Christmas morning bacon roll...amazing
Homemade rootbeer in Senegal....could be a first
Neighboorhood decorations
Christmas Eve spread...shrimp, chicken, deviled eggs, potato skins, salsa and guacamole, cheeses, cookies, cupcakes, eggnog, rootbeer...can't go wrongMy buddy Peter and I found the inspiration the other day for the bacon cheese roll at http://www.infobarrel.com/Bacon_Cheese_Roll_Recipe. The second we saw this sight, we realized that the inspiration had to become a reality Christmas morning....we were not disappointed.
It consisted of woven bacon, velvetta and swiss cheese, jalepeno peppers, followed with a touch of maple syrup on the finished product.
I definitely realized when I was home on vacation that the happenings of the Senegal - Gambia soccer game are not meant nor can they be told in a 3 minute story. For a detailed version, read the account in a previous posts.
To provide a bit more of a visual, another Volunteer pointed me to a couple videos on YouTube that I have posted below.
For this video, you are going to want to go to about 8 minutes and 30 seconds in to start seeing the effects of Senegal's loss.
The isn't the best of videos, but it shows a bit of the burning in the streets.
While I don't all have the pictures from my trip home yet, but here are a couple.
Uncle and Niece....sleep off
My sister and I actually I and my sister
Family picture with Millie making us proud, front and centerWill be in the United States from November 23 until December 10, celebrating Thanksgiving in North Carolina with my family.
I have a story for you.....one that just wouldn't have happened in many other places.....
To try and make a long story short, a bunch of Volunteers went to the Senegal-Gambia soccer game last Saturday. A lot was on the line...a loss or a tie would mean elimination from World Cup qualifying. Soccer combined with national pride is huge.
Unlike stadiums in the States, Stade L.S.S. is broken into seating sections that are separated from each other with large fences. Also, once a section is "full", doors are shut preventing people from entering or exiting. The purpose of this system is to theoretically prevent fans from becoming too unruly and that unruliness spreading throughout the stadium.
Most of us all got separated so didn't manage to sit together due to the fact that the match was over sold and each section was shut closed while a couple thousand paying fans still had yet to get into the stands. This created a scene as fans were banging on section doors to try and get to seats. There were a few tense moments. It is also important to know, that frustration with the Senegalese power company had already fueled tension during the week and weekend due to widespread power outages.
Finally, just before half-time, as everyone had broken into smaller groups, we made it into the stadium. We squeezed into the north-east section of the stadium.
In the second half, Senegal scored and was up 1-0. The stadium was in jubilation. That all changed with a few minutes to go in the match when The Gambia scored and tied the game 1-1. We should have left at this point, but had no idea what was about to come.
As the clock ticked away, fans on the east side of the stadium above the players tunnel began throwing plastic bottles and such on the field. The game ended and the object throwing intensified. Each individual on the field was being escorted off the shield with riot police with their shields up for protection.
Chaos erupted and spread. The section barriers (8 foot tall - 150 feet long metal fences) were toppled on our side of the stadium. Large, heavy cement blocks that acted as steps going up the sections were being picked up by groups of people and being thrown down the sections. Large advertisement banners were being ripped down and their wooden backings were being thrown onto the field.
Being in the middle of this, you could see the rage in many of these peoples eyes in which you knew there was little that could be done to stop them. Scary feeling to have.
We really didn't know what to do, but felt that the stands would clear out, so we decided to move to the top of the stands. Chaos was still within feet of us but there were other bystanders doing the same thing as us. As we are standing at the top of the stands, we look out at Patte d'Oie, where streams of black smoke from burning tires has already begun.
After about 10 to 15 minutes of waiting in the stands we decided that we had to make a decision. Things in the stadium weren't getting better and we were concerned that the police might open fire with tear gas and such on our section. At the same time, police at the bottom of the section by the entrance were waving for us to get out.....so we did.
Entering the bottom of the stairwell after exiting our section, there was broken glass everywhere. Every glass pane had been shattered separating the stairwell to the outside.
We got outside and the smell of tear gas was in the air...a lot of it. Black smoke was everywhere. Mayhem was rampant. Rocks and such were being thrown.
We started running with the plan to go to my old house in Patte D'Oie until things calmed down. About 75 yards of running, we got grabbed a little bit, but somehow I started getting grabbed/mobbed a lot and I became separated from the group I was with. What is a lot.....between 60 - 100 people swarming me, grabbing every part of my body.
I would loosely break free and then get swarmed again. As this is going on, I am getting hit with rocks, but the adrenaline prevented me from feeling much. My camera was in my hand because I was previously worried about pick-pocketers, now, it was being ripped out of my hands....their was nothing I could do, but let go.
