So yeah, believe it or not I’m a year into my service and it’s so weird looking back on everything I was experiencing when I first got into country. What a difference. So much has changed yet I’m still Kim. So what did I do to celebrate my one year anniversary. Nothing special, I went out biking to this district. I fell pretty bad, but its ok. It was pretty funny. I went and watched tv, well it was the local news here in Pular and I had a meeting in Pular which I totally understood. but in response to the meeting I got a chance to interject four or five phrases in Pular. Score.
Things have been going pretty good. There was the fete of Tabaski that just passed. It was really awesome to spend it with the family here. So Tabaski celebrates by praying at the mosque in the morning and dressing very nice. Kids walk around and ask for money. I forget what they say, it’s in Arabic but it’s expected to give like “cent franc” if you got it. There is also the sacrifice of a goat which an elder usually does and the idea is after the sacrifice is done, the goat is shared amongst the community for those who can not afford to eat. I tried to get a more accurate reason as to why the holiday is celebrated but it was extremely hard to get a reason other than “because it’s in the Koran.” Ok.
I’m a grandmomma, my cat had five kittens last Monday. I haven’t seen them left because I left for vacation Sunday and my family called me Monday to tell me that they found my cat had mulitipied. LOL. No, I knew she was pregnant but just didn’t know how far a long so I’m really bummed I missed it. I was actually looking forward to being there for that. I just can’t wait to get back and see them all. I already gave them away but I just don’t want anything to happen to them, but Neenee Moussa (my mother cat) will be an awesome mom. As soon as I get back she’s going straight to the vet!
So work is going pretty well. I’m working with an awesome counterpart. This guy is like the awesomest old guy I’ve met here. So he’s been very set on getting the pump fixed at his school. And I completely agree. There’s the school, the health center and the market yet the nearest pump is in the middles of nowhere. So I was like cool but it needs to be fixed within the community. So we went and did sensibilizations in the market and at the schools. (And by WE I mean I prepared all the materials in French and he presented everything in Pular) hey it makes sense if the audience only knows Pular. But it worked out really well. And we are almost at our goal. I think more than half way there and it’s pretty exciting. I hope that it gets fixed by February. (crosses fingers.)
Well happy holidays, it kinda sucks not being home for the holidays yet again, and knowing most likely will not be home for the holidays next year as well. LAME. I hope everyone has an awesome Christmas and Happy New Years.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Pics like id forget?
No i didnt forget this timeor last time the cyber cafe closed for prayer and the transfer never finished.
So long story short, i had other pics but didnt put them on my key cause I needed work documents and my key was full so that got set aside. When I go to Conakry Ill be sure to be better equipped. Anyway these are from the fete at the end of Ramadan.
Miss you.
Aww, its been forever.
Blog
November 2008.
I can’t really put into comprehensible words how I feel about the presidential election. All I can say is that I am very happy with the results.
I stayed up half the night anxiously awaiting the results. I’m four hours ahead so by the time the polls closed it was way past my bed time. So I didn’t get to sleep until shortly after McCain gave his speech. Like around 4 or 5 am here.
I honestly don’t know where I’ve been the past couple of weeks. October was ok.. Kat came to visit from kankan for a couple of days and it was really nice to have a visitor. Something or someone attacked my cat. I left Moussa, my cat, out during the day (which isn’t out of the ordinary, she likes to play with lizards and such) for a couple of hours and when I came back I found one of her eyes swollen and bloody. I was really sad but mostly angry at myself for leaving her outside like that. I took her to the vet (yes there are vets here) and well she is slowly recovering.
Work is still very frustrating. I told my counterpart that I wanted to visit all the villages by bike, he thought this was funny. I was not joking. I have made it to so far to 5 out of the 8. Yes of course I’m going to be tired, bikes do that. It’s just frustrating he won’t even allow me to try. (it’s cause I’m female.)
So the other day I decided to give EVERYONE that made me furiously angry another chance. Like the kids in my neighborhood that come everyday to stare at me and my cat and knock at my door nonstop. Yeah, everyone. So the kids come everyday and ask me for stuff so often that now my name is Kadiatou Okkran (which is my guinea name + the word for give me in Pular.) Cute, right? I kindly tried to explain to them that my name was not “Kadiatou Give me” and that they should learn my name before asking me for something. I spent about twenty mintues, to no avail and left to go get some water.
The other day I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, they weren’t the best but the kids really liked them. I made them about the size of a dime and this one girl ate half and saved the other half for her brother. Now I don’t know if she was just being really nice or the cookies really sucked and she couldn’t finish it. (I think she was being nice because later they came back and asked for more cookies.)
