The Home Stretch

I finished the second trimester!!!!  Thankfully it ended on a good note, but I am quite tired and was really looking forward to the break.  We had to calculate grades for the end of the semester so the teachers gave me the notebooks and I calculated the grades.  I did seventh, eighth, and tenth grades and as myself and another professor were about to start classing the students one of other professors said he forgot to write his grades in.  So that consisted of us having to recalculate all the grades.  Therefore the professor read each grade to me then I would calculate it on my calculator.  We did that for 70 so students.  Time consuming to say in the least.  Also as we were calculating the grades, sitting in the 9^th grade classroom, we noticed a “funny smell”.  One of the students must have been in a hurry because he happened to relieve himself on the chalkboard eraser.  Interesting. 

BODIE got a computer.  One of the wealthier “patrons” or as Guineans say “boss” donated a computer and printer/scanner.  I was sleeping on my porch, like usual in the afternoon, when I heard a loud beep from a motorcycle.  Next thing I knew one of the men in my villages was next to me yelling, “Are you sleeping?”  I was faced down on a mat on my porch with sweat pouring off of me.  I did everything in my power not to make an inappropriate comment.  He made me get up and head to the library.  There he showed me the computer and said put it together.  In Guinea when there is something new, normally about 25 people stand in a circle and just stare as well as offer their advice on how it should be done.  So about 15 minutes later, after setting the computer up and asking people to “please not touch the computer, and no that cord does not go there” I had the computer set up and running.  It’s fantastic.  Thankfully all the programs are there; word, excel, etc. 

That night my girlfriend arrived from the village over and we made smoked hotdogs.  I bet your wondering where I got those!  Well funny story.  There is a German built hospital in our village.  Once a year the Germans come and do two weeks where they treat as many cases as possible.  They have 24 solar batteries to run the hospital, school and clothe-making store.  The generator that runs the solar panels stopped working.  So in the middle of class one day, a man showed up with a pamphlet about how to run a solar generator.  He explained that it was broken and I needed to fix it.  I explained that I am a math teacher and have NOOOOO experience in electrical engineering.  He then explained that there were two manuals on how to fix the generator, one in German and one in English.  Seeing that I am the only person who can speak English, he said I needed to come and try to fix it.  That day after school I went there and spent 4 hours reading the manual, and trying to fix it, to no avail.  The next day I went back after reading the manual that night at my house and I touched a few buttons and somehow it worked!! Therefore my reward was German hotdogs!  I bet you thinking what an awful gift, but sadly that may or may not have made my day! Haha

The following day, the other volunteer and I headed to the capital.  We were able to get a ride with the missionaries to a larger city where we caught a car.  We arrived thankfully before dark, where my Guinean friend met us.  That night we relaxed in air conditioning, showers with running water, and a stove!!!  It would have been a relaxing week, but I had many people to meet up with and Conakry is super hot!  (Nicole you may remember visiting when my friends asked us if we wanted to stand outside because we were dripping of sweat)  I was able to visit with the Principals family, also my family.  It was wonderful because in Conakry they speak a different language then in my village so I was completely lost, but when I was with my family we went back to speaking Pular which made me feel at home.  They made me eat about 3 meals, and after I told them I had to leave, I rolled myself to the road and caught a taxi home.  I also met up with my students from the last year who had passed the brevet exam and were now studying in Conakry.  We planned a day to meet up, and after they came and found me and walked me to a student’s house, we hung out all day.  At one point, I told them I understood if they had things to do, and they didn’t have to stay all day.  They just looked at me and said we are staying here till dark, because we haven’t seen you in almost a year.  So we just hung out, ate, and at one point I started crying because they said they wanted to play a song for me, and when they did, it was a song from last year in English that we had translated into French and made the students dance to.  So they all got up and started dancing and singing in what might have been English! Lol

I also went dancing with my Guinean friend at a club one night.  We arrived a little late to the club, where there were numerous people dancing and drinking.  Drinking is a little strange because it’s a Muslim country, but quite a few were enjoying a few, especially the older couple next to us.  Aboubacar got up and started dancing, of course I stayed seating watching all these people dancing so well, until the lady next to me pulled me up and pretty much pulled me in close so we were hugging then placed her hands on my bum and we started to dance.  A little uncomfortable but when in Rome….

