Micheal & I decided to go to Makeni and check out the city. Getting real comfortable with traveling within Salone :) and Lunsar is a great hub for checking out different places because the highway is so accessible. I've gotten pretty used to the pace in Lunsar so heading over to Makeni was pretty intense, it's definitely a city crowded with people and vehicles.
We spent the day with one of our former Krio teachers, Solo. I have no idea where Peace Corps finds these people, but our LCFs are fucking awesome. Solo was just showing us around Makeni and was totally bluffing the Renault van that his sister had sent him from Holland. We decided that it was going to be called the "Magically Machine" and we were gonna do a road trip all over Salone in it.....mind you, this was over the course of several beers, several locations, and the hot African sun beating down on us.
We then meandered over to the central shopping district where we bought some sweet ass fayn fayn gara. Makeni is known for having the finest gara in Salone. I didn't intend on buying any gara but the price was way too good, way cheaper than Bo. I bought 4 yards of this beautifully dyed gara, all for Le42,000 (~$10). Bo, at it's cheapest was selling fine gara for at least Le18,000/yd and that was a good deal too. So I'm definitely gonna look for a good tailor to hook it up with a proper Africana outfit with headwrap and all, 4 yards is plenty.......it's gonna be so fuckin' fly! The tailor should only cost me at most Le25,000 (~$6)........so excited.
Definitely a great day trip. We then headed back to the lori park to hitch a ride back to Lunsar where Fenghai, another LCF, ran up behind us. Of course he spotted us. We "opotos" stick out like sore thumbs in a sea of Sierra Leoneans, lol. It's a really good feeling to know you have friends all over the country and can feel at home anywhere in Salone.
Had a great time in Makeni and will definitely hit it up again.
Friday, September 7, 2012
09/01/12-Time Flies Even On Rainy Days
The government has yet to announce the start of the school year. It is technically scheduled to start on Sept. 10th but rumor has it that the government may announce a Sept. 17th start date. Not to mention the other rumor of school not even starting until 2nd term in January, after the November elections. Regardless of start dates, we are continuing registration activities at Our Lady Of Guadalupe JSS/SSS (OLGSS).
I've been helping out at the school here and there for registration, proctoring entrance exams, etc, etc. Aside from that I've just been kinda hanging out. You'd figure I'd be bored out if my mind but I'm not. I'm doing actually less since PST is over but the weeks are flying like crazy.
I'm really enjoying Lunsar. The people, the town, my house, my dog <3 Pot-Pot <3 ......it's all been great. I thought there would've been an adjustment phase of not being around other Americans everyday, but I haven't. I've been doing really well being on my own. I mean, I do have Michael as my site mate but we don't see each other everyday and most of the time it's just in passing. We're both doing our own thing and it's great where we each have our own space in Lunsar.
Today was really chill. We're still in the middle of rainy season so I usually stay close to my house during the heavy downpours and the streets are all muddy with flooded ditches.
So on this rainy day, Hawa walked me through on how to make ginger beer. Ginger beer, though relatively easy to make is a muthafuckin bitch to scrape the skin off the tiny little gingers that they have here and grate each and every one of them..........food processor, where are you?!?!?!
Abdulai and Lamin from down the street came by my house. They usually stop by everyday and want to impress me with whatever contraption they've invented from scraps they find on the streets. Sardine can toy cars are really popular here with the kids. Abduali though, has created this 2 truck bed big rig with scrap metal. It was really cute how he would pull his truck and glance up at me to see if I was looking. I told him that he needed to put a load on his truck so he grabbed four giant snails on my porch and dragged them around through the mud and puddles.
Watching children play in Salone really makes me happy. Living conditions don't matter, children will always find a way to play. In America, kids go to toy stores and everything is all packaged up for them. Whereas here in Salone, toys are anything you can pick up from the streets and put together. Another one of Dulai's toys is a kite he's made out of plastic, twine, and sticks. He shouts out "Yekia! Luk mi!" as he runs up and down the street smiling because I'm watching him.
The rain started pouring down again so Dulai & Lamin spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the steps with me, teaching me Temne phrases. The children here are so helpful when it comes to language learning. They are very patient and are willing to say things slowly over and over again so you can learn.
Taking in Lunsar one day at a time has been a great gameplan for me. I'm here for the next 2 years so no need to rush to the finish. When I envisioned myself in Peace Corps, I had pictured myself doing these large extravagant things but, it's really been the small things that have been standing out the most so far. Anywhere from sharing a meal, chatting on verandas, to playing with children.
I know I'll definitely have my ups & downs here in Salone but I've been really happy so far and I'm excited for what the next 2 years will bring me. :)
I've been helping out at the school here and there for registration, proctoring entrance exams, etc, etc. Aside from that I've just been kinda hanging out. You'd figure I'd be bored out if my mind but I'm not. I'm doing actually less since PST is over but the weeks are flying like crazy.
I'm really enjoying Lunsar. The people, the town, my house, my dog <3 Pot-Pot <3 ......it's all been great. I thought there would've been an adjustment phase of not being around other Americans everyday, but I haven't. I've been doing really well being on my own. I mean, I do have Michael as my site mate but we don't see each other everyday and most of the time it's just in passing. We're both doing our own thing and it's great where we each have our own space in Lunsar.
Today was really chill. We're still in the middle of rainy season so I usually stay close to my house during the heavy downpours and the streets are all muddy with flooded ditches.
So on this rainy day, Hawa walked me through on how to make ginger beer. Ginger beer, though relatively easy to make is a muthafuckin bitch to scrape the skin off the tiny little gingers that they have here and grate each and every one of them..........food processor, where are you?!?!?!
Abdulai and Lamin from down the street came by my house. They usually stop by everyday and want to impress me with whatever contraption they've invented from scraps they find on the streets. Sardine can toy cars are really popular here with the kids. Abduali though, has created this 2 truck bed big rig with scrap metal. It was really cute how he would pull his truck and glance up at me to see if I was looking. I told him that he needed to put a load on his truck so he grabbed four giant snails on my porch and dragged them around through the mud and puddles.
Watching children play in Salone really makes me happy. Living conditions don't matter, children will always find a way to play. In America, kids go to toy stores and everything is all packaged up for them. Whereas here in Salone, toys are anything you can pick up from the streets and put together. Another one of Dulai's toys is a kite he's made out of plastic, twine, and sticks. He shouts out "Yekia! Luk mi!" as he runs up and down the street smiling because I'm watching him.
