# 32 …English student's effort pays dividends…
August 3 - August 12, 2002

Hey Mom & Dad!

It's been a long time since I've written… Is this #32? I've been in & out of the village a lot the last month & a half. And a lot has happened. All the latrines are dug except 2 at the school. So, I've had the cement & rebar sent to go ahead & cover the latrine holes. I've gotten an estimate for the school project too. So, I can start the proposal! - side note - I just ate the spiciest thing I think I've ever eaten. There's a Ghanaian woman who cooks in the morning to sell and this AM she made what's called "dokono". It's a corn based food (pounded corn in a kind of footoo consistency). It is served with a sauce. And this morning, I think she spilled the piment (hot pepper) in it. I LOVE piment. But this AM, it brought me to tears. So, back to what I was saying… I left July 25 to go to Kakpin for a funeral. (We went on bike as usual.) I got my first love letter too! The nurse gave me one. And it was in English. He said "I'm felling in love with you." This is quite common among female PCVs, so I've been told. Anyway, July 26 I left for Noungbo-yaga, Meridith's village (about 65 km from Ganse). July 27, we left for Bondoukou on our bikes - 130 km! We didn't rush…taking breaks to eat all the yummy beef jerky & Clif Bars you sent me. And we spent at least an hour in a Lobi village called Flake, drinking tchapalo with the locals. When we showed up, I asked "il y a tchapalo?" (is there tchapalo?) & they said "il y a de l'eau?" (is there water?) The words sound kinda the same and they were thinking surely these two girls didn't come here for the tchap! We drew quite a crowd after that. Then they took us to the pump to refill water & to meet the Chief of the village. It was cool. After that break, the ride was painful, but we didn't care anymore. When Brendan did the same trip, it took him 6 hours…it took us 10. Watch out Lance Armstrong. July 28, we took an hour & a half ride to this "dam" near Bondoukou - so cool. I have to get a picture of it. Then, July 29 we rode to Sampa, just across the border in Ghana, to go to the market. That was fun too. Everything is cheaper over there. July 30, we did one more day of exploring on our bikes, then rested up for the fete on Wednesday, July 31. That was a ton of fun. Brendan got 20 liters of bangi & 20 liters of tchap to hold us over 'til the evening. We ate so well & drank well & danced 'til who knows when. I got a ton of pictures too, that I want to give to people here. I think Brendan had a good last day. But Thursday morning was bad. I don't want to leave. I'm back in the village now, though, and I've started bringing in the cement & stuff to do the latrines. So, be sure to tell Bob & JoAnn that "their" project is almost complete. And thank you so much. Hossane just showed up to study English. (Hossane is Kouakou's little brother…he was the one I wanted you to meet in Bouake. He's back in the village now.) I'll be back later. ~ ~ ~ I think today has been one of my proudest moments. I was studying with Hossane when Kouakou came by the house. But he was empty-handed. After he said hi & welcome back, he said he can't study today because he has to go to his fields to "chase monkeys". That makes me laugh every time I hear him say that. The monkeys & baboons boof their fields all the time. So, often, even if there's no actual work, they still have to go. Then he continues telling me (still in English) that he's been in the park all week working with the Germans. And that he leaves Monday to go work with them for 2 months! He told me about the work a little & what days he'll be coming back so he can study. I've only been gone a week & his English had improved so much. He was speaking faster, with fewer mistakes and he caught everything I was saying. I wanted to jump up & hug him. (I did get up and shake his hand.) Come to find out, which he also told me in English, the Germans he's working with don't speak French. They speak English! And he's been practicing all week. I'm so proud of him. He must be so excited to finally be able to use his English. And he's doing it so well. We're studying tomorrow. I can't wait to talk to him more about it. It's been just about a year since we started the English class - it was August last year but I don't know the date. Guess what I'm eating for lunch…? Pesto pasta with tiny shrimp & it's so yummy! Thanks . See ya in a bit. ~ ~ ~ Ate at Ama's tonight & got back just now…9:15. WAY past my bedtime! Oh well, she really appreciates it. I'm about to fall over, though, so I'll catch ya tomorrow. Good night. I love you.

Sunday, August 4

I got up this morning to run & Kouame was on his way to the garden…before church. Everyone is going crazy now. They hardly have time to breathe. With all this rain, they have to weed twice as much. And on top of that, they've started cotton fields AND a new co-op on top of the co-op they already have. WWF (World Wildlife Fund) has financed a village co-op. And Ganse is doing a garden - a huge one. So everyone is super busy. They have 2 "hectares" right now. One hectare is 100m X 100m. But they want to do 6! I don't know how they're gonna do it. The guys are all up at the school digging 2 latrines. The ground is all rock too…hopefully not for 3 meters deep, though. Not much to say right now. I need to start on this proposal. Be back later. (Lunch today: rice with beef bouillon cube & fish steaks in mustard sauce )

Monday, August 5

I'm starting to get a little anxious about this school project. By trying to save money, it's making us take a more difficult path - which is fine, if I knew I'd be here. But I don't know anything about the mason - meaning how he works, and I'm beginning to wonder if it worth more money to get a real builder to come in & be in charge. There are too many loose ends to watch the way we're doing it now. We're having a meeting tonight to talk about all of it. I'm starting to get antsy too because there's a lot I need to do that I can't do from here. So I have to hurry up & wait. Sorry I'm not writing much. I haven't felt like I have much to say. (Hush, Dad.) I'm gonna go work on this proposal some more then take a nap. ~ ~ ~ Here's a funny one… I see a snake cutting across the yard & tell "la vielle" (the old woman - Badoo's Mom). She grabs a stick & goes tearing after it. We're sitting in church & a frog comes hopping up to the women. They all either get out of the way or pick their feet up off the ground. I finally pick up the stupid thing to get it out of the church and they think I'm the bravest soul around. A FROG! Go figure.

