In accordance with the Posh Corps/Peace Corps contradiction, I spent the majority of my day yesterday dealing in the Black Markets of Conakry to purchase a working cell phone. Let me tell the short version of the story: With 5 people in tow, we were dropped off in downtown Conakry, right across from the BiCiGui, the main bank here in Guinea. Now, this is not a place of orderly lines, and let me put it this way - there are none of those numbered ticket dispensers as there are at deli counters back in the States. When we entered the office of the bank man, there was already a crowd of people, and more kept filing in. Luckily, this bank man likes to help the foreigners, so we didn't have to wait tooooo long. Then, out by the teller, the five of us stood in blocking formation, much like defensive football players, spread out and pushing forward, so no Guinean could cut in front of us, and so we could one day be at the front. The teller lady clearly didn't like us, and she called for those behind us to step ahead of us for service. This was all Rasa's fault (sorry, hun!), as she had been there the day before and had a tiny altercation with this teller lady. As soon as the teller lady saw her in line, we knew we were screwed. Anyway, eventually, we got to the front of the line and received our money, our last chance to withdraw cash before the strike that may commence on Monday.
At this point, it was time to step outside, into the Conakry heat of midday, to hunt down some SIM cards. Let me explain why this is so difficult: It is not easy in Guinea to get a cell phone. Hence, why I have not bought one yet. There are no Verizon or T-Mobile stores in strip malls here, where one could go in, sign up for a plan, get a free phone, and walk out a happy customer. In fact, there is nowhere to go to get a cell phone number because there simply aren't any available. Sotelgui, the main mobil phone company here does not have enough numbers to meet demand across the country, so buying a phone number is nearly impossible. However, the day before yesterday, Sotelgui released thousands of new numbers across the nation and lines formed in all cities, as people waited (impatiently) to get their hands on a SIM card. So, back to the story... Jan and I left the bank before the rest of our entourage in search of the as-valuable-as-diamonds SIM cards. We wandered the main street in Conakry, asking street vendors where we could get our foreign hands on them. We found one man selling them on the street (illegally), but he only had a single card left, and we needed 3. Upon understanding that we need more than 1 SIM card, a street vendor in a white shirt and shiny green track pants offered to take us (for a charge of 5,000 guinean francs) to where we could buy them. "Biensur!" Jan and I exclaimed. Paying the equivalent of $1 was defintely worth it! So, he quickly led us down a street, hopping over puddles and curbs, turning corners, and we end up outside the Sotelgui office, where hundreds of people were in line tying to legally buy phone cards. We asked if there was any other way, and our shiny-green-pants-man took off again, stopping at another street vendor, asking if he is selling numbers. The entire interaction was incredibly shady, sketchy, strange, and mysterious. But, alas, there were 3 SIM cards, and the man had only marked up the price by 30,000 guinean francs. 6 extra bucks.... worth it to me! So, we spent the next hour testing them all, putting them in a phone to see if they work, calling other phones to find the number - and all of this is difficult in Guinea, as the network is often so busy, calls take many tries to go through (forcing 0ne to ask why they are selling more numbers). Eventually, it all got done, and we just had to finish filling out "paperwork," which didn't even ask for our names. We were handed falsified receipts, stating that we paid the legal price for the cards, not the black market price, I guess to make the transaction look legitimate...?
The whole process took hours in the midday Conakry heat, and Jan and I had not had breakfast, and we did not have enough water. I was a bit cranky and lightheaded when the ordeal was over, but we met up with Reid, Murph, and Rasa, and had an American lunch of pizza and burgers at La Gondole. Overall, it was my most productive day in Conakry. In fact, it may have been my most productive day in country. And now I have a cell phone! Who knows how well it will work in Siguiri (the network isn't very good out there), but at least I will look cool, carrying around a clunky Nokia everywhere I go.
My mom asked (while I was recently talking to her on my shiny new cell phone), "how do you plan to charge the phone, Aim?" Good question - even though I don't have electricity a home in Siguiri, innovative Guineans have solved the problem. I can pay a man on the street to seel me electricity. He will just plug it into a looooong extension cord attached to a generator, and let it sit on the street for an hour or so until it's all good and charged.
Wednesday, May 31
Monday, May 29
Conakry
Hello everyone! I made it to Conakry after the aforementioned two and a half days of hell. The ride to Kankan was smooth, but from Kankan to Dabola, I had to ride in a minibus, not an actual car. I have told you how many people they squish into the taxi cars, but let me tell you – they squish more into the minibuses! And just to let you know, that road between Kouroussa and Dabola is still potholed. And the minibus only took me to Bissikrima (20km from Dabola), where I had to wait hours for another taxi to leave. I thought we wouldn’t make it to Dabola, but we finally got ready to leave, and things started looking promising.
