It's 7:15 am on Dec 17. I leave at 3 am to go home for Christmas. I have been waking up between 4-5 am each morning for the last two weeks. I'm thinking it's partly malarial effects, excitement, stress, etc. I'm just telling you this in case the following doesn't make sense...lol
It's hard to believe I've been here a semester. I'm wondering how I'll react when I go home? In some ways I think the culture shock will be worse going home than coming here. I mean, after living in a poverished nation, how can I not feel the effects of returning to the wealthiest nation in the world?
Don't get me wrong. I am really looking forward to seeing friends and family. I am looking forward to seeing snow, being cold (for a bit anyway), drinking real milk, drinking water from the faucet, eating cereal, pork, good beef and chicken, and using towels that are nice and fluffy from the dryer. I'm excited to help cut down the Christmas tree on Saturday, to tell others about my experiences here, and to visit Tipton.
Speaking of which, God really blessed me by placing me at Tipton. I really did have great coworkers and students. I am so fortunate that many people have kept in touch, and that I can continue those relationships. That was my biggest adjustment-a new school. I mean, I love it here, but I have no history here. I had a history at Tipton. The students knew me, and I knew them. That is starting to come here, and I am loving it. I realize I'm not betraying my former students by forming deep relationships here. I can do both. It's not like I left Tipton (which was good) in search of something better. I was just being obedient to God. He has provided here too. It is a great experience. The kids are great, and I enjoy teaching them and getting to know them. I know time will bring more good things.
Well I better go prepare for my 2 exams this morning.
God bless and Merry Christmas. May you seek God and be surrounded by His love this season.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
The Alphabet Game
On the malaria roadtrip, my friends and I played the alphabet game to take my mind off how I felt. Since there are really no road signs here, we decided to list things that can be boughten out your car window on the side of the road. That's right folks, you can buy all of these things while staying in your car or even cruising along in neutral. I tried to recreate the list two nights when I couldn't sleep. That means this isn't an exhaustive list. ;) Happy reading:
A-axe (during Tabaski), apples
B-boxers, baby walkers
C-crackers, CDs, cots
D-dates, duffle bag
E-eggs, electronics
F-fruit
G-games
H-hats
I-iron, inflatable toys
J-jackets
K-knifes
L-luggage
M-machete (during Tabaski)
N-nuts
O-oranges
P-phone cards
Q-q-tips
R-radios, rams (during Tabaski)
S-shirts, shoes
T-tea
U-undershirts
V-vegetables
W-water
X-xylophone ***haven’t seen this out the window of the car; have seen at beach
Y-yo-yos
Z-zucchini
A-axe (during Tabaski), apples
B-boxers, baby walkers
C-crackers, CDs, cots
D-dates, duffle bag
E-eggs, electronics
F-fruit
G-games
H-hats
I-iron, inflatable toys
J-jackets
K-knifes
L-luggage
M-machete (during Tabaski)
N-nuts
O-oranges
P-phone cards
Q-q-tips
R-radios, rams (during Tabaski)
S-shirts, shoes
T-tea
U-undershirts
V-vegetables
W-water
X-xylophone ***haven’t seen this out the window of the car; have seen at beach
Y-yo-yos
Z-zucchini
Friday, December 5, 2008
Ouch
Well, people keep saying I’ve become a veteran of Senegal. I survived my first bout of malaria. Let me tell you, I hope I never get it again. I have never been in so much pain (and I’ve had the true flu and missed a week of school). I couldn’t move but I couldn’t get relief from just lying around. I couldn’t even watch a movie because it hurt so badly. I don’t mean to whine. I’m just trying to portray what I went through. What’s sad is people go through this all the time around the world. I read on the CDC website that 350-500 MILLION people get malaria every year. Wowzers. I am so thankful the Bush administration dedicated a lot to malaria in Africa because it is a problem here.
CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/
I was fortunate because they started me on medication right away. I was in a village on outreach. We were supposed to roof a church, create a soccer field, treat some medical problems, and do evangelistic campaigns. I felt sick within the first 45 minutes of arriving. Malaria takes a while from the bit of the infected mosquito until the symptoms show so it didn’t occur in the village. I felt so bad because I felt so helpless-both to helping others as well as helping myself. Fortunately, I work with AMAZING people who did everything they could to help alleviate the pain.
Well I guess that’s a general description of what is new. I wish I could blog about the outreach, but I spent most of it lying down. I can tell you the kids were great workers. They worked hard in some tough conditions. I am so proud of them.
Well I better tackle some schoolwork. I missed four days this week and my plan book shows it.
I hope to see some of you in less than two weeks. Yahoo!
CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/
I was fortunate because they started me on medication right away. I was in a village on outreach. We were supposed to roof a church, create a soccer field, treat some medical problems, and do evangelistic campaigns. I felt sick within the first 45 minutes of arriving. Malaria takes a while from the bit of the infected mosquito until the symptoms show so it didn’t occur in the village. I felt so bad because I felt so helpless-both to helping others as well as helping myself. Fortunately, I work with AMAZING people who did everything they could to help alleviate the pain.
Well I guess that’s a general description of what is new. I wish I could blog about the outreach, but I spent most of it lying down. I can tell you the kids were great workers. They worked hard in some tough conditions. I am so proud of them.
Well I better tackle some schoolwork. I missed four days this week and my plan book shows it.
I hope to see some of you in less than two weeks. Yahoo!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
and we continue on
It was 7:50 pm on Sunday night. The Muslim call to prayer was ringing in the background. My roomie and I were waiting for the fruit man to finish.
How much my life has changed.
It was 8 pm on Monday night. I was returning to my apartment when I saw a bat fly overhead.
How much my life has changed.
It is November, 19. I am still wearing skirts and short sleeves. (Yeah, those three cool days are proving to be an anomaly, but at least the humidity levels have dropped.)
How much my life has changed.
“Retreating and Returning”
They say after you have been somewhere for 6 weeks, you don’t notice many new things anymore. I have been here longer than that of course, but I am surprised that I don’t notice new things anymore. Sometimes I have to take a step back or have another newcomer point something out before it registers.
I have gotten used to the poverty in Dakar. I see it every day. I don’t want to say I have become blind to it, but it doesn’t stand out anymore. (sad I know) This past weekend, I was able to get out of Dakar for the annual women’s retreat. We went to Saly which is a resort town in Senegal. I must admit, we were spoiled. There was a pool, a beach, corn flakes, and chicken that did not taste like rubber! And of course, the company was fantastic. Anyways, I was talking with a lady who came to help with the retreat, and I asked her what stood out the most about Senegal. She talked about the poverty. When we drove back into Dakar, it’s like the poverty and dirtiness of the city hit me all over again. The sand, the shacks, the cars spewing out black exhaust, etc stood out like new again. Maybe it’s a good sign. I don’t know. I hate to think that I will become so comfortable with the status quo that I will no longer feel anything for the Senegalese.
