One year in
Let's see, I'm one year in, what do I have to report? Guinea is still really hot. My hut is still pretty small. I'm now experiencing things I've experienced once before in this country, such as dry season, the islamic holiday of Tabaski, and the Harmattan winds which make this place a huge dustcloud at times. Somehow I haven't gotten sick yet, and I was really getting baffled as to why. It's not like I'm taking many precautions these days in terms of drinking water and food choice. Someone told me I could have amoebas, worms, and other parasites living inside of me without having any symptoms. So I got myself tested today. Prognosis negative! How can this be? I must have rocks in my stomach. And I think my asthma has dissappeared as well. So I'm still thankful for my health. Yet another new stage has arrived in country. G11. Yet another reminder of how long I've been i!n thisplace, as if I needed one. I just spent their first week in country with them and I'm really excited to have them here. I was answering questions like crazy, it reminded me of when we first arrived here. It also brought to light the fact that I do know some things about this country. I also realized that there were several things I didn't know, & in most cases I tried not to pretend like I did. When you spend most of your time in a small village and are only able to speak on a basic language level, you don't learn much about the politics and agriculture of the country. Of course, I could have learned about those things, but honestly, its not what interests me. I left those questions to other volunteers. Anyways, G11. It's a large group packed with many interesting characters. New blood! This means a few things. G7 is about to leave this country (a group which includes Athena! Childs,some of you may know her, congratulations Athena) making us juniors. It also means I will getting some new neighbors soon, hopefully the really interesting and fun ones. Finally, it signals the start of my second year, which is supposed to pass much faster than the first. So what do I have planned for the next year?
Well, my bread oven is now built and when I arrive back in Dabiss in a couple days with the last ingredient, a metal door, I will be living in luxury, eating freshly baked bread every day. Thats enough to get me to the finish line. My work in general is going very well. I'm at a level of comfort with my village that I feel like I can pursue the route that most inspires me. Right now I think it is selling mosquito nets. Though I may start working in our primary school as well. Kids are cute. My language is acceptable, though I'd love to get some more Landuma down. Thi!s meansan actual effort to spend some more time at site. I hope I can do this. The language thing is fun. My french is also passable, at least in Guinean standards. However, I think a frenchman would laugh at me, if he could me understand me. I hear 'real' french on TV and can't understand a thing. Oh well. I think my english is suffering as a result of all this language learning as well. I don't get to practice it as much. It just gets worser and worser. I have some cultural goals as well. For example, I plan on getting out and working in the fields every once in awhile. Considering the fact that about 80 percent of the people in this country are farmers, it would be good to have an idea of what the typical workday is like. I hear its not easy. Plus, you get a whole lot of respect for a day or two of work in the field, because you understand the "suffrance". That and having a beard.&nbs!p;(already covered) I plan on exploring the outlying villages a little more as well. I'm sure there's plenty of health education to be done out there, but it would also help with language and be a fun adventure in general. More sitting around with random families and seeing how long I can carry on a conversation, or how long I can sit comfortably in silence. I may start trying other people's rice and sauce as well. Cooking in my hut is getting less and less appealing and for reasons that totally escape me, rice is not.
Yesterday I was in the PCV house in Conakry and I had just stepped out of the shower when I heard a tremendous roar from outside. I stepped out on the balcony and listened to the celebrations of Guinea's impending victory over South Africa in the Africa cup. We scored to go up 1-0 with 2 minutes left and then won 2-0 apparently. A huge upset. We weren't allowed outside o!f thecompound yesterday because there were riots throughout Conakry in anticipation of the upcoming match. Burning tires, fights, rampages, all that stuff. They love soccer here. So for my own safety, pray that Guinea wins this cup. And that the ameobes don't find their way into my digestive system, they're plotting an attack, I just know it. Anyway, thats all that I'm going to write for now. Let me know if you have questions or topics you'd like me to cover. I've gotten good practice from G11. And if its something I don't know about, I'll tell you why I don't know. I love you all, I hope things are going well...
Anders
Well, my bread oven is now built and when I arrive back in Dabiss in a couple days with the last ingredient, a metal door, I will be living in luxury, eating freshly baked bread every day. Thats enough to get me to the finish line. My work in general is going very well. I'm at a level of comfort with my village that I feel like I can pursue the route that most inspires me. Right now I think it is selling mosquito nets. Though I may start working in our primary school as well. Kids are cute. My language is acceptable, though I'd love to get some more Landuma down. Thi!s meansan actual effort to spend some more time at site. I hope I can do this. The language thing is fun. My french is also passable, at least in Guinean standards. However, I think a frenchman would laugh at me, if he could me understand me. I hear 'real' french on TV and can't understand a thing. Oh well. I think my english is suffering as a result of all this language learning as well. I don't get to practice it as much. It just gets worser and worser. I have some cultural goals as well. For example, I plan on getting out and working in the fields every once in awhile. Considering the fact that about 80 percent of the people in this country are farmers, it would be good to have an idea of what the typical workday is like. I hear its not easy. Plus, you get a whole lot of respect for a day or two of work in the field, because you understand the "suffrance". That and having a beard.&nbs!p;(already covered) I plan on exploring the outlying villages a little more as well. I'm sure there's plenty of health education to be done out there, but it would also help with language and be a fun adventure in general. More sitting around with random families and seeing how long I can carry on a conversation, or how long I can sit comfortably in silence. I may start trying other people's rice and sauce as well. Cooking in my hut is getting less and less appealing and for reasons that totally escape me, rice is not.
Yesterday I was in the PCV house in Conakry and I had just stepped out of the shower when I heard a tremendous roar from outside. I stepped out on the balcony and listened to the celebrations of Guinea's impending victory over South Africa in the Africa cup. We scored to go up 1-0 with 2 minutes left and then won 2-0 apparently. A huge upset. We weren't allowed outside o!f thecompound yesterday because there were riots throughout Conakry in anticipation of the upcoming match. Burning tires, fights, rampages, all that stuff. They love soccer here. So for my own safety, pray that Guinea wins this cup. And that the ameobes don't find their way into my digestive system, they're plotting an attack, I just know it. Anyway, thats all that I'm going to write for now. Let me know if you have questions or topics you'd like me to cover. I've gotten good practice from G11. And if its something I don't know about, I'll tell you why I don't know. I love you all, I hope things are going well...
Anders
posted by Anders at 4:44 PM
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