i must say, i did not get as many as my friend did. maybe my beloved mama really IS the only one who reads this thing. hi mom! hi spammers! also i got some sassy facebook questions from my friends who are currently in the Gam, which means they are null and void (and i have some sassy friends). but enough with the intro...
Q. have you been eating meat? if so, is it as terrible as you thought it would be?
A. yes, i've been eating chicken and fish. and someone gave me lizard once. it was a sneak attack, they told me it was a bowl of beans. monitor lizard is not delicious. very stringy. i've been able to avoid beef and pork because people just don't have that here, or if they do they're above my income scale. on holidays, i have on occasion eaten goat or sheep (ram,mostly). that is difficult, the parts i get are really rubbery and it's a huge honor. plus they expect you to watch the sacrifice and subsequent gutting. it's pretty hard to swallow, on every level. i managed to miss the major sacrifice last major holiday, but the ram was in our compound for a few days before and the kids really enjoyed petting and playing with it. they also really enjoyed eating it. and blair, i don't think i could regret crazy burger. it's a great memory now.
Q. would you like me to send you one of those Honey BBQ fritos twists snacks you would always get?
A. heck yes. there's nothing like the real thing.
Q. how has your hip been holding up now that it's the rainy season?
A. my hip has been doing very well. i think all my leg muscles are becoming very strong because i walk 10-20 km on the beach each week doing turtle surveys. i am very sore the next day, but my hip doesn't hurt worse than anywhere else. AND there are basically no stairs or hills here so it's getting a nice break from those, which really disturbed it. by the way, miss blair, how is your ankle? any thoughts on a triumphant rugby return?
Q. when are you getting back and are you up for a reunion?
A. i'm scheduled to come back january 2012. i can't give an exact date because there's been talk of travelling on the way back (some people even take a cruise back and avoid that terrible long plane ride. apparently it also helps with the transition back to the "western" world). i am up for many reunions, and i really, really want to see california. ahem. or oregon.
Q. what's it like to poop in a hole everyday? (this question was asked by a fellow volunteer, but in case you're curious...)
A. fantastic. you never have to clean it.
Q. how many bathrooms does your compound have? (also from another volunteer)
A. this question is funny because outside of the lodges there are no flush toilets for miles. but if you're wondering about the basic family bathroom situation, my compound is pretty typical. they have fenced bathing areas behind each of the 3 bedrooms where all 13 of them bathe, and also urinate. to do your business, there's a family pit latrine in the far back of the backyard, with corrugate around to provide protection.
Q. what is your favorite part of the day?
A. this is a really difficult question, partially because i have many "favorite" moments of every day, and partially because every day is so different. i work on many different projects and they all demand i have a different schedule. but i really enjoy the late evening, when the sun is setting. everyone is getting their baths and they're all clean (for maybe 5 minutes) and we all sit on the porch on our mats together and wait for dinner. sometimes we play games or sing songs, sometimes we just talk. i always go home for dinner so i can get that quality family time.
Q. what's the best advice you have gotten since you've been in the Gambia?
A. this was a really difficult one to answer, because i get advice on EVERYTHING here. peace corps training broke down every tiny aspect of my life and advised me on how to live it. but i think the best advice i've gotten is relax. remember to relax.
because you can't control a damn thing that happens to you here, so you might as well go with it.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
you say what.
every now and again, i say something that just makes people laugh, completely innocently and outside of my intentions. for example, one day i went to work at the school, despite a blossoming headcold and general discomfort. "oh," they said, "you are sick. go home and lay down" and i said "maybe i should. i don't want to get everybody else sick, too."
cue laugh track.
and my clumsy explanation of germ theory. because when i'm sick, everyone around me is going to be too. surrrre. in this instance, the science teacher eventually was able to substansite my claim that illness can, indeed, be passed around like a soccer ball. but there have been several other concepts that i have tried to express to people, where i get the same response:
you say what. (not a question, a statment. so incredulous they can't even make it a question. it's like they're telling me to think about what i'm saying and say it again)
if you're wondering what makes people say those three little words (you say what.)
here are some examples from MY life
-volcanos. when the volcano erupted in iceland, it interupted air travel, which in turn stranded some tourists here and forced others to be stuck there. what is a volcano, i was asked on several occasions. with some people, i didn't get past saying the center of the earth is so very, very hot that rock melts. and the concept of pressure. and an exploding mountain. clouds of ash. that funny word molten. it must have taken me hours to invent such a fantastical story. that was so much better than my little yarn about giant plates under the ground causing earthquakes.
-the mafia. this one was really fun to explain. oh, i started off with the classic example of drugs and restuarants, but that quickly became too abstract so we changed to cows and bitiks (little stores), and families and "boys." but really, is there a society that operates around, under, and over the law? probably not.
-and my personal favorite. i actually suggested that there are countries in asia other than china, and that every asian person is in fact, not chinese. this one was really funny, then incomprehensible. i was really proud of myself, though, because eventually i truly made them understand and believe. i pointed out that they can tell by looking at an african what country he or she is from, even though most people from europe or america can't, and that while africa is very big and has many countries, most people think of it all as one place. i felt so good to hear them say "asia is the same way?" and sometimes, when we see a movie with an asian character, they ask me which country in asia they're from instead of just saying "the chinese"
racial sensitivity is on a very different plane here.
