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Contact 5
"…the
roaches & the white giant.…"
From Feb 15 to Feb 22, 2001
Feb
15
Mom & Dad!! I'm so glad I got to talk to both of you
today. Thursdays are definitely my favorite days here! I talked to Kurt
after I talked to you - & he had a surprise caller for me, but I didn't
get the call. I waited 15 minutes then I had to go or my bus was leaving
me. I think it was April. I'm so bummed. Hopefully next week. And tonight
I was sitting here & 2 formateurs came by my house-with a Valentine's
day card from April!!! Kinda crazy. I couldn't talk to her, but she still
got to me J. Today when I came home from Alepe, I was hanging out with
Benedicte & Jen when Grandad came over. I do my best to avoid that
man - I don't have a clue what his name is…they never told me. Anyway,
he's only about 68 or 69 but he looks (& smells) at least 147. He's
nasty - & he's only got 3 or 4 teeth in his head. Well, because of
the culture here - respecting elders, especially men - I'm forced to talk
to him & shake his gross hand everyday. But today he decided he would
have a conversation with me in Mbatto - HELLO?!! I just stared at him,
smiled & said in English "what the hell are you saying to me?"
Every once in a while he would say "il faut comprendre" - he
would yell it. That basically means "why can't you understand me?!"
It actually translates to "you must understand." They say this
to me all the time but with other things…"il faut manger"
(you have to eat)…"il faut laver" (you must go bathe)…
Well, I think gramps lost his patience because he finally got up &
left. He's really nasty. Anyway, I'm off to bed. So I'll catch you later.
I love you. Goodnight!
Feb 16
Guess what I did today??? I made peanut butter! It was so cool! We cooked
the fresh peanuts over a fire (like everything else), then crushed them
a little to separate the skins. That's crunchy PB - for creamy, we had
to "roll" the paste on a stone slab with a glass bottle until
all the pieces were crushed. It tastes like the natural PB at home. It
is so good. And it's really not that hard. I'm making it when I move to
site. I'll save some for you J. The equipment to make it isn't that expensive
either. So, that's good. I took some pictures too so you can see what
it looks like. I was talking to a PCV today who said it would be ok to
visit after at least 6 months at site…so that would be, at the earliest,
Oct or Nov. So, if you want to start looking at prices. You'd fly into
Abidjan, I think. I'm already asking where the cool places to go are.
We have to come to Monga so my host family can meet you, & of course
to my vallage. Maybe we can go to Ghana - anywhere else. Oh yeah, tonight
AP asked me if I wanted to watch him kill a mouton?! A mouton is a sheep,
but it looks like a goat. I told him, sure - so I'll let you know how
it goes J. I'm sure I'll be grossed our & cry for the poor guy…but
it's an experience, right?! Why am I here again?! I'm really enjoying
myself right now. I can't wait to move to site. I want to do my own thing
- I don't have much control over my schedule here. But my family is super.
I couldn't have asked for a better one. They want me to try everything
& teach me everything (like making PB). My hands were covered with
PB - but it was so fun! I think they like watching the American "try"
to work - they are so nice to me. Well, I've got to go meet some of the
formateurs…until tomorrow J...bonne nuit! (goodnight)
Feb 17
Well, I was eating breakfast this AM & noticed a lot of movement to
my left. I got up to check it out & it was AP & the kids - with
a mouton standing over a fire…no head, no feet!!! 6:30 AM GOOD MORNING!
He killed it at 5:30…the head & feet were sitting next to it.
I took some pictures then I got to watch him cut the legs off & gut
it! He showed me all the organs & even cut open the heart for me.
It looked just like a human…you could see the liver, lungs, stomach,
everything. I didn't know how to say "this is so cool" en francais
though J. Our party tonight was pretty fun. It was at Mariam's house (the
Director, where you call). We had PIZZA!! It was very nice. The Ivorians
were dancing up a storm again. They are the coolest people I've ever met.
I wish you could meet them all. They've got some kick ass music too. In
case I forget, ask Eric (or you can) to look on the net for Ishmael Isaac.
He's a singer here (I think Ishmael is his last name…they do it backwards
here). Anyway, the album is called Black System & it is AWESOME! I
was going to get it for Kurt because he would absolutely LOVE it - but
it's expensive to send it from here I think. So I wanted to see if it's
possible to get it in the states. So let me know what he says in case
I forget to ask him. Kurt's birthday is in March. So I was thinking of
getting it for him. Obviously, if there are things in here that don't
need to be repeated, you can omit those in the reprint for everyone else
J. I'm looking for something cool for Eric but I haven't found anything
here yet. Well, I better get to bed. It's early to rise…tomorrow
is laundry & room cleaning day J! Goodnight - I love you!
