Hey all, I am back from spending a few days at my village, my home for the next 2 years (if God wills it). Wow. It is off the beaten path...way off! My village is 12K from a larger town, and to get to my village there are in general 2 options:
1)Bicycle (preferred option)
2) Donkey Cart
The local mayor 12K away has a car, if a car is ever needed. So, after I bike or donkey cart to my village, what's it like? It's small collection of mud huts with thatch roofs. No electricity. 1 pump and a few wells provide the village with water. I've heard 2,000 people are living here but that seems high, but maybe that number includes some outlying villages. Anyways, my village would probably fit onto a football field, which means I will come to know everyone. Which is what I wanted and specifically asked for! In Niger I lived in a larger town, which was good, and now I want to try something else.
My house consists of 2 cement huts with thatched roofs, a little walled courtyard, and in the corner a pit latrine. The place is definitely cozy. But inside the huts it's real nice: cement floors, new screens, shutters that lock, and to top it off the walls are even painted with happy hippos. And the roof doesn't leak, as I discovered from an unannounced rain storm one evening. Home sweet home!
What else? Well, food will be limited. Lots of rice and millet. For protein it'll be eggs, peanut butter, and nuts. There just isn't that much food available in the bush! However, the market 12K away from me has all kinds of food: tomatoes, onions, carrots, spices, ginger, goat meat, chickens, yogurt, milk (though unpasteurized...), imported cookies and crackers. I will probably be biking in each week to pick up food.
As for work, there are 2 schools in my village: a kindergarten and an elementary school. I will be assisting at these schools, possibly doing the following: working with teachers (though probably not full-on teaching), doing health and nutrition presentation with students, doing extracurricular activities. Basically I will go to school and see what they want, what I can give, and make something work. If I can give some of my energy and spirit then school can maybe be a little bit better for the kids here. I try not to have too much self-importance about my work. I know that I can do some cools projects and share life with my villagers and those will be good.
The villagers whom I met (all of them pretty much) were very welcoming to me. I will be the first volunteer their village has received. I'm sure their stories will begin to unfold the more time I spend there. I will write them here, you will see.
If all that seems too positive, here's some less bright events of recent note: terrible dirt roads in ancient mini-vans, throwing up the entire contents of my stomach into a pit latrine (and watching the roaches eat it), and getting hassled by a solider at a security check point who didn't think my Peace Corps ID was legit. Luckily his commanding officer knew Peace Corps was legit and he happily sent me on my merry way. So, those are some bummer points. Not really that bad, honestly. Whenever I get discouraged being here I try to remind myself of why I wanted to do volunteer work abroad. The reasons are still there, and strong.
That's it! It's a different world out here, I swear. Part of my purpose in having this blog is trying to share the reality I see here, as it's so different from back in The States. Sometimes I don't know if it's possible to convey life here, but I will still try!
I miss family and friends but know they are really not far, they are with me. Still, drop me a line people! I will greatly appreciate any letters or care packages you happen to send my way! Food is key- Protein powder, beef jerky, cliff bars, etc.
Okay, I want to do some book talk before I go. I've been reading 2 awesome books, not finished, but I already want to recommend them. The 1st is Hyperion, by Dan Simmons, which is a well-written Science Fiction novel set about 800 years in the future, with much crazy awesomeness happening: time distortions, advanced spaceflight technology, mysterious planets, and the continuing dilemma of being human, with all its joys and sorrows. Great speculation of what the future may hold, which I why I love Science Fiction. Check it out!
The 2nd book is The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley. This book is a collection of essays about science, nature, and the history of humanity, and the essays are poetic and profound. Eiseley was definitely one of the most poetical scientists ever, and his ideas about humanity's place in the universe are well-worth pondering. One of his main beliefs is humanity's need for the 2 qualities of Compassion and Wonder. So, read him!
Okay then, this is David signing off. Be well, all of you. You (We) are the All, the Every, the Universe; smile accordingly, and dance!