Until the car wouldn’t start.
Men had to jump off the roof to push it to get the car to actually turn on! And then we had to do it again when we stalled out going over a giant pothole. And again after a speed bump. Then, we started cruising. Thank goodness, I thought. But then, the driver began turning off the engine each time we cruised down one of the small hills out there. Then he would try to turn it back on as we approached the next uphill. It was an adventure, as taxi rides here always are. But I finally made it safely to Dabola and had to find my way to Eric’s house. Luckily, I found the police station, and a very helpful man took me right there. Boy, was I relieved to find Eric at home! (I wasn’t actually sure he’d be there at all, as there was no way to let him know in this country of poor communication that I was planning on visiting him from 350 km away).
My evening in Dabola was full of good food, intellectual conversation, cold sodas, and being caught in the fiercest rainstorm ever. Josh, my APCD picked me up in a Peace Corps ride the next morning, and we continued down the road to Tolo, Devon’s site, where Reid was waiting for me. It was really magical to finally see him again. 6 weeks is too too long. I never want to do it again.
On our ride down to the big C, things kept getting greener and greener. I had forgotten how colorful the world could be. Everything in Haute is brown with a teeny bit of green mixed in. Everything in the rest of Guinea is green, straight green, nothing else mixed in. We stopped at numerous roadside fruit stands, where I went CRAZY! So much color, so much fruit! I didn’t realize how deprived I was in Haute. I bought pineapples, mangos, papayas, tomatoes, eggplant… so much color!!! I still love Siguiri, and I can’t wait to get back, but I am going to take back a GIANT box of Bas-Cote fruit with me!
Since arriving in Conakry, life has been mostly a vacation. Reid and I have spent most of our time together, and each day our only main activity was going to the market to buy ingredients to prepare grand dinners. Let me describe the dinners to you:
Each day got better. Can you believe we prepared such extravagant meals here in West Africa! Imagine what Reid and I could prepare if we had a Whole Foods nearby! The last few days have been less focused on food, as Reid came down with the Guinea-bug, and hasn’t been eating at all. It’s strange to be eating more than him right now. Usually I count on him to clean my chicken bones! But, I am sure the Guinea-bug will say Au Revoir soon, and Reid will be back to normal.
Yes, Reid was supposed to leave last week. Yes, we have spent a week and a half together. No, he is not faking his stomach problems to stay in Conakry longer to be with me. You can ask Steve, our Country Director.
Since Friday, things have taken on a different tone around here. Henry McKoy, the Director of the Africa region, arrived in town, and we have focused all of our attention on impressing him. An informal dinner at Steve’s, a visit to the PCV house, a formal cocktail party at the Ambassador’s…it’s all been quite amusing. I told Henry McKoy that we had met before – at DU when he came and spoke to my class, and after reminding him of our first meeting, he proceeded to tell everyone “our story” – from the Ambassador to our Country Director to our PCMO. The man would not stop telling the story! But I enjoyed his visit and all the free food, beer, and wine that came along with it. Please, Peace Corps, send your officials to Guinea anytime!
It’s sad – I have a lot more to say, but no energy to write it. I suppose I will finish up all the story telling later.
Until the car wouldn’t start.
Men had to jump off the roof to push it to get the car to actually turn on! And then we had to do it again when we stalled out going over a giant pothole. And again after a speed bump. Then, we started cruising. Thank goodness, I thought. But then, the driver began turning off the engine each time we cruised down one of the small hills out there. Then he would try to turn it back on as we approached the next uphill. It was an adventure, as taxi rides here always are. But I finally made it safely to Dabola and had to find my way to Eric’s house. Luckily, I found the police station, and a very helpful man took me right there. Boy, was I relieved to find Eric at home! (I wasn’t actually sure he’d be there at all, as there was no way to let him know in this country of poor communication that I was planning on visiting him from 350 km away).
My evening in Dabola was full of good food, intellectual conversation, cold sodas, and being caught in the fiercest rainstorm ever. Josh, my APCD picked me up in a Peace Corps ride the next morning, and we continued down the road to Tolo, Devon’s site, where Reid was waiting for me. It was really magical to finally see him again. 6 weeks is too too long. I never want to do it again.
