Month 9
Oh my goodness,life in Guinea has just been flying. I almost forgot that I was here for awhile! So much has probably happened but I honestly don't remember where I left off. If I had to guess though, I was probably still talking about food and complaining about the heat, or talking about
how I spend my loads of free time. all that exciting news you're just dying to hear. and even now, 9 months in, my first instincts are to tell you about those things again. But I will spare you the pain. I'll try and tell you about something new and interesting.
One thing that has changed is that I have actually started working. I'm working now. I've done a bunch of sensitizations in my village on diarrhea and malnutrition. I've started teaching some of the jr. high school guys english, which has been really fun. I've also started playing soccer with
them at the end of the day and its embarrassing how much a bunch of adolescent kids can beat up on me. they're good! my main goal at the moment however, is getting a bread oven made in my town. I've been doing all sorts of preliminary work for this project and I think its really gonna happen. It would be very exciting. And believe me, this project is more of a personal motive than anything else. I'm blown away by the fact that Dabiss doesn't have a regular supply of bread and everyone seems to agree that its an important goal, but really, I just want some bread to eat. Mmmm...Bread.
So that's whats going on with my "work". I have tons of other project ideas and plans for the next couple months, but I'd rather wait and talk about projects after they've been successfully completed. I have to say, after being at site for 4 months or so, mostly just focusing on the language, it feels really good to actually start being useful. I feel so comfortable in my village and I think the people there are beginning to understand why I'm there.
Now, as with most people, my "work" work is only a part of my life over here. It's not like I'm coming to Guinea everyday and working from 9-5 and heading back home to the states where I resume my normal life. I'm more or less here all the time. I say "more or less" because when I'm in Conakry, like I have been for the past five days, it feels somewhat like I'm back home. I'm surrounded by Americans, I have many comforts and luxuries that I never had back home. I can watch movies and have cold drinks. But at site, it never ends. Its like I'm constantly making some sort of effort. I probably only "work" 10 hours or less a week, but living here is a job on its own. Or something. Oh what am I talking about? Its not really that bad. I feel comfortable even at site. I have friends there and I can pretty much communicate. I'm doing something that anyone could do, as long as they wanted to. wha!t'sinteresting to notice however, is the small ways that
I have changed since being here. There are certain things that simply must change in order for you to live happily in this place. Let me give you some examples...
In Guinean taxis, in order to make more money, you must squeeze four people in the back seat and two (sometimes 3) people in the front seat, no matter how long of a ride it is. That usually means 7 or 8 people in a 5 person car and 9 to 12 people in a car with 7 seats. And anyone under 12 or so doesn't fill a "spot", cause they're too small, they just sit on laps. I've done many trips over 13 hours or so in a bush taxi sharing the front seat with someone else, or crammed in the back with three large Guineans. Now, I can't say I'm actually more comfortable in cramped positions
than I used to be, but I can say that being cramped and uncomfortable in cars no longer bothers me. For some reason, I can simply endure it now, for as long as I need to. Who cares if half your body is alseep? At least you haven't crashed or broken down yet.
Here's another one. Any pickiness I had as an eater before coming here, has completely vanished. I will eat just about anything that could be called food, and I'll enjoy it. It's really quite nice. You might say that my standards in food taste have dramatically decreased, but I'd just say that my appreciation for food, whenever availiable, has greatly increased. For example, my new rule on eating meat is this, if its chewable, it goes down the hatch, no questions asked. All sauces taste good. Powdered milk is delicious. Mayonnaise goes well with just about everything. Flour with maggots growing inside can still be used without falling ill. Probably extra protein! Onions, peppers, & tomatoes, things that used to be gross, are now delicacies. The more the better. I just like to think about how much I'll love the food when I get back.
OK, what else? I think I have definitely adjusted to the pace of life over here. Everything is slowed down. Deadlines are flexible. Excuses of all kinds are accepted. There's no hurry to get anything done. One thing I've noticed, which I think is interesting, is that awkwardness does not seem to exist in this country. It's not uncommon for people to sit together and say nothing for long periods of time. And not only is it not uncommon, but its not uncomfortable either. You just don't need to say anything. Sometimes I go to my boutique, and sit down with some friends and we just observe village life for what feels like hours. Nobody needs to say anything and it doesn't
matter. It's the same with one-on-one interactions as well. Sometimes I get stuck with a person I've never talked to before, but it's just no problem. If there's nothing to talk about, we just observe the silence, there's no need to say anything. What's really nice though, is that the silence holds no awkwardness. I don't know why. People just don't do that over here, and I love it. I've even noticed with my volunteer friends here that long silences are not really that bad anymore. Awkwardness has just become a non-factor here. I'd like to think it will stay that way, but it seems like awkwardness is just a part of life sometimes. who knows.
