Thursday, February 25, 2010
A Little Ditty About Forgiveness
A couple of weeks ago a lot of personally and monetarily valued things were stolen from me. Cameras, phone, favorite shirts, money, and so on. The roughest part by far being the loss of my notebook containing four months of notes and all of the studies that I had completed in Noflaye thus far. The first two days were a bit rough as thoughts of all the time and money that were lost and would have to be used in order to correct the situation played a loop in my head. I may well have been the person who was hit most directly, but what mattered more was the time lost that my friends put into helping me do interviews, or Rachel having to help me figure everything out. It really wasn’t about being angry at any person, or even the events. More than anything, it was a stretch to try to actually forgive myself for not thinking of all the “what if’s” in the world, of what I could have done better. Well, in all honesty, that wouldn’t have been possible before. If this had happened when I first arrived, I would have beaten myself up for days on end, and I can only hope that I wouldn’t have let it define my year. Somehow though, it turns out that I could, and did forgive myself. It’s a bit surreal to realize that a few short months have created such a shift in me. So I leave you with my friend John Mellancamp, for oh yes, life does, in fact, go on.
Monday, February 22, 2010
February Update
So random events that have happened of late:
Got robbed at the beach. Don’t worry, im okay, just lost a ton of things- backpack, four months of notes, cameras, money, phone.etc. The adventure of getting back included: somehow explaining to a Pular herder/ charcoal creater that we (me and one guy and girl, French) had gotten robbed in Wolof, trekking through the forest following him, getting to the village of Kayak to ‘declare’ the theft, which magically happened at the exact same moment that university students studying the salinity of the waters around lac rose came by to check the well in the village, riding around doing their studies with them until 9ish at night, getting dropped off at the village des tortues, and then using the computer and skype to finally text Rachel and tell her what happened, for no one had credit to call her (or phones or money for that matter), so she had to call the village phone. And then Tons couldn’t even come out to visit me from Dakar because there was a gas shortage and literally no gas in Dakar. Epic.
Restarted all my studies in Noflaye because they were all lost in the Robbery
Finally have a lock on my door again after we had to break it open (because my keys were stolen). It was annoying because the door would open all the time when I wasn’t home, letting in more bugs, weave piecies, onion peels, ash, and other such things.
My host father gave me a jar of Nutella to make me happy after the fact. It helped, I wont lie.
Have now taught the games “down by the river” and “duck, duck, goose” to the kids in the English club in Rufisque. The latter was a result of only having 30 minutues left in class, and we were done with playing down by the river. The advantage of the game is that it only consists of two English words. They also weren’t familiar with the word for goose in French, so they just think that it’s a very large duck.
While walking into Noflaye to start my studies I saw six women, and one kid. Three of them were packing babies ( I mean they had them on, as in strapped to their backs. it’s the way that babies are ported around there- as if they were hugging your back, and then you tie a piece of cloth around them so they stay that way.). They all had passive packs of sticks ontop of their heads as well. For some reason I think of them as a baby toting, stick brandishing, mob.
I like to learn during breakfast. For example, last week I was talking to my friend Pap during breakfast the day after Valentines day. So: women who happen to have large butts and are older are supposed to have massive gris-gris (like, leather waist bracelets) that they wear all the time. Theyre supposed to be a sign of experience, and in his words “all the bosses like to have sex with them.” Another direct quote (that has been supported by many other people, cough, men) is that “ the way to do it is to have two girlfriends- one in each separate quaarter of the town, because then you can hit them both up” (in the context of Valentines day).
Its also taboo to talk about sex with your children, which is one of the reasons that there are so many preventable events- teen pregnancy, spread of disease, etc. For example, Victoria has a cousin in her host family who has a little 8 year old boy. He had sex with a 13 year old girl. They had a baby this year. The family showed her a picture of the “happy family”-8 year old boy, 13 year old mother, new born baby-and commented on how adorable it was. I personally associate adorable with things like baby pandas who sneeze, my cat, the kids I coach, or certain acts of kindness. I associate nausea and anger with situations like that.
Just had our monthly meeting in Saint Louis, and it was amazing. Side note: I was sick before the monthly meeting and was doing a lot better. Now, Im super sick again. But it was all worth it. don’t worry, Ill be good as new in no time.