The rain started pouring down again so Dulai & Lamin spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the steps with me, teaching me Temne phrases. The children here are so helpful when it comes to language learning. They are very patient and are willing to say things slowly over and over again so you can learn.
Taking in Lunsar one day at a time has been a great gameplan for me. I'm here for the next 2 years so no need to rush to the finish. When I envisioned myself in Peace Corps, I had pictured myself doing these large extravagant things but, it's really been the small things that have been standing out the most so far. Anywhere from sharing a meal, chatting on verandas, to playing with children.
I know I'll definitely have my ups & downs here in Salone but I've been really happy so far and I'm excited for what the next 2 years will bring me. :)
08/29/12-Dinner With The UN
Lunsar town is loaded with NGOs and other kinds of foreigners. I was invited by Italians, Brits, and Spaniards to meet up at a bar to watch a futbol match. It doesn't hurt to make new friends so why the hell not.
I thought it would be really comforting being around other volunteer-like folks from other western countries who speak English well. I think I'm in this weird space where I didn't really fit in with this group. They were perfectly fine people, don't get me wrong, and we are all here to help Sierra Leone. Some of them even arrived a couple months before me. Everyone was a mixed bag of anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 month assignments. There was alot of jaw-dropping when I said that my stay was for 27 months, lol. The response was similar though to all my friends & family back at home. "WTF, 27 months?!?!" lol. Whatever, it is what it is.......haha.
There was a big difference between me and them.........INTEGRATION. I was really surprised at how some of them had been in Sierra Leone longer than I have yet they speak absolutely no Krio. I know I complain alot about the food here but at least I know what the local people are eating.
Kudos to the Peace Corps training program, really. They tortured us with 10 weeks of training and made us live with Salone families......the lack of privacy and the neverending lectures & group activities was really grueling. But in the end, I think it was for the better, to prepare us for our assignments as the lone PCV in our village.
Learning to live WITH the HCNs (Host Country Nationals) is a huge part of what makes Peace Corps different. These other folks live together at guesthouses with better facilities like electricity and running water. They only hang out with each other......other "opotos", I mean. It makes so much sense to me why I never see any other "opotos" walking around Lunsar except for me and Michael. They go out to do their good deeds then come back to their comfy accommodations and swig their fancy Carlsbergs & Heinekens with each other. I was the only one on that table swigging a Star beer.......Salone's finest local beer, lol!
How can you make friends with HCNs if you don't try to at least speak the language??? I can now see why Sierra Leoneans are excited when I talk to them in Krio and even better, a tiny bit of Temne.......we are trying. Whenever I talk to Sierra Leoneans and they ask me what I'm doing here, I always say that I'm here to teach students math but most of all, I am here to learn to live among them and know all about Sierra Leone. So the locals can laugh and stare all they want when they see me bruk my clothes or fire up a coal pot or fetch well water......it's only because it's an oddity, they don't usually see opotos trying.
I tried my best to socialize but I felt that many of them misunderstood Salone. It's convenient for them b/c they are like drive-by NGOs who do their good deed for the year and they can come home and roll around their 1000 thread count sheets and drink their fine wine. I'm sure they've helped a ton here but they've learned nothing about the people.
I was offended when this guy called the children here stupid. I get it, education is a problem here which is rooted from so many different facets like the war, parenting, the system.....everything! I then asked him if a 5yr old in our western countries were able to do chores like toting water on your head, starting fires, cooking, carrying a baby sibling, selling africana soap in the streets first thing at 7am, and etc. The children here have a different kind of knowledge. Ya, I then got up and excused myself. Good thing he is only here for a 3 month stretch then it's "See ya later, buddy!"
I started talking to a local at the bar who I met the other day......it felt more comforting. When the game finished, everyone started taking off and the bartenders rejected the Italians offering of their homemade pizza mostly b/c they had no idea what it was and also the language barrier. In Krio, I told them the ingredients and that it was delicious Italian food made by these Italian people. They took the pizza even though it looked kinda "sketch" to them and said that if they get diarrhea they were going to come after me, lol. With that, we were all laughing and asked for each others names, etc, etc.........trying......all you gotta do is try "smol smol".
I guess the only foreigners I find true comfort with are my other PCV buddies, b/c we are all going through a similar experience. It's awesome when you visit other PCV sites and see how they've integrated into their community. So far, I've only been to Kamasundo and Port Loko Town. This Friday, we'll be checking out Makeni.
Lunsar is a big town so it takes a little more time to know people. I've been yelling out "Mine yi Yekia" when they do the opoto call so lately I've been hearing people greet me by name. All the market ladies seem to know my name nowadays too, lol. I think I'll be getting to know people by veranda small talk as I walk around town.
This morning, I walked my friend, Ani, to the lori park so she can hitch a ride back to Binti. As I walked back home, I decided to try some ataya and met Mohammed, a Fula man, who runs the stand. We talked a bit and I shared boiled peanuts with his daughters Fatmata & Mariama as they tried to teach me Arabic. Then, I spent a few minutes in Mr. Conteh's veranda just to chat a bit and entertain him with my story of how I biked all they way to Kamasundu and back all in one day.
So ya, dinner with the United Nations wasn't as interesting as I thought but, it gave me some perspective on how I viewed my own service with the Peace Corps.
Totally biased opinion but, I think Peace Corps is pretty BadAsser-ie....... just sayin.........
I thought it would be really comforting being around other volunteer-like folks from other western countries who speak English well. I think I'm in this weird space where I didn't really fit in with this group. They were perfectly fine people, don't get me wrong, and we are all here to help Sierra Leone. Some of them even arrived a couple months before me. Everyone was a mixed bag of anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 month assignments. There was alot of jaw-dropping when I said that my stay was for 27 months, lol. The response was similar though to all my friends & family back at home. "WTF, 27 months?!?!" lol. Whatever, it is what it is.......haha.
There was a big difference between me and them.........INTEGRATION. I was really surprised at how some of them had been in Sierra Leone longer than I have yet they speak absolutely no Krio. I know I complain alot about the food here but at least I know what the local people are eating.
Kudos to the Peace Corps training program, really. They tortured us with 10 weeks of training and made us live with Salone families......the lack of privacy and the neverending lectures & group activities was really grueling. But in the end, I think it was for the better, to prepare us for our assignments as the lone PCV in our village.