Upcoming Events:
Friday: Movie night outdoors at DA
Saturday: Softball game
Tuesday: Turkey bowl (football games at DA)
Thursday: Thanksgiving
Friday: Outreach to a village
Stay tuned for the details!
How much my life has changed.
It was 8 pm on Monday night. I was returning to my apartment when I saw a bat fly overhead.
How much my life has changed.
It is November, 19. I am still wearing skirts and short sleeves. (Yeah, those three cool days are proving to be an anomaly, but at least the humidity levels have dropped.)
How much my life has changed.
“Retreating and Returning”
They say after you have been somewhere for 6 weeks, you don’t notice many new things anymore. I have been here longer than that of course, but I am surprised that I don’t notice new things anymore. Sometimes I have to take a step back or have another newcomer point something out before it registers.
I have gotten used to the poverty in Dakar. I see it every day. I don’t want to say I have become blind to it, but it doesn’t stand out anymore. (sad I know) This past weekend, I was able to get out of Dakar for the annual women’s retreat. We went to Saly which is a resort town in Senegal. I must admit, we were spoiled. There was a pool, a beach, corn flakes, and chicken that did not taste like rubber! And of course, the company was fantastic. Anyways, I was talking with a lady who came to help with the retreat, and I asked her what stood out the most about Senegal. She talked about the poverty. When we drove back into Dakar, it’s like the poverty and dirtiness of the city hit me all over again. The sand, the shacks, the cars spewing out black exhaust, etc stood out like new again. Maybe it’s a good sign. I don’t know. I hate to think that I will become so comfortable with the status quo that I will no longer feel anything for the Senegalese.
Upcoming Events:
Friday: Movie night outdoors at DA
Saturday: Softball game
Tuesday: Turkey bowl (football games at DA)
Thursday: Thanksgiving
Friday: Outreach to a village
Stay tuned for the details!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Is it that time again?
Greetings. I do apologize for the length between posts these days. I just haven't found anything exciting to write about. I mean, I was walking by the office this afternoon thinking that 3+ months ago, I would have never thought lizards crawling on the walls would be "normal." How time and experience change things.
You may be wondering about softball. Well we are 2-0. I got my first hit the other game. Yay, yay! I am getting to know the kids better through the game so that is nice. I guess it's worth the embarrasement of never catching fly balls...;)
I am just finishing 2 Corinthians and I thought it was an interesting read during the election campaign. (Yes, I did wake up at 4 am to come find out the winner.) What surprised me the most here was all the focus on the candidates' words. Don't get me wrong. Words are great and powerful. However, I think we fall into a dangerous trap when we evaluate anyone based on their words. The addage "Do as I say, not as I do" kept coming back. I found myself wanting to ask people about the candidates' actions. What have their actions shown. That is what reveals something about a person. Sometimes we as believers can focus so much on our speech that we miss our actions and character. What do people see when they look at you? Have you stopped to think about that lately?
P.S. I didn't change for DST so I am now 6 hours ahead of CDT.
You may be wondering about softball. Well we are 2-0. I got my first hit the other game. Yay, yay! I am getting to know the kids better through the game so that is nice. I guess it's worth the embarrasement of never catching fly balls...;)
I am just finishing 2 Corinthians and I thought it was an interesting read during the election campaign. (Yes, I did wake up at 4 am to come find out the winner.) What surprised me the most here was all the focus on the candidates' words. Don't get me wrong. Words are great and powerful. However, I think we fall into a dangerous trap when we evaluate anyone based on their words. The addage "Do as I say, not as I do" kept coming back. I found myself wanting to ask people about the candidates' actions. What have their actions shown. That is what reveals something about a person. Sometimes we as believers can focus so much on our speech that we miss our actions and character. What do people see when they look at you? Have you stopped to think about that lately?
P.S. I didn't change for DST so I am now 6 hours ahead of CDT.
Monday, October 27, 2008
the day by day
Life has certainly become busy these days. Every afternoon brings an activity and the weekends have not become a reprieve to the crazy schedule. I am learning to better balance my time through this, and I do relish the times that I get to know the students better.
I was talked into playing softball-slow pitch softball. For those of you who know me from my younger years, I was not known for my stellar softball skills. I am viewing this as a ministry, a time to better get to know the kids. Plus they can’t say too much because there have to be three girls on the field and there are only four girls on the team.
I have been experimenting more in the kitchen. I made crackers the other day. They didn’t taste half bad. Well except for the little accident. I forgot two pans in the oven while watching a movie and they were burnt to a crisp. I hated to throw them out because of the time and labor involved. So I have compromised, and I eat them with my homemade, weak, salsa. That is followed by lots of water.
Yesterday I made two apple pies with a couple students. I am a big fan of apple pie. I have learned I’m an apple snob. Haha. I like Granny Smith apples in everything. You can’t always find them, but they did have them yesterday when I went to the fruit stand. I made a big deal of this and the students looked at me like I was crazy.
Then after that, two students came over and made chicken curry. It was fabulous and a definite learning process. You cannot buy chicken breasts. You buy a whole chicken and you have to debone, deskin, and remove all the yucky inside organs. Fortunately, one of the girls was an expert at this.
I know what you’re thinking-I’m making my students cook for me. That’s not entirely true. As you know, getting to know the kids outside the classroom is my favorite part of teaching. It is encouraged here because our lives are so interconnected. I like to cook and I find a lot of my students like to cook as well. It is such a fun time of hanging out, joking around, and building great relationships.
Last night I went to our church’s choir concert. There were 9 choirs there. Let me tell you-it was an African event. The singing was amazing! It was also a great reminder that time is not the most important thing here. The concert lasted four hours. Unfortunately I did not stay for it all. I took video and hope to piece some of it together when I come home so you can enjoy it as well.
Hmmm…what else…
The diplomat spoke at our school the other day. She is a strong Christian and it is great to have people in public service that desire to follow the Lord. I find myself buying into an international view of America, and I don’t always like that. Sure, America has its problems, its vices, etc. I’m not ignorant of those. However, we tend to gloss over all the good features of America-our giving spirit, the chance of opportunity, etc. I am proud to be an American. I wish others around me would be proud to be Americans too instead of focusing on all the negatives. The same should be said of you in America. Yes, acknowledge the problems and try to change them, but don’t ignore the things that make America truly great.
Until next time…
I was talked into playing softball-slow pitch softball. For those of you who know me from my younger years, I was not known for my stellar softball skills. I am viewing this as a ministry, a time to better get to know the kids. Plus they can’t say too much because there have to be three girls on the field and there are only four girls on the team.
