20.11.11
30.10.11
Out of Futa for Halloween!
Had a little break from school over Halloween and a bunch of the volunteers met up in Freetown to get some good food and have a little reunion. After recovering from Malaria the beginning of this month, it was especially great to see everyone and get out of Futa.
School is going great even though I am teaching just as much French as I am English (I would definately not consider myself proficient in any way in French, intermediate at best). I have to listen for Mende, Krio, English and now, French - with an 'English Kenna accent,' when the locals talk to me...great :) I was also nominated as the Games and Sports Master (in charge of sports and the cross country.) I have already organized our first soccer (they say football) game for this coming Friday, set up a volleyball net and had the entire school run the cross country, which they do every term.
We ran the cross country about three weeks ago, if you can call 4 miles a 'cross country.' I went into this event blind, not knowing what to expect at all. I had been running at least four times a week and was worried that I would not be in good enough shape to keep up with the students. I assumed, like a lot of people probably do, that any African is an Olympic racer... I was wrong.
The event started at 5:30 am on a Saturday morning, I woke up automatically because of the roosters but two of the teacher went around Futa hollering and ringing the school bell at 4:45 when it was pitch black. I was sitting on my veranda, lacing my tennies, pulling back my hair and figuring out which playlist I would listen to on my i-pod. In the dark, I stumbled, by memory, towards the court barrie where all the students were to meet. I could alreay hear the chanting, and I have to admit it was very erie and kinda creeped me out. Picture 60 students in straight lines chanting, "Leaders. Leaders. We are the Leaders. Leaders of tomorrow. Leaders. Leaders." With the deep, raspy chant of the children, and multiple class divisions and lines, I couldn't help but think of a child army, and thought about if the rebel war was anything like this.
We took off running in, what I saw as complete darkness and had to carefully watch my every step, but the kids seemed to have night goggles on and remained in their perfect lines. The entire time chanting. The teachers ran up and down the lines, yelling at the groups to sing louder or to stay in formation. When I realized that my speed-walk pace was considered a "swift run" by everyone in this event, I was asked to slow my pace. I would call what I was doing a 'stroll.' The kids and other teachers were also strolling; however they were exerting more energy than me because they were shuffling their feet and swinging their arms so that from a far (villages off the road) it appeared that they were in a jogging state. I couldn't help but laugh when I imagined that the cross country would be my workout for the day. I took off my i-pod and walked along the kids for 2 hours to the town of Haribo (a mere two miles away, yes, it really took that long).
We were welcomed in the town, listened to a couple of drawn out speeches and the teachers and older student preformed a 'hazing' tradition on the new students before heading back. I couldn't force myself to drag my feet another two hours, but this time it was sunny, so I told the kids I would meet them back in town and that I was going to run, American style. They were all amazed when I ran away from the military formed lines. Later the teachers tried to explain that my students, who are 18-20 years old, are just kids and would have gotten too tired if they tried to keep up with me.
I learned that not all Africans are long distance runners :)
For Thanksgiving, our district is going to have a little get together and celebrate, not quite 'American-style,' but we'll do our best with the food we have haha. I will be sure to take some pictures of the food setup.
It is crazy how fast time is going, but then at the same time I know I have a big time chunk ahead of me and think time is not going so fast. Mid-terms are right around the corner and next is the Peace Corps IST (In Service Training) in DecemberThe date for the new volunteers to arrive has been set, as well as the date for the Salone 1 group (volunteers who have already been here over a year) to ship out. Seeing those dates was a reality check that time is indeed moving and it will fly by :)
School is going great even though I am teaching just as much French as I am English (I would definately not consider myself proficient in any way in French, intermediate at best). I have to listen for Mende, Krio, English and now, French - with an 'English Kenna accent,' when the locals talk to me...great :) I was also nominated as the Games and Sports Master (in charge of sports and the cross country.) I have already organized our first soccer (they say football) game for this coming Friday, set up a volleyball net and had the entire school run the cross country, which they do every term.
We ran the cross country about three weeks ago, if you can call 4 miles a 'cross country.' I went into this event blind, not knowing what to expect at all. I had been running at least four times a week and was worried that I would not be in good enough shape to keep up with the students. I assumed, like a lot of people probably do, that any African is an Olympic racer... I was wrong.