Learning to live WITH the HCNs (Host Country Nationals) is a huge part of what makes Peace Corps different. These other folks live together at guesthouses with better facilities like electricity and running water. They only hang out with each other......other "opotos", I mean. It makes so much sense to me why I never see any other "opotos" walking around Lunsar except for me and Michael. They go out to do their good deeds then come back to their comfy accommodations and swig their fancy Carlsbergs & Heinekens with each other. I was the only one on that table swigging a Star beer.......Salone's finest local beer, lol!
How can you make friends with HCNs if you don't try to at least speak the language??? I can now see why Sierra Leoneans are excited when I talk to them in Krio and even better, a tiny bit of Temne.......we are trying. Whenever I talk to Sierra Leoneans and they ask me what I'm doing here, I always say that I'm here to teach students math but most of all, I am here to learn to live among them and know all about Sierra Leone. So the locals can laugh and stare all they want when they see me bruk my clothes or fire up a coal pot or fetch well water......it's only because it's an oddity, they don't usually see opotos trying.
I tried my best to socialize but I felt that many of them misunderstood Salone. It's convenient for them b/c they are like drive-by NGOs who do their good deed for the year and they can come home and roll around their 1000 thread count sheets and drink their fine wine. I'm sure they've helped a ton here but they've learned nothing about the people.
I was offended when this guy called the children here stupid. I get it, education is a problem here which is rooted from so many different facets like the war, parenting, the system.....everything! I then asked him if a 5yr old in our western countries were able to do chores like toting water on your head, starting fires, cooking, carrying a baby sibling, selling africana soap in the streets first thing at 7am, and etc. The children here have a different kind of knowledge. Ya, I then got up and excused myself. Good thing he is only here for a 3 month stretch then it's "See ya later, buddy!"
I started talking to a local at the bar who I met the other day......it felt more comforting. When the game finished, everyone started taking off and the bartenders rejected the Italians offering of their homemade pizza mostly b/c they had no idea what it was and also the language barrier. In Krio, I told them the ingredients and that it was delicious Italian food made by these Italian people. They took the pizza even though it looked kinda "sketch" to them and said that if they get diarrhea they were going to come after me, lol. With that, we were all laughing and asked for each others names, etc, etc.........trying......all you gotta do is try "smol smol".
I guess the only foreigners I find true comfort with are my other PCV buddies, b/c we are all going through a similar experience. It's awesome when you visit other PCV sites and see how they've integrated into their community. So far, I've only been to Kamasundo and Port Loko Town. This Friday, we'll be checking out Makeni.
Lunsar is a big town so it takes a little more time to know people. I've been yelling out "Mine yi Yekia" when they do the opoto call so lately I've been hearing people greet me by name. All the market ladies seem to know my name nowadays too, lol. I think I'll be getting to know people by veranda small talk as I walk around town.
This morning, I walked my friend, Ani, to the lori park so she can hitch a ride back to Binti. As I walked back home, I decided to try some ataya and met Mohammed, a Fula man, who runs the stand. We talked a bit and I shared boiled peanuts with his daughters Fatmata & Mariama as they tried to teach me Arabic. Then, I spent a few minutes in Mr. Conteh's veranda just to chat a bit and entertain him with my story of how I biked all they way to Kamasundu and back all in one day.
So ya, dinner with the United Nations wasn't as interesting as I thought but, it gave me some perspective on how I viewed my own service with the Peace Corps.
Totally biased opinion but, I think Peace Corps is pretty BadAsser-ie....... just sayin.........
08/27/12-Underestimated Bike Trip To Kamasundu
Michael & I decided to do a bike ride into the village and visit our friend Sean in Kamasundu. From what we were told, it was merely a 7 mile ride which was highway for the first half and dirt road the second half.
What I should've realized is that Sierra Leoneans have a poor perception of distance and time. I'm already aware of this concept yet I still believed, lol. Boy was I wrong, lol! It could've been anywhere from 15-20 miles. I'd consider 15 miles not so terrible if you're talking about smooth paved concrete or nice dirt paths in the burbs, the basis of my cycling experience, good ole flat Dublin, Ca.
The nicest bike I've ever owned had been my single gear beach cruiser from Target for $80. Peace Corps had issued us these sweet mountain bikes which had all the gears, breaks, and most importantly an awesome suspension system.......very important in Salone. Definitely the most expensive and most sophisticated bike I've owned......EVER! I was gonna learn how to use this thing on the spot, it's now or never, lol.
Some of the best stories from Peace Corps Salone comes from transportation experiences.......this is one of them. So as I'm biking on the highway, I'm crossing my fingers hoping that podas, okadas, cars, and gigantor construction trucks don't run me off the road or worse........turn me into roadkill. I'm no cycling professional, but as I'm on the road, I can tell I've gone past the supposed 5 mile highway cruise to Faradugu, the village junction into Kamasundu. It's hard to get frustrated especially during the moments when no cars were passing and I was hitting some sweet scenic spots and be like, "FUCK! I'm fucking biking in Africa right now, this is so fucking awesome!"
As I turn off into Faradugu, all the okada drivers idling at the lori park ("taxi stand") start giving me shit and asking if "A sabi ride bike". Duh, of course I "sabi". Seeing girls ride bikes in Salone is rare b/c it is only something that men do. So by me riding a bike means I'm trying to be like a man. Whatever, all I can do is just brush it off, laugh, and tell them to "lef" me.
I turn off into the dirt road and head into the interior......deep Temne-land. Luckily for me, Lunsar is a big town so Krio is often used to cater to all the tribes in the community even though it is predominantly Temne. That is not the case as I go towards Kamasundu. Now is the time to beef up my Temne.
Faradugu to Kamasundu was supposedly a 3 mile bike ride.....ya right, lol! Did I mention that it was a series of peaks and valleys.......Sationary Bike Action, Level 15, Integral Training.........dear god I'm sweating like a mother!!!! I had to pass 7 villages before I got into Kamasundu. Everytime I started to see something that resembled a village, I was like......"Please be Kamasundu....". By this time I've already told Michael to go ahead of me being that him and his bike were like 3 times my size.
I was profusely sweating and completely out of shape but you don't have a choice, it's not like I can just hop on the next BART train, lol. I had to keep going. Besides, it was a beautiful bike ride in. The highway was a bit scary but, it was pretty fucking awesome heading into the interior. The dirt road was really wide and the potholes and lake puddles were way less than I had anticipated.
