To America and Back! The story of a long, lost letter...
Almost 4 months ago, I sent a letter to the friends and family of St. Andrew's UMC in care of the church's secretary because I could not remember the zip code of the church. I had in my address the home address of the the church's secretary. However, I did not realize that the letter I posted was to the wrong address as she had moved (2 years ago, mind you). OOPS!
Once I had access to Internet in October, I asked the church secretary if she had received my letter and she said no. So, I wrote an email about my current happenings at that time and sent it to her. That email was then posted online and sent to church family and friends in its newsletter.
The other day, as I checked my mailbox at the Peace Corps Office, I saw my letter that I posted to St. Andrew's in August had made a trans-Atlantic journey...TWICE! I guess the US Postal Service's Return to Sender system is much more efficient than I ever realized. Anyway, for fun, I thought I'd post my original letter here:
August 15, 2007
Dear St. Andrew's Family and Friends,
Greetings! I hope this finds you all well and gearing up for the fall season and all of its many activities! I thought I'd send a little update from The Smiling Coast of Africa. But first, I'd like to thank the Missions Committee for the two AMAZING care packages that were sent to me earlier this summer. Your time and thought of putting them together is greatly appreciated. I also want to thank everyone for your continued support-whether it'd be prayers, cards, letters, or even just asking my parents on Sunday about how I'm doing (They do makre sure to tell me that I am being though of/asked about). THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
By the time this letter is received, I will be finishing my fourth month of life in my permanent village, called Pacharr. Overall, things have been going well here. Some dayss are still better than others, but I remind myself (daily) that this also occurs in the US too. MY host family is wonderful, but is quite large. My host uncle also resides in the compound with his three wives and their children. My family is loud as there is a lot of yelling, shouting, and crying (by the children), but there's also a lot of laughing (and no they just don't laugh AT me, although usually I am involved somehow.)
Although my language skills are still pretty horrible, I've begun looking into/working on a few projects in my village and surrounding area. (My language skills, or rather lack thereof, is my biggest problem/struggle right now.) For the past three weeks, I have been teaching a summer session at the primary and middle school here. I teach English to grades 7, 8, 9. (All classes aer taught in English, but the problem is that English is not spoken at home, so the children struggle.) At the end of grade 9, all students take an exam that is administered throughout countries in West Africa. IF students do not pass their grade 9 exam, they cannot continue onto Secondary School (unless families pay their way into it).
Teaching is a challenge here as many of he school teachers themselves have NOT completed their own Secondary School education/studies. Students are taught to memorize, not think freely. Working with the school and interacting with children in my village who are of school age, but whose parents do not send them or can't afford to send them has really opened my eyes to how fortunate I am to have a good education. In the coming school year, I will teach a few classes and hold special programs. I will also continue working with the school's agricultural department in starting its garden/orchard. I do not want be a full-time teacher here. (Plus, it's nice to have variety).
In addition to working with the school, I have been working with my assigned counterpart, who is a Community Health Nurse in my village. I help out on clinic days and assist with weighing babies and screening children under the age of five for malnutrition and immunizations. The work at the clinics can be mentally and emotionally draining; plus, the work is not sustainable. (Sustainability is a HUGE objective here and for Peace Corps.) My counterpart and I work well together, and we have decided to embark on some additional projects in the village, such as a montly environmental sanitation/clean-up day, an anti-smoking campaign, malaria preparedness, and HIV/AIDS education.
Other possible projects inlcude: creating an Arts Club for kids, expanding a community garden, revamping two women's group gardens, and restarting adult literacy classes. Many of these projects are still merely ideas, but as my language improves, I will be able to launch them.
To describe mylife or to give you perspective, here is just a brief account of today's morning and early fternoon: I awoke to one of my host mothers chopping firewood outside my bedroom window. The firewood was to be used to cook the family's breakfast of rice porridge. I got out of bed, used my pit latrine (top is cracked and soon may cave in due to the rains, despite it only being 3.5 months old), washed my face, using a cup and bucket full of wwater, dressed myself in a skirt made of local fabric and a t-shirt. I closed my windows and doors in case the August rains came while I was out. (Depending on the direction of rainy season storms, rain can easily soak my bed and wet my trunk full of "American" food as it comes in through an open window.) I greeted several members of my family good morning, which is cutomary here and one is considered dishonorable if he or she does not extend a series of extended greetings. I proceeded to walk two kilometers to school as my bicycle (Peace Corps issued-kind of like a company car-African style) has a flat tire, and I have yet to fix the puncture.
