Happy Thanksgiving to all! I would like to say that I am celebrating the same as you all, but I am unsure that is the case!!! No pumpkin or apple pie here!
After my last trip into the regional capital myself and the other volunteer were able to find a ride back home; we paid a pretty good penny for the trip, but it was worth it, I was quite tired. The following weekend I decided to head to visit another volunteer at his site. I thought I could find a ride, but it was not possible, so on Thursday right after my two classes at 12pm, I took off and had a student ride with me halfway. The first part of the trip was not too bad, pretty flat, but it was quite sunny. Then the second half of the trip, I had been told there was a pretty good size mountain, but I thought it couldn’t be worse than my trip into the regional capital the other weekend. WRONG! This mountain was much bigger, I also had shared some of my water with my student, therefore didn’t have as much as I needed and was dreaming of a large glass of water. It didn’t help that I was passing these tiny waterfall, with running water, but I didn’t dare take a chance of drinking not filtered water. I was walking my bike up these massive steep hills/ mountains, people passing me on motorcycles and cars, telling me that it was good I was exercising, and to have courage. Little boys would see me, grab their bikes and head forward with me, chatting, asking how they could get a visa to the US and would I be able to help. At one point I asked a person how far I was from the village I was trying to get to, and he said 8 km, the next person said 14km, the next person said I was going the wrong way and I was 42km away. I almost started crying until I saw a small stand, bought a small mini cake, and a soda because I was so thirsty, had been riding my bike for over 4 hours now and hungry. As I was walking my bike up yet another mountain, I heard the sound of car passing on pavement, and I knew I was close. Only 4 km; I showed up in his village, asked for him by his name, which didn’t work, then I pointed to my skin and said, “Where is the white person?” and I was immediately brought to where he was. Quite the voyage!
The weekend was the Fete de Tabaski, which is where the village kills cows or goats, dances in the street, eat, and have no work or school. I stayed in his village for the party because the principal of his village told me if I left he would never talk to me again. Also while I was at his village I hiked to two waterfalls, which were amazing! I will have to post pictures another time. Then I headed back on Monday to my site, early in the morning. The ride back was a piece of cake, heading down the mountain, but I had been given a sack of potatoes, I had my back pack and I took the other volunteers kitten, because he was leaving and his family didn’t like that the kitten was black. So I put him in my bag and left the zipper a little bit open. On my way down the mountain, I met a man and a women on a motorcycle; (here when they use the cars or motorcycles, they shut the engines off and coast down the hill/mountain to conserve gas, therefore we were going the same speed) they were asking me what I was doing in Guinea, then they started to go faster than me and we parted ways. Then I saw them waiting for me at the bottom of the hill. There was a waterfall on the side of the road, so they asked me to stop and take a picture with each of them. While they were getting ready to take the picture I checked on the kitten, and felt something hard and yellow. All the potatoes had moved to the back of the bag and the cat had been squished by all of them, so I had to do some readjusting. Poor thing. The ride took my only 4 hours on the way back, but I was quite exhausted, and found out my village was celebrating the fete that day; so I got showered, and was brought around by my girl students to see all the hair getting done, the people dancing, the food being prepared, then I declined going to the big party which starts at 8pm and ends at 4am, dancing outside to music. Too tired.
The following day I went to school, but no students were there because I guess when they is a party, the following day the students don’t go as well as the day after that. Quite difficult for planning lessons and teaching the students!
My first night with the cat went well, he slept right on my shoulder, and purred the whole night. It was nice for me, because I had someone else to care for. The second night, the cat was wide awake at 4am, I was still tired, and he kept bothering me, so I rolled over and tried to not pay attention. When I woke up again at 6:15 with my alarm, and the cat had gone to the bathroom on my sleeping bag. REAL GREAT! Right then I thought I would give him back, lol. Also I have to keep the cat on a leash because my neighbors don’t like a BLACK cat. Unsure why, so I have the poor thing on a cord so he can walk around, but he normally tangles himself around the various plants or posts in the yard. One day I came home and he had salivated all over his arm, because he had wrapped himself around a bush and was choking himself. I ran over and found him, untangled him, where he rested for the rest of the day in the shade without moving. Poor thing.