In between villages it was really quiet and serene where every now and then I'd run into a farmer and greet them
good morning. Heading into the villages was hilarious. I've always just driven through them with the children running up chanting "Opoto!" which is Temne for white man (Pomuy in the south for Mende). This time I was on bike, and all eyes were on me. What else is there to to in these villages aside from stare at the outsider passing through??? Don't really blame them, I guess. So as I biked by, children ran after me and my bike doing their best "Opoto" chant. I can see how it can get annoying if you're not in the mood but I was, so I thought it was cute and ridiculous all at the same time, lol. By the 3rd or 4th village I got tired of the old women going "Opoto, Seke-O!" So I would yell out "Yekia! Mine yi Yekia!" (my name is....). Along with all the opoto calls, I would constantly get invites to come sit on their veranda with them, maybe another day since we were shooting for a one day trip, which was actually an aggressive schedule, lol. The best way to say "No" in Salone is to not say it, haha, so all I would say is "Momo, I der tonang, I-yo!" (thanks, I'll come back later today, bye).
Finally! I reach Kamasundu!!! I was stopped by the police stand by Inspector Turray. Police stands just barricade the road with a piece of string that they hang onto all day. Luckily for Mr. Turray, his home is the police station/stand so he greets me and tells his kids to let the string down so I can pass through. He then points me to the open field to show me the direction to Sean's house.
Sean lives right on the outskirts of Kamasundu on the school compound next to his principal. It's really lovely, so quiet and serene. He's definitely in the bush though, lol. His Temne is way more developed than my own b/c of his environment. He goes by the name of "Pa Kumbra Bai", a Chief's name given to him by the Paramount Chief. So technically he is a chief of sorts in Kamasundu, kinda still up for debate by some community members though.
His principal, Mr. Kamara walks with us into Kamasundu proper to do the official obligations of introductions something that we've grown accustomed to in Salone. When in Rome, right? Lol! We walk through Kamasundu, greeting people left and right. In the villages, greetings are much more lengthy like about a good 5 minutes each involving a repeating series of "Enpiari, seke, seke-o, topia, I tanto, momo, i-yo, seke, owa". You say it like a good 4 times back and forth. The village itself is very small but the greeting formalities just makes it alot longer.
We reach the end of Kamasundu which leads us to the road to Binti, Ani's village (another PCV), another 7 miles. We stop there, turn and head into the bush to walk towards the Paramount Chief's compound. Behind his home is his palava hut where he is conducting a meeting with all the other town & section chiefs in his Chiefdom. We greet all chiefs and then Mr. Kamara formally introduces the three of us. The Paramount Chief and his 2 advisors then officially welcome us to Kamasundu and their Chiefdom. All in Temne by the way, so Mr. Kamara was translating. The Paramount Chief was very eloquent with his Temne, this old and soft-spoken Sierra Leonean. Sean told me that he speaks perfect English but wants him to learn Temne. I was really thankful for this special moment, it was a classy speech and I felt welcomed into the community.
So different from our introduction to Malanpa Chiefdom's Paramount Chief in Lunsar. In Lunsar, the Paramount Chief's pink house was on the outskirts of the town where we were escorted to a waiting parlor with pleather couches and a Nigerian film playing on the huge flat screen TV. We then were
escorted into this huge office where the Paramount Chief walked in and greeted us as he was silencing his 4 cell phones and signing paperwork. It was more like meeting a businessman rather than what one would envision meeting a Paramount Chief.
Anyways, it was a great visit into Sean's world in Kamasundu but, we had to headback into Lunsar before sundown for the two and a half hour ride back. This time around, the passing villagers were yelling "Yekia" now that they knew my name. Instead of saying "No", as a courtesy, I said "Mandirao, I der ninang, momo, i-yo" (good evening, I'll come back tomorrow, thanks, bye).
The ride was beautiful and scenic but it beat the fuck out of me, I was so happy when I saw the Africell sign saying "Welcome To Lunsar". I got back to my place, chugged down 3 bottles of water, washed up, and crashed.
I love you Africa. Never in my life would I ever think I'd be experiencing all these things that I'm experiencing.......but I am.......
What I should've realized is that Sierra Leoneans have a poor perception of distance and time. I'm already aware of this concept yet I still believed, lol. Boy was I wrong, lol! It could've been anywhere from 15-20 miles. I'd consider 15 miles not so terrible if you're talking about smooth paved concrete or nice dirt paths in the burbs, the basis of my cycling experience, good ole flat Dublin, Ca.
The nicest bike I've ever owned had been my single gear beach cruiser from Target for $80. Peace Corps had issued us these sweet mountain bikes which had all the gears, breaks, and most importantly an awesome suspension system.......very important in Salone. Definitely the most expensive and most sophisticated bike I've owned......EVER! I was gonna learn how to use this thing on the spot, it's now or never, lol.
Some of the best stories from Peace Corps Salone comes from transportation experiences.......this is one of them. So as I'm biking on the highway, I'm crossing my fingers hoping that podas, okadas, cars, and gigantor construction trucks don't run me off the road or worse........turn me into roadkill. I'm no cycling professional, but as I'm on the road, I can tell I've gone past the supposed 5 mile highway cruise to Faradugu, the village junction into Kamasundu. It's hard to get frustrated especially during the moments when no cars were passing and I was hitting some sweet scenic spots and be like, "FUCK! I'm fucking biking in Africa right now, this is so fucking awesome!"
As I turn off into Faradugu, all the okada drivers idling at the lori park ("taxi stand") start giving me shit and asking if "A sabi ride bike". Duh, of course I "sabi". Seeing girls ride bikes in Salone is rare b/c it is only something that men do. So by me riding a bike means I'm trying to be like a man. Whatever, all I can do is just brush it off, laugh, and tell them to "lef" me.
I turn off into the dirt road and head into the interior......deep Temne-land. Luckily for me, Lunsar is a big town so Krio is often used to cater to all the tribes in the community even though it is predominantly Temne. That is not the case as I go towards Kamasundu. Now is the time to beef up my Temne.
Faradugu to Kamasundu was supposedly a 3 mile bike ride.....ya right, lol! Did I mention that it was a series of peaks and valleys.......Sationary Bike Action, Level 15, Integral Training.........dear god I'm sweating like a mother!!!! I had to pass 7 villages before I got into Kamasundu. Everytime I started to see something that resembled a village, I was like......"Please be Kamasundu....". By this time I've already told Michael to go ahead of me being that him and his bike were like 3 times my size.
I was profusely sweating and completely out of shape but you don't have a choice, it's not like I can just hop on the next BART train, lol. I had to keep going. Besides, it was a beautiful bike ride in. The highway was a bit scary but, it was pretty fucking awesome heading into the interior. The dirt road was really wide and the potholes and lake puddles were way less than I had anticipated.