I have been experimenting more in the kitchen. I made crackers the other day. They didn’t taste half bad. Well except for the little accident. I forgot two pans in the oven while watching a movie and they were burnt to a crisp. I hated to throw them out because of the time and labor involved. So I have compromised, and I eat them with my homemade, weak, salsa. That is followed by lots of water.
Yesterday I made two apple pies with a couple students. I am a big fan of apple pie. I have learned I’m an apple snob. Haha. I like Granny Smith apples in everything. You can’t always find them, but they did have them yesterday when I went to the fruit stand. I made a big deal of this and the students looked at me like I was crazy.
Then after that, two students came over and made chicken curry. It was fabulous and a definite learning process. You cannot buy chicken breasts. You buy a whole chicken and you have to debone, deskin, and remove all the yucky inside organs. Fortunately, one of the girls was an expert at this.
I know what you’re thinking-I’m making my students cook for me. That’s not entirely true. As you know, getting to know the kids outside the classroom is my favorite part of teaching. It is encouraged here because our lives are so interconnected. I like to cook and I find a lot of my students like to cook as well. It is such a fun time of hanging out, joking around, and building great relationships.
Last night I went to our church’s choir concert. There were 9 choirs there. Let me tell you-it was an African event. The singing was amazing! It was also a great reminder that time is not the most important thing here. The concert lasted four hours. Unfortunately I did not stay for it all. I took video and hope to piece some of it together when I come home so you can enjoy it as well.
Hmmm…what else…
The diplomat spoke at our school the other day. She is a strong Christian and it is great to have people in public service that desire to follow the Lord. I find myself buying into an international view of America, and I don’t always like that. Sure, America has its problems, its vices, etc. I’m not ignorant of those. However, we tend to gloss over all the good features of America-our giving spirit, the chance of opportunity, etc. I am proud to be an American. I wish others around me would be proud to be Americans too instead of focusing on all the negatives. The same should be said of you in America. Yes, acknowledge the problems and try to change them, but don’t ignore the things that make America truly great.
Until next time…
Thursday, October 16, 2008
That punched-in-the-stomach feeling
Written on 10-15:
Life is hard. I keep saying that to my roomie lately.
Today I received the news no teacher likes to hear-a loss of a (former) student. How do you process that? Should I be writing on here, should I be journaling, should I be _______ (fill in the blank). I figured I'd continue this post in hopes that my rambled thoughts can be an encouragement to someone halfway around the world.
I received the email. I bawled. His face kept flashing in my mind all day. I looked at the desk in the second row of my current algebra class and I saw him. I thought about his late arrivals to algebra, his “love” of graphing, and his wonderful facial reactions.
How do you explain to someone the family that is a small school? How can you explain the pain you feel but also the pain you feel for your former students? I mean, they were always more than students for me. They were my kids. What can I do from Senegal? I can’t wrap them in big hugs and take away their pain. That’s what I want to do. I want to take the punched-in-the-stomach feeling away from them.
Americans don’t like grief/the grieving process. People need to know it’s okay to hurt. It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to be angry. “I’m sorry” never seems adequate. It’s the truth though. I’m sorry it happened. I wish I could rewind time. I do. Kids should not have to handle so much pain.
What can I do from Senegal? I can pray.
I know that may sound shallow and trite right now. I mean, I love God. I really LOVE Him, but during the initial news, I reacted in anger towards God. I wanted to control the situation, to know the “why”, to make life fair and not so hard. Then I had to remember. I’m not God. I don’t know all. Some things in life are hard and we may never know the reason “why.” God is not a security blanket for weaklings. He is the Truth. The Truth that does not owe us explanations. I wish we could know everything. I do. I rest in the fact that God does know all. His living Word reveals God’s nature. That is where we need to go to for comfort.
John 11:35 Jesus wept.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Isaiah 40: 28-29 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth…He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.
Psalm 71: 12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!
Psalm 46:1, 10a God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble….Be still and know that I am God.
Into God’s loving arms I run.
Life is hard. I keep saying that to my roomie lately.
Today I received the news no teacher likes to hear-a loss of a (former) student. How do you process that? Should I be writing on here, should I be journaling, should I be _______ (fill in the blank). I figured I'd continue this post in hopes that my rambled thoughts can be an encouragement to someone halfway around the world.
I received the email. I bawled. His face kept flashing in my mind all day. I looked at the desk in the second row of my current algebra class and I saw him. I thought about his late arrivals to algebra, his “love” of graphing, and his wonderful facial reactions.
How do you explain to someone the family that is a small school? How can you explain the pain you feel but also the pain you feel for your former students? I mean, they were always more than students for me. They were my kids. What can I do from Senegal? I can’t wrap them in big hugs and take away their pain. That’s what I want to do. I want to take the punched-in-the-stomach feeling away from them.
Americans don’t like grief/the grieving process. People need to know it’s okay to hurt. It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to be angry. “I’m sorry” never seems adequate. It’s the truth though. I’m sorry it happened. I wish I could rewind time. I do. Kids should not have to handle so much pain.
What can I do from Senegal? I can pray.
I know that may sound shallow and trite right now. I mean, I love God. I really LOVE Him, but during the initial news, I reacted in anger towards God. I wanted to control the situation, to know the “why”, to make life fair and not so hard. Then I had to remember. I’m not God. I don’t know all. Some things in life are hard and we may never know the reason “why.” God is not a security blanket for weaklings. He is the Truth. The Truth that does not owe us explanations. I wish we could know everything. I do. I rest in the fact that God does know all. His living Word reveals God’s nature. That is where we need to go to for comfort.
John 11:35 Jesus wept.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Isaiah 40: 28-29 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth…He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.
Psalm 71: 12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!
Psalm 46:1, 10a God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble….Be still and know that I am God.
Into God’s loving arms I run.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Dichotomy-say that three times ;)
So I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve tried to write this blog. I think this is the sixth or something. (Power cuts, internet problems etc keep getting in the way.) I really wanted to say something profound, but now I just want to say something. This may not be eloquent as the heat index is 99 degrees (88 with 70% humidity) at 4:30 pm.
I went on a weekend vacation outside of Dakar. One of the missions has a beach house. While there, thoughts started to gel in my head. I’ve hesitated to write about what I see each day. I didn’t want to form opinions too quickly in fear they would skew what I see for the years to come. I guess this is what PFO termed “delaying judgment.”
I’ve come to the conclusion that Senegal is one big dichotomy. (Well, actually it’s probably a bunch of little dichotomies, but you know what I mean.) I think the best way to illustrate is with pictures I took on vacation.
This is a view at the beach house in Ngaparou. Beautiful isn't it?
Standing in the same spot as the previous picture but looking a little bit lower. Those white things in the picture are dead fish.