On our ride down to the big C, things kept getting greener and greener. I had forgotten how colorful the world could be. Everything in Haute is brown with a teeny bit of green mixed in. Everything in the rest of Guinea is green, straight green, nothing else mixed in. We stopped at numerous roadside fruit stands, where I went CRAZY! So much color, so much fruit! I didn’t realize how deprived I was in Haute. I bought pineapples, mangos, papayas, tomatoes, eggplant… so much color!!! I still love Siguiri, and I can’t wait to get back, but I am going to take back a GIANT box of Bas-Cote fruit with me!
Since arriving in Conakry, life has been mostly a vacation. Reid and I have spent most of our time together, and each day our only main activity was going to the market to buy ingredients to prepare grand dinners. Let me describe the dinners to you:
Day 1 (with big group): Indian food. Marinated chicken, lentils, vegetables, and nan.
Day 2: (with Ali) baked fish, fried eggplant, with a cucumber salad dressed in a mint yogurt, and pita
Day 3: (with Ali and Zach) baked fish with pineapple, roasted sweet and plain potatoes, and giant salad
Day 4: olives and feta for an appetizer, pineapple-basil roasted chicken, roasted green peppers stuffed with a melange of tomato-basil couscous and Comte cheese, hummus, cooked cabbage, and a salad.
Day 5: Steak with blue cheese, steak fries, steamed carrots and green beans, and tomatoes with basil, garlic, and feta
Day 6: Baked fish again, this time baked with lime and basil, and served with a mango-cucumber salsa. Served with sautéed eggplant and zucchini and a salad of greens, avocado, blue cheese, and balsamic.
Each day got better. Can you believe we prepared such extravagant meals here in West Africa! Imagine what Reid and I could prepare if we had a Whole Foods nearby! The last few days have been less focused on food, as Reid came down with the Guinea-bug, and hasn’t been eating at all. It’s strange to be eating more than him right now. Usually I count on him to clean my chicken bones! But, I am sure the Guinea-bug will say Au Revoir soon, and Reid will be back to normal.
Yes, Reid was supposed to leave last week. Yes, we have spent a week and a half together. No, he is not faking his stomach problems to stay in Conakry longer to be with me. You can ask Steve, our Country Director.
Since Friday, things have taken on a different tone around here. Henry McKoy, the Director of the Africa region, arrived in town, and we have focused all of our attention on impressing him. An informal dinner at Steve’s, a visit to the PCV house, a formal cocktail party at the Ambassador’s…it’s all been quite amusing. I told Henry McKoy that we had met before – at DU when he came and spoke to my class, and after reminding him of our first meeting, he proceeded to tell everyone “our story” – from the Ambassador to our Country Director to our PCMO. The man would not stop telling the story! But I enjoyed his visit and all the free food, beer, and wine that came along with it. Please, Peace Corps, send your officials to Guinea anytime!
It’s sad – I have a lot more to say, but no energy to write it. I suppose I will finish up all the story telling later.
Ps – if you send me packages with food inside, THANK YOU! But say it’s oreos or granola bars or whatever in its own unopened packaging, please wrap them in something, and put them in sealed ziplocks. And then maybe another ziplock. And then some steel contraption. And then send it over here in an armored car. Otherwise, the mice get to the food, and I open a package of empty wrappers. Seriously. No crumbs, just wrappers. It’s the saddest moment I have ever lived through – picture it - so excited to open a package from a loved one, I see the oreos and scream, only to find the packaging chewed open and every last crumb of oreo gone. Sniff, sniff.
pps - FISH HEADS!
Thursday, May 11
The Update. Life is BUSY!
Hey everyone! I returned from Kankan safely, after a few days of partying American style and talking on the phone. That’s all I did the whole time. Partied and talked. Sometimes I even did them at the same time. What a weekend, huh? I will post pictures some time next week when I get to a computer that has anything better than Windows 98 and a crap internet connection.
By far the best part of the weekend was talking to Reid. I didn’t realize how much I missed him, and how hard life is without him. Although site is perfect, it would be perfect-er with him here. Luckily, after many hours of talking on the phone, we worked out a plan to see each other NEXT WEEK in Conakry. I will have to be there for a meeting, and we are both allowed to take our quarterly visits there. So, one week from tomorrow, I will get to see Reid! I absolutely can’t wait to see him – I am worried that I am not going to be able to leave him again and come back to site after our visit.
Ok, enough of the mushy, love stuff. I know that’s not why you people come and read my blog. Here’s something else to chew on….