In between villages it was really quiet and serene where every now and then I'd run into a farmer and greet them
good morning. Heading into the villages was hilarious. I've always just driven through them with the children running up chanting "Opoto!" which is Temne for white man (Pomuy in the south for Mende). This time I was on bike, and all eyes were on me. What else is there to to in these villages aside from stare at the outsider passing through??? Don't really blame them, I guess. So as I biked by, children ran after me and my bike doing their best "Opoto" chant. I can see how it can get annoying if you're not in the mood but I was, so I thought it was cute and ridiculous all at the same time, lol. By the 3rd or 4th village I got tired of the old women going "Opoto, Seke-O!" So I would yell out "Yekia! Mine yi Yekia!" (my name is....). Along with all the opoto calls, I would constantly get invites to come sit on their veranda with them, maybe another day since we were shooting for a one day trip, which was actually an aggressive schedule, lol. The best way to say "No" in Salone is to not say it, haha, so all I would say is "Momo, I der tonang, I-yo!" (thanks, I'll come back later today, bye).
Finally! I reach Kamasundu!!! I was stopped by the police stand by Inspector Turray. Police stands just barricade the road with a piece of string that they hang onto all day. Luckily for Mr. Turray, his home is the police station/stand so he greets me and tells his kids to let the string down so I can pass through. He then points me to the open field to show me the direction to Sean's house.
Sean lives right on the outskirts of Kamasundu on the school compound next to his principal. It's really lovely, so quiet and serene. He's definitely in the bush though, lol. His Temne is way more developed than my own b/c of his environment. He goes by the name of "Pa Kumbra Bai", a Chief's name given to him by the Paramount Chief. So technically he is a chief of sorts in Kamasundu, kinda still up for debate by some community members though.
His principal, Mr. Kamara walks with us into Kamasundu proper to do the official obligations of introductions something that we've grown accustomed to in Salone. When in Rome, right? Lol! We walk through Kamasundu, greeting people left and right. In the villages, greetings are much more lengthy like about a good 5 minutes each involving a repeating series of "Enpiari, seke, seke-o, topia, I tanto, momo, i-yo, seke, owa". You say it like a good 4 times back and forth. The village itself is very small but the greeting formalities just makes it alot longer.
We reach the end of Kamasundu which leads us to the road to Binti, Ani's village (another PCV), another 7 miles. We stop there, turn and head into the bush to walk towards the Paramount Chief's compound. Behind his home is his palava hut where he is conducting a meeting with all the other town & section chiefs in his Chiefdom. We greet all chiefs and then Mr. Kamara formally introduces the three of us. The Paramount Chief and his 2 advisors then officially welcome us to Kamasundu and their Chiefdom. All in Temne by the way, so Mr. Kamara was translating. The Paramount Chief was very eloquent with his Temne, this old and soft-spoken Sierra Leonean. Sean told me that he speaks perfect English but wants him to learn Temne. I was really thankful for this special moment, it was a classy speech and I felt welcomed into the community.
So different from our introduction to Malanpa Chiefdom's Paramount Chief in Lunsar. In Lunsar, the Paramount Chief's pink house was on the outskirts of the town where we were escorted to a waiting parlor with pleather couches and a Nigerian film playing on the huge flat screen TV. We then were
escorted into this huge office where the Paramount Chief walked in and greeted us as he was silencing his 4 cell phones and signing paperwork. It was more like meeting a businessman rather than what one would envision meeting a Paramount Chief.
Anyways, it was a great visit into Sean's world in Kamasundu but, we had to headback into Lunsar before sundown for the two and a half hour ride back. This time around, the passing villagers were yelling "Yekia" now that they knew my name. Instead of saying "No", as a courtesy, I said "Mandirao, I der ninang, momo, i-yo" (good evening, I'll come back tomorrow, thanks, bye).
The ride was beautiful and scenic but it beat the fuck out of me, I was so happy when I saw the Africell sign saying "Welcome To Lunsar". I got back to my place, chugged down 3 bottles of water, washed up, and crashed.
I love you Africa. Never in my life would I ever think I'd be experiencing all these things that I'm experiencing.......but I am.......
08/24/12-Went To "College"
It's interesting how everyone's Peace Corps experience differs from one another.....
Even down to same sites, everyone has a different viewpoint. Michael and I are both assigned to Lunsar since it is a large town and we are at different schools. I'm only a 10min quick walk to his place but our difference in gender has made him see another side of Sierra Leone........the Salone "man" culture.
Last night, I went over to Micheal's place and had a romantic dinner for two by candlelight, haha! We shared a plate of seasoned dry gari (dried & milled cassava) topped with a can of baked beans that was heated on his kerosene stove, lol. We then headed over to our local watering hole, "College", which is a palava hut located behind his water pump.
I was going to finally get a tiny glimpse of the Salone "man culture". As I approached this low-lying thatched roof palava hut, I hear men heartily laughing. I enter and walk into this cloud of cigarette smoke and sit on one of the benches along the circular wall of sticks. The hut is filled with men drinking poyo (palm wine) and discussing anything.....mostly nothing, clearly people have been indulging a bit. To my right, there is an old woman filtering the poyo into used 1.5L water bottles. I go grab a cup in the bucket of water outside, ok I admit, not being very smart about cholera at this moment, lol. So we grab a bottle of poyo for Le1000 (20 cents) and just sit back, drink, & relax.
The poyo tasted pretty good but, it was "polluted". We usually call it polluted when it's been diluted with water and sugar is added, it loses it's potency and probably has the alcoholic consistency of half of a wine cooler. You usually want to find a good source of poyo where it is "From God To Man", a saying used here which means, directly straight from the palm tree without being diluted with water.
I introduced myself as Yekia Kabia, my Temne name, everyone always gets a kick out of it so it's a good ice breaker. This man across from me kept insisting in Temne that I was his "wathebera" (woman) and that we were going to get married, he was going to win a TV, and I was going to take him to America, lol, ums, ya sure.......Lay off the palm, buddy, haha.
I also met one of my co-workers who was talking cray-cray stories that made absolutely no sense whatsoever on how palm wine gets stronger in potency b/c the Limba man who tapped the tree took the day off and rested.......wtf, lol. I'm just here to enjoy the show, haha.