Feb 18
Well, I've been "in country" one month today. It seems so much
longer than that. I got up this morning & swept my roomwoth sticks
tied together for my broom. Then I washed clothes - 3 budkets - wash #1,
wash #2, rinse… I wash then Benedicte washes again…she thinks
I suck. Oh well, at least she's helping me. We're having our Sunday lunch
again today with all the PCTs that live in Paris (the neighborhood of
Monga that I live in). AP told me I have to say something to everyone
in French - welcoming them & saying how happy I am that they're here.
Yippee. My arm is swollen too, where I got my rabies shot yesterday. I
hope that's ok. You know, sometimes I think this is so fun, & so exciting
to see all this stuff so different from the states - & then I wonder
why I would want to leave all my loved ones to do it. I could just take
a vacation over here. I know it wouldn't be the same. I like it, don't
get me wrong - but I can't imagine ever not having that feeling of wanting
to go back home. Speaking of home - here in a few weeks the phone calls
are going to change. I'll let you know when for sure later. We're going
to be making site visits in 4 weeks I think, and then somewhere else too.
So at some point I'll just have to call you with the next arrangement.
It'll probably be me calling you from Abidjan & giving you a number
at the PC hostel. I'm not sure, but I'll let you know. My language teacher
is coming over today to help me with my past tense verb forms. It's not
too hard. I just have to use them in order to remember them. I got another
letter from Mr. Chardos. (I can't remember if I told you - that makes
#3!) He said he talked to you about what I told you…and was very
interested in what else was going on. I got a Valentine's Day card from
April, too, which was nice. And it was only a day late! I better go study
some before lunch. I'll be back. I miss you. J. ~~ Lunch wasn't bad. It's
all in French - but life is in French here. It is really nice to have
other English speaking people here though. I think I'd go crazy. I found
out some mail info…the most one of the PCVs had to pay for mail was
3000F & that was a pretty good sized box. I don't know how big. But
it will cost me less on this side if it's in a padded envelope & the
lighter it weight of course. I was just wondering about deoderant. I was
told you can buy it in Abidjan but I don't know how expensive it is. I
may have to make do & have you bring it when you come.
Feb
19
It is hot hot hot today - but it's amazing how refreshing shade can be
- it's all relative I guess. We had a class today on HIV/aids education.
There arealmost as many documented cases of HIV/aids in Cote d'Ivoire
as there are in the US! And it's a scary thought educating the villagers
on HIV/aids transmission because of the gender/religious/cultural issues.
Women can't teach even their sons about sex education. They told us a
case where a woman asked her husband to wear a condom & the village
beat her & said she was a whore. It's really sad but when a woman
becomes pregnant, she can't have sex until the baby is walking. The belief
is if she does, the baby won't walk. So of course the man can't go that
long without having sex, so it's the norm to go find a girlfriend in the
meantime. The wives don't like it but they can't say anything. So, HIV/aids/stds
are pretty rampant. Also, polygamy is fairly common here. It's very intimidating.
Benedicte has been really sick the past 2 days. I don't know what is wrong.
She was crying this morning & when I came home from lunch, they said
she was at her Mom's. I hope she's ok. She was taking some funky home
made medicine yesterday. It looked like ??? Oh yeah. We had a PCT leave
today. Her name is Rebecca. She was in my language class in the picture.
I told her to email you because she wanted a copy I hope that's ok. Anyway,
she's been sick since she's been here - which will wear you down mentally
really fast. And she decided she wants to get married. She's happy with
her decision which is good. It makes me feel better to see the people
leave happy with their decision. I couldn't leave now on my own choice
alone right now & not regret it. But if I just am not happy being
here, it helps to have seen people leave & it be a good thing, not
that they just quit. I'm ready to move to site right now. Training is
a lot more cliqu-ish than I thought it would be…which is fine I guess.
