While lounging today in the city of Kedougou I realized I hadn't written a blog post in quite a while. In fact, I think it has been almost 2 month now. Forgive me please as I know you are all hangin on by a thread to know what my next and every move is. Fortunately, we live in modern times in which cell phones, email, facebook, etc.... can compensate and keep you informed about my where-a-bouts without me actually updating the blog.
So, I guess I will begin in Febuary because I think that is where I left off.
The shortest month of the year proved true to its name and just flew right by. I was in village for maybe half of it as WAIST (West African International Softball Tournament) fell right in the middle of the month. I had enough time to plant some beans, corn, and moringa in my garden and then jet off to Koalack to view a master farmer site (a PC inspired program inwhich highly motivated farmers are given the materials needed to improve there fields witht their promise being that their fields will be used to demonstrate the techniques PC is trying to implement). The Master farmer's field was awesome complete with the begginnings of live fencing, a beautiful pepinere (tomatoes, basil, lettuce, onions, etc..), a moringa intensive bed, and all the works one could say. I also travelled into Koalack to view a "reading room." Essentially a room that is stocked with books and supplies to allow whom ever to study while school is out of session. I thought it might be a good idea for my village as most of the kids do attend school but don't have a place to study in peace. Talks are in the works but I'm not too sure it'll pull through for a variety of reasons. Anyway, my Koalack trip ended at a friends site for fun. I was treated like a Pular king there as the village spoke Wolof and I made friends with the only Pular family. In two days I think I gained 10 pounds as I was expected to eat three meals and drink teat twice a day with two seperate families. The second day I puposely didn't go to the Pular Family's lunch because I was soo full so, they just saved some for me and had one of their sons deliver to be eaten at my descretion. To tell you the truth I waited for my stomach to digest a little so I could atleast taste the meal I was given. Of course it was delicious but I was full to the point of vommiting so I donated it to some of the local children who were more than willing to devour it. Needless to say I feel like this paints a pretty good picture of the type of life and welcoming spirit that I encounter the majority of the time.
My journey continued to Mbour and another volonteers site right on the ocean. This time I was there only for the water, fresh fish, shrimp, and clams and to have a good time. I think I could live in Mbour. Seriously. It's a beach town that is bombarded with tourists and greasy white people but the locals a beautiful. They pull nets all day long, cook and sleep on the beach, and for the most part seem willing to better their situation on a whole. It's hard to describe the many different levels of Mbour you'll have to take my word for it when I say I want to live there to mena that it is pretty cool.
Next stop was WAIST. The Kedougou and Tamba regions were themed as cops and robbers. Yes, that means we wore costumes and no, you probably wouldn't want your kids to see us in character. WAIST is a 3 day event in which volunteers from Senegal, Mali, Cape Verde, Gambia and others come to drink and play. Ofcourse, there is a legit tournament going on but we only participate in the "social" league where the refreshments are a dollar. You could say we were all well hydrated through out the 3 days of softball and night time activities. I had an amazing time, meeting some really interesting people, eating atleast 4-5 bowls of raisin bran a day (at my wonderful American homestay house, Thank you Devlins) and only swinging the bat once. All in all, it was a great escape that made returning to village life a bit more difficult.
To the present we go. I was greeted by my village with lots of bowel movements, lacking/slow language skills, and a half eaten garden (screw grass hoppers). Those first four days were rough because I had lost moment on anything that I may have had going on before I left. I compensated by reading my current book, Life of Pi, and by focusing on my garden. Little by little my routine started up again and I was feeling better about my life in village. Not too mention I have two wonderful neighbors who are willing to listen, share, and help me out in any rough time. I'm back in Kedougou now to watch the Arsenal Barcelona game (I had a little bet with one of the teachers near my village) and to get some work done. However, I would like to take the time now to break down my daily schedule in village so that you guys can maybe gain a small grasp on what being me is.....(If you've made it this far into this post you are trully a good person).
My Daily Routine
6:45 - 7:30 a.m. - Get up with the sun rise, poop, pee, drink water, begin and finish short work out, eat oatmeal with powdered milk and water plants in back yard.
7:30 - 8:30 a.m. - Off to the garden for maintenance and watering along with pumping a bucket of water for consumption during the day.
8:30 - 9:30 a.m. - Return to hut and leave to pump second bucket of water then, off to break fast with the family.
9:30 -11:00 a.m. - Back to the garden or someelse's garden or help Malal with what ever he is doing (currently its building a huts).
11:00 - 2:00 p.m. - Drink ataya (Senegalese tea lots of sugar), hang out under a mangoe tree to get some gossip, study language, study ag/gardening/Senegal, do anything that may be needed/wanted to my room, chat more with the locals, maybe go on a hike, essentially keep myslef busy until lunch is ready.
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. -Lunch (usually a leaf or peanut sauce with corn couscous), followed by digestion under the mangoe tree.
3:00 - 5:00p.m. -More ataya with Malal or the teachers at one of the schools, maybe a nap under or in a tree, any other messages, visits or "work" (by the American definition) that can be done with out too much exposure to the sun.
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.- Second watering of garden along with maitenance (mulching, pest managment, planting).
6:00 - 7:30 p.m./Dark- Usually soccer at one of the fields (Bambaya or Togue) or more studying of language and reading of my choice.
8:00 - 9:00p.m. - Showering, general hygien and doctoring of any damages to my body that have occurred over the day.
9:00 - 9:30 p.m. - Dinner (usually leftover lunch) and hanging with the family.
9:30 - whenever I get tired or Malal get tired - Drinking ataya, talking/discussin possible projects and life, admiring the stars, making jokes, learning Pular history/stories. Generally just hanging out and learning about each other.
10:30 - 11:00p.m. Bed time preparations, journal writing, some vocab studying, glass of milk with bread or cookies if available, reading and sleep.
And there you have it. The complete break down. Pretty exciting huh?
sweet post, man. it's cool to see your routine. you said something about "work." what's the difference between the American and the Senegalese definitions?
ReplyDeletealso, life of pi is a good one. i'm a fan.