There are many other examples: I see begging children walk by a parked Mercedes on my way to school, beautiful flowers with piles of trash underneath, etc.
Living here, I understand how our views are shaped by our perspective. I could see the beautiful ocean or just the dead fish, the flowers or trash. What is your perspective at this moment? I’m not implying that it’s good to focus on one while ignoring the other. Seeing both are good. It’s just that if I always focused on the dead fish or the trash, then I would be missing so many wonderful things.
Perspective…
I went on a weekend vacation outside of Dakar. One of the missions has a beach house. While there, thoughts started to gel in my head. I’ve hesitated to write about what I see each day. I didn’t want to form opinions too quickly in fear they would skew what I see for the years to come. I guess this is what PFO termed “delaying judgment.”
I’ve come to the conclusion that Senegal is one big dichotomy. (Well, actually it’s probably a bunch of little dichotomies, but you know what I mean.) I think the best way to illustrate is with pictures I took on vacation.
This is a view at the beach house in Ngaparou. Beautiful isn't it?
Standing in the same spot as the previous picture but looking a little bit lower. Those white things in the picture are dead fish.
There are many other examples: I see begging children walk by a parked Mercedes on my way to school, beautiful flowers with piles of trash underneath, etc.
Living here, I understand how our views are shaped by our perspective. I could see the beautiful ocean or just the dead fish, the flowers or trash. What is your perspective at this moment? I’m not implying that it’s good to focus on one while ignoring the other. Seeing both are good. It’s just that if I always focused on the dead fish or the trash, then I would be missing so many wonderful things.
Perspective…
Saturday, September 27, 2008
still alive and kickin'
Hi all. I just wanted to write a quick message to let you know all is still well here. We haven't had Internet for the past week at school. I am at a friend's house now. Sorry not many stories to share. I spent an hour writing my update letter which most of you receive anyway.
We did have our first movie night at DA. We set up chairs outside and watch movies as an entire community as a fundraiser for the students' junior-senior banquet and senior retreat. We had burritos and some great kettle corn (for the movie). We watched Flushed Away and Fly Boys. It was fun. I enjoyed the experience.
That's it for now...
We did have our first movie night at DA. We set up chairs outside and watch movies as an entire community as a fundraiser for the students' junior-senior banquet and senior retreat. We had burritos and some great kettle corn (for the movie). We watched Flushed Away and Fly Boys. It was fun. I enjoyed the experience.
That's it for now...
Saturday, September 20, 2008
the hamster is a bit slow
Greetings. Please excuse my frustration of today. The internet is so slow. I feel a really big hamster is having trouble turning the wheel today. When I start to think like that, I make myself stop and appreciate the fact I do have internet. I can do something in Africa and my friends and family can see it in the US. That's pretty amazing.
I have added more pics and videos to Facebook. I tried to take some "day in the life" videos. They are short but they give you a small glimpse into my life here. You may be wondering why I've never taken any pictures of the poverty. Well I'm just starting to process that myself. I mean, it's here. It's all around. I just feel uncomfortable taking a picture of someone in need. It seems too intrusive.
Oh, I forgot to blog about my adventures of last Saturday. We went to a clothing market. It was crazy-a good crazy though. It's held in the middle of one of the streets here. There are just piles of clothes. I bought four shirts and two shorts (workout clothes). My roomie bought 3 or 4 shirts. I spent $8 and she spent $5. I know it sounds cheap but I need to clarify the clothes. Most of them are used and come from the States. Some of the clothes still had Goodwill Tags on them so they were clothes Goodwill couldn't sell. As some of you know, I am a big fan of t-shirts that have interesting sayings on them so I was in heaven looking through some of the piles. I bought one that talked about science camp and junior scientists in the making. My roomie had me buy a shirt that says Just Talented. (I said it needed to have humility on the back.) My roomie and I bought mainly out of the piles which have fixed prices but there are also clothes for sale where you need to barter. I bought a nice pair of soccer shorts that way.
This past Friday, we had a staff retreat at a local hotel. It was so nice. I felt like I had just climbed out of a brown hole when I saw all the color at the hotel-bright blue water and green grass!!! The hotel was right on the ocean so we could go swimming, walk along the ocean, and then eat at the buffet. We didn't spend the night or anything but it was still fun.
Well I am off to bake. We have a C&MA get together tonight. Woo-hoo!
Beach
I have added more pics and videos to Facebook. I tried to take some "day in the life" videos. They are short but they give you a small glimpse into my life here. You may be wondering why I've never taken any pictures of the poverty. Well I'm just starting to process that myself. I mean, it's here. It's all around. I just feel uncomfortable taking a picture of someone in need. It seems too intrusive.
Oh, I forgot to blog about my adventures of last Saturday. We went to a clothing market. It was crazy-a good crazy though. It's held in the middle of one of the streets here. There are just piles of clothes. I bought four shirts and two shorts (workout clothes). My roomie bought 3 or 4 shirts. I spent $8 and she spent $5. I know it sounds cheap but I need to clarify the clothes. Most of them are used and come from the States. Some of the clothes still had Goodwill Tags on them so they were clothes Goodwill couldn't sell. As some of you know, I am a big fan of t-shirts that have interesting sayings on them so I was in heaven looking through some of the piles. I bought one that talked about science camp and junior scientists in the making. My roomie had me buy a shirt that says Just Talented. (I said it needed to have humility on the back.) My roomie and I bought mainly out of the piles which have fixed prices but there are also clothes for sale where you need to barter. I bought a nice pair of soccer shorts that way.
This past Friday, we had a staff retreat at a local hotel. It was so nice. I felt like I had just climbed out of a brown hole when I saw all the color at the hotel-bright blue water and green grass!!! The hotel was right on the ocean so we could go swimming, walk along the ocean, and then eat at the buffet. We didn't spend the night or anything but it was still fun.
Well I am off to bake. We have a C&MA get together tonight. Woo-hoo!
Beach
Friday, September 12, 2008
what's three more days
I started this on Friday night. I guess if you wait a few days...
Friday:
I know I've hit the six week mark because I can't really find anything to write about that stands out. They say once you live in a place six weeks, things start to seem more "natural" or "routine."
I guess one thing that stood out this week was the big realization that I lived in a Muslim country. I was playing volleyball last Wednesday and the call to prayer really stood out. I don't live by a mosque so the voice is not that loud. It just seemed like I was in a movie.
Monday:
Whew. Today is a day where I have to look at the glass half full. I mean, I'm sitting here wishing I could have seen Big Z's no hitter. I can't even watch the highlights because the internet is sooo slow right now. I haven't checked the Iowa score b/c of the same reason. However, I am thankful I do have the internet.