I'm going to have to accept the fact that I'm a loner J & I'm not
going to click with most people. Oh yeah, yesterday at lunch, this in
that I didn't know so I said instinctively "who's that white guy
with Freddy?" You know you're in Africa when you say who's the white
guy!?! Well, I better get to class. Talk to you soon! ~~ Well, Benedicte
is much better. She had to go to the hospital today. They do some funky
medical stuff here. AP told me she was getting "senm" (?) today
but I don't really know what that means. "Palu" is short for
the French word for malaria - & they call everything "Palu"
- so even if they say someone had a blood transfusion - or "serum"
as he called it - it could've just been a shot or something. Something
else funny today, I'm going to describe this place a little. OK. There
are about 4 or 5 buildings together forming a sort of "box"
- their courtyard. One of their "buildings" is the kitchen -
but it's really a shack with a tin roof, dirt floors & a hole in the
wall as the "doorway" I was sitting in the "kitchen"
today, looking out into the courtyard watching the kids play. My 2 little
brothers were playing - both are two years old - dirty, nasty kids - as
filthy as any 2 year old with a dirt floor would be. But here, kids are
usually naked, & when they aren't they may wear underwear or a shirt
- not both. So, Blaise had on a pink dress today that was entirely too
small for his fat little 2 year old body (he's a chunk). Well, he was
playing with this sardine can - I watched him put the can under his dress
& commence to pee in it, as well as all over his hands & on the
ground. Then he DRANK it! His Mom didn't see him, but I don't know that
she would have cared. This is a wacky place that we live in. Today in
class we learned how to use verbs in future tense. It's hard remembering
how to use all these verbs. But living in French sure helps. Well, I'm
going to try to catch the news & get some sleep. I heard we bombed
Iraq, but I haven't heard much about it. So, I'll be back later - good
night. ~ still here…I just heard on VOA that Dale Earnhardt died.
It's weird being over here, that is probably all I'll hear about it. That's
really sad - but he was doing what he loved I guess. You can die doing
what you love, but you better not do it while I'm over here. J I love
you both so much and I really miss you. Good night again.
Feb
20
It is really stinking hot today. It's the frustrating heat too. My skirt
is sticking to me so I can't walk. The bugs are buzzing all over me. I
can't stop sweating. But I'll tell you, I wear my hat every day. I'm so
glad we got it. That & my quick dry clothes because I never stop sweating.
I talked to the APCD today about village placement. I told her I haven't
had any meat here that I can eat - to see if she can place me where I
can get fruits & veggies… Also, I told her I was a dietitian.
She said there were a lot of villages that requested health volunteers,
but they weren't the most immediately in need. So, they're getting wat/san
PCVs, but she'd try to put me in one of those villages that also needed
a health PCV. So there's a good chance I'll get to do a lot of heath stuff.
I'm really excited about moving to site - 2 more months! I told her that
I'm not an "in your face" kind of person - that I'm a peace
maker. So she said she'd try to put me in a smaller village, maybe one
that is more on the conservative side. And she talked to me a little bit
about 1st, 2nd & 3rd generation PCVs (remember, there are 3 cycles
of PCVs for each village). She told me the pros & cons of all of them.
First generation may actually be the best because the village has no expectations
- good or bad - & I'll be the one to set all precedents. Anyway, I'll
take what I get - there's good & bad with everything. We'll find out
in a few weeks what village we are going to. I can not wait to move to
site, though. I just want to get to site so I can do my own thing. Tonight,
Loukou came over & tutored me for a while. They will do one on one
1 night per week for language. After we find out our village, we start
learning the local language. I think I better learn French first. Well,
I better get to bed. Good night J ~ I forgot to tell you that I had to
take a "marigot" bath tonight (mar-i-go). They have a pump here
for water that I use for drinking/bathing - it's like the faucet on the
house, only I can't drink it "as-is". But it looks fine. The
pump line has been cut somehow, so we have no water - hence the marigot
water. A marigot is the river whirl pool where they wash clothes/dishes/bathe/get
drinking water. So tonight I had to bathe with it! It looked gross. It
had a green tint to it. I put bleach in it so it was basically green pool
water. I hope they fix it soon. I don't want to wake up with my skin necrosing.
OK Good night. I love you!
Feb
21
It is as hot as I can take it today. It's as hot at home but there's no
AC & it's this hot all day & night. It's cooled down a little
now. I think it might rain. I felt like I was at home this morning - it
was muggy & the air was really thick, & I think it must be Monga
trash burning day because the smog was just like home. J. It's weird.
You try to put trash in a "trash can" - but here the can gets
emptied into the street. So, it's ok to just throw down your trash. Trash
is a real problem here. It's really sad. Did I tell you we're going to
the beach on Saturday? I don't know what an African beach is like but
I'm excited to see something different. I already have a huge farmer's
tan. I might get some tank tops made here. I better get to class. Have
a good morning! ~~ I got a letter from Dad today!! It took only 3 ½
weeks to get here!! Was so excited. We got letters today because someone
came from Abidjan. We usually only get them on Thursdays & Saturdays.
It made my day! I got a letter from Kurt too - in a padded envelope that
got here before the "easy" "lightweight" air mail.