The event started at 5:30 am on a Saturday morning, I woke up automatically because of the roosters but two of the teacher went around Futa hollering and ringing the school bell at 4:45 when it was pitch black. I was sitting on my veranda, lacing my tennies, pulling back my hair and figuring out which playlist I would listen to on my i-pod. In the dark, I stumbled, by memory, towards the court barrie where all the students were to meet. I could alreay hear the chanting, and I have to admit it was very erie and kinda creeped me out. Picture 60 students in straight lines chanting, "Leaders. Leaders. We are the Leaders. Leaders of tomorrow. Leaders. Leaders." With the deep, raspy chant of the children, and multiple class divisions and lines, I couldn't help but think of a child army, and thought about if the rebel war was anything like this.
We took off running in, what I saw as complete darkness and had to carefully watch my every step, but the kids seemed to have night goggles on and remained in their perfect lines. The entire time chanting. The teachers ran up and down the lines, yelling at the groups to sing louder or to stay in formation. When I realized that my speed-walk pace was considered a "swift run" by everyone in this event, I was asked to slow my pace. I would call what I was doing a 'stroll.' The kids and other teachers were also strolling; however they were exerting more energy than me because they were shuffling their feet and swinging their arms so that from a far (villages off the road) it appeared that they were in a jogging state. I couldn't help but laugh when I imagined that the cross country would be my workout for the day. I took off my i-pod and walked along the kids for 2 hours to the town of Haribo (a mere two miles away, yes, it really took that long).
We were welcomed in the town, listened to a couple of drawn out speeches and the teachers and older student preformed a 'hazing' tradition on the new students before heading back. I couldn't force myself to drag my feet another two hours, but this time it was sunny, so I told the kids I would meet them back in town and that I was going to run, American style. They were all amazed when I ran away from the military formed lines. Later the teachers tried to explain that my students, who are 18-20 years old, are just kids and would have gotten too tired if they tried to keep up with me.
I learned that not all Africans are long distance runners :)
For Thanksgiving, our district is going to have a little get together and celebrate, not quite 'American-style,' but we'll do our best with the food we have haha. I will be sure to take some pictures of the food setup.
It is crazy how fast time is going, but then at the same time I know I have a big time chunk ahead of me and think time is not going so fast. Mid-terms are right around the corner and next is the Peace Corps IST (In Service Training) in DecemberThe date for the new volunteers to arrive has been set, as well as the date for the Salone 1 group (volunteers who have already been here over a year) to ship out. Seeing those dates was a reality check that time is indeed moving and it will fly by :)
A 'gift' from my 11 year old friend, Saidu... I did cook it- scaled, gutted and everything all by myself. Yay me!
A giant snail I found crawling on my fence towards my compost pile
A flower with a camouflaged spider on it
A worm that blows bubbles
A super clean stream in Freetown...
Tammie and I walking around
A funny store, we had a great time taking pictures, this was a giant tiger head, meant to be hung on a wall...classy right?
In front of the Peace Corps hostel gate
29.10.11
Small update
Pics mainly, because to explain everything that has happened would take a little too long...
The road I walk to for school (and phone service)
School Sign (very visable)
School
JSS 3 classroom
New school (in progress, obviously)
JSS 3
JSS 1 (my french class haha)
My principal and I
All the teachers and I
Sign in my village
A neighbor kid, Boice- he's always on my porch
Two kids coming back from fishing
Moduhuaway, ALWAYS on my porch dancing to my workout music.
Better late than nevers
So, I realize it is no longer August- but that is when I wrote this and figured it wouldn't hurt to go up a little later with some pics :)
PCV whoo hoo
PCV whoo hoo
August 12th, 2011
I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer and no longer a Trainee! I even have a picture with the US Ambassador of Sierra Leone to prove it, along with a little pin. Good bye Makeni, hello Futa Pejeh! (6am departure time tomorrow)
The US Ambassador and I
Tammie and I before ‘swearing-in’ as Peace Corps Volunteers
Everyone in the Pejehun district... pretty much my neighbors. Jesse is the closest (7-12 miles), then
Amy.
The entire group of PCV’s and our teachers during training.
Tammie and I with our language teachers. ‘Uncle’ Ben is the one with the sweet shades and all white get-up, he is mine. Ibrihim is Tammie’s.
My new family and I after the ceremony. They attended as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)