At this point, I was so disoriented, that at one point, I wished that I would just get knocked out. There was little I could do, and that is a scary thing.
Finally, I got pressed against a wall (basically at the end of the stadium property on the east side) and some guys told me to sit down. I couldn't think nor did I want to trust them, but I had no choice. One of the guys slightly pulled my green polo shirt down and realized that I had a Senegalese jersey on up underneath. I think he and some of the others felt stupid after that but things were far from over for me.
They told me to take my polo shirt off and stand up to show that I was "one of them". The second I stood up, I felt I heard others stupidity at realizing I was a Senegalese fan, but I also got hit square on the head with a rock. Of all the rocks I got hit with, that is the only one I actually remembered.
I don't really remember the process of what happened next, but I somehow made it into a family compound where I was told to hide. At this point, I also had 'helpers'. I like to think of them as instigators as well, but I had no choice but to trust...a lot was on the line.
In the compound, I was completely out of it, mentally and physically. I could barely feel my head, hands and shoulders were scratched up, but not much bleeding. I ended up going to the bathroom to throw up....don't know if it was from the rocks, adrenaline, or being scared to death.
The door was being banged on, but the lady's who compound it was, refused to open it. I felt bad putting her in a situation like this, but really had no choice in the matter.
I still had my phone somehow so after about 10 minutes of collecting myself as best as I could, I was able to get in contact with my group, who had been brought to another compound by these 'helpers'. It was really shady because these 'helpers' knew where I was and knew where they were...it just seemed fishy, but not much we could do....and nothing I could do at this point. Also, I was in contact with Peace Corps, but at the time, it was nearly impossible to relay the severity of what was happening.
After about 30 minutes, I was able to meet up with those in my group, where we stayed in the compound they were in for about 5 minutes. Finally, with one of the 'helpers', we weaved through the neighborhood we were in to get to my old house. You could feel the tension and hostility in the air. I looked like a war zone. The major roads were blocked with burning tires.
Making it home to Patte d'Oie was the first time in the ordeal that I felt safe. My host mom, was amazing as well as concerned. After a few minutes, I gave my 'helper' some money so he would leave.
We stayed at my old house for about 45 minutes before leaving. As we were walking, we surprisingly came across a group of Peace Corps trainees who were waiting in a family compound for safety. They also have an interesting story about the evening.
Eventually, a Peace Corps Land Cruiser came to pick everyone up. The trainees were taken to the Regional House and I was brought to Peace Corps to be checked out by a doctor and then was ordered to spend the night there as a precaution.
Sunday morning, I felt a lot better but the bumps on the head were still there as well as some cuts, but nothing major.
I was lucky.
So I just got home from work and turned on the TV and an American Classic was on TV, "Escape from Alcatraz." It was dubbed in French, but what a great movie. It was towards the end, but I decided to finish watching it.
It was a nice little surprise.
Also today, the minute I got out of the cab, I headed across the street to the grocery store and as I was paying, Bon Jovi started playing. That alone makes it a rare and good day.
Hope everyone is doing well.
With the start of my third year, I have been able to go out and visit with urban agriculture Volunteers. Not only is it great to go out and see different sites and see how I can support them, but for someone who rarely got out of Dakar in his first two years, it is a cool way to visually see the country (a lot of time is spent in a Land Cruiser on the road)
This last tournee I went on, my boss and I visited Mbour, Kebemer, Linguere, Richard Toll, St Louis, and Louga. Enjoy
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=8716ad8f412f3a56&sid=1IZsnLNo4YsLS
Here are some photos taken from my buddy's apartment downtown. Think you might enjoy.
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=395a60f18d9111f1&sid=1IZsnLNo4YsLw
While I am a little late getting this up, my sister and her husband had Madelyn Jane Schoenfisch on September 12. I couldn't be happier for Ash and Mark and really can't wait to see little Madelyn, apparently sooner than later.
Just wanted to post some pictures that new Dakar Volunteer, Jared Tharp took. They were taken in Patte D'oie, my old neighborhood. This pictures were taken the day after it rained, so the water levels are much lower than they were when it rained the night before. Enjoy and stay dry!
For any of you that have had breakfast breakfast at the Land household or attended a Matson family gathering at our mountain house, then you've probably had Swedish pancakes. They are pretty much to die for, especially when you load them up with powdered sugar, syrup, and being thousands of miles away from home.
With the ability to cook now at my apartment, I decided to take a stab at this traditional family staple. The recipe said it would make 16, I managed to get 8 out of it, which was primarily due to the fact that they were a lot thicker than they should, but they tasted just as good.
