Le Brevet

The Brevet results were announced on July 17, 2012 for all the schools here.  I called my principal to ask what the results were for our 10^th graders.  He told me 15 passed the brevet and that six were girls and nine were boys.  I then asked for the students whom I both expected would pass and whom I had been hoping would pass.  I was able to get one of my favorite students phone number and called to congratulate him.  It was the first time I had ever called a student and the first time I would ever give my number to my students.  He answered, so I asked if it was my student, and he replied that it was he.  I then told him it was Madame Stephanie, he immediately was shocked and said “Madame! We did it, I passed the brevet!  I had to do everything in my power not to break down into hysterics, but I was so excited for him, because he was always the student who stayed after class to ask a question on a section he didn’t understand, always came to the extra help math sections, and whom I had asked many questions about how difficult it was being a student and what the future held for him.  He was so shocked that I had called him, and I was so excited to hear him so happy.  I asked him to tell me the others that passed the brevet too and I have never been a prouder mother/teacher.  He wrote me a message after, “je vous felicite tres bien de votre travail.  Je vous souhaite une longue vie et un excellent vaccance.”  (I congratulate you on your hard work and I wish you a long and excellent summer)  It’s times like this that makes me realize that I might actually have a small effect on these students.

I just finished up helping with the new group of volunteers that just arrived for education which was so much fun based on their energy levels and their excitement to get to site. 

I was finally able to buy a ticket with two of my friends to go on a vacation in West Africa.  We had to exchange US dollars into the local currency and walk to the travel agents with bricks of money.  The only thing that we still have to do is get our visas for each country and then we will be on our way to experiencing a different culture and country.

Lastly, I just wanted to let you all know that a friend and I decided on a secondary project which is a women’s magazine called Aïcha.  Former Peace Corps volunteers had previously started the magazine but due to the instability of the country, they were evacuated and the magazine was stopped.  We have decided to continue this magazine and have been working with local women and girls to write articles about the various parts of their lives and discuss their religious beliefs.  We are about to submit our Partnership Program Application Form, which will post a picture and article about the project and allow others to donate to the cause on the Peace Corps website.  We feel this magazine is critical because it will allow women to have a voice and an outlet to discuss the everyday issues.  We hope that by distributing the magazine in the local schools, we can encourage girls to read, and inspire them to write articles increasing the rate of literacy and motivation.  We will able be featuring a woman who has been successful and used as an example for what can happen to these girls is they are educated and motivated to succeed.

I will be hoping to head back to site to congratulate my students and spend some time with my friends and neighbors before my trip and before the school year starts.

One Year Anniversary

My luggage arrived safe and sound with no missing items, which I was so thankful for.  I also attended an African ballet.  IT WAS AMAZING!  They told a story through dance about how women should not be suppressed, to stop genital cutting, and to move away from arranged marriage.  The dancing was incredible with so much energy and rhythm. 

I then headed to our old training village to prepare for the new volunteers to arrive.  The next day, 27 new volunteers arrived with so much energy; looking so fresh and clean, with nice new clothes, back packs, and delicious American snacks.  It was so nice to meet them all and thrive off their energy while answering many many questions they had about life as a volunteer in this country.

On July 4^th we were invited to go to the deputy ambassadors house for a party.  His house was amazing, huge pool in the back yard with plenty of space for the guests.  It was a great time with American food, hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato salad but unfortunately it was raining cats and dogs.  You had to run from the house to the tent set up outside, we were soaking wet, but they did have a band playing and I felt for a minute I was home celebrating like every other America. 

We arrived in the small city where the new volunteers were assigned a host family then sent home with their new families to move in and get situated.  For me it was difficult to see a new volunteer with my old host family, but exciting as well because they were so wonderful.  I did stop by to say hello to my host family and old neighbors, which was nice to finally be able to communicate and follow the conversation with them.  I got to go on a walk with my brothers, shoot some hoops, watch a soccer game, and give them the gifts I brought from the US. 

It feels so strange to be back here and not new to country.  People think they can raise the prices but when we are able to speak the local language to them they realize real quickly that you are not new.  It’s also so weird to be back in the country, yet in a different village where the structure of the community is so different.  Here the women are not nearly as conservative, wear normal clothes like jeans, or tight shirts.  There are sports teams and organized games, there are churches, tailors, two hospitals, nightclubs, cafes, and vegetables are available.

I have been getting quite a few phone calls from people in my village asking when I will be coming home.  At first I was nervous to head home to site because school is over and not much to do, but I am so excited to head home, where all my stuff is and start working on secondary projects and get back into my routine.

For now we are just helping the new volunteers get acquainted with the country, the diversities, the language and the volunteer position and soon enough I will be home at site.

Funny/Stories:

1.     The other day my friend and I were walking the road down town and stopped to try to wave a taxi down.  We stopped next to a man and all went to get into the taxi, but the driver told the man to wait.  We said he should come with us, but the driver just wanted to take us and make us pay for the whole taxi.  So we told the man we would wait with him instead of going without him.  No taxi’s seemed to be available, so we started walking and the man said he would pick us up down the road if we wanted.  We thought he was just being nice, but 10 minutes later we heard a beep and he pulled over and picked us up in his sisters car.  We talked in French and Pular and they were all so excited to find out what we were doing in their country, why we were here, and see us wearing African clothes.  When we got down town, we asked how much and they said for free and thanked us for coming to their country to live and help.

2.     We went to a travel agent to book a trip to Ivory Coast and Ghana and found a pretty good price, but when we asked if they took credit cards, they said they did not.  So we used our American dollars and they looked at all the dollars and gave us $750 back and said they were not good.  We were baffled, but they would not take the dollars because there was a small crease or faded section on the $100 so the banks would not take the money.  Therefore we were unable to buy the tickets and are still land bound.