It hasn't rained in a while so it's quite hot and steamy. At least we did have a good rain this year though. I guess this attitude is what gets us through life. There will be small frustrations that turn into big ones if we let them. The key, especially here, is not to let them grow too large.
I made a lot of food this weekend. It's all from scratch of course, right down to buying the veggies, soaking them, peeling them, etc. I even had to make the tomato sauce b/c it's a lot cheaper to buy tomato paste.
Now before I tell you what I made, I need to relate a story from my past. My parents were into really healthy food when I was a kid. My brother and I used to love nachos and it became our meal of choice after church. Then something terrible happened-baked chips were invented. Now, I am not talking about the baked chips that are out now. Those are fabulous. No, I am talking about the original, cardboard ones. It quickly squelched our nacho craze and we still talk about those baked chips today.
Fast forward to last night. I had finished making spaghetti sauce, limeade, salsa, and chips. To make the chips, I had to cut up tortillas and bake them. Now, I think that's exactly what the creators of the first baked chips did. However, being removed from the States made them taste wonderful. I am not a big chip fan, but having my chips and salsa, which probably would take like cardboard and tomato paste to someone in the US, was amazing. I couldn't stop eating them.So I guess after all these years I can thank my mom for buying those baked chips and preparing me. Thanks Mom. ;)
BTW-Homemade limeade is amazing. Mmmm....
Okay, time to try and talk to the Internet nicely so I can watch Big Z. :)
Oh, and I almost forgot. I may be coming home for Christmas. More on that later.
Friday:
I know I've hit the six week mark because I can't really find anything to write about that stands out. They say once you live in a place six weeks, things start to seem more "natural" or "routine."
I guess one thing that stood out this week was the big realization that I lived in a Muslim country. I was playing volleyball last Wednesday and the call to prayer really stood out. I don't live by a mosque so the voice is not that loud. It just seemed like I was in a movie.
Monday:
Whew. Today is a day where I have to look at the glass half full. I mean, I'm sitting here wishing I could have seen Big Z's no hitter. I can't even watch the highlights because the internet is sooo slow right now. I haven't checked the Iowa score b/c of the same reason. However, I am thankful I do have the internet.
It hasn't rained in a while so it's quite hot and steamy. At least we did have a good rain this year though. I guess this attitude is what gets us through life. There will be small frustrations that turn into big ones if we let them. The key, especially here, is not to let them grow too large.
I made a lot of food this weekend. It's all from scratch of course, right down to buying the veggies, soaking them, peeling them, etc. I even had to make the tomato sauce b/c it's a lot cheaper to buy tomato paste.
Now before I tell you what I made, I need to relate a story from my past. My parents were into really healthy food when I was a kid. My brother and I used to love nachos and it became our meal of choice after church. Then something terrible happened-baked chips were invented. Now, I am not talking about the baked chips that are out now. Those are fabulous. No, I am talking about the original, cardboard ones. It quickly squelched our nacho craze and we still talk about those baked chips today.
Fast forward to last night. I had finished making spaghetti sauce, limeade, salsa, and chips. To make the chips, I had to cut up tortillas and bake them. Now, I think that's exactly what the creators of the first baked chips did. However, being removed from the States made them taste wonderful. I am not a big chip fan, but having my chips and salsa, which probably would take like cardboard and tomato paste to someone in the US, was amazing. I couldn't stop eating them.So I guess after all these years I can thank my mom for buying those baked chips and preparing me. Thanks Mom. ;)
BTW-Homemade limeade is amazing. Mmmm....
Okay, time to try and talk to the Internet nicely so I can watch Big Z. :)
Oh, and I almost forgot. I may be coming home for Christmas. More on that later.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Josephine has some power
So two nights ago we had this really bad storm where the wind was actually being sucked out my bedroom window. I believe the name of that storm is now Josephine. Let me back up. You may or may not know that hurricanes start off our coast. Whenever we get a storm, it has the potential to turn into a tropical storm/hurricane. It takes anywhere from 7-15 days for the storm to reach America. I guess it's no surprise then that our rainy season and hurricane season last for the same length of time.
It's starting to get hotter and more humid. I guess Sept is the worst month and then it'll cool down. Fortunately I'm made for hot weather but 80% humidity is wearing.
What else is new? Hmm...I signed up to play intermural handball. I guess it's an Olympic sport. It's kind of cool that we can have a mixture of ms students, hs students, staff, and dorm parents on the same team.
It is now the 3rd day of Ramadan. It is a month where Muslims fast all day. As a Christian, we must ensure we don't tempt a Muslim by carrying open food or water. Please pray that God would be moving during these times and Jesus would reveal himself to our neighbors and some of our students.
It's starting to get hotter and more humid. I guess Sept is the worst month and then it'll cool down. Fortunately I'm made for hot weather but 80% humidity is wearing.
What else is new? Hmm...I signed up to play intermural handball. I guess it's an Olympic sport. It's kind of cool that we can have a mixture of ms students, hs students, staff, and dorm parents on the same team.
It is now the 3rd day of Ramadan. It is a month where Muslims fast all day. As a Christian, we must ensure we don't tempt a Muslim by carrying open food or water. Please pray that God would be moving during these times and Jesus would reveal himself to our neighbors and some of our students.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
another anniversary
I have been here for one month...actually one month, six hours and a handful of minutes. I think, no wait, I know culture shock is setting in. It's not really a reaction to the environment as a reaction to who I am. College football has started back home and for the first time since I was like 10, I won't know what's going on or be able to watch it. A whole lot of my knowledge is useless here. Plus,I can't be the teacher I was at Tipton because I'm not at Tipton. Everyone goes through this. It stinks but it's reality. It's a mourning process and a time to push through to the reality that our worth is found in only one place: in the hands of Christ.
It's been a while since I've updated this thing so I don't even know what to write. I tend to have these great stories in my head, but then I never get a chance to record them. I guess here are some happenings that stand out:
1. We had a great rainstorm the other day. Rain is a treat here. The kids go crazy. One of my junior girls was standing outside and admitted that she was giggling inside. It was a great storm. The wind was blowing cool air and the temp dropped like 20 degrees. Then it just started pouring. you could see the storm coming from the distance. I let my students stand outside. It was hard to resist. It felt so nice.
The storm
2. I bought some UHT milk instead of powdered milk. It's one thing I really miss from the US-milk and cereal. (If you've never traveled outside the US, it's hard to describe how our milk is so much different than the rest of the world.) Anyways, I paid about $2.50 for 1 liter. The first time I poured it, I spilled some. Whoever said, "Don't cry over spilled milk" has never paid $2.50 for 1 liter. ;)
3. It's still hard to get used to how expensive food is here, and we're not buying prepackaged food here. If we want chicken, we buy a whole chicken (that still has all the insides intact). I know after a while I'll just have to get used to the fact that I'll spend more on food here than the US
4. I'm starting to get to know the kids better. I'm liking that.
I guess that's it for now..