I’ve still been doing some cooking with the principal’s wife, which is always fun to learn how to do things the right way, then try again at my house. I had a pretty tough week, spoke with my parents for moral support, and then received the two packages from my parents, where I ate the m&m’s before I even looked at what was in the rest of the box. THANK YOU! Top favorites, besides the candy was the instant Folders coffee, dried fruit, and crystal light packages. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! This week I also started teaching two English classes, to my 9th and 10th grade classes. They are so excited to learn English and I think it helps me a lot for the kids to see my as a resource outside of math. So now in my village almost everyone knows, “Good Morning, Good Afternoon, and Good Evening”
That weekend, there was another friend I had made in the village that agreed to bike with me and take me to a waterfall 39 km away. We headed there early in the morning at 8am, then had to hike to the waterfall off the road, where I finally saw it. It was massive, amazing, spectacular, and refreshing. I took many pictures I will post later as well. Then on the way back we stopped and had some lunch, peanut butter and bread. At this point it was 1 or 2pm, the sun was hot, we had both run out of water. This time I was really dreaming about water. I even passed a field and could swear I smelt cold ice tea. We had to stop and ask a person on the road for water, where she brought us unfiltered water, but I was so thirty I drank it. Then I seriously thought maybe I was not going to make it home, I was so tired, so thirsty, and so hot. Made it home, and slept for the rest of the afternoon. I think I forget to realize just how hot the sun is here.
I taught the following week, math and English where I am slowly starting to get into a routine. But have not mastered trying to manage so many kids in one class. My parents sent me rulers and protractors a friend had given them. I gave them to the students and they were so excited. Of course the next day they forgot to bring them with them to class, but the thought they will use them soon and remember to bring them along with their books is a hopeful thought. That weekend I headed to a neighboring village to meet the other volunteer at the large weekly market as well as meet the missionaries there. I finally found another route there without having to trek up the mountain, and it worked out wonderful. I met him, bought a stool and a mixing bowl, (Calabas) then we found the missionaries who were nice enough to bring us home to their house for lunch. Right now there are about 4 families living there. It was so nice to speak English, and relax with fellow Americans. They invited us to come to Thanksgiving, which we agreed to do, but the day before. I headed home and again was shocked by how hot the sun was and how much energy it took out of me. That night I cooked food using my little stool. PERFECT!
I thought a great project for me would be to work at the local clinic. I was brought in by the doctor to look at a patient. She was having stomach problems. I was taught how to take her blood pressure, and listen for her heart beat. Not bad. The next patient that came in was a woman with a bad infection on her finger. They injected her finger with some sort of anti disinfectant stuff, and then cut the infection off with scissor. I almost had to lie down I was going to pass out. Not sure this is going to work. Then the doctor had me writing prescriptions, which I was very uncomfortable with, until I saw there were other people helping there, which were not doctors writing prescriptions as well. I am unsure that is the best project for me, so will have to re think if that is something I want to help with, especially with all the disease and sickness.
Then Wednesday, right after school I took off for the missionaries’ house. Made it there, got to look at pictures, helped make home made pizza, meet all the other families and kids, and relax in the convenience of culture. That night not only did we eat homemade pizza, they had made brownies for us. Then we spent the rest of the night playing board and card games, phase 10, a game I use to always play with my grandparents. (Miss and love you both) Then I had a slumber party with the girls in the family, which was fun for me. I was able to leave my cat with my next-door neighbor thankfully who agree to watch him for me for the weekend.
The next morning at 6am, we were woken up to play ultimate frisbee. It was quite cold, normally in the mornings you see all the Africans dressed in winter hats, jackets, shoes/boots, while I’m normally in pants and a short sleeve shirt. We played with them all, nice to get some physical exercising without having to get on my bike. Then had baked oatmeal, grapefruit, and homemade yogurt with jam. AMAZING!!! Then the other volunteer and I took off for the regional capital and were told to try a different route. We started off at 9:00am, stopped at his village real quick, then continued on, the hill/mountains were not too bad until we got to the new route, where we had to walk our bikes up, people again passing us, telling us to have courage. At one point, there was a group of young boys with machetes, who started chasing after me yelling for me to give them money. Then Matt, the volunteer behind me had rocks thrown at him, but he got off and scarred them off. After he was not feeling so well, so we had to stop. We were approached by a group of women, whom I explained to that my friend was not feeling good and we were going to wait. They flagged down a taxi, told us to get in. It was filled with older men, I explained I didn’t have any money, and they said that was fine, hauled our bikes on top and drove us the rest of the way into the city, dropped us off and pointed us straight and took off ; one of the nicest things that had happened to me here! The women were so kind to have force the men to take us, and the taxi driver/ helper was studying English at university, so I conversed with him, and he was so happy to have spoken English. Then we arrived at the regional house, showered with running water!!!! And finally relaxed. One of the volunteers was cooking dinner, it was Thanksgiving and I was celebrating it with Americans, no football game on, but beggars can’t be choosers! I miss you all a ton, and which you all a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Things are going well here, still trying to figure out how to work the kinks of school out, started teaching English, and now my next task is to start a girl’s soccer league. One step at a time; Little by Little (English) Petit a Petit (French) and Seeda Seeda (Pular, local language here)