I also was able to make it to my old host family.  When I arrived my mother had cooked 2 entire meals, one of course with rice and sauce and the other is a mango sauce, don’t know what to describe it, but one day I will make it for you.  PS: it’s almost mango season here.  We ate a ton, I washed the dishes like old times when I was living there, and I also got to see my host brothers and just relax and unwind.  I again went dancing there, which was a ton of fun it was Guinean music with a mix of salsa.  No clue how to salsa but I think I got the hang of it by the end of the night.  Unfortunately, I only spent 3 days there then had to head back.  I did celebrate my 21^st birthday with other volunteers and my Guinean friends! (Or is it 26^th birthday?)

Highlights:

I went to the stadium here in Conakry and got to sit in on a volleyball conference as well as watch girls play basketball and handball.  It was really nice to see girls interested in sports and competing against each other.

I went and visited my “sister” the principal’s daughter where she had breakfast waiting for me… sardines, bread and tea.  I almost vomited, but managed to get some down.  Then about an hour later she made me eat rice and sauce with some sort of meat.  Then Mangos, then a soda… it just didn’t stop.  The best part is her younger sister-in- law decided they wanted to give me a henna tattoo.  Right when she started I knew it was a bad idea, I currently have a white hand, and a black hand.  My left hand is completely covered in some sort of design that is just horrendous! 

Besides that, life is good.  I will be heading back to site tomorrow, and getting ready to finish the school year on a high note.  I miss you all and love you a ton.  Send books if you can!!!!

Fun in the Sun

After Christmas vacation my students were happy to see me and we have been advancing slowly but surely.  I have been working with my 10^th grade students to try and prepare them for their test at the end of the years which decides whether they move on to high school, stay back, or abandon school all together.  There has already been a few students who have abandoned school, including some of my seventh and ninth graders as well.  Although I love my students sometimes they love to push me to the limit, which makes me question what my role here is. 

For example the other week my ninth graders were beyond horrible.  I was having trouble speaking over 15 students who were all speaking over each other.  After about a minute of trying, I stopped and waited to get their attention which continued on for five more minutes.  I had students walk out because I had given seating arrangements, students who refused to give me their telephones when they rang in class, etc.  We were somehow able to finish the class but I thought I wasn’t going to make it.  I then entered into my 10^th grade class, normally my favorite because most of them are there to learn and take school seriously, but they had decided because we had a soccer match that evening we shouldn’t have school.  For the records the game was at 5:00pm and our class was from 10 to 12pm.  I told the students who didn’t want to come to class that was fine they could wait outside because they were the ones loosing, which they did for the first 15 minutes then they decided it wasn’t so much fun so they filed in, as I scolded them.  Then 10 about minutes after I had lost control and couldn’t get them to pay attention.  I told them to get a piece of paper out and we were going to do a test instead.  That caused more problems then anything.  Writing about the incident and looking back it seems so minor, but on a day when nothing seems to go well it takes every little bit out of you.  Of course I cried the whole walk home, balancing over the fallen tree that lies over the river, then through the woods to my house.  Not 15 minutes later I had a phone call from one of my students (that’s a whole other story) who told me not to leave, and told me to stay strong.  Then I had students who showed up at my house to tell me they were sorry and that I should still go to the soccer game with them.  Of course I sulked for a little bit longer just to get it out but ended sucking it up and heading back out with my students for a soccer game.

The story about my students having my number which believe me I do not give out is… someone somehow got my number and therefore gave it to all my… what do you call them… not well behaved students.  So now I get phone calls and messages wishing me a great night of sleep and then first thing in the morning messages hoping I slept well.  On all levels not okay, but it works somehow. 

