FALL! AUTUMN! My favorite season of the year. It certainly doesn't feel like October has come due to the 85 degree weather currently in Kolda. When it hit me that October was here, I was struck with an extreme case of homesickness. Obviously, since I've been here, I've missed my family and friends in America (and feeling clean & pretty), but this time it was different. Last week, I woke up with the sun and felt the crispness in the air. Thirty minutes later, I was sweating...Oh Senegal. spending a couple of days in my mini- America (aka the Kolda house), I've come up with a list of things I miss about fall in America at this point (not including people)...
1) Pumpkin items: You know fall has arrived in America when you can go to your local 'Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf' or 'Starbucks' and see the Pumpkin Spice Latte chalked onto the specials blackboard in addition to the appearance of Pumpkin scones in the pastry case. Then, you head to your favorite ice cream parlor and get a scoop (or two) of freshly churned pumpkin ice cream. As the season progresses you can bake pumpkin pie (or seven if you mistakenly quadruple a recipe- then fill the pie crusts to the brim) and then chill a pumpkin cheesecake in the fridge. After you wake up from a pumpkin induced coma, you can recover with pumpkin bread and pumpkin muffins (and another pumpkin spice latte...duh).
2) Birthday week (end): I love my birthday- it's my favorite holiday. For the past two years, I've celebrated my birthday in epic fashion aka triple threat birthday weekend. Two of my good friends' birthdays fall on the 29th and November 1, with Halloween completing the four day span, it was a great times. This year, I will be spending my birthday in Tambacounda with friends in preparation of the Halloween party, hoping that USC beats Oregon (so that I don't lose a bet and my pride).
3) Halloween: As a girl who loves theme parties and dressing up, Halloween is the holiday made for me. All the dressing up and free candy makes it the best follow up to my birthday. In the past, I've been creative with my costume making: pageant girl, firefighter (created with duct tape), and disco chic. This year, not being able to drive to the store for costume props and supplies, I planned ahead and worked with a tailor. I won't reveal my costume (hint: It's inspired by the Katy Perry "California Girls" music video), but pictures will be posted.
4) College Football: I'm still obsessed with my USC Trojans, even though we aren't bowl eligible this year. I think I may be driving everyone in my region crazy with my exclamations as I gamecast the games on Saturday nights. I have friendly wagers with fellow PAC-10 volunteers and continue to talk up my team. This year combines two great events: homecoming and my birthday- too bad I won't be there =(.
5) Baseball Playoffs: My Giants are in the playoffs and I'm not there to witness it. My really good friend in country is from Philadelphia, but doesn't really follow baseball. Thanks to my enthusiasm, she stands behind her home time and engages in smack talk. This is going to be a fun series...
6) College Basketball: October is when college basketball teams are able to begin practicing. I miss the days of 6am workouts, where I could walk across campus and not encounter anyone else. I miss the routine of practices and making Gatorade. Spending so much time with the staff and players makes you a family and it made my college experience. It was definitely a part of my identity and one of the best jobs ever!
7) Wine tastings: What is there to say....it's wine!
8) Fall Fashion: In addition to the creative new lines and trends that debut in the Fall, I miss the comfortable, bundled up feeling without freezing. Sweaters and boots with leggings and scarves are things I love. Even though going to school in Los Angeles prevented me from dressing in that fashion until well into Winter, it's a fashion trend I embrace.
9) Oktoberfest: Beer! mmmm....seasonal ales.
10) Puddles and crunchy leaves: Junior year of college, I purchased a pair of blue rainboots with white polka dots and was judged for it due to the fact that I was in LA (where it only rains for 20 days out of the year). But, when the first rains hit, I had my boots on and was jumping in and out of the puddles. Then, there are the crunchy leaves that you go out of your way to step on. It's such a disappointing feeling when you step on a leaf that you expect to be super crunchy, but there's no crunch. Oh! and the colors. When leaves change and the warm, rich, inviting colors of fall explode.