They were passing around a packet of ORS (Oral Hydration Salts) and putting it into their bottle of poyo, convinced that it will increase its potency. ORSs is used to hydrate your body when you get cholera or malaria, lol. The guy next to me said it was just to give the poyo "a little more love". Dear god, this place is ridiculous, haha.
I can't judge, they were just having a good time after a long day of work. I was just one of the sober ones in the room is all, lol. It was an interesting peek into the man culture here. Michael was brought there by his male teacher friend and culturally, women shouldn't frequent those places. It was a good way to observe and listen to alot of Temne. I don't want the town to perceive me in the same light as they probably do about the one woman I saw in the corner smoking, drinking straight from the bottle, and swaying back & forth all over the palava hut and cackling like a madman.
So ya.....I went to "COLLEGE" the other night and I definitely learned some stuff, lol.
Even down to same sites, everyone has a different viewpoint. Michael and I are both assigned to Lunsar since it is a large town and we are at different schools. I'm only a 10min quick walk to his place but our difference in gender has made him see another side of Sierra Leone........the Salone "man" culture.
Last night, I went over to Micheal's place and had a romantic dinner for two by candlelight, haha! We shared a plate of seasoned dry gari (dried & milled cassava) topped with a can of baked beans that was heated on his kerosene stove, lol. We then headed over to our local watering hole, "College", which is a palava hut located behind his water pump.
I was going to finally get a tiny glimpse of the Salone "man culture". As I approached this low-lying thatched roof palava hut, I hear men heartily laughing. I enter and walk into this cloud of cigarette smoke and sit on one of the benches along the circular wall of sticks. The hut is filled with men drinking poyo (palm wine) and discussing anything.....mostly nothing, clearly people have been indulging a bit. To my right, there is an old woman filtering the poyo into used 1.5L water bottles. I go grab a cup in the bucket of water outside, ok I admit, not being very smart about cholera at this moment, lol. So we grab a bottle of poyo for Le1000 (20 cents) and just sit back, drink, & relax.
The poyo tasted pretty good but, it was "polluted". We usually call it polluted when it's been diluted with water and sugar is added, it loses it's potency and probably has the alcoholic consistency of half of a wine cooler. You usually want to find a good source of poyo where it is "From God To Man", a saying used here which means, directly straight from the palm tree without being diluted with water.
I introduced myself as Yekia Kabia, my Temne name, everyone always gets a kick out of it so it's a good ice breaker. This man across from me kept insisting in Temne that I was his "wathebera" (woman) and that we were going to get married, he was going to win a TV, and I was going to take him to America, lol, ums, ya sure.......Lay off the palm, buddy, haha.
I also met one of my co-workers who was talking cray-cray stories that made absolutely no sense whatsoever on how palm wine gets stronger in potency b/c the Limba man who tapped the tree took the day off and rested.......wtf, lol. I'm just here to enjoy the show, haha.
They were passing around a packet of ORS (Oral Hydration Salts) and putting it into their bottle of poyo, convinced that it will increase its potency. ORSs is used to hydrate your body when you get cholera or malaria, lol. The guy next to me said it was just to give the poyo "a little more love". Dear god, this place is ridiculous, haha.
I can't judge, they were just having a good time after a long day of work. I was just one of the sober ones in the room is all, lol. It was an interesting peek into the man culture here. Michael was brought there by his male teacher friend and culturally, women shouldn't frequent those places. It was a good way to observe and listen to alot of Temne. I don't want the town to perceive me in the same light as they probably do about the one woman I saw in the corner smoking, drinking straight from the bottle, and swaying back & forth all over the palava hut and cackling like a madman.
So ya.....I went to "COLLEGE" the other night and I definitely learned some stuff, lol.
08/22/12-Feeling At Home In Lunsar
I'm all about small wins in the Peace Corps....
I went into Freetown today with my principal. I had to buy stuff for my house that is not readily available in Lunsar like: cleaning supplies, giant container of bleach, toilet paper at a reasonable price, a gas camping stove, etc, etc. Damn, today burned a hole right through my wallet. Living in Sierra Leone for the past 3mos has made it hard for me to pay anything over Le10,000 (~$2.50). What can I say.......I'm a cheap bastard, lol.
Anyways, the point I was trying to get to was.....
After a long day outside of Lunsar, I finally got back in. When I arrived, Hawa & and kids greeted me and Pot-Pot (my inherited Peace Corps Dog) was wagging his tail, barking, and jumping on me <3 The kids helped me get me stuff in the house and they told me "Kristin, yu don los tide-o" which is the Salone way of saying that they haven't seen me all day and that they missed me. <3
Hawa had been in Freetown marking BECE Exams during my initial arrival so today was the first time we've seen each other since my last visit. Like a big mama bear sitting on her porch, she got up to hug me and welcomed me home. <3
I spent the rest of the evening chillin' on the porch with Hawa & the kids while rubbing my feet all over Pot-Pot's lazy big belly. <3
I really felt at home this evening :)
<3 Small Wins <3
I went into Freetown today with my principal. I had to buy stuff for my house that is not readily available in Lunsar like: cleaning supplies, giant container of bleach, toilet paper at a reasonable price, a gas camping stove, etc, etc. Damn, today burned a hole right through my wallet. Living in Sierra Leone for the past 3mos has made it hard for me to pay anything over Le10,000 (~$2.50). What can I say.......I'm a cheap bastard, lol.
Anyways, the point I was trying to get to was.....
After a long day outside of Lunsar, I finally got back in. When I arrived, Hawa & and kids greeted me and Pot-Pot (my inherited Peace Corps Dog) was wagging his tail, barking, and jumping on me <3 The kids helped me get me stuff in the house and they told me "Kristin, yu don los tide-o" which is the Salone way of saying that they haven't seen me all day and that they missed me. <3
Hawa had been in Freetown marking BECE Exams during my initial arrival so today was the first time we've seen each other since my last visit. Like a big mama bear sitting on her porch, she got up to hug me and welcomed me home. <3
I spent the rest of the evening chillin' on the porch with Hawa & the kids while rubbing my feet all over Pot-Pot's lazy big belly. <3
I really felt at home this evening :)
<3 Small Wins <3
08/20/12-Lunsar, Port Loko District
I'm on Day2 in my new home for the next 2 years in Lunsar. I spent my first day sweeping, mopping, semi-unpacking, and reconfiguring furniture. I got the place as clean as an African home can get. Alot of the PCVs say that they don't have time to clean and pay someone else to do it but, I find it comforting to do it myself and know where I've cleaned and how well I've cleaned it. So for now, I'm fine, but we'll see in the next coming months especially around dry season when the Harmitan winds from the Sahara come in and insane amounts of dust fly all over the place.