Things are going well in the hottest part of the hottest part of Guinea, although my health has had some major threats recently. I have battled dysentary (thankfully it’s not the hookworm that Keelin has), and I am currently battling an annoying staph infection because I scratched my mosquito bites. People warned me, I knew it would happen, but scratching the bites just felt so good! It wasn’t worth it though – I know now – because staph is no fun, believe me. My cuts aren’t healing, and my lymph nodes are swollen and sore. The most annoying part is the fly issue. All of my open, unhealing wounds attract flies like nothing else, even though they are covered by band-aids! I seriously feel like one of those starving African kids with flies all over their bodies that you see in charity ads on TV, although I don’t have an extended belly or anything – just the flies. This is a lesson for everybody – don’t scratch your mosquito bites or flies will never leave you alone and staph is no fun.
Anyway….coming back to site a couple days ago was difficult. Kinda like returning to work after a long vacation at the beach. I just felt unmotivated and lost. When the PC vehicle drove off, I nearly cried. I didn’t want to be back in Siguiri, even though it has treated me so well. But since Tuesday, I have tried to get back into the groove of things. I had a fingernail painting party with the girls in my neighborhood, I have spent time reading with Aisha, I visited Aliou (our SED trainer), and I have gotten back to work at ADRA. Things are slowly falling back into place.
Today and tomorrow are devoted to getting a rough draft of the Food for Progress grant together. Ask me more about it if you are interested. It is super exciting, but it may only be super exciting to me because I am a nerd. Saturday, I am biking the 3 hour trip to Niandankoro to pick up my stove that should be at Melinda’s and then biking the three hours back. It will be a day full of sunscreen, chugging water, and sore derriers from the bike seat! Sunday, I am heading up to St Alexi with Rob to introduce him to the gardening groupement and eat chicken. They gave me a chicken last week, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I told them to keep it and we can prepare it and eat it together! Seriously, was I going to bike home 3km with a chicken strapped to my handlebars? Maybe next time. On Monday, I am going to do a grand tour of town with the president of the Federation, Bangali. We are going to do “how are you doing” visits to all of the groupement members I have worked with so far. It’s basically just to say hi and to show that I am still invested in our work together. I am really looking forward to it, although I know it is going to be exhausting. Finally, I have Tuesday to myself. I have so much stuff to get done – laundry, packing, cleaning, etc – before my trip to Conakry. And Tuesday looks like it is going to be my first day off since Kankan, and my last day before Conakry. The next day, I am off to Kankan to get to Dabola to get to Conakry. Yes, it is a two and a half day trip to Conakry. You can make it faster, but there is a PC car passing through Dabola which will pick me up there, and there arent daily cars to Dabola from here, so it turned into a 3 day trip. Living in the northenmost prefecture of the easternmost province rules.
I am quite the busy young lady, aren’t I? Who ever thought my Peace Corps experience would be so busy that I wouldn’t have time to read or write letters or get bored?
By far the best part of the weekend was talking to Reid. I didn’t realize how much I missed him, and how hard life is without him. Although site is perfect, it would be perfect-er with him here. Luckily, after many hours of talking on the phone, we worked out a plan to see each other NEXT WEEK in Conakry. I will have to be there for a meeting, and we are both allowed to take our quarterly visits there. So, one week from tomorrow, I will get to see Reid! I absolutely can’t wait to see him – I am worried that I am not going to be able to leave him again and come back to site after our visit.
Ok, enough of the mushy, love stuff. I know that’s not why you people come and read my blog. Here’s something else to chew on….
Things are going well in the hottest part of the hottest part of Guinea, although my health has had some major threats recently. I have battled dysentary (thankfully it’s not the hookworm that Keelin has), and I am currently battling an annoying staph infection because I scratched my mosquito bites. People warned me, I knew it would happen, but scratching the bites just felt so good! It wasn’t worth it though – I know now – because staph is no fun, believe me. My cuts aren’t healing, and my lymph nodes are swollen and sore. The most annoying part is the fly issue. All of my open, unhealing wounds attract flies like nothing else, even though they are covered by band-aids! I seriously feel like one of those starving African kids with flies all over their bodies that you see in charity ads on TV, although I don’t have an extended belly or anything – just the flies. This is a lesson for everybody – don’t scratch your mosquito bites or flies will never leave you alone and staph is no fun.
Anyway….coming back to site a couple days ago was difficult. Kinda like returning to work after a long vacation at the beach. I just felt unmotivated and lost. When the PC vehicle drove off, I nearly cried. I didn’t want to be back in Siguiri, even though it has treated me so well. But since Tuesday, I have tried to get back into the groove of things. I had a fingernail painting party with the girls in my neighborhood, I have spent time reading with Aisha, I visited Aliou (our SED trainer), and I have gotten back to work at ADRA. Things are slowly falling back into place.