Hint. Hint J. It was nice to see your writing. That's homesick - when
I want to see your writing. It's a nice afternoon now too. It dropped
at least 150. It's all because of your letter! So how was your basketball
game in Rupp Arena?! I know I'll talk to you up there but still. How are
all the kids doing in the neighborhood? How's tennis going? I wish I could
play some tennis right now. Oh yeah, I asked how big Monga is. It's ~2000
people. And I think that's a pretty big village. Today we're doing our
technical session on how we'll teach the villages. We all got into groups
of 3 & came up with something. We did a scavenger hunt to demonstrate
places to get potable water & ways to make water potable. We do things
like build water jars (I took a pic) - you can catch rain water or just
use it to store clean water. But we are also trying to show people to
boil water before they drink it to help prevent a lot of funky diseases.
Also to boil the water before bathing in it. You can also use bleach -
but boiling is free. We pretty much run the tech sessions, which is good,
because it makes us learn it more & present it in a way that we know
we'll be interested in. Yesterday we learned how to say, in French, what
the PC is & what wt/san does. It was very helpful. All the teaching
techniques here are non-traditional. Where are we? Of course it's non-traditional!
A weird thing here - some of the people have said this happened to them…remember
I told you they have a trash problem here. Well, some of the PCTs have
given their families their trash to dispose of…& then the kids
were fighting over it in the courtyard & using it for toys. It's kinda
sad - but good too, I guess - they're being resourceful. I'm keeping mine
until stage is over, then do I don't know what with it. One of the PCVs
said they had a trash burning party at the end of stage last year! If
that's not American I don't know what is!! Two new words I learned today
too (because of my little brothers) - pisser (which is obvious) &
shier (shee-ay) - not too far removed from English J. You know one thing
I think is really awesome here is how much hospitality is a part of their
culture. Monga could be compared to Echo Mill - imagine for a minute that
23 families volunteered to take care of an African "student"
for 3 months - help them learn the language, help them integrate into
American culture, prepare foods they will eat & help them with anything
they need. Here my family is up in the AM before I am, fixing my breakfast.
They are all there while I'm eating until I go to class. Then they are
all there when I get home with dinner on the way. They make sure I have
everything I need - boiled water and veggies washed in bleach…everything!
I try to imagine this in, say, Echo Mill - or any town in the USA - everyone
has something to do or somewhere to be. Not everyone, but I think more
people than not. Here, 95% of the families would give their first born
to have the chance to host an American. Their hospitality is very evident
and helps when we're feeling homesick. They are almost as excited as I
am when I get mail too. They are so good to me. Don't think I'm saying
it's better here. It's just different, and it's also good. Tomorrow I
get to talk to Dad. I love Thursdays because I get to talk to you guys!
I just finished eating dinner & I'm stuffed. I'm afraid I'm going
to have to "break the seal" tonight. That means I'm going to
have to pee. I hate going after dark - there are too many roaches and
other unknown things. Well, I'll be back tomorrow for a little more. I've
got the whole back to fill up J. Good night!
Feb
22
Good morning! It's really stinkin' hot today. I'm absolutely soaked! Well,
last night I had to brave the latrine, but I made it out alive! The roaches
tried to overthrow the white giant but I conquered them J. On my way there,
though, I heard something that scared me to death. So I shined my light
on it - it was AP taking a bath. I felt like an idiot. So I said "pardon"
& played the stupid American. And this morning we checked out some
ants at one of the PCT's house. Ask Grandma about them, Mom. They talked
about them in the Poison Wood Bible overtaking a chicken & eating
it to the bone - a LIVE chicken. Anyway - they are huge black ants that
march around in 2 inch thick lines and they don't go out of that line.
They make tunnels with themselves & then walk through - so it's ants
walking through a tunnel of ants! There was one spot where I could have
scooped with both hands & still not gotten all the ants. It's totally
bizarre. If you stand right next to them, they won't bother you. But it
you get in their way, they will swarm your body. That happened to the
PCT living there. That would make me come home. Ask Grandma about the
ants in the Poison Wood Bible. Another funny thing here is when you buy
street food - you buy rice or attieke) kinda like couscous) - they wrap
it up in a big green leaf. It's the African to go bag! We're not allowed
to eat street food so I haven't tried it yet. You don't actually eat the
leaf. Well, class is about to start - then lunch - then Dad!! So I may
write more later. We ate an awesome lunch today - & now I'm waiting
for you to call! It's actually raining now too. That means it's going
to cool off. Yipee! I got 3 letters today!! From Mom & the Grandmas.
I was so excited. There's this thing they do here that we do at home that's
just a little different - you know when you want someone to come to where
you are, you use your pointer finger & curl it back toward you. Well,
here they put their hand up as if they're waving, but don't wave it -
they bend their fingers over - it's kinda like a wave to a little kid.
Let's see if I can draw it. {editor's note…at this point Niki "drew"
that hand motion…I'm unable to duplicate that effort…so, if
you're real interested, the preceding description will have to suffice…}
I miss you! I can't wait to see you. Tell everyone hi for me. I love you
~ Nik/Rock
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