There are probably 15 other things that I miss about Fall, but I won't bore you with the details. If you are so inclined to send me a letter or a package, feel free to include a leaf or something that reminds me of fall.
Miss you!
--Peace Out
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sophomore Year
Sorry it's taken so long to update this...I was distracted by traveling and lack of internet. Knowing that you can't update is a great deterrent- that and I had writers block. I did manage to write an article for the Sabaar (PC Senegal's Newsletter) in the month I haven't posted. I wrote an entertaining article (in my opinion) that was deemed front page worthy! I haven't had a front page article since....ever (in my defense, I wrote for the sports section in high school, which meant back page). I have to admit, my quality of writing has probably regressed to that of my high school self (you be the judge). Now onto what I've been doing since Ramadan...
New volunteers
After Ramadan, I was in Kolda to meet the newbies. The 8 of them came down for demyst, which is surreal because it wasn't that long ago that I was in their position. Last post, I mentioned that I've been in country for seven months, so that means that I've been in Kolda for five. Throughout demyst, I hoped that the newbies wouldn't ask me any questions pertaining to anything regarding Kolda because I probably wouldn't be able to answer them. It was really cool to meet them and to chat with them. I was occupied with cooking for 30 people for most of the day, so I'll have to wait to really chat with them, but I'm excited to welcome them to Kolda. So...cooking for 30 people is a difficult task. I had a team of sous chefs helping me chop veggies and mince garlic, but I was exhausted by the end of the day (although I managed to rally for the dance party). I made spring rolls and fried rice again, which isn't difficult, but the combination of 30 people and cooking in Senegal is. Anyways, I can't wait for them to install in a month!
Neem lotion takes over Kolda
I was back in village for exactly two days before the Kolda neem lotion tourney began. Organized by Geoff, a volunteer in Kounkane, the tourney would travel from lummo to lummo singing the praises of neem lotion. What is neem lotion? It is one part water & neem leaves, one part soap, and a smidgen of oil. The chemicals found in neem leaves wards off mosquitoes, which means less people being bitten and lower incidence of malaria (theoretically). I personally don't do neem lotion causeries in my own village because the cost is too high for people- they don't even buy oil to cook with.
I went to three of the lummos and taught people about neem lotion. The sachets of lotion sold faster than we could make them. I think that people bought them because we were toubabs, selling something at lummo. Neem lotion is a great product in theory, but not sustainable. After making neem lotion at my lummo, people in my village and the surrounding villages wanted me to come teach them how to make it- Yay! I told them that they needed to buy the supplies and I would come. Alas, I haven't gone to anyone's village to teach them how to make neem lotion.
The Little Things
I admire PCVs who work on large scale projects and I have one planned for the future, but I realize that it's the little things that work in my village. I like the idea of neem lotion and bigger causeries, but in a village of 150, the personal connection gets the point across better. I've talked to numerous pregnant women about prenatal care, nursing women about proper weening techniques, and everyone about wound care. When I see people in my village practicing techniques that I've taught them, a part of me jumps up and down with joy. This is what will last in the long run- ideally, the information will be passed on from wife to wife, from mother to daughter, and maybe spread from village to village.
Story... Before I left for IST, my neighbor came to me with a swollen hand, clearly infected. When I asked him where the cut was, he claimed that there was none and that his hand happened to swell overnight. I told him that he should go to the health post to get it treated or he could loose his hand (knowing that he wasn't going to go). So, I taught him to soak his hand in warm water and to slowly remove the pus. Then to keep it clean with a makeshift band-aid made of moringa leaves and cloth. I did it for him the first time, just to show him how to do it, then the next day, he shows up to my hut asking for moringa leaves. I proceeded to leave for IST and left him to fend for his own hand. Upon returning to village, I asked him how his hand was and if he went to the heath post. He responded with "no, I didn't go to the health post, but I did what you taught me and look, my hand is all better!". Even though I would've preferred that he had gone to the health post, it was awesome to hear that he used what I taught him. In the end, he now knows how to handle swollen appendages and he will be able to teach his children how to care for such injuries. Small victories.
