i had the fortunate pleasure to follow my neighbor and her fam down to Po to see wildlife (see pics). all the small of which we saw and the largest of which eluded us. in other words, baboons and antelope but no elephants. there was a fair number of elephant tracks though. of course, the wildlife ended up being only a piece of the adventure. as the night headed to a close, we found ourselves watered and broken down. after a late night bike ride for roadside assistance, we watched a mechanic fix the corroborator mostly with his mouth. africa never disappoints. something new to see at every point. all in all, it was a nice trip and the best part was the company.
now comes another little vacation. in a few days, life will find me in Ghana. i know so many of you are hissing at the moment but i will go with the idea of demonstrating what good sports we Americans are (don't understand this, see World Cup Ghana v USA). really, i'm looking forward to the beach and seeing a different african tint (and being able to speak a bit of african english, as well).
a little bit on the World Cup: i have been watching as many games as i can in as random places as i can. it is amazing how sport passions and team solidarity sneak their way into lives of people in the most remote places. villages without electricity and people of different languages gather and watch; screaming, laughing and cursing at each kick and call. it's a truly world event. it's why sports are important. it's worth being a part of. you walk down the streets of the capital and a hundred shops will have tv's setup with a small crowd huddling to cheer on a country they could never point out on a map.
so in Ghana, i'll watch the Ghana v Uruguay game. my cheers will be for Uruguay but good sport shall i be. and it'll be an experience worth the trial of a forever long bus ride.
wish me luck.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
in the vast rush of May, i found myself amongst last moments in the classroom, final exams, first rains and neighborhood parties. the collective of those events nicely marking the progressing of my service from Rambo onto Kongoussi. so much has happened over the last year and so much is still to come as i start my third year extension.
how wonderful it was that the planets all lined up for last few days of class. Nostradamus or Dante probably would categorize it as some culminating event leading to higher planes. we just killed a goat and sang songs. really, perhaps that was a small ascension into paradise. so here is how it went...
Friday the 21st of May was my last day of class and also my birthday (pushing thirty soon). thus, i trudged to class with a giant tub under one arm, covered in a rice sack. beneath the sack was two kilos of freshly popped popcorn (thank goodness ii had cooked in the morning where the heat in my kitchen was only blinding and not deathly). on my back was a backpack filled with candy and prizes. really, looking back, i should have been wearing a clown outfit. i think it would have been appropriate. in class, i pulled out all those who had passed and put them all in a room together. there, we played "simon says" for prizes, ate popcorn and candy, sang songs (yes, i made them sing Happy Birthday to me as you would have, too) then handed out awards to top students. the only blemish of the day was when the PE teacher came over and asked if we were going to be longer to which i replied only another 15 minutes (though i had scheduled more with my kids). he got all huffy which was a (in the end) delight to me. all those times when he was a pain in my butt and the collective butt of my kids. now, we could get under his skin for once. the planets were aligned, i say. perfect last day of school.
the next day, i spent running around slaughter a goat, helping to prep rice, making sure people were invited and helping those that got lost coming to my village. by evening, my courtyard was set to receive about 40 guests with its chairs, giant tubs of rice and meat, boom-box and plastic dinnerware. there was some concern about combining groups of students, villagers and teachers (each normally keeps to themselves and hardly intermingle) but everyone was happy to allow for a night of equality at my request. the students arrived first, timid and quiet. then the villagers started hanging around. it became a waiting game as the teachers did their typical 'show up late and be considered most important' entrance together. then, it was a matter of eating to our fill, drinking millet beer or "flower-water" (for the kids) and laughing at the weird white guy that served them all. the food was more than plentiful. many had seconds and more, then the vast amounts leftover were handed to my neighbors that kept streaming in to see what was going on. all the adults and most of the hordes of children in my quarter ate their fill of rice and sauce. we joked and laughed. a good night.
the next day was cleaning up all the bones and assessing the damage. ultimately, it was only one of my five trees that ended up broken (and not fatally). everything else was a matter of disposing of waste and clean-up. not too bad. well worth it as the entire neighborhood was smiles and thank-you's that is still continuing til today. who knew that the way to the hearts of a people is threw their stomach?
the next week was rolled around in writing out grades on report cards and working on ag projects. my compost is currently dark and rich. the trees are enthusiastically watered by the kids (each kid having named the tree after himself). the rains began to fall and set us in preparing our plot so we can compare my composting technique to their current cultivation techniques via crop development. every now and then we would stop to play a soccer game (profs vs the girls) or eat guinea fowl and drink cokes with the mayor and other profs. the relaxed feeling of it all was in stark contrast to my first visit to Rambo. two years really changes one's perspective.