Today and tomorrow are devoted to getting a rough draft of the Food for Progress grant together. Ask me more about it if you are interested. It is super exciting, but it may only be super exciting to me because I am a nerd. Saturday, I am biking the 3 hour trip to Niandankoro to pick up my stove that should be at Melinda’s and then biking the three hours back. It will be a day full of sunscreen, chugging water, and sore derriers from the bike seat! Sunday, I am heading up to St Alexi with Rob to introduce him to the gardening groupement and eat chicken. They gave me a chicken last week, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I told them to keep it and we can prepare it and eat it together! Seriously, was I going to bike home 3km with a chicken strapped to my handlebars? Maybe next time. On Monday, I am going to do a grand tour of town with the president of the Federation, Bangali. We are going to do “how are you doing” visits to all of the groupement members I have worked with so far. It’s basically just to say hi and to show that I am still invested in our work together. I am really looking forward to it, although I know it is going to be exhausting. Finally, I have Tuesday to myself. I have so much stuff to get done – laundry, packing, cleaning, etc – before my trip to Conakry. And Tuesday looks like it is going to be my first day off since Kankan, and my last day before Conakry. The next day, I am off to Kankan to get to Dabola to get to Conakry. Yes, it is a two and a half day trip to Conakry. You can make it faster, but there is a PC car passing through Dabola which will pick me up there, and there arent daily cars to Dabola from here, so it turned into a 3 day trip. Living in the northenmost prefecture of the easternmost province rules.
I am quite the busy young lady, aren’t I? Who ever thought my Peace Corps experience would be so busy that I wouldn’t have time to read or write letters or get bored?
Just Cultural Differences or Right vs. Wrong?
Yesterday, the most horrible thing happened. Although it has happened before, yesterday was the worst. Djenebou, my favorite young girl in my host-family, lost her shoes and had to come home without them. Her mother got upset, so, as usual, Djenbou was slapped and hit. But yesterday was different. Djenebou’s mother went crazy – beating her mercilessly in our concession, in the open, under our mango tree. I stepped in and yelled that it was not right to hit a child and finally Djenebou’s mother stopped. After it was over, a couple of my family members and I spoke in broken french and malinke about child abuse. They don’t see it as child abuse. I said that in America, it is not right to hit your children, and Adama replied by saying that Guinean children don’t listen, even when you yell. So, you have to hit them. I tried to explain the punishment approach. If Djenebou looses her shoes, she won’t be allowed to go outside the concession for three days or she won’t be allowed to do this or that. I don’t know how much my family actually liked the idea, but maybe after time, it will catch on, taking the place of physical abuse. I don’t know. But all I can say is that I am trying. I know it’s just a cultural difference that I should learn to accept, but I just can’t. Now, the communication lines are open, and we can maybe talk about it some more.
Wednesday, May 3
Tomorrow, I am heading to Kankan with Keelin, Rob, and my counterpart, Fodé. Although I have been very very happy at site, during those moments of lonliness, isolation, and boredom, I have been dreaming of Kankan. A month ago, it seemed so far away, but now it’s here and I can’t wait. I will get to see my fellow volunteers to see how everyone likes site; I will get to eat Mexican food; I will get to eat chicken; I will get to party (Haute-style) for Cinco de Mayo; I will get to talk to my mom and Reid on the phone (knock on wood); and I get to relax and only work if I want to.
I can’t believe that only a month ago, I was arriving at site. I was terrified, not knowing how I would eat without the Kouyaté family in Forecariah to feed me. I wasn’t sure how I would start work or how to find my way around town or how to do anything. Now, I am settled in nicely (although I still don’t have my griage or furniture). I have fallen in love with Siguiri, and I am kind of sad to know that I am not going to be sleeping in my bed for the next few nights.
I really can't wait to see how everyone has been doing at site. I hope we all made it through and plan to stay!
I can’t believe that only a month ago, I was arriving at site. I was terrified, not knowing how I would eat without the Kouyaté family in Forecariah to feed me. I wasn’t sure how I would start work or how to find my way around town or how to do anything. Now, I am settled in nicely (although I still don’t have my griage or furniture). I have fallen in love with Siguiri, and I am kind of sad to know that I am not going to be sleeping in my bed for the next few nights.
I really can't wait to see how everyone has been doing at site. I hope we all made it through and plan to stay!
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