As I talk about food, I must also mention that the Muslim holy month of Ramadan started yesterday in Senegal. It is a time when Muslims around the world fast. As I said the past two years, it is really cool time to been in a Muslim culture and see people's faith at work.
Last year, I decided to fast for about two weeks, waking up around 5 am to have breakfast with the family and then go all day without food or water (some cheat and have water) until sun down. It is tough and I definitely have a greater respect for those who make it through the entire month.
This year is far different. Because I no longer live with a family and somewhat live the same life as I would be in the States, Ramadan has not affected me too much and I guess we can say that I'm not fasting this time around...my deli sandwich and leftover mashed potatoes for lunch today were really good.
But, but for all the Muslims in Senegal and around the world, this is your month....Bon Ramadan
The other day in Atlanta, I took MARTA up to Buckhead from Atlantic Station to meet a friend for lunch. I took the bus and then subway up there. Public transportation in the US is far different than in Senegal. While I found it to be far more reliable it felt sterile and lacked character.
On my return trip, I decided to just take a cab back to my buddy's house. I got in the cab and told him the address. He asked me if I was from Atlanta and I told him I lived in Africa. He went further and asked where and I told him Senegal.
It turns out he was Somalian but when civil war struck he moved to Dakar for 3 years and lived in a neighborhood adjacent to my old one. It was another cool encounter. We spoke in English and Wolof talking about the things that make Senegal great...food and hospitality. Also, we talked about how Senegal has changed since his days there. He had been in the US for 11 years driving taxis.
As we do in Senegal, I tried to negotiate the fare (in Senegal set fares don't exist and negotiation is done prior to entering cab). We both laughed as my wallet cried.
It's a small world.
The trip back to the
The bags are packed with who knows what. Turned out my two checked bags were a bit heavier than I had anticipated…53 pounds and 51 pounds, so I had to do a little rearranging at the airport. I didn’t think I was going to have to be that guy. Turns out, my entire luggage, carry-on and all weighed about 135 pounds. It should be interesting getting it all to my apartment come tomorrow morning. I just didn't have enough room left for a blender.
Go Dawgs!!!
Fresh off Delta Flight 35 from
Well, that soon changed and it became clear yet again that it I a small world. Walking in to the store, I looked over my shoulder and there were three men of African decent (African-American, African, other, I didn’t know) walking in. One was wearing an outfit native in Africa and prevalent in
I couldn’t believe it, it brought me back home.
I’m not going to lie, it was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had in two and a half years.
I hope everyone is doing well. I just wanted to apologize for not having updated this in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, you are going to have to wait a bit longer.
Currently, I am in the process of transitioning between my two years of service and my third year. While I will still be living in Dakar, a lot of emotions are being felt. I finished up with two of my projects at the Hospital last week. I am moving to an apartment next week after becoming part of an awesome family for the past two years.
In the meantime, I am leaving Dakar on Thursday and taking a week long break. My goal is to pretty much disappear during that time. I don't get out of the city too often, nor enough, so I am looking forward to this R & R.
When I return, I will more concretely take over some new responsibilities.
For those of you that have supported me for the past two years, you have no idea how much it has meant. Thank you.
---------------------------------
On a side note, as a result of staying a third year with Peace Corps, I am required to take a month long vacation home. My tickets have been booked and I'll be back late July to mid August. I figure this will be my last time back to the States until I finish up early Summer 2009....after that, who knows where I'll go.
For all of those who have lived or live in Senegal or even West Africa, you will be happy to know that mango season has arrived here in Dakar. It truly is one of the bigger benefits to staying for a third year. It is just another one of those things I don't think I can compare to the State's. Also, the mangoes you pick up at your local Piggly Wiggly are nothing like the mangoes here.
There are too many better feelings when going to a mango stand, buying the biggest mango they have (biggest one I've gotten was about 1.5 kg or 3.3 pounds) and devouring the whole thing. Sometimes the stomach gets a little achy, but you literally just can't stop eating them because they are so good. There isn't much more in life than experiencing the juice of a mango nearly the size of a football dripping down your chin.
Raise your boisson sucre and ching ching to another mango season...
Since I arrived in Dakar almost two years ago, I have met hundreds of people as a result of my micro-gardening projects at Hospital Fann. They range from low key visits of interested Senegalese who heard about the project, development workers, doctors/medical researchers from all over the world, school groups to higher profiles visits of Peace Corps/Africa country directors, American military representatives, Raul Gonzalez (soccer player for Real Madrid), White House staffers, and the First Ladies and Daughters of the United States and Senegal. It has been a unique and interesting experience for sure.