The governor of our county organized a soccer tournament for the junior high school villages.  I am pretty close with my 10^th graders, so they relied on me to help them find a car and uniforms.  We were able to get uniforms and found a driver.  200,000 francs later, 19 players in the car including me, and 15 on top of the car heading to the next village over.  When we arrived we were welcomed and given a large portion of rice and sauce to eat.  The players called me over and I went to eat till I realized I did not have a spoon.  My students were laughing as one student next to me tried to teach me how to eat with my hand, as it all split down the front of me.  Have yet to live that down.  Also another student gave me his jersey that say’s our village name on it, as support.  We showed up and played against the other team and thankfully won in a shootout.  We then made the ride home; passing students in the dark on bikes making the 15 kilometers bike ride home. 

The next letter we received said we would be playing the next day at another local village.  So we scrambled to find someone willing to drive some fans and us.  The teachers said there was no money available to pay the driver and my students looked desperate at the fact that we weren’t going to be able to go because of money, so I paid the 200,000 franc and the school paid the 150,000 franc.  Next thing I know, I’m in my new game attire, my fan shirt, my team is ready, a mini van pulls up and this time we have over 25 students in the van and 25 to 30 riding on top.  No joke.  We arrive and the other team had not arrived but we start to warm up and get ready.  The game began after much discussion, I’m screaming from the sidelines in encouragement, the girls are cheering and thankfully we pull it off 1-0 Bodie!!!  We again all climb back in the van and ride home this time cheering the whole way.

Again the following week we receive another letter saying we have 2 days to get ready and we will be playing the high school team from the largest city in our region.  I asked my students about this, if it was fair and they seem to be okay with it.  We search for a vehicle again, this time the only thing available was a large dump truck.  I have my jersey on, and we all load it maybe 50 + people in the dump section, and the three teachers upfront including me.  We arrive and we are late.  The other team comes running out and it is boys twice the size of my students.  I walk over to see if we are ready and I don’t recognize half my students.  Why…. Oh because we have picked up older boys to play for us.  Of course I make a big scene and my students ask me to please be calm… Calmez-vous Madame.  They know I hate cheating.  At mid time the other team has scored and we are getting killed.  I run over, attempt to do a pep talk… then we start again.  We score 1; I’m ecstatic, then again with 5 minutes remaining.  At this time in the game I recognize maybe 3 players.  We win and celebrate.  I go to shake the hands of the other players and they start calling me another name.  They think I’m the volunteer from their city; white people all look the same as my students tell me.  Again we climb back in the dump truck and head home cheering the whole way.  Now we are heading to the final!  Quite exciting!

My host brother also came to visit which was so nice to have someone living with me in me pitch-black house during the night.  Thankfully this time we did not have any creators living with us inside the house, but I do have a pet bat that lives outside my front door!  I did a lot of salad making, washing clothes, entertaining and teaching, which made for an exhausting week.  I was sad to see him go though the next week.

I’ve started a computer class with the 10^th graders where they use my computer and a friend’s computer he left me to learn how to type.  We have just started with trying to learn the keyboard, which means I have to take a piece of string and tie their thumbs together otherwise they refuse to use their other fingers.  It also includes me pulling the other students away from breathing down the student’s back who is in the process of learning.  They will sit an inch away and if the person takes just a little bit to long someone reaches over and taps the desired letter.  Either that or their heads are in front of the poor students trying to type and then can’t see the screen.  New rules are they have to wait outside.  They’re hysterical.

The other day I received a text from the principal that said a student from the 8^th grade had died.  I was baffled.  It turns out the student was not sick previously, and unfortunately fell sick during the night and didn’t make it to the morning.  My students were all very upset.  Instead of having school, the whole school walked to the house where the student was staying to offer our condolences.  Then that afternoon we went 7 kilometers to the student’s native village where he was then buried.  The student’s father was in the capital and his mother was also in another area of the country, but thankfully his mother made it back right before the burial.  The mother was hysterical as well as my boy and girl students.  The women are not allowed to go to the burial so we all waited until it was finished then we returned back to town.  It was terrible!  When I asked later on what happened, numerous stories filtered out that the student was walking home and got to the top of a mountain where he felt a hot breeze, then a cold one.  When he asked his two friends that he was with if they felt the same breeze they said they had not.  Many people believe and have tried to convince me it was “the devil”.