I went and played with them this game kinda like jump rope and double dutch. (maybe I should show them that.) And they were less annoying. Afterward I went to the pump and they actually helped me carry my bidons full of water back to my house. [these bidons hold 25 liters of water.] they never did that before. So sometimes they are ok.
The vaccinator I work with who completely ripped me off, when I asked him to help me get furniture made as hard as it was not to yell at him, I have decided to forgive him. (yeah 3 months later) It takes times for wounds to heal. Besides I really can’t stay mad anymore and it’s partly my fault for not asking around beforehand. However I must admit I was in the habit of telling him how much of a jerk he was (IN PULAR) and that he was not a nice person and a bunch of crazy things because I was upset. He thought I was joking but it did make me feel better to tell him how much of a jerk he was.
The Pular. It’s better. I need to get out of the habit of responding in French but the comprehension is better. I don’t have a tutor. So I’ve been working out of a workbook and just practicing with the family or at work. I asked my host brother if he could teach me insults and bad words in Pular but he refused. O moyya!
I had wanted to teach English but I don’t thinki have the patience or the desire anymore. It’s really time consuming and it’s difficult to make sounds your mouth isn’t used to making. So maybe not for me.
Oh and my birthday was unlike any other. I really thought it’d be great but no, no it was less than great. I spent half the day in tears because NOTHING went as planned and partially because I was also homesick. I know nothing ever goes according to plan here but I was hoping the birthday fairy would help me out.
I haven’t learned any new dishes or anything. I’ve been inda just laying low in the village. Trying to spend more time exploring the village and less time annoyed at retarded people.
I’ve been cooking less and eating with a family every day, just dinner. I usually make lunch for me and the cat. The oatmeal cookies was the first time baking in a month.
So lastly I’ll talk about this village I went to today. It was about 8km, that’s a little over 6 miles. And I met with the President of the community, teachers, as well as other respected members of the community. I went to the school and did a short presentation and just asked questions about their community. There’s no health center, no mosque, no pump and no marche. The doctor at my health center goes once a month to do vaccinations and to do consultations. Can you imagine getting sick and walking six miles to go to the health center? Yikes! When I asked them what their needs were, they expressed interest in a health post. I’d have to agree with them. And a pump at the school. They asked so nicely that I would have liked to give them money right then and there out of my pockets, if I had it. Out of all the villages I have visited so far this one seemed to be the poorest. By the way, on my way out there I saw a huge monkey, how neat is that? And I was trying to keep an eye out for snakes.
November 2008.
I can’t really put into comprehensible words how I feel about the presidential election. All I can say is that I am very happy with the results.
I stayed up half the night anxiously awaiting the results. I’m four hours ahead so by the time the polls closed it was way past my bed time. So I didn’t get to sleep until shortly after McCain gave his speech. Like around 4 or 5 am here.
I honestly don’t know where I’ve been the past couple of weeks. October was ok.. Kat came to visit from kankan for a couple of days and it was really nice to have a visitor. Something or someone attacked my cat. I left Moussa, my cat, out during the day (which isn’t out of the ordinary, she likes to play with lizards and such) for a couple of hours and when I came back I found one of her eyes swollen and bloody. I was really sad but mostly angry at myself for leaving her outside like that. I took her to the vet (yes there are vets here) and well she is slowly recovering.
Work is still very frustrating. I told my counterpart that I wanted to visit all the villages by bike, he thought this was funny. I was not joking. I have made it to so far to 5 out of the 8. Yes of course I’m going to be tired, bikes do that. It’s just frustrating he won’t even allow me to try. (it’s cause I’m female.)
So the other day I decided to give EVERYONE that made me furiously angry another chance. Like the kids in my neighborhood that come everyday to stare at me and my cat and knock at my door nonstop. Yeah, everyone. So the kids come everyday and ask me for stuff so often that now my name is Kadiatou Okkran (which is my guinea name + the word for give me in Pular.) Cute, right? I kindly tried to explain to them that my name was not “Kadiatou Give me” and that they should learn my name before asking me for something. I spent about twenty mintues, to no avail and left to go get some water.
The other day I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, they weren’t the best but the kids really liked them. I made them about the size of a dime and this one girl ate half and saved the other half for her brother. Now I don’t know if she was just being really nice or the cookies really sucked and she couldn’t finish it. (I think she was being nice because later they came back and asked for more cookies.)
I went and played with them this game kinda like jump rope and double dutch. (maybe I should show them that.) And they were less annoying. Afterward I went to the pump and they actually helped me carry my bidons full of water back to my house. [these bidons hold 25 liters of water.] they never did that before. So sometimes they are ok.