Wednesday, August 7

This is my true test of being here. This place has got to be the most frustrating place I've ever been. We've been figuring out this school project for about 3 weeks now. Shouldn't be too hard, right? When I was in Bondoukou, the mason came to give us an estimate on materials and supposedly his price. So I look at this when I come back because I need to check on prices. Let me remind you how difficult it is to travel here. So, if you need to do something somewhere, make sure you have all the info you need before you go. So I take this "estimate" and go over it with the guys in the village & start asking questions… The first on that jumps out at me is the cement. He estimated cement to make the bricks, to build the wall and to cover the walls. What about the floor? Oh. He must have forgotten. This is a good start…and you guys have faith in his ability?? Fine. Let's forget all the things the mason forgot to tell us we need. Let's get to the MENSA candidates in the village who are working with me. Kouame (the one who MC'd your welcome ceremony) had the job of finding a carpenter. Great. He knows one. OK, Kouame, find out how much it'll cost to make 40 new benches and repair 26. He goes for 2 days & comes back.

So, whaddya got for me, Kouame?
He said he'd build 40 new benches for 4,500 cfa a pop.
Great. What about repairing the others?
Oh… I didn't ask him.
OK. How much wood do we need?
Uhhh… I don't know.
Did you ask?
Well…
Is he providing the wood?
Uhhh…
Let's start with an easy one… What village is this…???

Then I'm talking with Jean-Batiste, the guy who runs the church here. He's in charge of talking to the mason. We both went over there today to discuss his price for doing the project. (Minor detail - I rode my bike an hour and a half each way to get to this village…. On top of that, it rained.) I beat Jean there by at least an hour & a half, when he comes rolling up on his moped. So, we start talking about money right away. I had asked the Ganse guys what his price was & they said he hadn't said anything about it.

Mason: I'll do it for 400,000 cfa.
J.B.: 400,000? But you said 300,000 when you were in Ganse
Niki: What? He already told us a price? I asked you that specifically. You said he didn't say a word.
J.B.: Well…you weren't there. And we wanted to discuss it in front of him & you.
Niki: (First blow) OK. Whatever. So now what? We have to go back to Ganse, have a village meeting and figure out what they want. I think it would be best if the mason is there…
J.B.: (he cuts me off) No. We'll go discuss it with the village. Then we'll come back & tell the mason yes or no.
Niki: Yeah, right. It'll be that simple. Yes or no. And if they say no, & the mason counter offers, are you just gonna keep running back & forth playing messenger??? You knew we were coming today. Why didn't you do this with the village before?
J.B.: But you weren't here.
Niki: When? I've been here over a week! Why didn't you do it then?
J.B.: Well…but….blah, blah, blah, blah…(stupid %$*$%#* excuses…blah, blah, blah, blah…)

I think I cracked my new crown I was so mad. You have to spell out everything for them. They really are amazing people & I don't know how they do a lot of what they do. But at the same time, I don't know how they DO do it because they act like such morons sometimes. Dad, this would be your ideal meeting from hell. It takes them four hours to tell me something that should take 5 minutes. Not only that, they are so inefficient & have to have everything spelled out for them. Ca va aller. Hakuna Matata. I need a beer. I just hope I can get the pain in the ass stuff done before the other volunteer comes. The best part of the day was riding by myself all day. And the amazing stars that are out for the third night in a row. My patience has definitely improved. But sometimes I wonder… Hope you guys are having fun over there. And, Dad, we may be able to have a battle of meetings here pretty soon… You've got some stiff competition over here. I'm gonna go dance a little then head to bed. Remember when we danced outside to the bongos? We're doing that tonight too. So, I'll see you tomorrow. I love you.

Thursday, August 8

Tomorrow is our big meeting when the mason comes in front of the whole village to discuss his price. He's coming on his bike the 25km I did yesterday. Then I'm hoping to leave tomorrow night on the Ganse-Bondoukou direct flight, first class. So you know what this means? It's gonna pour down rain tomorrow so the mason won't be able come. Worse things could happen. On a good note, we ate so fat tonight. There are tons of guests "in town", so people make tons of food. We had at least 6 sauces tonight & they were all awesome. There are too many clouds tonight to see any stars. But it's nice & cool. I really miss you guys. The other day, this lady (a visitor) asked me if I always think about America & my family. That's when I realized this is my home. Of course I think about you guys every day. A lot. But it's different now. It used to kinda make me down to think about you, because I really wanted - needed - to see you & talk to you. And now I still do. But now, thinking about you doesn't make me sad…maybe because I'm more confident & comfortable here. I think getting into a communication rhythm has helped a lot. When I was at he house & you guys were supposed to call, but so was one of the "new" parents. That made me realize too, I want to talk to you, but I remember those first several months & how much talking to you helped. Probably as much for you guys as much as for us, the PCVs. Anyway, I better get to bed. It's getting late. It's already 9 o'clock & I haven't taken my bubble bath yet. I'm gonna go soak in the tub... I mean bucket .

August 12

I'm in Bondoukou working on this proposal. Ganse has to contribute at least 25% somehow. I hope it will work out. It was nice talking to you guys the other day. I'll talk to you again soon. I'll email when I get to Abidjan. I love you.
Love Nik/Rock