Anyway, I've pretty much run out of things to say for the moment and I have to go anyway. I think I'll just send this without any revisions. I hope things are going well back home. I love you all...take care,
Anders
how I spend my loads of free time. all that exciting news you're just dying to hear. and even now, 9 months in, my first instincts are to tell you about those things again. But I will spare you the pain. I'll try and tell you about something new and interesting.
One thing that has changed is that I have actually started working. I'm working now. I've done a bunch of sensitizations in my village on diarrhea and malnutrition. I've started teaching some of the jr. high school guys english, which has been really fun. I've also started playing soccer with
them at the end of the day and its embarrassing how much a bunch of adolescent kids can beat up on me. they're good! my main goal at the moment however, is getting a bread oven made in my town. I've been doing all sorts of preliminary work for this project and I think its really gonna happen. It would be very exciting. And believe me, this project is more of a personal motive than anything else. I'm blown away by the fact that Dabiss doesn't have a regular supply of bread and everyone seems to agree that its an important goal, but really, I just want some bread to eat. Mmmm...Bread.
So that's whats going on with my "work". I have tons of other project ideas and plans for the next couple months, but I'd rather wait and talk about projects after they've been successfully completed. I have to say, after being at site for 4 months or so, mostly just focusing on the language, it feels really good to actually start being useful. I feel so comfortable in my village and I think the people there are beginning to understand why I'm there.
Now, as with most people, my "work" work is only a part of my life over here. It's not like I'm coming to Guinea everyday and working from 9-5 and heading back home to the states where I resume my normal life. I'm more or less here all the time. I say "more or less" because when I'm in Conakry, like I have been for the past five days, it feels somewhat like I'm back home. I'm surrounded by Americans, I have many comforts and luxuries that I never had back home. I can watch movies and have cold drinks. But at site, it never ends. Its like I'm constantly making some sort of effort. I probably only "work" 10 hours or less a week, but living here is a job on its own. Or something. Oh what am I talking about? Its not really that bad. I feel comfortable even at site. I have friends there and I can pretty much communicate. I'm doing something that anyone could do, as long as they wanted to. wha!t'sinteresting to notice however, is the small ways that
I have changed since being here. There are certain things that simply must change in order for you to live happily in this place. Let me give you some examples...
In Guinean taxis, in order to make more money, you must squeeze four people in the back seat and two (sometimes 3) people in the front seat, no matter how long of a ride it is. That usually means 7 or 8 people in a 5 person car and 9 to 12 people in a car with 7 seats. And anyone under 12 or so doesn't fill a "spot", cause they're too small, they just sit on laps. I've done many trips over 13 hours or so in a bush taxi sharing the front seat with someone else, or crammed in the back with three large Guineans. Now, I can't say I'm actually more comfortable in cramped positions
than I used to be, but I can say that being cramped and uncomfortable in cars no longer bothers me. For some reason, I can simply endure it now, for as long as I need to. Who cares if half your body is alseep? At least you haven't crashed or broken down yet.
Here's another one. Any pickiness I had as an eater before coming here, has completely vanished. I will eat just about anything that could be called food, and I'll enjoy it. It's really quite nice. You might say that my standards in food taste have dramatically decreased, but I'd just say that my appreciation for food, whenever availiable, has greatly increased. For example, my new rule on eating meat is this, if its chewable, it goes down the hatch, no questions asked. All sauces taste good. Powdered milk is delicious. Mayonnaise goes well with just about everything. Flour with maggots growing inside can still be used without falling ill. Probably extra protein! Onions, peppers, & tomatoes, things that used to be gross, are now delicacies. The more the better. I just like to think about how much I'll love the food when I get back.
OK, what else? I think I have definitely adjusted to the pace of life over here. Everything is slowed down. Deadlines are flexible. Excuses of all kinds are accepted. There's no hurry to get anything done. One thing I've noticed, which I think is interesting, is that awkwardness does not seem to exist in this country. It's not uncommon for people to sit together and say nothing for long periods of time. And not only is it not uncommon, but its not uncomfortable either. You just don't need to say anything. Sometimes I go to my boutique, and sit down with some friends and we just observe village life for what feels like hours. Nobody needs to say anything and it doesn't
matter. It's the same with one-on-one interactions as well. Sometimes I get stuck with a person I've never talked to before, but it's just no problem. If there's nothing to talk about, we just observe the silence, there's no need to say anything. What's really nice though, is that the silence holds no awkwardness. I don't know why. People just don't do that over here, and I love it. I've even noticed with my volunteer friends here that long silences are not really that bad anymore. Awkwardness has just become a non-factor here. I'd like to think it will stay that way, but it seems like awkwardness is just a part of life sometimes. who knows.
Anyway, I've pretty much run out of things to say for the moment and I have to go anyway. I think I'll just send this without any revisions. I hope things are going well back home. I love you all...take care,
Anders
posted by Anders at 2:35 PM
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