Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Oh what a week

As if I wasn't stressed out enough a week and a half ago, this latrine project, I am convinced is going to kill me. We succeeded in picking up the materials for 9 latrines, 3 of which were built before I left for Kaolack. However, the rest of the villagers have started accusing me of being "political" for only giving them to 9 people. At least 10 times a day, I explain that everyone will, in fact, receive a latrine. At the moment though, we are funded for nine and hopefully, once these 9 are done, the other money will have arrived and we can start the rest. The only reason they are getting them first is because they showed me that they have finished digging their holes. And, since there is only one mason in the village, we can only do one at a time any way so there is no problem and they need to chill. Needless to say, they don't get it. And on my way to another compound to start his douche, I was confronted, wait no, ambushed, by a villager. He begins screaming at me like a crazy person (and a 5 year old). Well, after a week of trying to get my point across and having people treat me like crap, I lost it. Straight up, legit flipped out. Started screaming about how he was acting like a child, what a big jerk he was, how he needed to stop chewing with his mouth open and spitting mango on me, how i'd make sure he never received anything from me as long as I lived in the village....anything you name it, I screamed about it. To add to things, my family decided to leave me out of lunch that day too. So 330 comes around and still no lunch, but luckily I was too upset to be hungry. So I left and said nothing to my family or the village. This was monday night. I'm not going back until Friday, I'm still too angry with them.

On a brighter note, I taught a sexual health session in natalie's village. Since its a pulaar village I was able to speak comfortably about, well, birth control and condoms. I managed to learn a thing or two as well. For example, a bike pump is useful for more than just helping out with flat tires. It can act as "a man" when you're doing a condom presentation. To make things even better, the condoms were Christmas colors! Although, really, who the hell would want to use a green condom? Even in Africa, ok especially in Africa, do you really want to associate green with your errrr ummm "private time?" My vote-- not so much.

While everyone laughed histerically the entire time, we had one woman and one man (separately of course) come up and demonstrate how to put the condom on. Mainly just to embarrass them, but I think that they did end up learning about their options. When we explained how the women are tired of having children and raising them for as long as they can remember, and the men are busy, ok maybe thats not the right word. So, while the men are drinking tea and sitting in the shade, maybe they should consider not knocking the women up quite as often. Condoms! Birth Control! USE THEM!!! They seemed rather receptive and it didn't seem to offend them. Or at least they didn't tell us if it did. The best part came when we needed to take the Christmas condoms off the bike pump. Its so much more fun to actually use the pump. And in doing so, i shot a condom off into the crowd, hitting natalie's mom in the head (not hard). Myself and everyone else lost it and to be honest, I almost peed my pants laughing so hard. Giant green condom flying through the air-- and SMACK! Stuck right in her weave. How charming.

I'm staying an extra day here in Kaolack, as I said and tomorrow I'm going to a hotel pool to drink bloody marys and lay by the pool. Thank god. I'm going to the beach on the 31st to celebrate my 23rd birthday. God I'm getting old. But i'm certainly ready for a vacation. Im looking forward to it. Luckily, considering how angry I am with the village, I only have to be back for a few days before I go to Thies for my meeting. Working on my birthday. Nice. I'm still going out!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Job description: stressed out nag

Back in Kaolack after a two and a half week long stint in Pakane. Let me just say, this might have been the most stressful at site since arriving. My tree nursery has been finished for over 3 weeks now, and I am just now getting the villagers to start theirs. Although, the chickens have taken a liking to my trees so I had to buy chicken wire and threaten my family that I would eat the chickens if they touched my trees again. Is it bad that I kind of want them to maybe just eat one -- so i can have them for lunch? Anyway, over and over they gave me a time or day to come and over and over again they blew me off. "Sira Ba, I don't have something I need, come tomorrow morning around 9." Nine o'clock comes around and I show up, "Oh sorry, he went to Kaolack." What the h? I think it might be a record to have been blown off 6 times in one day. Seriously?! Finally, I took a book and retreated to the bush shooting dirty look after dirty look and avoiding children by ducking behind trees so they wouldn't follow me. I feel like rather than spending most of my time nagging the villagers to work instead of actually working. Although I have been able to start 7 nurserys before I left, so that helps.

On one especially frustrating day, I decided it would be a good idea to go to my road town to buy a mango. And while I can get them in the village, they're either so squishy it reminds me of the inside of a gusher or dripping with drool from my year old brother sucking on it. Probably a bad idea on that day since I was already in a bad mood and I had to deal with people. The next time I hear anyone in America complaining about racism, I'm probably going to flip. The fact that I had to hide in a random shack, to keep from being harassed, only to be surrounded by 15 teenage boys shouting "toubab" and hissing/making kissing noises as I tried to eat it is, to put it nicely, obnoxious. Seriously, you would be hard pressed to find that in America.

On the bright side, thanks to you all, I am almost fully funded for my bed-net distribution by now! And in less than 24hours! But don't feel like we have to stop at the goal of $250, any extra proceeds will go to other volunteers in need of bed nets as well and who haven't raised the money that they need yet. Thank you so much! Also, I am funded for 8 latrines and am waiting for the reset of the money to come in from a local NGO. I want to start construction this weekend when I go back home to Pakane. The villagers can stop bugging me 3 times a day. They still have not given me their share though, so again with the nagging, I need to start in on them yet again.

So, I came in for Cinco de Mayo and made enchilladas! They were absolutely delicious. However, I came in by car instead of biking Alhumdillilah! That was by far the hardest thing have ever done. I'll probably do it again haha! Peace corps has turned me into a socially awkward masochist. But, since having been here, I've learned that the money we raised fund-raising, for the gender and developement group I run communications for, is not able to be used. According to a new rule, we are not allowed to specifically raise the funds or handle the money in any way. Meaning, all of the money we raised at WAIST (by drinking and selling the boys off as dates) can't be used for the 80 scholarships we are giving out this month. All and all, we may not be able to give out the scholarships. Not good! I'm desperately trying to come of with an answer, so that these girls can actually receive the money to buy school supplies and food.

So, as you can see, I am beyond stressed. Despite even the work aspects, one of my closest neighbors seems to have it out for me since i'm not my ancient (the girl I replaced). Apparently they were friends, and since I'm not her that makes me, well, the devil. What a jerk. Cant relax in Kaolack because of work and can't relax at home because of stupid men (and mice). Lame! On the bright side I did decide on some travel plans!

In October I'm going to Mali with two other people. One of the girls is from up north and I don't know her very well, but the other girl is in the Kaolack region and one of my favorite people in country. 2 full weeks of hiking, riding camels and taking a picture in front of the "Welcome to Timbuktu" sign. I shortened my trip home by a week, sorry mom (we'll talk later) so that in March I can travel West Africa for 3 weeks. My goal is to hit Guinea, Sierra Leonne and Liberia. As for a trip at the end of my service, I'm off to Nepal to trekk in the Himalayas and to find the Abominable Snowman (more like the Adorable Snowman!). After 4-5 days in India I'll be back in the good 'ole US of A.

Also, thank you all so much for helping me with my bed net distribution. If anyone else wants to help me out with funding you can go to my website. Any money over the $250 will go to other volunteers involved in the distribution who have not yet raised enough. So extras are always welcome! I miss and love you all so much and I can't wait to see everyone in 6 months!
www.AgainstMalaria.com/SarahKnight