Well Matt, Alec, and I had to go to Dakar on Wednesday so that we could sleep over at rachels- for we were to leave super early in the morning in a sept-place- a clando that fits seven passengers and the driver- up to SL. Alec and I went to this place called the Chinease mission where the chinease are teaching Senegalese people farming techniques (and who Alec is friends with because he speaks mandarin, and his parents are chinease), and got a massive amount.. 10poundsish, of green leafy vegetables for dinner. We only got two bok choi, one cabbage, and one leak, and it was all 10 pounds, meaning these were massive vegetables.
On the Diagne Diage up to Dakar Matt had to pee. The word for pee in wolof is sow. The word for milk is sou (like sew). So at a stop Matt talked to the driver and was like “bug na sou, bug na sou….. Bug na sow.” I want some milk, I want some milk…. I gotta pee.” The whole front laughed hysterically- especially as the driver was looking at him with the look of “I don’t care if you want milk and it wouldn’t matter because I don’t have any… Im a driver“. They also watched him when he got off to make sure that he was doing it right, even pointing out which part of the wall he should go to. Hilarious.
In Dakar- went to the first post office in fann- and once again they told me that my package had been moved to the main post office. I then went through an extensive search and calling journey to find out if there was actually a package, or if it was just another second delivery slip for the packages that I had already gotten. Turns out that I actually had a package. Raced downtown with a very nice taximan, got there in time, got my package from Kailee (!), and my taximan even waited for me (I asked him to because he actually gave me the right rate even though I was white), back to the baobob center. I plan to share one pack of oreo’s with my family so that they can taste them. With the other packs I will then savor them with secret delight. They also don’t believe me when I say that we have peanut butter in America, so now I have an example of american peanut butter to show them!!! Great success. I also feel like I have way to many goodies now, and so little time to eat them. I finally ate my first packet of oatmeal while I was sick, and it was magical. While waiting for Matt to get his deoderant, Alec and I ransacked the book sections of the Baobab center. I believe he got over twenty books. I got a couple, but that may be just because I know I can always steal his once he finishes. Don’t worry, we will bring at least most of them back before we leave.
Then we went to Rachels. The night consisted of planning how to cook all of the vegetables and eat her leftovers that wouldn’t keep throughout the trip. So our dinner consited of : scallion pancakes, bok choi and asian cabbage lightly sautéed with garlic and olive oil, a left over bolegnese sauce, chicken soup (which we forgot until we had finished eating sadly), and a potatoe and cheese baked dish which I cant believe I just forgot the name of (potatoe slices with the cheese/cream in between each of them, then baked, whatever, Ill remember one day). It was superb. The sad thing being that because I was sick I had absolutely no appetite. Its okay though, I still ate a ton just because I thought it would be a waste not to take the delicious opportunity.
The sept place ride in the morning was… tight. Alec, Matt, and I squished into the back of a hatchback on the seats that have negative leg room for 3 hours and then some. I got through two of the readings for the monthly meeting, complete with really illegible notes (other than hitting potholes, the car itself actually vibrated at all speed), and only a couple of head smashing potholes.
We actually stayed in a hotel. Rachel warned us that this would be like a mini vacation, and in all honesty it was. There was even hot water (okay, warm, but mainly not cold water), a pool (used once even though I knew it would make me a bit sicker), wi-fi (probably the surrealist thing), a ping pong table (not used because there was not enough time), and such hotel like things. We all felt a bit weird and out of place to be honest. Almost like we were cheating, even if there was nothing to be cheating in.
Day one was taken up travel up until 3, then lunch (Rachel and Tons had to pick up the Sebikotan girls, and Rachel had a doctors appointment in the morning that ran over, yes, I probably got sick from here. Oh well.), a bit of a break, and into Saint Louis as the sun was setting in order to see all the building and do historical walks and such, which was made a bit hard by Rachel having no voice. It was beautiful though, tons and tons of colonial architechture- much of which resembles the old buildings in New Orleans if you want a reference point. But many of which are crumbling down due to lack of funds to restore them. Then went to a Dijbeterie- basically a Senegalese meat restaurant where we all shared this massive plate of grilled lamb. Oh Senegal
Day two was talking about all of our readings. They were superbly interesting- underdevelopment theory, flaw in aid, colonial economic policy, and so on. We also talked about things that we have accomplished and things that still wait for it.
Day three was a visit to Diouje (sp) national park- over 365 species of birds. Tons of videos and pictures and such. Also visited the damn on the Senegal boarder. Rachel wouldn’t let us run across the Mauritania border or even get close to it because it supposedly has new Al Qaeda connections.