This past week, Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter and Chief of Operations for Africa Region Lynn Foden were in Senegal visiting Volunteers and really just checking in. On Tuesday afternoon, I had the honor to show them two of my sites at the Hospital as well as the Peace Corps/Senegal Director Chris Hedrick. The first site was the large project at the Infectious Diseases Ward. This is a site that has been featured in international press and well known in the Peace Corps/Washington circle apparently. I am currently wrapping up my responsibilities at this site, so it was rewarding have it visited. Prof Sow gave a brief description of the project before Peace Corps got involved in 2005 and how much it has changed since. Also, he thanked Peace Corps for its service and commitment to the project. Following the Prof's words, I really stressed the high level of collaboration involved in the project. The project involves the Infectious Diseases Ward, Center for Microgardening in Camberene, Peace Corps, and Development in Gardening. It was important to me to highlight this collaboration. Also, I wanted to stress that this is a big time project, that involved several thousands of dollars worth of funding to complete. The reason for this is because big time projects often times are not possible in developing countries and it is difficult if not impossible for individuals to replicate some of the technologies we utilize at this site.
(Chief of Operations/Africa Region Lynn Foden, PCV Justin Land, Director Ron Tschetter)
(Getting my boss to work for me...Director Tschetter, PCV Justin Land, PC/Senegal Country Director Chris Hedrick)Since I joined the ranks of Peace Corps/Senegal, four stages (groups of Volunteers) completed their service, the fifth is leaving now. The goodbyes that go along with these have become part of the game. The thing that is different with this current stage leaving is that it is my stage, the group I entered with. We have all come along way since we met in Philadelphia as strangers two years ago. Through the two years, many of us have become family, and the bonds that are created here are very unique and special...almost something that can't be described if you haven't experienced it.
As an example of these bonds, last night, I went out with three of my buddies who I entered with to say farewell to one of them. It was a tight group, through two years, we bonded like brothers, yet we all lived in different corners of Senegal. I'm not gonna lie, toasts were made, a few tears were shed...it was the culmination of our trials and tribulations here. Out of this group, two of us are staying another year, so the two leaving are gonna be missed here.
Working with farm animals may boost coping skills. (James Estrin/The New York Times)Caring for farm animals appears to offer a therapeutic benefit for people with mental illness, according to new research.
Earlier studies with cats and dogs have shown that animal-human interaction can decrease stress and improve self-confidence and social competence. But less is known about whether working with other types of animals offers any benefits to those struggling with anxiety or other psychiatric disorders. Even so, the use of farms to promote mental health is increasing in Europe and the United States, as various treatment programs offer so-called “green” care, which includes time in community gardens and on farms as a form of therapy.
To determine whether time working with farm animals makes a meaningful difference in mental health, Norwegian researchers studied how life on the farm might affect patients with problems like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and personality disorders. Reporting in the journal Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health, they recruited 90 patients, including 59 women and 31 men, with psychiatric ailments. The vast majority were being treated with antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs, mood stabilizers and other medications.
Two-thirds of the patients took part in the farm intervention, where they were asked to work with cows, sheep and horses for three hours a week over a 12-week period. The remaining one-third served as a control group and received standard psychiatric care.
By the end of the study, 19 of those in the farm group had dropped out, while only two in the control group had left the study. But during the six-month follow-up, the farm patients reported a statistically significant improvement in self-efficacy and coping skills compared to those who had not spent time working with animals.
The researchers noted that work with farm animals may improve mental health in part because it gives a person physical contact with another living being. Routines that include activities like feeding, milking and caring for other living creatures may also promote self-esteem and confidence.
“Patients may have learned new tasks…and afterwards felt more self-confident,'’ the authors reported. “The contact with the animals may have produced a pleasurably experienced social interaction that made the patients less afraid of new situations.”
In the past two years on this site, one thing I've really wanted you, the reader to do, is to use your own judgments to make conclusions, keep an open mind, and open your horizons. Much of the time, I've tried to keep my opinions to a minimum.
Because I feel many of my peers back home know little about the outside world, past the city they live in and possibly what appears on the nightly news, its important for me to share this article with you all.
What the American people are doing abroad regarding development and global health is important, and quite frankly we are taking the leadership role. Being on the ground here and seeing these dollars utilized ranging from large scale projects with Ministries (governmental not religious) to the most grassroots in villages. When you multiply what is happening just here in Senegal to all African countries, hopefully we (not just the US, but everyone) can eradicate malaria, diminish the wide-spread nature of HIV/AIDS, and increase the overall health of Africans.
You may ask yourselves why we should care as Americans....we are all human.