It's been a while since I've updated this thing so I don't even know what to write. I tend to have these great stories in my head, but then I never get a chance to record them. I guess here are some happenings that stand out:
1. We had a great rainstorm the other day. Rain is a treat here. The kids go crazy. One of my junior girls was standing outside and admitted that she was giggling inside. It was a great storm. The wind was blowing cool air and the temp dropped like 20 degrees. Then it just started pouring. you could see the storm coming from the distance. I let my students stand outside. It was hard to resist. It felt so nice.
The storm
2. I bought some UHT milk instead of powdered milk. It's one thing I really miss from the US-milk and cereal. (If you've never traveled outside the US, it's hard to describe how our milk is so much different than the rest of the world.) Anyways, I paid about $2.50 for 1 liter. The first time I poured it, I spilled some. Whoever said, "Don't cry over spilled milk" has never paid $2.50 for 1 liter. ;)
3. It's still hard to get used to how expensive food is here, and we're not buying prepackaged food here. If we want chicken, we buy a whole chicken (that still has all the insides intact). I know after a while I'll just have to get used to the fact that I'll spend more on food here than the US
4. I'm starting to get to know the kids better. I'm liking that.
I guess that's it for now..
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Yep, I'm living in Africa
A friend asked me today if it has hit me that I'm living in Africa. This weekend I can tell you it has.
I made it through my first week of school. Pretty uneventful. It's taken me a while to get used to teaching on a regular 8-period schedule. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. I need to learn to slow my planning a bit.
On Friday night, we had a potluck in our apt building and then watched a movie on the roof. They hooked up a projector and showed it on a wall. It was surreal really. Here we were, watching Next, on top of our roof in Africa!?! During the movie, we saw two shooting stars. It was so cool.
In a 24 hour span on Sat/Sun, I think we had no electricity more than we had electricity. We had four power cuts, all lasting 2-3 hours. Three happened at night, one early Sat morning and two early Sunday morning (boo) and one when I was trying to talk with my family (double boo).
My roomie and I had a family over for dinner on Sat night so we had 4 pizzas. During that process, our mixer broke.
(We couldn't win that day.)
Fortunately we had a great time with the family. They have 5 kids, 4 joined us for dinner so we had 8 people around our table. After dinner we played spoons.
I was hoping to post pictures today, but my laptop will not work. I don't know why.
My roomie told me we can stress about these things or we can roll with it. We've gotta roll or we wouldn't make it.
Things to pray about:
1. The plane crash in Madrid. It has affected Tres Cantos, where I spent 6 weeks last summer.
2. One of our students has a bad case of malaria. It's a reality here, but it's still scary.
I made it through my first week of school. Pretty uneventful. It's taken me a while to get used to teaching on a regular 8-period schedule. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. I need to learn to slow my planning a bit.
On Friday night, we had a potluck in our apt building and then watched a movie on the roof. They hooked up a projector and showed it on a wall. It was surreal really. Here we were, watching Next, on top of our roof in Africa!?! During the movie, we saw two shooting stars. It was so cool.
In a 24 hour span on Sat/Sun, I think we had no electricity more than we had electricity. We had four power cuts, all lasting 2-3 hours. Three happened at night, one early Sat morning and two early Sunday morning (boo) and one when I was trying to talk with my family (double boo).
My roomie and I had a family over for dinner on Sat night so we had 4 pizzas. During that process, our mixer broke.
(We couldn't win that day.)
Fortunately we had a great time with the family. They have 5 kids, 4 joined us for dinner so we had 8 people around our table. After dinner we played spoons.
I was hoping to post pictures today, but my laptop will not work. I don't know why.
My roomie told me we can stress about these things or we can roll with it. We've gotta roll or we wouldn't make it.
Things to pray about:
1. The plane crash in Madrid. It has affected Tres Cantos, where I spent 6 weeks last summer.
2. One of our students has a bad case of malaria. It's a reality here, but it's still scary.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
the ups and downs
Note: This was started 8-20. In the middle of it, we lost power so now it's a post that spans two days.
Today, for the first time, I can honestly say I wanted to be back in the states. Tipton started school today, and I wanted to be there. I guess that's a good sign as I did try to pour my heart into that place. Some days were better than others...
The day did progress nicely here though. I received some affirming words from students here which is what I needed for that day.
Life without constant electricity and water is interesting. The former is not too bad (unless you're trying to sleep), but the latter is challenging. My roomie and I were without water for over 13 hours (long story), and we were also without electricity during part of that time. Simple things like showering or using the restroom suddenly become really complicated. ;)
I've noticed that life without electricity makes us slow down. Take last night for instance. My roomie and I were able to pray, share a meal, and sit outside and talk while enjoying the cookies we made the day before. There were no distractions of computer work or watching a movie. It's nice in a way. (Don't get me wrong. I love having electricity.)
Random things:
1. There is a snail outside the computer room door that is as long as a pen.
2. My classroom was painted 1.5 years ago, and the paint still hasn't dried completely.
I feel like I'm leaving so many things out. It still feels like a dream. Instead of living in a snow globe, I feel it's like a sand globe. Weird I know...It's just so much different than life in Iowa, but yet random things don't strike me as odd. I mean, seeing goats run around outside near our apt doesn't register. It's like my life has always been like this. (Maybe it's the honeymoon phase.)
More to come...
Today, for the first time, I can honestly say I wanted to be back in the states. Tipton started school today, and I wanted to be there. I guess that's a good sign as I did try to pour my heart into that place. Some days were better than others...
The day did progress nicely here though. I received some affirming words from students here which is what I needed for that day.
Life without constant electricity and water is interesting. The former is not too bad (unless you're trying to sleep), but the latter is challenging. My roomie and I were without water for over 13 hours (long story), and we were also without electricity during part of that time. Simple things like showering or using the restroom suddenly become really complicated. ;)
I've noticed that life without electricity makes us slow down. Take last night for instance. My roomie and I were able to pray, share a meal, and sit outside and talk while enjoying the cookies we made the day before. There were no distractions of computer work or watching a movie. It's nice in a way. (Don't get me wrong. I love having electricity.)
Random things:
1. There is a snail outside the computer room door that is as long as a pen.
2. My classroom was painted 1.5 years ago, and the paint still hasn't dried completely.
I feel like I'm leaving so many things out. It still feels like a dream. Instead of living in a snow globe, I feel it's like a sand globe. Weird I know...It's just so much different than life in Iowa, but yet random things don't strike me as odd. I mean, seeing goats run around outside near our apt doesn't register. It's like my life has always been like this. (Maybe it's the honeymoon phase.)