Got back yesterday. Smuggled two chocolate croissants. Am currently superbly sick again.
I read the Phantom tollbooth in less than six hours, and it was amazing. Havnt quite decided what I will read next. Probably will actually work on writing letters oh joy.
Looking to set up meetings with Oceanium and UNICEF. That is on the very optimistic side though.
Its absolutely crazy to think that there are only two months left. I feel like I have so much to do and so little time to do them. Yet two months is still pretty long if you think about it.
Now off to read more, or respond to letters. Probably the latter. or write official blgos
Got robbed at the beach. Don’t worry, im okay, just lost a ton of things- backpack, four months of notes, cameras, money, phone.etc. The adventure of getting back included: somehow explaining to a Pular herder/ charcoal creater that we (me and one guy and girl, French) had gotten robbed in Wolof, trekking through the forest following him, getting to the village of Kayak to ‘declare’ the theft, which magically happened at the exact same moment that university students studying the salinity of the waters around lac rose came by to check the well in the village, riding around doing their studies with them until 9ish at night, getting dropped off at the village des tortues, and then using the computer and skype to finally text Rachel and tell her what happened, for no one had credit to call her (or phones or money for that matter), so she had to call the village phone. And then Tons couldn’t even come out to visit me from Dakar because there was a gas shortage and literally no gas in Dakar. Epic.
Restarted all my studies in Noflaye because they were all lost in the Robbery
Finally have a lock on my door again after we had to break it open (because my keys were stolen). It was annoying because the door would open all the time when I wasn’t home, letting in more bugs, weave piecies, onion peels, ash, and other such things.
My host father gave me a jar of Nutella to make me happy after the fact. It helped, I wont lie.
Have now taught the games “down by the river” and “duck, duck, goose” to the kids in the English club in Rufisque. The latter was a result of only having 30 minutues left in class, and we were done with playing down by the river. The advantage of the game is that it only consists of two English words. They also weren’t familiar with the word for goose in French, so they just think that it’s a very large duck.
While walking into Noflaye to start my studies I saw six women, and one kid. Three of them were packing babies ( I mean they had them on, as in strapped to their backs. it’s the way that babies are ported around there- as if they were hugging your back, and then you tie a piece of cloth around them so they stay that way.). They all had passive packs of sticks ontop of their heads as well. For some reason I think of them as a baby toting, stick brandishing, mob.
I like to learn during breakfast. For example, last week I was talking to my friend Pap during breakfast the day after Valentines day. So: women who happen to have large butts and are older are supposed to have massive gris-gris (like, leather waist bracelets) that they wear all the time. Theyre supposed to be a sign of experience, and in his words “all the bosses like to have sex with them.” Another direct quote (that has been supported by many other people, cough, men) is that “ the way to do it is to have two girlfriends- one in each separate quaarter of the town, because then you can hit them both up” (in the context of Valentines day).
Its also taboo to talk about sex with your children, which is one of the reasons that there are so many preventable events- teen pregnancy, spread of disease, etc. For example, Victoria has a cousin in her host family who has a little 8 year old boy. He had sex with a 13 year old girl. They had a baby this year. The family showed her a picture of the “happy family”-8 year old boy, 13 year old mother, new born baby-and commented on how adorable it was. I personally associate adorable with things like baby pandas who sneeze, my cat, the kids I coach, or certain acts of kindness. I associate nausea and anger with situations like that.
Just had our monthly meeting in Saint Louis, and it was amazing. Side note: I was sick before the monthly meeting and was doing a lot better. Now, Im super sick again. But it was all worth it. don’t worry, Ill be good as new in no time.
Well Matt, Alec, and I had to go to Dakar on Wednesday so that we could sleep over at rachels- for we were to leave super early in the morning in a sept-place- a clando that fits seven passengers and the driver- up to SL. Alec and I went to this place called the Chinease mission where the chinease are teaching Senegalese people farming techniques (and who Alec is friends with because he speaks mandarin, and his parents are chinease), and got a massive amount.. 10poundsish, of green leafy vegetables for dinner. We only got two bok choi, one cabbage, and one leak, and it was all 10 pounds, meaning these were massive vegetables.