i'll forecast a bit of the future and my time in Kongoussi (as those pieces are already starting to fill-up my plate). first, there is the new house (which is currently in the works). hopefully, a step up from the mud-brick, tin-roof hut that constantly acts as a Thomas-size oven. my expectations can be wrapped up in the word electricity. electricity means computer use (seeing as i'll be an IT teacher and will remain on the PC's IT committee) and a fan. two items that will revolutionize my day. second, there is school itself. i will be going from a small school (we'll call it a middle school) of about 400 to a large high school of well over 1000 if not over 1500 (not sure yet). it is a large campus and not just the four classrooms that make up the CEG in Rambo. it has basketball courts, lights, multiple buildings... a gargantuan waiting for the little lonely teacher to snatch away a few unsuspecting students. which leads me to the computer lab... (blank). so i haven't been able to put the computer lab into perspective because i'm still waiting on the PC to go through the motions of all their meetings. once they've gotten their fill of handshakes, i'll be able to do inventory and decide if i'll be begging on the street for computer parts. that would be a site in the Kongoussi market. by the way, the market is daily and will allow me to expand the 'two bowls a day of rice' diet that is my norm in Rambo. all in all, it's a monster and a blessing on the horizon. a giant project.
now, do not think i'll be cutting ties with Rambo. i will be commuting and attending to my students to check their progress. they are all scared of not having me but having to deal with Mr. Banao and Mr. Sankara. Thus, on the weekends, i'll be able to help in any ensuing confusion. plus, i'll be able to watch the progress of our trees and composting project. with any luck, we will expand both.
a note on composting: it is quickly turning from a simple project of teaching the technique to a concern about waste management. currently, waste is all thrown in one pile. the pile contains peanut shells, manure, dirt, old batteries, rags and plastic bags. that mix is left to bake under the sun then is spread onto the growing crops as compost. if all the waste necessary for composting came from each house, then i could simply teach each house how to compost and be done. however, this is a collective effort, a community pile. the peanut shells are Husseini's and the millet leftovers are Aminita's, etc. thus. it is a matter of teaching everyone how to collectively sort their trash into usable piles that a few people can then turn into compost. waste management. i knew i got that engineering degree to do something. who knew it was to be a garbage man! in all seriousness, it will be a project that will take a lot of time and the dedication of a few Rambo-ites (Rambo-ians, Ramboys...?) and the better part of the year. it shall be fun.
i shall be known as Thomas the Math/English/IT teaching garbage man who throws a good party and hung out with 15 year olds. I dig.
P.S. i apologize for not having put up more photos lately. unfortunately, my camera bit the dust recently. but, i shall capture a few of my friends' photos and post them soon.
how wonderful it was that the planets all lined up for last few days of class. Nostradamus or Dante probably would categorize it as some culminating event leading to higher planes. we just killed a goat and sang songs. really, perhaps that was a small ascension into paradise. so here is how it went...
Friday the 21st of May was my last day of class and also my birthday (pushing thirty soon). thus, i trudged to class with a giant tub under one arm, covered in a rice sack. beneath the sack was two kilos of freshly popped popcorn (thank goodness ii had cooked in the morning where the heat in my kitchen was only blinding and not deathly). on my back was a backpack filled with candy and prizes. really, looking back, i should have been wearing a clown outfit. i think it would have been appropriate. in class, i pulled out all those who had passed and put them all in a room together. there, we played "simon says" for prizes, ate popcorn and candy, sang songs (yes, i made them sing Happy Birthday to me as you would have, too) then handed out awards to top students. the only blemish of the day was when the PE teacher came over and asked if we were going to be longer to which i replied only another 15 minutes (though i had scheduled more with my kids). he got all huffy which was a (in the end) delight to me. all those times when he was a pain in my butt and the collective butt of my kids. now, we could get under his skin for once. the planets were aligned, i say. perfect last day of school.
the next day, i spent running around slaughter a goat, helping to prep rice, making sure people were invited and helping those that got lost coming to my village. by evening, my courtyard was set to receive about 40 guests with its chairs, giant tubs of rice and meat, boom-box and plastic dinnerware. there was some concern about combining groups of students, villagers and teachers (each normally keeps to themselves and hardly intermingle) but everyone was happy to allow for a night of equality at my request. the students arrived first, timid and quiet. then the villagers started hanging around. it became a waiting game as the teachers did their typical 'show up late and be considered most important' entrance together. then, it was a matter of eating to our fill, drinking millet beer or "flower-water" (for the kids) and laughing at the weird white guy that served them all. the food was more than plentiful. many had seconds and more, then the vast amounts leftover were handed to my neighbors that kept streaming in to see what was going on. all the adults and most of the hordes of children in my quarter ate their fill of rice and sauce. we joked and laughed. a good night.