My Salone1 counterpart was paying someone to cook, bruk, and fetch water for her. I'm a bit of a control freak where I like things done a certain way so I want to roll solo for now. I'm pretty excited about having control over my food. I just need to buy that kerosene stove, the last thing I need to do is to try to start a coal pot after a full day of work.
So I pretty much have about 3 weeks before school starts and get to do whatever I want as long as it's on site. Day1 I just walked around the town with my next door neighbor kids: Esther, Georgie, Mamifatu, & Alfred. Lunsar is a big town so it's "busy-ness" is a bit intimidating with all it's cars and okadas zooming up and down the streets.
I think I'm going the "smol smol" route and taking it in one day at a time. Day2 I just went to the market to buy some ingredients. I cut up the giant cucumber I bought over in Moyamba Junction, and made "Kokumba Gran Sup" which is basically a spicy cucumber salad. It was huge so I shared it next door, we ate it the Salone way, communal style in one big bowl. I also helped make casada lif by using the giant mortar & pestle to beat the pepe, yabas, ogri, and okra. They were impressed, lol. So I guess I got a little street cred by showing them I was down with the business, haha.
I've met some people but people don't typically greet on their verandas because Lunsar is a town setting rather than a village setting like New York in Bo. I'm sure it'll take time, I've only been here for a couple days. It took me weeks to settle in Bo b/c I was still dealing with the culture shock of my initial arrival into Salone. Things should go alot quicker here.
The major thing I've been enjoying is my private space. I can walk around in my underwear, I have space to put things where I want to put them, and I even took a crap in my indoor bathroom with the door open, lol. It feels great being on my own again.
My Salone1 counterpart was paying someone to cook, bruk, and fetch water for her. I'm a bit of a control freak where I like things done a certain way so I want to roll solo for now. I'm pretty excited about having control over my food. I just need to buy that kerosene stove, the last thing I need to do is to try to start a coal pot after a full day of work.
So I pretty much have about 3 weeks before school starts and get to do whatever I want as long as it's on site. Day1 I just walked around the town with my next door neighbor kids: Esther, Georgie, Mamifatu, & Alfred. Lunsar is a big town so it's "busy-ness" is a bit intimidating with all it's cars and okadas zooming up and down the streets.
I think I'm going the "smol smol" route and taking it in one day at a time. Day2 I just went to the market to buy some ingredients. I cut up the giant cucumber I bought over in Moyamba Junction, and made "Kokumba Gran Sup" which is basically a spicy cucumber salad. It was huge so I shared it next door, we ate it the Salone way, communal style in one big bowl. I also helped make casada lif by using the giant mortar & pestle to beat the pepe, yabas, ogri, and okra. They were impressed, lol. So I guess I got a little street cred by showing them I was down with the business, haha.
I've met some people but people don't typically greet on their verandas because Lunsar is a town setting rather than a village setting like New York in Bo. I'm sure it'll take time, I've only been here for a couple days. It took me weeks to settle in Bo b/c I was still dealing with the culture shock of my initial arrival into Salone. Things should go alot quicker here.
The major thing I've been enjoying is my private space. I can walk around in my underwear, I have space to put things where I want to put them, and I even took a crap in my indoor bathroom with the door open, lol. It feels great being on my own again.
08/18/12-It's Official, I'm A Peace Corps Volunteer!
Yesterday was my 10 week milestone of Pre-Service Training, we were finally being sworn in as PCVs. It felt like a high school graduation, lol.
It was a proud moment for me, singing both national anthems of Sierra Leone & America and then to be officially sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer by the US Ambassador. They even handed out our Aspiration Statements to remind us of our original intentions of joining Peace Corps.......this experience is truly special.
So different from weeks ago for the Pulnado (adoption ceremony) where we came in our American clothes, barely spoke any Krio, and met these strangers who would be hosting us in their homes.
We have grown accustomed to our African names. Most of us were all decked out in Africana and some even busted out with the AlShobi which is a form of bluffing where the family all wears matching Africana by using the same gara. My mama lent me her Africana, I felt like a real African woman with my lapa and wooden jewelry :)
During the PCV Swear-In, we did speeches in the represented local languages of Mende, Temne, Loko, Soso, Kono, & of course Krio. The Mende speech definitely had hometeam advantage where everyone went all cray-cray after each sentence. So not fair for me and my Temne peeps, lol.
One of the best parts of being a PCV, no curfew, lol! We celebrated our last night in Bo Town. For the 2 months I've been in Bo, I've been completely unaware of it's nightlife, it's that damn curfew! Most of the PCVs got a room in town except for a group of us that were leaving for site first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, I was in the 7am group. Regardless, it was an awesome night where we partied with other PCVs from Salone 1&2 along with our awesome LCFs who party like rock stars. By the stroke of midnight I went home before I turned into a pumpkin, lol. Luckily, we didn't have to make the 1hr trek back home in the pitch darkness b/c Josh's parents came out to party and brought us to our village junctions.
By 6am, I woke up with headache from all the 5block (10cents) Tyson baggies I drank. I'm sure my eyeliner was smeared across my face like some used-up 50cent motel whore, haha. But who cares, I had a great time and it'll be December before I see most of these folks again over in IST (In Service Training). The Peace Corps vehicle rode right up to my house and I threw all my gear into the car. I hugged my family goodbye, and spun my little brother, Viktor Jr one last time. Mama Kenyah started crying a bit, it got me a little misty eyed. I told her to not cry for me b/c I'll be back to visit. I hopped in the car and drove away waving goodbye to my African family.
As we drove through the village of New York, I passed through all the houses that I greeted everyday on my way to school. Everyone was calling out "Kenyah Simbo!" and I waved back and said "A de kam, a de kam!" which just means "I'll be back" instead of saying goodbye.
We hit the highway heading northwest for Lunsar, I look in the mirror and see Bo behind me. I really got to know this place. I'll see you next time Bo, you were my first home in Africa...........
It was a proud moment for me, singing both national anthems of Sierra Leone & America and then to be officially sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer by the US Ambassador. They even handed out our Aspiration Statements to remind us of our original intentions of joining Peace Corps.......this experience is truly special.
So different from weeks ago for the Pulnado (adoption ceremony) where we came in our American clothes, barely spoke any Krio, and met these strangers who would be hosting us in their homes.