The vaccinator I work with who completely ripped me off, when I asked him to help me get furniture made as hard as it was not to yell at him, I have decided to forgive him. (yeah 3 months later) It takes times for wounds to heal. Besides I really can’t stay mad anymore and it’s partly my fault for not asking around beforehand. However I must admit I was in the habit of telling him how much of a jerk he was (IN PULAR) and that he was not a nice person and a bunch of crazy things because I was upset. He thought I was joking but it did make me feel better to tell him how much of a jerk he was.
The Pular. It’s better. I need to get out of the habit of responding in French but the comprehension is better. I don’t have a tutor. So I’ve been working out of a workbook and just practicing with the family or at work. I asked my host brother if he could teach me insults and bad words in Pular but he refused. O moyya!
I had wanted to teach English but I don’t thinki have the patience or the desire anymore. It’s really time consuming and it’s difficult to make sounds your mouth isn’t used to making. So maybe not for me.
Oh and my birthday was unlike any other. I really thought it’d be great but no, no it was less than great. I spent half the day in tears because NOTHING went as planned and partially because I was also homesick. I know nothing ever goes according to plan here but I was hoping the birthday fairy would help me out.
I haven’t learned any new dishes or anything. I’ve been inda just laying low in the village. Trying to spend more time exploring the village and less time annoyed at retarded people.
I’ve been cooking less and eating with a family every day, just dinner. I usually make lunch for me and the cat. The oatmeal cookies was the first time baking in a month.
So lastly I’ll talk about this village I went to today. It was about 8km, that’s a little over 6 miles. And I met with the President of the community, teachers, as well as other respected members of the community. I went to the school and did a short presentation and just asked questions about their community. There’s no health center, no mosque, no pump and no marche. The doctor at my health center goes once a month to do vaccinations and to do consultations. Can you imagine getting sick and walking six miles to go to the health center? Yikes! When I asked them what their needs were, they expressed interest in a health post. I’d have to agree with them. And a pump at the school. They asked so nicely that I would have liked to give them money right then and there out of my pockets, if I had it. Out of all the villages I have visited so far this one seemed to be the poorest. By the way, on my way out there I saw a huge monkey, how neat is that? And I was trying to keep an eye out for snakes.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
update
So after the holiday we had a huge party and were able to eat meat again. So I finished the month and had fasted for two weeks which was hard but much glad its over and people feel like doing suff and working again. Its kinda like everyone shut down for a month.
I met some really cool people during the vacation but they have gone back to Conakry, sad face. Oh well next summer. I found some waterfalls in my village. Amazing waterfalls that are about a 25 walk from my house and even closer than my own market. I didn’t bring my camera so of course no photos but the most interesting part is that this is the Gambie river that passes through my village. Pretty ipressive; so they gave the name of this point Gambie. I also scales a mountain, it was an hour trek but it was really nice and there were filed of fields of crops. Also there was a beautiful view of the village from up there, and yet again I didn’t have my camera.
Things are going good with work. I don’t want to say too much because its very aggravating talking about it and Im feeling happy now. Im starting to like little kids a little more which is pretty good. I liked them before but not when they come to my house to stare at me and now I guess im used to it.
My host family is doing ok. They are very awesome, I think sometimes I can be annoying cause I say the same ten Pular sentences every day with nothing better to talk about. Cest comme ca, Ka I cant fing the question mark.
K. Hope all is well I don’t have much time In town so catch up sooner than later. Miss ya, luv ya.
Inculded pics from the fete after Ramadan and some of me in my village.
I met some really cool people during the vacation but they have gone back to Conakry, sad face. Oh well next summer. I found some waterfalls in my village. Amazing waterfalls that are about a 25 walk from my house and even closer than my own market. I didn’t bring my camera so of course no photos but the most interesting part is that this is the Gambie river that passes through my village. Pretty ipressive; so they gave the name of this point Gambie. I also scales a mountain, it was an hour trek but it was really nice and there were filed of fields of crops. Also there was a beautiful view of the village from up there, and yet again I didn’t have my camera.
Things are going good with work. I don’t want to say too much because its very aggravating talking about it and Im feeling happy now. Im starting to like little kids a little more which is pretty good. I liked them before but not when they come to my house to stare at me and now I guess im used to it.
My host family is doing ok. They are very awesome, I think sometimes I can be annoying cause I say the same ten Pular sentences every day with nothing better to talk about. Cest comme ca, Ka I cant fing the question mark.
K. Hope all is well I don’t have much time In town so catch up sooner than later. Miss ya, luv ya.
Inculded pics from the fete after Ramadan and some of me in my village.