-while we're talking about geography, i also have attempted to spread the word that america isn't really just the us, that the united states are one country, and canada is not a state but an independent nation. and that there's a central and a south america. and i have drawn several maps in the sand showing the almighty atlantic, and that "toubabado" (the place where the toubabs live) is actually several different continents and they are fairly far apart.
*in case you're new to the blog, toubab is the generally accepted word for white person here. the little children see you walking down the street and yell it "toubab! toubab!" then they usually ask you for a minty, which means a piece of candy. under no circumstances do i ever give them candy, or money, or whatever it is they ask for because the last thing you need to learn at such a young age is that you can get something for nothing. i (and quite a few others) become quite enraged when i see tourists throwing candy among crowds of kids. they will fight each other. there will not be enough for everyone. someone will end up crying. and they will ask every toubab they see, for the rest of their childhood days, and maybe their lives, for handouts. this concept, by the way, also does not go over so well with the gambians. "you say what. you don't give them candy because they ask. if i had money, i would give them candy"
well, my well-meaning friend, therein lies the problem. you don't have money, and if you did you would spend it on giving children candy.
this post took a philosophical turn i wasn't prepared for. i can talk about my opinions on sustaniability as it pertains to this culture, and development worldwide, until i'm blue in the face. but i want you to read this blog so you see what's going on here, not in my head. sorry. but i think it's an important concept for us all to think about, so i'm glad it came up.
in other news, my friend did this on her blog and i think it's a really cool idea. if you have questions for me about the gambia, the peace corps, my day-to-day life, i would be happy to do a little FAQ blog post. we'll make the deadline next weds, just comment with your questions, facebook me, or email me. and if i don't get any questions from toubabado, well, i'll make some up.
cue laugh track.
and my clumsy explanation of germ theory. because when i'm sick, everyone around me is going to be too. surrrre. in this instance, the science teacher eventually was able to substansite my claim that illness can, indeed, be passed around like a soccer ball. but there have been several other concepts that i have tried to express to people, where i get the same response:
you say what. (not a question, a statment. so incredulous they can't even make it a question. it's like they're telling me to think about what i'm saying and say it again)
if you're wondering what makes people say those three little words (you say what.)
here are some examples from MY life
-volcanos. when the volcano erupted in iceland, it interupted air travel, which in turn stranded some tourists here and forced others to be stuck there. what is a volcano, i was asked on several occasions. with some people, i didn't get past saying the center of the earth is so very, very hot that rock melts. and the concept of pressure. and an exploding mountain. clouds of ash. that funny word molten. it must have taken me hours to invent such a fantastical story. that was so much better than my little yarn about giant plates under the ground causing earthquakes.
-the mafia. this one was really fun to explain. oh, i started off with the classic example of drugs and restuarants, but that quickly became too abstract so we changed to cows and bitiks (little stores), and families and "boys." but really, is there a society that operates around, under, and over the law? probably not.
-and my personal favorite. i actually suggested that there are countries in asia other than china, and that every asian person is in fact, not chinese. this one was really funny, then incomprehensible. i was really proud of myself, though, because eventually i truly made them understand and believe. i pointed out that they can tell by looking at an african what country he or she is from, even though most people from europe or america can't, and that while africa is very big and has many countries, most people think of it all as one place. i felt so good to hear them say "asia is the same way?" and sometimes, when we see a movie with an asian character, they ask me which country in asia they're from instead of just saying "the chinese"
racial sensitivity is on a very different plane here.
-while we're talking about geography, i also have attempted to spread the word that america isn't really just the us, that the united states are one country, and canada is not a state but an independent nation. and that there's a central and a south america. and i have drawn several maps in the sand showing the almighty atlantic, and that "toubabado" (the place where the toubabs live) is actually several different continents and they are fairly far apart.
*in case you're new to the blog, toubab is the generally accepted word for white person here. the little children see you walking down the street and yell it "toubab! toubab!" then they usually ask you for a minty, which means a piece of candy. under no circumstances do i ever give them candy, or money, or whatever it is they ask for because the last thing you need to learn at such a young age is that you can get something for nothing. i (and quite a few others) become quite enraged when i see tourists throwing candy among crowds of kids. they will fight each other. there will not be enough for everyone. someone will end up crying. and they will ask every toubab they see, for the rest of their childhood days, and maybe their lives, for handouts. this concept, by the way, also does not go over so well with the gambians. "you say what. you don't give them candy because they ask. if i had money, i would give them candy"
well, my well-meaning friend, therein lies the problem. you don't have money, and if you did you would spend it on giving children candy.
this post took a philosophical turn i wasn't prepared for. i can talk about my opinions on sustaniability as it pertains to this culture, and development worldwide, until i'm blue in the face. but i want you to read this blog so you see what's going on here, not in my head. sorry. but i think it's an important concept for us all to think about, so i'm glad it came up.
in other news, my friend did this on her blog and i think it's a really cool idea. if you have questions for me about the gambia, the peace corps, my day-to-day life, i would be happy to do a little FAQ blog post. we'll make the deadline next weds, just comment with your questions, facebook me, or email me. and if i don't get any questions from toubabado, well, i'll make some up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)