the next day was cleaning up all the bones and assessing the damage. ultimately, it was only one of my five trees that ended up broken (and not fatally). everything else was a matter of disposing of waste and clean-up. not too bad. well worth it as the entire neighborhood was smiles and thank-you's that is still continuing til today. who knew that the way to the hearts of a people is threw their stomach?
the next week was rolled around in writing out grades on report cards and working on ag projects. my compost is currently dark and rich. the trees are enthusiastically watered by the kids (each kid having named the tree after himself). the rains began to fall and set us in preparing our plot so we can compare my composting technique to their current cultivation techniques via crop development. every now and then we would stop to play a soccer game (profs vs the girls) or eat guinea fowl and drink cokes with the mayor and other profs. the relaxed feeling of it all was in stark contrast to my first visit to Rambo. two years really changes one's perspective.
i'll forecast a bit of the future and my time in Kongoussi (as those pieces are already starting to fill-up my plate). first, there is the new house (which is currently in the works). hopefully, a step up from the mud-brick, tin-roof hut that constantly acts as a Thomas-size oven. my expectations can be wrapped up in the word electricity. electricity means computer use (seeing as i'll be an IT teacher and will remain on the PC's IT committee) and a fan. two items that will revolutionize my day. second, there is school itself. i will be going from a small school (we'll call it a middle school) of about 400 to a large high school of well over 1000 if not over 1500 (not sure yet). it is a large campus and not just the four classrooms that make up the CEG in Rambo. it has basketball courts, lights, multiple buildings... a gargantuan waiting for the little lonely teacher to snatch away a few unsuspecting students. which leads me to the computer lab... (blank). so i haven't been able to put the computer lab into perspective because i'm still waiting on the PC to go through the motions of all their meetings. once they've gotten their fill of handshakes, i'll be able to do inventory and decide if i'll be begging on the street for computer parts. that would be a site in the Kongoussi market. by the way, the market is daily and will allow me to expand the 'two bowls a day of rice' diet that is my norm in Rambo. all in all, it's a monster and a blessing on the horizon. a giant project.
now, do not think i'll be cutting ties with Rambo. i will be commuting and attending to my students to check their progress. they are all scared of not having me but having to deal with Mr. Banao and Mr. Sankara. Thus, on the weekends, i'll be able to help in any ensuing confusion. plus, i'll be able to watch the progress of our trees and composting project. with any luck, we will expand both.
a note on composting: it is quickly turning from a simple project of teaching the technique to a concern about waste management. currently, waste is all thrown in one pile. the pile contains peanut shells, manure, dirt, old batteries, rags and plastic bags. that mix is left to bake under the sun then is spread onto the growing crops as compost. if all the waste necessary for composting came from each house, then i could simply teach each house how to compost and be done. however, this is a collective effort, a community pile. the peanut shells are Husseini's and the millet leftovers are Aminita's, etc. thus. it is a matter of teaching everyone how to collectively sort their trash into usable piles that a few people can then turn into compost. waste management. i knew i got that engineering degree to do something. who knew it was to be a garbage man! in all seriousness, it will be a project that will take a lot of time and the dedication of a few Rambo-ites (Rambo-ians, Ramboys...?) and the better part of the year. it shall be fun.
i shall be known as Thomas the Math/English/IT teaching garbage man who throws a good party and hung out with 15 year olds. I dig.
P.S. i apologize for not having put up more photos lately. unfortunately, my camera bit the dust recently. but, i shall capture a few of my friends' photos and post them soon.
a short film by my kids
This is a small project that i did with my kids in Rambo. They love kung-fu movies so we decided to make our own little film. It was a lot of fun teaching them how films were made and all those goes into them. It's not much but it's a start for my village kids.
PLOT:
Beating AIDS
-A woman comes to her man's house where he convinces her to stay the night. Once he does, AIDS comes beating at their door and chases them. Their friends, having heard their cries for help, come rushing to protect them. First there is the shield bearing Condom. Then AIDS is trapped by Fidelity and Getting Tested. The End.
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a little about burkina faso
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then.
Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.
Location:
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 2 00 W
Area:
total: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km
Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.
Location:
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 2 00 W
Area:
total: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km