Two important topics; The Aisha magazine was released last month to a great success.  The magazine was in color and talked about women’s roles and rights; education, work, personal or taboo questions, the role of marriage, fashion, women’s and infant health, AIDS and sexual diseases as well as food or crop growing.  We are now in the process of trying to get it put on-line.  I will keep you all posted.  We will also be working on our next issue.

I have also started working to finish a library.  The library was built by a German NGO that has now left, and I have been working on gaining books, shelves, tables, and screens.  We also were just given a generator where I will start giving more computer lessons. 

On a bad note, one day I was working there, also had some of my 10^th graders there with me working on math, and the man in charge of the library stopped a little boy.  The man asked him to empty his backpack.  The boy pulled out two books he was in the process of trying to steal.  The man running the library was irate.  He kept ranting on about how the little boy, maybe 10 years old at the most was a thief and he was going to lock him in prison.  I stepped in and tried to do what I could but the man would not let the little boy leave.  Finally the man took the little boy, dragging him, and went to lock him in another small room in the library, I almost died and looked at my 10^th graders for support.  Thankfully the man came back in the Library with the boy, and he asked me what we should do.  I said we could talk with his parents, and let them know he was trying to steal.  Next things I know the man slapped the boy so hard I thought I was going to die, I ran over to the little boy, but not quick enough because the man kicked him in the side.  I grabbed the little boy and rushed him out of the library as they man was still trying to get after him.  Both the student and I ran out with out our shoes he had also left his backpack in there, which someone brought to us.  The little boy was crying but thankfully not bleeding.  I sent him on in the other direction toward his house and went back in where I told the man I would not work at the library if he was going to abuse students.  He told me he was an intellectual and that he loved kids.  Need I say more.  I looked at my 10^th graders who were standing up around me.  Grabbed my stuff and walked home crying again.  Horrendous I then called my brother and cried to him.  Thanks Luke!  The real reason I bring the library up is if you know anyone getting rid of books, maybe easy beginner books in English or books in French please send them to me in Africa.  It would really help with my students trying to learn English and give them reason to come to the library after school and stay out of trouble.

There has been ethnic tension here in Guinea as well.  For a little over a week, there was fighting in the capital because of the legislative elections that are suppose to happen in May.  We have been told to finish the school program before May because they government is unsure what will happen if the elections do occur.  The opposition held a march in the capital where it turned violent and people were killed.  Then for the next week, there was fighting between two specific ethnic groups, which burned and looted various shops and homes.  Also there were cars burnt and people stopping traffic to demand people in the taxis which ethnicity there were.  Very unsettling but as of right now things are calm in the capital and I will let you know if anything changes.

Exciting News!!!

My sister Brooke got engaged!  So happy for you both, Brooke and Scott!!! Congratulations!!!

Highlights from the last few months:

I had a student whose been coming over for English lesson and I had asked him to respond to questions in English for homework, also he had to write questions for me in English.  One of the questions I asked was, “Where would your like to visit and why?”  I thought that was a pretty straight forward question… his response.  “I would like to go to Boston because I love you.”  The best was I had asked him to read the answers to me.  I must have turned 7 shades of red, and said that was not a good reason and where did he really want to go.  Next, one of his questions to me, “Do you like black or white men?”

I was shopping in the market the other day when I cam upon a shirt that said, “No money, no job, no kids, Oh sh*t!”  Like where was that made and how did that make it here?

The other nice surprise was the other day my student said he had something to show me.  He took his phone out and went to his photo gallery where we were both looking together as he flipped through.  It started out okay until we came upon naked photos of women, which I questioned him on, he said he didn’t mean to show me that, but then arrived on the photo he wanted, which was one of me.  I couldn’t figure out when the picture was taken and asked him where he got that.  He said one of his friends has been sending it around.  I suppose it could be worse. 

Hope you are all well and I will upset you again soon!