On the Diagne Diage up to Dakar Matt had to pee. The word for pee in wolof is sow. The word for milk is sou (like sew). So at a stop Matt talked to the driver and was like “bug na sou, bug na sou….. Bug na sow.” I want some milk, I want some milk…. I gotta pee.” The whole front laughed hysterically- especially as the driver was looking at him with the look of “I don’t care if you want milk and it wouldn’t matter because I don’t have any… Im a driver“. They also watched him when he got off to make sure that he was doing it right, even pointing out which part of the wall he should go to. Hilarious.
In Dakar- went to the first post office in fann- and once again they told me that my package had been moved to the main post office. I then went through an extensive search and calling journey to find out if there was actually a package, or if it was just another second delivery slip for the packages that I had already gotten. Turns out that I actually had a package. Raced downtown with a very nice taximan, got there in time, got my package from Kailee (!), and my taximan even waited for me (I asked him to because he actually gave me the right rate even though I was white), back to the baobob center. I plan to share one pack of oreo’s with my family so that they can taste them. With the other packs I will then savor them with secret delight. They also don’t believe me when I say that we have peanut butter in America, so now I have an example of american peanut butter to show them!!! Great success. I also feel like I have way to many goodies now, and so little time to eat them. I finally ate my first packet of oatmeal while I was sick, and it was magical. While waiting for Matt to get his deoderant, Alec and I ransacked the book sections of the Baobab center. I believe he got over twenty books. I got a couple, but that may be just because I know I can always steal his once he finishes. Don’t worry, we will bring at least most of them back before we leave.
Then we went to Rachels. The night consisted of planning how to cook all of the vegetables and eat her leftovers that wouldn’t keep throughout the trip. So our dinner consited of : scallion pancakes, bok choi and asian cabbage lightly sautéed with garlic and olive oil, a left over bolegnese sauce, chicken soup (which we forgot until we had finished eating sadly), and a potatoe and cheese baked dish which I cant believe I just forgot the name of (potatoe slices with the cheese/cream in between each of them, then baked, whatever, Ill remember one day). It was superb. The sad thing being that because I was sick I had absolutely no appetite. Its okay though, I still ate a ton just because I thought it would be a waste not to take the delicious opportunity.
The sept place ride in the morning was… tight. Alec, Matt, and I squished into the back of a hatchback on the seats that have negative leg room for 3 hours and then some. I got through two of the readings for the monthly meeting, complete with really illegible notes (other than hitting potholes, the car itself actually vibrated at all speed), and only a couple of head smashing potholes.
We actually stayed in a hotel. Rachel warned us that this would be like a mini vacation, and in all honesty it was. There was even hot water (okay, warm, but mainly not cold water), a pool (used once even though I knew it would make me a bit sicker), wi-fi (probably the surrealist thing), a ping pong table (not used because there was not enough time), and such hotel like things. We all felt a bit weird and out of place to be honest. Almost like we were cheating, even if there was nothing to be cheating in.
Day one was taken up travel up until 3, then lunch (Rachel and Tons had to pick up the Sebikotan girls, and Rachel had a doctors appointment in the morning that ran over, yes, I probably got sick from here. Oh well.), a bit of a break, and into Saint Louis as the sun was setting in order to see all the building and do historical walks and such, which was made a bit hard by Rachel having no voice. It was beautiful though, tons and tons of colonial architechture- much of which resembles the old buildings in New Orleans if you want a reference point. But many of which are crumbling down due to lack of funds to restore them. Then went to a Dijbeterie- basically a Senegalese meat restaurant where we all shared this massive plate of grilled lamb. Oh Senegal
Day two was talking about all of our readings. They were superbly interesting- underdevelopment theory, flaw in aid, colonial economic policy, and so on. We also talked about things that we have accomplished and things that still wait for it.
Day three was a visit to Diouje (sp) national park- over 365 species of birds. Tons of videos and pictures and such. Also visited the damn on the Senegal boarder. Rachel wouldn’t let us run across the Mauritania border or even get close to it because it supposedly has new Al Qaeda connections.
Got back yesterday. Smuggled two chocolate croissants. Am currently superbly sick again.
I read the Phantom tollbooth in less than six hours, and it was amazing. Havnt quite decided what I will read next. Probably will actually work on writing letters oh joy.
Looking to set up meetings with Oceanium and UNICEF. That is on the very optimistic side though.
Its absolutely crazy to think that there are only two months left. I feel like I have so much to do and so little time to do them. Yet two months is still pretty long if you think about it.
Now off to read more, or respond to letters. Probably the latter. or write official blgos
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