So, for those of you that think (and consequently debate the justifications) that the U.S. is only focused on the Middle East regarding foreign policy then your wrong. As an American, you should be proud...for many reasons.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted Wednesday to triple to more than $10 billion a year U.S. humanitarian spending on fighting AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in Africa and other stricken areas of the world.
About $41 billion of the $50 billion over five years would be devoted to AIDS, significantly expanding a program credited with saving more than 1 million lives in Africa alone in the largest U.S. investment ever against a single disease.
Every day another 6,000 people are infected with the HIV virus, said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman, D-Calif. "We have a moral imperative to act and to act decisively," he said.
The House voted 308-116 to extend and broaden the scope of the $15 billion President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief that President Bush promoted and Congress enacted in 2003. It has been hailed as a noteworthy foreign policy success of the Bush presidency.
The White House, which backs the House bill, said the program is supporting anti-retroviral treatment for about 1.45 million people and is on track to meet its goals of backing treatment for 2 million, preventing 7 million new infections and providing care for 10 million, including orphans and vulnerable children.
In 2007, 33 million people worldwide were living with HIV and AIDS, according to the United Nations.
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, top Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee, added that while the program is based on altruism, it has strengthened U.S. security.
Without addressing the AIDS pandemic, she said, it "will continue to spread its mix of death, poverty and despondency that is further destabilizing governments and societies, and undermining the security of entire regions."
The compromise bill was one of the last endeavors of the former Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, Tom Lantos, D-Calif., who died of cancer in February. The measure is named after Lantos and his predecessor as Foreign Affairs chairman, the late Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., who worked together on the 2003 act.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved a similar $50 billion bill, and the legislation is seen as having a good chance of passing in an election year in which few major bills will reach the president's desk.
To advance the legislation, conservatives had to give up a provision in the 2003 act requiring that one-third of all HIV prevention funds be spent on abstinence programs. Instead it directs the administration to promote "balanced funding for prevention activities" in target countries.
Liberals, in turn, had to accept some restrictions on family planning groups participating in AIDS programs. Conservatives, concerned that money might be diverted to abortion promotion, pushed for a provision that allows the use of funds for HIV/AIDS testing and counseling services in those family planning programs supported by the U.S. government.
A measure in the 2003 act requiring groups receiving funds to have a policy explicitly opposing prostitution and sex trafficking, opposed by some health groups as impeding efforts among sex workers, was also left intact.
The White House, which originally promoted doubling the program to $30 billion, has expressed concern over the $50 billion figure but not opposed it.
Some conservatives still objected. "This is irrational generosity," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., saying the country doesn't have enough money to help veterans and the elderly. "This is benevolence gone wild."
The bill authorizes $10 billion a year, or $50 billion through 2013. Of that, $41 billion is for AIDS prevention and treatment, $4 billion for tuberculosis and $5 billion for malaria. The actual dollars still have to be approved in annual spending bills, but over the last five years Congress exceeded the $15 billion goal, appropriating $19 billion for global AIDS and related programs.
It expands the program, originally focused on 15 mainly sub-Saharan African countries, to include Caribbean nations as well as Malawi, Swaziland and Lesotho in Africa. The goal of the next five years is to prevent 12 million new infections, provide anti-retroviral treatment for 3 million, and train more than 140,000 health care workers. The bill increases coordination with drinking water and nutrition programs and efforts to educate girls and women.
"This will be remembered as the single most significant achievement of President Bush's two terms in office," said Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., chairman of the Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Africa.
Over the course of the past two years, I figure I have alluded to taxis in some form in numerous posts....well, here is another one.
Typically, in the past, I have only shelled out for cabs in due necessity, whether it be that I'm in a rush or it is too late for a bus. In the past month or so, I have taken them more out of convience...Dakar public transport has temporarily defeated me. During the span of the past month of taxi taking, I've had two interesting encounters.
First, early last week, I hit the snooze button one too many times. It has been a re-occuring problem actually...I don't think my body always likes trying to wake up at 5:45 - 6:00 (unless it is from a nap in the afternoon). With that being said, I had an appointment with an American student scheduled at the hospital and needed to get some work done prior to it. To compensate for the hour dealing with public transport, I figured a $3 (a lot for a Peace Corps Volunteer budget) taxi fare and 15 minute ride was what it was going to be.
I walked out of my house groggy and to the main road...flagged down a cab and was on my way. The ride was going smoothly. It wasn't the most structurely sound taxi I'd ever been in, but for here in Dakar, I trusted my life with it and it wasn't bad.