Monday, September 15, 2008
adjusting to Ramadan
So today is day four of fasting. Vraiment. For the entire day not eating a thing until after seven thirty or something like that, and eating throughout the night until five the next day. What the hell am I’m trying to do to myself. Well I’m fasting for two reasons. The first reason is because of curiosity to see if I have the willpower to do it. I had already decided before coming to Guinea and after learning of Muslim culture, I would attempt to try fasting during Ramadan. I must admit the first days were hard, because I felt light headed in the evenings and really tired. I kinda don’t want to do anything in the evenings, except countdown till seven thirty. The second reason as to why I’m fasting is more superficial than anything else. I need to cut back on my snaking in order to lose some weight and what a perfect opportunity because no one is going to offer me food if I tell them I’m fasting. I eat so much because everyone tries to feed me and then I go to visit my host mom and she’ll just cry or have a fit if I don’t eat.
I have been taking the opportunity to learn more about the culture this month and it’s been challenging. I had went to the mosque with my friend Binta and it was ok. It’s just that being in there was really awkward for me. You know, I felt really out of place but at the same time I felt really happy and less like a stranger for being invited to go to the mosque. Granted, I have no clue what is going on and what is being said, I still felt more connected to the people here.
My other cultural experience; I learned the purification process. One of my friends had the Coran in French and Arabic so I asked them if I could read a little. But before I could read I had to bathe pretty much. I read a little bit the first fifteen pages or so. It would have been ok if it was in English. But because it was in French I was having a hard time looking up every fifth word to translate what was going on. I spent about an hour reading, or at least until I started to feel sick and laid down. I started reading the first book, the horse, I think it was and the prayer that they use. I’ve always wondered what in the world they were saying in Arabic and now I know and it’s not too different from what I know.
And finally adjusting to the fasting. So the first day I did it, I didn’t wake up in the morning to eat, I just waited till nighttime which was really ridiculous of me cause I hadn’t ate or drank for twenty-four hours. When I came into Labe I stayed with a family who helped me adjust to the fasting. By means of waking me up at four in the morning to eat bread and tea and drink some water. Which I think makes the big difference and then ate night we end the fasting with bouille which is like a porridge type dish and then of course eat rice and sauce. Last night I had fried fish and French fries which was pretty good and went to sleep full. So I’m adjusting ok, mornings are ok, afternoons are eh, but come evenings I feel like I’m counting down the seconds.
I am happy that I am doing this because it takes a great deal of willpower and self control which I most certainly don’t have an abundance of. I’m not suggesting I spend the whole month fasting. I counted another three and a half weeks of this will probably drive me a little off the walls. However, generally people are very responsive and happy that I have taken such an interest in the culture to participate and learn more about their customs. So all in all I have found this experience highly rewarding and even though I’m only on day four, I can tell that continuing will only bring about more opportunities to learn more about my village, my host family and my friends here. But my personal goal is to at least do a week and I’m more than half way there.
I have been taking the opportunity to learn more about the culture this month and it’s been challenging. I had went to the mosque with my friend Binta and it was ok. It’s just that being in there was really awkward for me. You know, I felt really out of place but at the same time I felt really happy and less like a stranger for being invited to go to the mosque. Granted, I have no clue what is going on and what is being said, I still felt more connected to the people here.
My other cultural experience; I learned the purification process. One of my friends had the Coran in French and Arabic so I asked them if I could read a little. But before I could read I had to bathe pretty much. I read a little bit the first fifteen pages or so. It would have been ok if it was in English. But because it was in French I was having a hard time looking up every fifth word to translate what was going on. I spent about an hour reading, or at least until I started to feel sick and laid down. I started reading the first book, the horse, I think it was and the prayer that they use. I’ve always wondered what in the world they were saying in Arabic and now I know and it’s not too different from what I know.
And finally adjusting to the fasting. So the first day I did it, I didn’t wake up in the morning to eat, I just waited till nighttime which was really ridiculous of me cause I hadn’t ate or drank for twenty-four hours. When I came into Labe I stayed with a family who helped me adjust to the fasting. By means of waking me up at four in the morning to eat bread and tea and drink some water. Which I think makes the big difference and then ate night we end the fasting with bouille which is like a porridge type dish and then of course eat rice and sauce. Last night I had fried fish and French fries which was pretty good and went to sleep full. So I’m adjusting ok, mornings are ok, afternoons are eh, but come evenings I feel like I’m counting down the seconds.
I am happy that I am doing this because it takes a great deal of willpower and self control which I most certainly don’t have an abundance of. I’m not suggesting I spend the whole month fasting. I counted another three and a half weeks of this will probably drive me a little off the walls. However, generally people are very responsive and happy that I have taken such an interest in the culture to participate and learn more about their customs. So all in all I have found this experience highly rewarding and even though I’m only on day four, I can tell that continuing will only bring about more opportunities to learn more about my village, my host family and my friends here. But my personal goal is to at least do a week and I’m more than half way there.
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