We have grown accustomed to our African names. Most of us were all decked out in Africana and some even busted out with the AlShobi which is a form of bluffing where the family all wears matching Africana by using the same gara. My mama lent me her Africana, I felt like a real African woman with my lapa and wooden jewelry :)
During the PCV Swear-In, we did speeches in the represented local languages of Mende, Temne, Loko, Soso, Kono, & of course Krio. The Mende speech definitely had hometeam advantage where everyone went all cray-cray after each sentence. So not fair for me and my Temne peeps, lol.
One of the best parts of being a PCV, no curfew, lol! We celebrated our last night in Bo Town. For the 2 months I've been in Bo, I've been completely unaware of it's nightlife, it's that damn curfew! Most of the PCVs got a room in town except for a group of us that were leaving for site first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, I was in the 7am group. Regardless, it was an awesome night where we partied with other PCVs from Salone 1&2 along with our awesome LCFs who party like rock stars. By the stroke of midnight I went home before I turned into a pumpkin, lol. Luckily, we didn't have to make the 1hr trek back home in the pitch darkness b/c Josh's parents came out to party and brought us to our village junctions.
By 6am, I woke up with headache from all the 5block (10cents) Tyson baggies I drank. I'm sure my eyeliner was smeared across my face like some used-up 50cent motel whore, haha. But who cares, I had a great time and it'll be December before I see most of these folks again over in IST (In Service Training). The Peace Corps vehicle rode right up to my house and I threw all my gear into the car. I hugged my family goodbye, and spun my little brother, Viktor Jr one last time. Mama Kenyah started crying a bit, it got me a little misty eyed. I told her to not cry for me b/c I'll be back to visit. I hopped in the car and drove away waving goodbye to my African family.
As we drove through the village of New York, I passed through all the houses that I greeted everyday on my way to school. Everyone was calling out "Kenyah Simbo!" and I waved back and said "A de kam, a de kam!" which just means "I'll be back" instead of saying goodbye.
We hit the highway heading northwest for Lunsar, I look in the mirror and see Bo behind me. I really got to know this place. I'll see you next time Bo, you were my first home in Africa...........
08/12/12-Gonna Miss Bo
Only been in Africa a little over 2 months and I feel like I belong in this community. I had a really good day yesterday. I said goodbye to my summer school kids after the prize giving ceremony to the top students. I'm really gonna miss little Mohammed Rogers, such a bright kid.......
I spent the rest of the day in town to buy stuff for site and make my way back to the village. It was a great day, it wasn't pouring rain for once during this rainy season and the market was bustling. I ran into other PCVs, some of our LCFs, some of my students, and people I know from around the community. I was talking in Krio and greeting in Mende. I even bargained in Temne to this one guy I was trying to haggle by saying that we were cousins b/c we are both Temne and from Port Loko District.
It just felt good not feeling like a stranger in a strange place. Knowing I can feel comfortable in a large community such as Bo in only a few months lets me know that I can do the same in Lunsar. And with Lunsar, I get 2 years to know that town.
Walking around New York village is kinda like "Cheers"........everybody knows your name, lol. I always hear someone yelling out "Kenyah! Aw di bodi!" I can do things like draw water out of the well or bruk my clothes without a crowd gathering around. I've integrated pretty well, I think.
I know I complain alot about my personal space but I'll definitely miss my family. There are its pros and cons I guess. With my own place, I can finally feel like I'm not living out of a suitcase and have things around the house my way and be able to lounge around in short shorts and a tanktop and go out without anyones permission. Ok wait, there are more pros, lol, ok fine but, I'll just miss the damn people is all! Lol! I even openly went to church today, yes, it was my idea. I just went to say goodbye to the pastors and the other members of the church. Figured I might as well go one last time to make my mama happy.
I've also become really close with the Fourtune family next door. Auntie Musu gave me this beautiful country cloth that she wove herself.....how do you thank someone for such a beautiful gift?! Country cloth is the high quality stuff here. She gave me 2 yards so I can get a fayn embroidered tunic made by the tailor. I can't even tell my parents that I got this gift b/c it's kinda like another family overstepping their boundaries but, they have been so good to me, they treat me as one of their own. I guess they appreciated it when I was there for Florence, their daughter, when her baby came out stillborn. Florence and I have gotten closer, I call her my sister b/c she only has brothers. She always offers to bruk my clothes for me. She even made me and Joe acheke last night.
Things have been good here and I'll definitely miss Bo but it's time to take off the training wheels and do my own thing in Lunsar.
I spent the rest of the day in town to buy stuff for site and make my way back to the village. It was a great day, it wasn't pouring rain for once during this rainy season and the market was bustling. I ran into other PCVs, some of our LCFs, some of my students, and people I know from around the community. I was talking in Krio and greeting in Mende. I even bargained in Temne to this one guy I was trying to haggle by saying that we were cousins b/c we are both Temne and from Port Loko District.
It just felt good not feeling like a stranger in a strange place. Knowing I can feel comfortable in a large community such as Bo in only a few months lets me know that I can do the same in Lunsar. And with Lunsar, I get 2 years to know that town.
Walking around New York village is kinda like "Cheers"........everybody knows your name, lol. I always hear someone yelling out "Kenyah! Aw di bodi!" I can do things like draw water out of the well or bruk my clothes without a crowd gathering around. I've integrated pretty well, I think.
I know I complain alot about my personal space but I'll definitely miss my family. There are its pros and cons I guess. With my own place, I can finally feel like I'm not living out of a suitcase and have things around the house my way and be able to lounge around in short shorts and a tanktop and go out without anyones permission. Ok wait, there are more pros, lol, ok fine but, I'll just miss the damn people is all! Lol! I even openly went to church today, yes, it was my idea. I just went to say goodbye to the pastors and the other members of the church. Figured I might as well go one last time to make my mama happy.
I've also become really close with the Fourtune family next door. Auntie Musu gave me this beautiful country cloth that she wove herself.....how do you thank someone for such a beautiful gift?! Country cloth is the high quality stuff here. She gave me 2 yards so I can get a fayn embroidered tunic made by the tailor. I can't even tell my parents that I got this gift b/c it's kinda like another family overstepping their boundaries but, they have been so good to me, they treat me as one of their own. I guess they appreciated it when I was there for Florence, their daughter, when her baby came out stillborn. Florence and I have gotten closer, I call her my sister b/c she only has brothers. She always offers to bruk my clothes for me. She even made me and Joe acheke last night.
Things have been good here and I'll definitely miss Bo but it's time to take off the training wheels and do my own thing in Lunsar.
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