Half-way to the hospital, the driver said he needed to pull over real quickly to fix something. The car seemed to be working fine but because I was the consumer and he was the driver in the situation, I obliged. A couple minutes roll by, and then a couple more, and a couple more until he gets back into the car for good 15 - 20 minutes later. My anger/frustration/emotions don't always show (call it hard to read maybe) but I told him I wasn't paying him full fare. I think he chose to ignore me or pretend to not understand my wolof...not sure.
We pulled into the hospital and down to the Infectious Diseases' Wing and I hand him 1,000 CFA (not full fare). While I have suggested in the past about paying the fair price, I felt that was what I was doing. Unfortunately, my chauffer did not like this. We argued for about 5 minutes, somewhat heated. Can't say it was how I wanted to continue my morning but happens every once in a while. Finally, I just decided to get out of the cab. Wellllllll, not so fast little Justin. The brute strength of my driver's forearms and fist wrapped around my bag strap prevented me from getting out or possibly moving.
I consider myself an expert fighter and champion of mind games but this guy could have kicked my ass thrice (1 + 2 = thrice) times in a span of me blinking my eyes. So being the southern guy I am, I told him to remove his hands from my bag and then pay him the 500 CFA extra that I deducted when he stopped his working taxi for 15 minutes. The problem was that my change was in my pocket but because of the tight cut of my jeans, I had to stand up to get into my pockets....it took me another couple of minutes to explain this and promise him I wouldn't flee.
Finally, while the time was still hovering 8:00 am, I managed to still have my life and another story to tell.
Second, on the contrary to the last taxi story, this is one of a different nature. Because I have been in the mood lately of taking taxis out of convenience, I have not always been rushed when I've been in them.
Because I am currently house-sitting and needed to pick up an outfit from my house for a conference to attend today, I went home after work on Monday to get it. In order to get from my house to where I'm house-sitting, there is no easy way to get there based on public transportation, so I took a cab.
I went to my neighborhood cab stand and jumped into a cab. The driver was super cool and I soon realized as we were going up the incline over the bridge, the cab was struggling and going at a turtles pace. I was in no hurry, the driver was nice, made a joke or too about his sick little cab, and I was content being in that cab.
The trip that should normally take 15 minutes took 45 and honestly it was one of the most relaxing 45 minutes I'd had in awhile. It was close if not better than sitting in a barber's chair getting a hair cut. I'm fairly confident I snoozed off for a second or too. When I made it to my destination I thanked him for such a marvelous ride...it was great.
From a physical standpoint, my newest project at the Hospital Fann Psychiatric Wing continues to be a work in progress...which I look at as a good thing. While I was approached about the idea last May, due to the First Lady's visit, my vacation back to the US, and then Ramadan, is was not until October when things started. Over the course of the past few months, a lot of changes/improvements have been made. The cost of the project remains low and hopefully in turn, sustainable and potentially achievable by others.
Currently, Mboup (psych wing technician) and I have brought in 70 tires and enough composted material to fill them, added landscaping touches and started the planting of flowers, and redone the fencing to better secure the project as well as increase it's size. We are hoping to add roughly 50 more tires and add a shaded seating area that will hopefully be used in the next phase of the project. Also, we are hoping to continue to beautify the landscaping.
Here are some pictures of the project since the beginning....
June 29, 2007:
November 14, 2007:
Experimented with two in-ground beds (one pictured). Later removed.
One of two raised rock wall beds
The top rim of the tires is cut and then the bottom is lined with plastic. The cut top rim is then used to secure the plastic
The fence posts and fencing were all removed, then re-installed in order to extend the perimeter of the garden
Entrance
Saturdays in the Dakarois work schedule is something I have never understood....some places are open, some aren't....some people work, some don't. Basically it isn't like a typical Monday to Friday were a lot of people work nor is it like a Sunday where nobody works. Regardless, for me, working on a Saturday noticeably feels different.
It is not every Saturday that I go to the Hospital, but I try to go in at least once or twice a month to check in on things, and each time, I thoroughly enjoy it. On Saturdays, the Hospital is very quiet and relaxing, which is the reason I enjoy going. I can go in for an hour and call it a day, just to check in on things. I don't feel obligated to change into my work clothes, but feel comfortable wearing shorts and tennis shoes.
With work on the Psych project reaching momentum and Mboup, the gardener for the project being out of town, I decided to go in yesterday to water the Psych garden and hangout with Lope, one of the gardeners from the Infectious Diseases Ward.
After spending a bit of time at the Infectious Diseases Ward and having breakfast with Lope, I headed to Psychiatry. When I got there, I noticed a few patients beside the garden in some shade socializing. One of them I had met a few times over the course of last week.
I started watering and noticed a couple of them were speaking English. I wasn't entirely surprised, partially because The Gambia's proximity to Senegal and numerous conversations I had had in the past with some patients in English. What surprised me was that they were speaking English with each other.