More to come...
Sunday, August 17, 2008
three days down
School has officially begun at DA. I have taught for three days and am still in one piece. The school is really the center of life. There are kids playing games and hanging out all the time. It is more than a school-it's a family and community.
I forgot how hard it was to start over (and what it's like to be new), and I hope to build some great relationships. I do miss Tipton and all the people there. Fortunately there is facebook and email to keep relationships going. :)
Interesting things about school:
1. There are 5 different buildings so it's like an outside school.
2. I alone have kids from 11 different passport countries. There are MKs, Ambassador/Diplomat kids, etc
3. I can't escape Husker nation. A boy in my class (who is only here for a semester) wore a Husker shirt the other day. :(
4. I find myself wanting to do hall duty. Only people in Tipton will find this humorous because I never made it to the hallway like I was supposed to. Nobody stands in the "halls" here.
Other things I've been pondering.
1. Sometimes it comes rushing at me that I live in Africa. Take for instance when I don't finish my food. Growing up I always heard "there are starving kids in Africa." I always said they could send the food to Africa. Now these people aren't a continent away. They are half a block away. Reality is hard sometimes. Really hard.
2. Begging is a natural part of life here. In fact, there has to be beggers. I know that sounds foreign to Americans, but in Islam, one of the pillars is giving to the poor. If there are no poor, then they cannot complete this pillar. I was downtown last week and I saw a beggar shopping for earrings. Don't get me wrong. Not all the beggars are like this. Some really wouldn't survive without it.
More later...
I forgot how hard it was to start over (and what it's like to be new), and I hope to build some great relationships. I do miss Tipton and all the people there. Fortunately there is facebook and email to keep relationships going. :)
Interesting things about school:
1. There are 5 different buildings so it's like an outside school.
2. I alone have kids from 11 different passport countries. There are MKs, Ambassador/Diplomat kids, etc
3. I can't escape Husker nation. A boy in my class (who is only here for a semester) wore a Husker shirt the other day. :(
4. I find myself wanting to do hall duty. Only people in Tipton will find this humorous because I never made it to the hallway like I was supposed to. Nobody stands in the "halls" here.
Other things I've been pondering.
1. Sometimes it comes rushing at me that I live in Africa. Take for instance when I don't finish my food. Growing up I always heard "there are starving kids in Africa." I always said they could send the food to Africa. Now these people aren't a continent away. They are half a block away. Reality is hard sometimes. Really hard.
2. Begging is a natural part of life here. In fact, there has to be beggers. I know that sounds foreign to Americans, but in Islam, one of the pillars is giving to the poor. If there are no poor, then they cannot complete this pillar. I was downtown last week and I saw a beggar shopping for earrings. Don't get me wrong. Not all the beggars are like this. Some really wouldn't survive without it.
More later...
Friday, August 8, 2008
I live in Africa
Sometimes it hits me at random times to think I actually live in Africa. No matter how old I get, I can tell people I've lived in Africa. I know that may sound weird, but that's what pops into my head at random times.
Nothing really new to report. I've been busy with orientation at school. My roomie arrived yesterday, and I think we'll get along well. We, well really she, made pizza last night.
What I've learned:
*I don't really like bleach. We have to put it in our dish water and it does a number on the hands (and clothes). It's a good think I like polka-dotted clothes ;)
*We can in fact have hot water. My water has always been cold so I figured that's all we got, although I found it funny we had two knobs on our faucets. My dad informed me that my water heater probably was not on. haha
*Skype is a beautiful thing. I've already talked to my parents so if you would like to talk, let me know. It's a free program you can download, and it totally rocks.
Well back to more training. Perhaps my next post will be written by a 27-year-old. Eek. ;)
Nothing really new to report. I've been busy with orientation at school. My roomie arrived yesterday, and I think we'll get along well. We, well really she, made pizza last night.
What I've learned:
*I don't really like bleach. We have to put it in our dish water and it does a number on the hands (and clothes). It's a good think I like polka-dotted clothes ;)
*We can in fact have hot water. My water has always been cold so I figured that's all we got, although I found it funny we had two knobs on our faucets. My dad informed me that my water heater probably was not on. haha
*Skype is a beautiful thing. I've already talked to my parents so if you would like to talk, let me know. It's a free program you can download, and it totally rocks.
Well back to more training. Perhaps my next post will be written by a 27-year-old. Eek. ;)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
mas/more (I wonder what it is in French)
I am finally using my laptop with the wireless at school. Woohoo. I'll keep this post short, but I wanted to share more pics with y'all.
Okay, so my computer is being really weird and not letting me see the images so the captions are down here.
1. My lovely tent/bed.
2. a lizard at school; There are a lot of them, and they are surprisingly quite quick.
3. a flame tree; I love the color.
4. the soccer field and track at school; I guess this is as green as it'll get.
More things I've learned and haven't shared:
1. You pay for a taxi ahead of time and it's rude for them to ask for more money (although Danielle and I have had it happen). It costs around $5 for a 10 minute ride (I think).
2. Surprisingly we can do a lot without electricity. It has gone out every day, but it isn't too bad unless you're trying to updage a blog or sleep. :)
3. Too much bleach is definitely a bad thing! We filter our water and we add bleach. My first batch was fine but my second was not. Ouch!
Until next time...
Okay, so my computer is being really weird and not letting me see the images so the captions are down here.
1. My lovely tent/bed.
2. a lizard at school; There are a lot of them, and they are surprisingly quite quick.
3. a flame tree; I love the color.
4. the soccer field and track at school; I guess this is as green as it'll get.
More things I've learned and haven't shared:
1. You pay for a taxi ahead of time and it's rude for them to ask for more money (although Danielle and I have had it happen). It costs around $5 for a 10 minute ride (I think).
2. Surprisingly we can do a lot without electricity. It has gone out every day, but it isn't too bad unless you're trying to updage a blog or sleep. :)
3. Too much bleach is definitely a bad thing! We filter our water and we add bleach. My first batch was fine but my second was not. Ouch!
Until next time...
Sunday, August 3, 2008
48 hours
First off, I guess I sent the wrong address so if you need my correct one, please let me know. :)
Now onto the good stuff. :)
I don't feel like I'm doing a good job of portraying my experiences here so sometime I hope to take videos. I mean, right now I hear the call to prayer from the Mosque, am sitting in mid80s at 8:15 pm, and yet am using the computer to write this blog. I am getting used to the idea of two showers a day, always having sandy feet, daily power cuts, and greeting everyone in French and hopefully soon, Wolof. The taxi rides (and bartering) are crazy. Luckily I don't do it, my friend does. No words can describe the driving really. I mean, how do you explain to most Americans that part of the "interstate" here has no lines, people walk alongside and across it, and that playing chicken on smaller roads is part of the driving process. On a side note, the prices here are comparable or more expensive than the US. It may be hard to believe but it's true. Fortunately I haven't bought much but taxi fares and a camel key chain.