As I walked on and to the side of the pothole-riddled road, I briefly wondered why there were no school children laggin behind me. I stopped in a shop in the village where school is located. One of my students, whose father owns the shop, informed me as I asked for animal-cracker-like cookies that there was no school today as it was declared last night that today would be a Public Holiday---Assumption Day. I thanked him for telling me and walked out with my breakfast cookies, costing roughly 25 cents. I proceeded to the school to see if I could speak to my colleagues. Only a few students showed up for class and the decision was made to send them home. Apparently, those who showed up did not hear the public holiday announcement on the radio either. After confirmaing no school today, I walked back home, meeting some of my students along the way. Once home, I swept my house of the dust/dirt that never seems to stop collecting. Today I am feeling achey and nauseous and hope I am not getting sick, so I decided to rest. As I rested, the thick cloud of humidity overhead began to darken and the wind came. A heavy downpour began to fall as soon as I came inside from unravelling the rope that keeps my windows open. As I write this, I am sitting on my makeshift couch (a bamboo-like bed) and the rain is beating down on the corrugate roof overhead. If the rain stops this afternoon, then I'll head to the garden where I am helping a neighbor plant mango tree seedlings. Today we plan on finishing construction of the orchard's fence. (I nail the barbed wire to the tree posts.) IF I finish early, I will head to a soccer match that is the first for the village's summer tournament. (I've been appointed co-organizer even though I can only make out about 20% of what is discussed at the meetings.)
Well, I hope the little vignette of my day was able to briefly transport you to another world. Again, things are going fairly well here. Lately, I've missed home and its many people and things, but I remind myself that it will all be there when I return in 20 months. It also helps to know that I have so many people supporting me and praying for me, like the St. Andrew's family. Thank you.
With much love and thanks,
Stephanie (aka: Jaliika Fatty)
PS. The rats that live below my corrugate roof and above my rice bag ceiling have just woken up and have decided to play. Let's hope they don't come crashing through my ceiling!
PPS. My Mom has told me that many of you have asked how you can help me with my projects. Once more ground work is laid, I will be sure to let you know of any help/donations that are needed! Thanks so much!
Once I had access to Internet in October, I asked the church secretary if she had received my letter and she said no. So, I wrote an email about my current happenings at that time and sent it to her. That email was then posted online and sent to church family and friends in its newsletter.
The other day, as I checked my mailbox at the Peace Corps Office, I saw my letter that I posted to St. Andrew's in August had made a trans-Atlantic journey...TWICE! I guess the US Postal Service's Return to Sender system is much more efficient than I ever realized. Anyway, for fun, I thought I'd post my original letter here:
August 15, 2007
Dear St. Andrew's Family and Friends,
Greetings! I hope this finds you all well and gearing up for the fall season and all of its many activities! I thought I'd send a little update from The Smiling Coast of Africa. But first, I'd like to thank the Missions Committee for the two AMAZING care packages that were sent to me earlier this summer. Your time and thought of putting them together is greatly appreciated. I also want to thank everyone for your continued support-whether it'd be prayers, cards, letters, or even just asking my parents on Sunday about how I'm doing (They do makre sure to tell me that I am being though of/asked about). THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
By the time this letter is received, I will be finishing my fourth month of life in my permanent village, called Pacharr. Overall, things have been going well here. Some dayss are still better than others, but I remind myself (daily) that this also occurs in the US too. MY host family is wonderful, but is quite large. My host uncle also resides in the compound with his three wives and their children. My family is loud as there is a lot of yelling, shouting, and crying (by the children), but there's also a lot of laughing (and no they just don't laugh AT me, although usually I am involved somehow.)
Although my language skills are still pretty horrible, I've begun looking into/working on a few projects in my village and surrounding area. (My language skills, or rather lack thereof, is my biggest problem/struggle right now.) For the past three weeks, I have been teaching a summer session at the primary and middle school here. I teach English to grades 7, 8, 9. (All classes aer taught in English, but the problem is that English is not spoken at home, so the children struggle.) At the end of grade 9, all students take an exam that is administered throughout countries in West Africa. IF students do not pass their grade 9 exam, they cannot continue onto Secondary School (unless families pay their way into it).