Girlfriend!
I mentioned before how I had difficultly making a girlfriend in village because they marry young and have two kids by the time they're 22 (my age). It's hard for me to relate to the women my age because I'm not married and not a mother. As a result, my girlfriend in village is 16 (and recently engaged). We chat and hang out and gossip about various people in our village and the surrounding villages. I know that she is a true friend when she noticed that I had trimmed my hair! It's so nice to have someone to hang out with and to be girly with. I forget the age difference because she has a similar mindset as me, despite the fact that she is now engaged.
Adventures in Joal
At the beginning of the month, we had our Health/Environmental Education (EE) summit in Joal. I went up early to Dakar to eat a variety of cuisines and to see my friends. We then took a mini vacation to Popengine to recharge by the beach. Then, it was off to summit. The day before summit began, I was dreading it because I was expecting a format similar to PST and IST. It turned out to be more discussion based and talking with the second year volunteers. I received a lot of information and am now prepared to tackle issues in ville. Yay!
Hopefully I will post again sooner rather than later, but as you know, internet isn't always reliable! Thanks for reading!!
--Peace Out!
New volunteers
After Ramadan, I was in Kolda to meet the newbies. The 8 of them came down for demyst, which is surreal because it wasn't that long ago that I was in their position. Last post, I mentioned that I've been in country for seven months, so that means that I've been in Kolda for five. Throughout demyst, I hoped that the newbies wouldn't ask me any questions pertaining to anything regarding Kolda because I probably wouldn't be able to answer them. It was really cool to meet them and to chat with them. I was occupied with cooking for 30 people for most of the day, so I'll have to wait to really chat with them, but I'm excited to welcome them to Kolda. So...cooking for 30 people is a difficult task. I had a team of sous chefs helping me chop veggies and mince garlic, but I was exhausted by the end of the day (although I managed to rally for the dance party). I made spring rolls and fried rice again, which isn't difficult, but the combination of 30 people and cooking in Senegal is. Anyways, I can't wait for them to install in a month!
Neem lotion takes over Kolda
I was back in village for exactly two days before the Kolda neem lotion tourney began. Organized by Geoff, a volunteer in Kounkane, the tourney would travel from lummo to lummo singing the praises of neem lotion. What is neem lotion? It is one part water & neem leaves, one part soap, and a smidgen of oil. The chemicals found in neem leaves wards off mosquitoes, which means less people being bitten and lower incidence of malaria (theoretically). I personally don't do neem lotion causeries in my own village because the cost is too high for people- they don't even buy oil to cook with.
I went to three of the lummos and taught people about neem lotion. The sachets of lotion sold faster than we could make them. I think that people bought them because we were toubabs, selling something at lummo. Neem lotion is a great product in theory, but not sustainable. After making neem lotion at my lummo, people in my village and the surrounding villages wanted me to come teach them how to make it- Yay! I told them that they needed to buy the supplies and I would come. Alas, I haven't gone to anyone's village to teach them how to make neem lotion.
The Little Things
I admire PCVs who work on large scale projects and I have one planned for the future, but I realize that it's the little things that work in my village. I like the idea of neem lotion and bigger causeries, but in a village of 150, the personal connection gets the point across better. I've talked to numerous pregnant women about prenatal care, nursing women about proper weening techniques, and everyone about wound care. When I see people in my village practicing techniques that I've taught them, a part of me jumps up and down with joy. This is what will last in the long run- ideally, the information will be passed on from wife to wife, from mother to daughter, and maybe spread from village to village.