A few minutes later, the only girl in the group, and the best of the English speakers walked to the entrance of the garden and asked if she could come in. I invited her in and gave her a tour of the garden and had a nice 10 minute conversation with her. One of the other guys, the one I had met before came in as well. As the conversation wound to a close, one of them asked if I wanted a cup of aataya (tea) in a few minutes.
As I got back to watering, I thought in my more about the meaning of the project to me, the meaning of conversations with the patients to me and possibly to them, as well as the potential support group that these individuals have with each other on this Saturday afternoon in the shade drinking tea, speaking English, and an American to the side. As a result, I gave them a handful of mint for their tea and continued to talk to them for a bit across the fence before finishing up my watering.
When I finished, I closed up the garden and ended up chatting with the group for a few minutes and had some tea and for some reason it was one of the more memorable things that I've experienced here.
Out of the group there, everyone, including myself, had a story, but it didn't matter on this Saturday to this group. The warmth I felt was strong.
It is weird how words sometimes can't sum up your thoughts, and this moment is one of those cases. Basically, the time I was at the Psych project strengthened my emotions for wanting to stay in Senegal another year as well as realizing more of what my potential is and should be, and not settling for less.
Hope you have all had a great weekend.
Because rumors have been flying here in Senegal and I had given little information about when I was going to return back to the US, I just wanted to inform everyone that I decided to extend my Peace Corps service for a 3rd year early last week. My responsibilities here will change for the most part as well as increase but the details and paperwork is still in the works.
I will most likely be back in the States sometime this Summer, around July/August, for a mandatory one month vacation that comes with a year extension.
This decision is one that I am happy to of made and really look forward to the year to come.
Organization of the Islamic Conference: March 13-14, 2008
The U.S. Embassy in Dakar is issuing this Warden Message to remind U.S. citizens of the upcoming Organization of the Islamic Conference to be held in Dakar on March 13-14, 2008. This event will bring thousands of visitors, among them many heads of state and other foreign dignitaries. Although much is being done by Senegalese police and security elements, events such as this sometimes bring inconvenience and an increased risk of security incidents.
In the days leading up to the conference, Dakar residents should expect an increase in traffic disruption as motorcades ferry participants throughout the city. Due to the increase in police presence, pedestrians and motorists are reminded to have available all necessary documentation and be courteous when dealing with police. As noted in the Department of State’s Country Specific Information page for Senegal (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1013.html),Senegalese law requires that all persons carry personal identification at all times, and all Senegalese law enforcement officials have the authority to challenge suspicious activity and to request personal identification. To minimize inconvenience in the event of theft, the Embassy suggests that U.S. citizens carry copies, preferably notarized, of their passports and other identification documents, rather than originals.
Given the size and focus of the conference, an increase in situational awareness is recommended. Due to increased congestion and security, American citizens may wish to limit unnecessary movement during the event and purchase items such as food and fuel before the conference begins.
Please remember that public demonstrations, political gatherings, and student protests are relatively common in Senegal, both in Dakar and in outlying regions. In the past, these events have sometimes turned violent. Due to the potential for violence, U.S. citizens should avoid political gatherings and street demonstrations, and maintain security awareness at all times. For guidelines on dealing safely with public demonstrations, please see the American Citizen Services page of the U.S. Embassy Dakar website at http://dakar.usembassy.gov/service.html.
Monday, February 25, 2008
While my time here in Senegal is coming to a close day by day, it is far from done. After being in the States for 10 days in early February, attending the West African Invitational Softball Tournament (W.A.I.S.T.) last weekend, and all of last week being taken up by the All Volunteer Conference and COS Conference, I am ready to get back to work. It is nice to feel rejuvenated and having a strong desire to make some positive changes.
At my main site at the Infectious Diseases Ward at Fann Hospital, I am hoping to get back into the nutrition and food preparation side of things. This is an area which I got burned out doing last year, so I am hoping I will see full commitment amongst those involved in the project this year to tackle this. Hopefully, in the end, this project will be looked at as a well rounded one.
Also, I will slowly transition myself out of the gardening portion of this site so the technicians will be better prepared when I leave.
At my new site at the Psychiatric Ward at Fann Hospital, I just secured a small amount of funding that will allow us to nearly double the growing space. While this site will probably have a volunteer at it after me on a small scale, continuing to work with the technician at the site, I want the patients to be more greatly integrated in it by the time I leave.
As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, it is most likely that I will be replaced by a new Volunteer in mid May, so over the next couple months I will be involved in some site development so the future Volunteer will have things to do as well as a place to live. Along with this, once this Volunteer arrives in Dakar, I’ll be working closely with them to try and get them more integrated into the city.