Teaching is a challenge here as many of he school teachers themselves have NOT completed their own Secondary School education/studies. Students are taught to memorize, not think freely. Working with the school and interacting with children in my village who are of school age, but whose parents do not send them or can't afford to send them has really opened my eyes to how fortunate I am to have a good education. In the coming school year, I will teach a few classes and hold special programs. I will also continue working with the school's agricultural department in starting its garden/orchard. I do not want be a full-time teacher here. (Plus, it's nice to have variety).
In addition to working with the school, I have been working with my assigned counterpart, who is a Community Health Nurse in my village. I help out on clinic days and assist with weighing babies and screening children under the age of five for malnutrition and immunizations. The work at the clinics can be mentally and emotionally draining; plus, the work is not sustainable. (Sustainability is a HUGE objective here and for Peace Corps.) My counterpart and I work well together, and we have decided to embark on some additional projects in the village, such as a montly environmental sanitation/clean-up day, an anti-smoking campaign, malaria preparedness, and HIV/AIDS education.
Other possible projects inlcude: creating an Arts Club for kids, expanding a community garden, revamping two women's group gardens, and restarting adult literacy classes. Many of these projects are still merely ideas, but as my language improves, I will be able to launch them.
To describe mylife or to give you perspective, here is just a brief account of today's morning and early fternoon: I awoke to one of my host mothers chopping firewood outside my bedroom window. The firewood was to be used to cook the family's breakfast of rice porridge. I got out of bed, used my pit latrine (top is cracked and soon may cave in due to the rains, despite it only being 3.5 months old), washed my face, using a cup and bucket full of wwater, dressed myself in a skirt made of local fabric and a t-shirt. I closed my windows and doors in case the August rains came while I was out. (Depending on the direction of rainy season storms, rain can easily soak my bed and wet my trunk full of "American" food as it comes in through an open window.) I greeted several members of my family good morning, which is cutomary here and one is considered dishonorable if he or she does not extend a series of extended greetings. I proceeded to walk two kilometers to school as my bicycle (Peace Corps issued-kind of like a company car-African style) has a flat tire, and I have yet to fix the puncture.
As I walked on and to the side of the pothole-riddled road, I briefly wondered why there were no school children laggin behind me. I stopped in a shop in the village where school is located. One of my students, whose father owns the shop, informed me as I asked for animal-cracker-like cookies that there was no school today as it was declared last night that today would be a Public Holiday---Assumption Day. I thanked him for telling me and walked out with my breakfast cookies, costing roughly 25 cents. I proceeded to the school to see if I could speak to my colleagues. Only a few students showed up for class and the decision was made to send them home. Apparently, those who showed up did not hear the public holiday announcement on the radio either. After confirmaing no school today, I walked back home, meeting some of my students along the way. Once home, I swept my house of the dust/dirt that never seems to stop collecting. Today I am feeling achey and nauseous and hope I am not getting sick, so I decided to rest. As I rested, the thick cloud of humidity overhead began to darken and the wind came. A heavy downpour began to fall as soon as I came inside from unravelling the rope that keeps my windows open. As I write this, I am sitting on my makeshift couch (a bamboo-like bed) and the rain is beating down on the corrugate roof overhead. If the rain stops this afternoon, then I'll head to the garden where I am helping a neighbor plant mango tree seedlings. Today we plan on finishing construction of the orchard's fence. (I nail the barbed wire to the tree posts.) IF I finish early, I will head to a soccer match that is the first for the village's summer tournament. (I've been appointed co-organizer even though I can only make out about 20% of what is discussed at the meetings.)
Well, I hope the little vignette of my day was able to briefly transport you to another world. Again, things are going fairly well here. Lately, I've missed home and its many people and things, but I remind myself that it will all be there when I return in 20 months. It also helps to know that I have so many people supporting me and praying for me, like the St. Andrew's family. Thank you.
With much love and thanks,
Stephanie (aka: Jaliika Fatty)
PS. The rats that live below my corrugate roof and above my rice bag ceiling have just woken up and have decided to play. Let's hope they don't come crashing through my ceiling!
PPS. My Mom has told me that many of you have asked how you can help me with my projects. Once more ground work is laid, I will be sure to let you know of any help/donations that are needed! Thanks so much!
posted by Stephanie at 6:07 AM
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