wonderful.

Picture Time!

So not many words I'm trying to finally get some pictures on my blog and here I am preparing my last sensibilatzation presentation for the hosiptol. love the drawing?

Below is a pic with me and my youngest siblings marissa and mourocoo. they are so awesome.

Well it was hard but recently we sadi our farewells to our host families and i was very very sad but i think my sister was even sadder. Below on the left is a pic of my most of my family I'm missing my oldest brothers who are at university. And on the right id me and adam and my family.









And then there is me and my host sister. ISn't she so pretty? And then the other picture is our last french class.

voyage to mamou

I thought id try to get in a quick blog while im here. right now im at counterpart workshop and i just met who im going to be working with for the next two years. its all very exciting and also a lot to take in all at once. i never thought i could have so much anxiety but its possible. things are well in guinea. my health is good, the weather is beautiful and Im learning more and more everyday.