Another Volunteer and I are trying to put together a book on Dakar which will be incorporated into the training of new Volunteers. Dakar is a massive city with little source of compressed information, so we are trying to compress everything together with the Volunteer in mind.
While I am not searching for accomplishments, I am hoping by the time I leave here I can say that I got the job done or showed somebody how to do it instead of just leaving things hanging. Too many people have given up on Africa, I don’t want to be one.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Early on in my Peace Corps service I found it difficult to constantly have to negotiate for prices….whether it be in a market or with a taxi. At times, it was, and still is annoying. The reason for this annoyance is because I’m not Senegalese, and regardless of how hard I try, I never will be…often times adding a few steps to the negotiation process.
With this being said, it has been fascinating as well. Often times, through these negotiations, you strike up relationships (many good and some bad). Also, you learn that Senegal is a customer-based market (different then a customer service based market) in which if one vendor or driver doesn’t agree with your price, another one might…and there are plenty of others. This is not a good thing if you are in a hurry though and luck is not on your side.
While I have always wanted the best price for things, more importantly, I have started to want the fair price….for me and for the seller. Lately, I have been at a crossroads with this approach regarding taxi fares.
I typically break my taxi fares when I negotiate in Dakar between 1,000 CFA, 1,500 CFA, and 2,000 CFA depending on where I’m going. While still being a firm believer in negotiating the correct price for when I’m going somewhere, I have had a difficult time lately trying to determine if that is the fair price.
In the past several months, Dakar traffic and road construction has increased to try and meet the deadline for the Islamic Conference happening in Dakar in early March. This construction has made getting around the city very tiresome. Unfortunately, because the detours and ramifications caused by this construction changes almost daily, you never know how you will be affected.
Some may disagree with my approach based on the fact that once you make a contract (written or verbal) you should stick with it, but lately I just haven’t been able to justify getting out of the cab and paying the negotiated rate. If it should have taken 30 minutes to get home but instead took an hour, with no fault of the driver, especially one as a customer, I honestly feel as a responsible customer, I have a duty to do.
The way many taxi drivers in the city operate is that they have to pay to use the car they are driving that day. After talking to a few buddies, I think the fee in Dakar is roughly 10,000 CFA. On top of that, they must pay for the gas they use, which like in the States, it is high here too. It is not cheap to operate a taxi.
As a result, the combination of responsible consumerism and little standard in negotiated prices during a time of grand influx has made me much softer in paying what I feel is the ‘fair’ price, not the negotiated price at the end of the ride…I wish my wallet always agreed.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday February 23, 2008
For the past 3 days, I’ve been involved in a conference at the Hotel Fana in Almadies (area of
The conference, led by former PCV Nicole Dewing, consisted of a lot of different components. The first day was mostly a sense of reflection of what each of us had done (large and small). This is interesting because we each have had unique and differing experiences. Also on the first day, we started thinking about how we could turn these experiences (large and small) into positive components for future use, such as a resume or Peace Corps related paperwork. That evening, we had a panel discussion at Club Atlantique with former volunteers living in
The second day was most mostly spent learning how to fill out all the paperwork needed to complete our service. This paperwork pertains to medical, financial, programmatic, and bureaucratic maters. Thursday evening, about 10 of us met a group of study abroad students studying in
The feedback sessions took up most of Friday. While the security session occurred on the first day, we dealt with programs, medical, administrative, and training feedback on Friday. These sessions were very beneficial and hopefully everyone involved in Peace Corps/Senegal will continually strive to make it a respected and valuable organization in Senegal.
Friday evening came around with a
It is a shame that things are coming to a close…I wish I could stay a lot longer. The past two years here are something I don’t think I could ever regret. The people I have met, spanning numerous nationalities, have been amazing. The emotions felt through the roller coaster haven’t made me sick in my stomach but stronger in my head. There have been challenges that most of the readers of this site will never experience or possibly understand, which is difficult but I wouldn’t change for the world. After two years, I’m proud to be able to call myself a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Because our theme was beach related, our uniforms were blue life-guard style tank tops with board shorts for some and shorter style shorts for others. Also, we managed to get a few props to go along with our theme which included an inner tube, whistles, tanning oil, and kite.
The night time events included a welcome party at the American Club on Friday, a W.A.I.S.T. party at the Marine House on Saturday, and an awards banquet and after party at the
Monday, February 11, 2008
Dakar Rally heading to South America for 2009 after terrorism canceled '08 race
 | |
| The 2009 edition of the Dakar rally will last 17 days and travel through Chile and Argentina. |