Story... Before I left for IST, my neighbor came to me with a swollen hand, clearly infected. When I asked him where the cut was, he claimed that there was none and that his hand happened to swell overnight. I told him that he should go to the health post to get it treated or he could loose his hand (knowing that he wasn't going to go). So, I taught him to soak his hand in warm water and to slowly remove the pus. Then to keep it clean with a makeshift band-aid made of moringa leaves and cloth. I did it for him the first time, just to show him how to do it, then the next day, he shows up to my hut asking for moringa leaves. I proceeded to leave for IST and left him to fend for his own hand. Upon returning to village, I asked him how his hand was and if he went to the heath post. He responded with "no, I didn't go to the health post, but I did what you taught me and look, my hand is all better!". Even though I would've preferred that he had gone to the health post, it was awesome to hear that he used what I taught him. In the end, he now knows how to handle swollen appendages and he will be able to teach his children how to care for such injuries. Small victories.
Girlfriend!
I mentioned before how I had difficultly making a girlfriend in village because they marry young and have two kids by the time they're 22 (my age). It's hard for me to relate to the women my age because I'm not married and not a mother. As a result, my girlfriend in village is 16 (and recently engaged). We chat and hang out and gossip about various people in our village and the surrounding villages. I know that she is a true friend when she noticed that I had trimmed my hair! It's so nice to have someone to hang out with and to be girly with. I forget the age difference because she has a similar mindset as me, despite the fact that she is now engaged.
Adventures in Joal
At the beginning of the month, we had our Health/Environmental Education (EE) summit in Joal. I went up early to Dakar to eat a variety of cuisines and to see my friends. We then took a mini vacation to Popengine to recharge by the beach. Then, it was off to summit. The day before summit began, I was dreading it because I was expecting a format similar to PST and IST. It turned out to be more discussion based and talking with the second year volunteers. I received a lot of information and am now prepared to tackle issues in ville. Yay!
Hopefully I will post again sooner rather than later, but as you know, internet isn't always reliable! Thanks for reading!!
--Peace Out!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Pictures, pictures, pictures!
Hey everyone,
I've been promising pictures for months now, and a little late, but here they are! Enjoy =) Real post coming soon!
My nephew, Amadou. I want to take him to America with me
Little dancing boy, AKA, my best friend
Samba: I taught him this face!
Palm trees en route to village
Isn't it gorgeous?
My Hut!!
My douche...it's that hole on the left
My bookshelf
Home Sweet Home!
Productivity happens here...
Boys will be boys. Posing after clearing excess weeds-
yay malaria control!
Fresh baked bread for Ramadan
Seriously....isn't he cute!? And he's wearing a Winnie the Pooh outfit!
Binta- Momma of the beautiful baby above
Gorgeous Day for a futbol game
My dad & nephew- Love!
25 Toubabs on an Alhum after Health/EE summit
I've been promising pictures for months now, and a little late, but here they are! Enjoy =) Real post coming soon!
My nephew, Amadou. I want to take him to America with me
Little dancing boy, AKA, my best friend
Samba: I taught him this face!
Palm trees en route to village
Isn't it gorgeous? 
My Hut!!
My douche...it's that hole on the left
My bookshelf
Home Sweet Home!
Productivity happens here...
Boys will be boys. Posing after clearing excess weeds-yay malaria control!
Fresh baked bread for Ramadan
Seriously....isn't he cute!? And he's wearing a Winnie the Pooh outfit!
Binta- Momma of the beautiful baby above
Gorgeous Day for a futbol game
My dad & nephew- Love!
25 Toubabs on an Alhum after Health/EE summit7 months after stepping foot in country, I'm still loving it. There are ups & downs and bouts of homesickness, but time is flying by. Before you know it, I'll be home for my sister's wedding! Crazy.
Remember, I love letters, comments, and hearing from you! If you comment, maybe I'll post more often =D. That's it for now.
--Peace Out!
Remember, I love letters, comments, and hearing from you! If you comment, maybe I'll post more often =D. That's it for now.
--Peace Out!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)