Culture shock has not set in yet. Fortunately, I have been welcomed by several ladies who have taken me under their wing so I haven't had to really venture out alone (except to walk to school).
Here are the details of my last 48 hours in case you're interested:
I have been hanging out with one of the other teachers, and Danielle has been kind enough to show me around. Yesterday we went downtown. It's quite a place. Lots of stands selling things. People of course, tend to approach us, but luckily Danielle speaks French very well. She went to high school at DA so she knows how to handle situations. Yay! We ate at a local restaurant where I had chwarma (sp?). Basically it was a tortilla/flat bread with meat, french fries, tomatoes, onions, and sauce inside. (Good but different Hannah. ;) )
I went to an international church today that is in English. It was awesome. Most of the people that attend are from other African countries: Nigeria, Sierra Leone, etc. It lasted over two hours. (We never know when it'll end, just like HAC. Just kidding Pastor Ray) :) The vibrant singing and dancing were beautiful.
After church we went to the beach. I love the ocean and could get into the habit of going every weekend. The water was warm and not too rough. There were lots of guys playing soccer, people selling things (again asking us all the time), and music blaring. If I closed my eyes, it almost felt like an American beach as hip-hop and rap blared through the speakers. Then I'd be jolted back to reality by lots of voices speaking languages I don't understand: French and Wolof. Everytime someone approached, I would look blankly at Danielle who would answer. The people next to us offered us juice so we couldn't refuse. It was sort of a maalox consistency and taste with a bit of fruit. Interesting but that's life abroad.
I hope to start running tomorrow. That may be an adventure. My goal is to hopefully be able to run the sandhill with the soccer players but we'll see what happens. I was huffing and puffing walking up a teeny-tiny incline from the beach. :)
More to come...
Now onto the good stuff. :)
I don't feel like I'm doing a good job of portraying my experiences here so sometime I hope to take videos. I mean, right now I hear the call to prayer from the Mosque, am sitting in mid80s at 8:15 pm, and yet am using the computer to write this blog. I am getting used to the idea of two showers a day, always having sandy feet, daily power cuts, and greeting everyone in French and hopefully soon, Wolof. The taxi rides (and bartering) are crazy. Luckily I don't do it, my friend does. No words can describe the driving really. I mean, how do you explain to most Americans that part of the "interstate" here has no lines, people walk alongside and across it, and that playing chicken on smaller roads is part of the driving process. On a side note, the prices here are comparable or more expensive than the US. It may be hard to believe but it's true. Fortunately I haven't bought much but taxi fares and a camel key chain.
Culture shock has not set in yet. Fortunately, I have been welcomed by several ladies who have taken me under their wing so I haven't had to really venture out alone (except to walk to school).
Here are the details of my last 48 hours in case you're interested:
I have been hanging out with one of the other teachers, and Danielle has been kind enough to show me around. Yesterday we went downtown. It's quite a place. Lots of stands selling things. People of course, tend to approach us, but luckily Danielle speaks French very well. She went to high school at DA so she knows how to handle situations. Yay! We ate at a local restaurant where I had chwarma (sp?). Basically it was a tortilla/flat bread with meat, french fries, tomatoes, onions, and sauce inside. (Good but different Hannah. ;) )
I went to an international church today that is in English. It was awesome. Most of the people that attend are from other African countries: Nigeria, Sierra Leone, etc. It lasted over two hours. (We never know when it'll end, just like HAC. Just kidding Pastor Ray) :) The vibrant singing and dancing were beautiful.
After church we went to the beach. I love the ocean and could get into the habit of going every weekend. The water was warm and not too rough. There were lots of guys playing soccer, people selling things (again asking us all the time), and music blaring. If I closed my eyes, it almost felt like an American beach as hip-hop and rap blared through the speakers. Then I'd be jolted back to reality by lots of voices speaking languages I don't understand: French and Wolof. Everytime someone approached, I would look blankly at Danielle who would answer. The people next to us offered us juice so we couldn't refuse. It was sort of a maalox consistency and taste with a bit of fruit. Interesting but that's life abroad.
I hope to start running tomorrow. That may be an adventure. My goal is to hopefully be able to run the sandhill with the soccer players but we'll see what happens. I was huffing and puffing walking up a teeny-tiny incline from the beach. :)
More to come...
Friday, August 1, 2008
by popular demand
I took some pictures this morning from my apartment.
This is a view from the roof. There are a lot of unfinished buildings in Dakar. People invest their money in buildings so when they can afford a wall, they build it. It may take several years before they can build another wall, but this is how they slowly build their houses.
This is looking the opposite way, more towards the neighborhood. It's pretty green right now because we have had a lot of rain.
This is a view from the roof. There are a lot of unfinished buildings in Dakar. People invest their money in buildings so when they can afford a wall, they build it. It may take several years before they can build another wall, but this is how they slowly build their houses.
This is looking the opposite way, more towards the neighborhood. It's pretty green right now because we have had a lot of rain.
Notice that our neighbors have a trampoline. I thought that was cool. :)
This is basically the view from my bedroom window. Unfortunately the goats were not there yet, but they like to climb on this old jail. Soccer players also come and run this hill.
Things I've learned so far:
1. How to flame bread to get the bugs off. (Some people don't flame it, but I'm new so I thought I'd better.)
2. Power cuts are much better during the day. We had two last night so sleeping in 85 degree heat at night (according to my alarm clock) with no moving air can be difficult.
3. Ca va (how are you) can be used as a question, answer, all around term. (Thanks Anne for teaching this to me and having me practice.)
4. Eggs can be left on the counter. That's where we keep ours anyway.
5. There are not as many mosquitos as I thought there would be. Yay!
Well I better go work in my classroom. More pics and updates to come.
Stay tuned. :)
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
JFK to DKR (with 30% more free)
Greetings from Africa. Perhaps next time I'll throw in some French, but today I will stick to English. It is currently 4 pm Senegalese time. I have been here 10 hours already! I have to admist I had a pretty good entry started on my computer, but I can't connect it to the Internet yet so I will give you some of the rough details. Please excuse any incoherent parts. (chalk it up to jet lag)
My journey started at 3:30 am CDT in good 'ole Neola. I made it to and through Detroit without any problems. Yay! When I landed at JFK, I realized it was a whole nother world in terms of airports. (If you've been there, you know what I mean.) I was waiting in this big open room which was supposed to turn into a check-in area (I was hoping anyway) when a lady approached several of us who were waiting and asked where we were going. I explained I was going to Senegal and she said she was too. She had missed her flight the previous day so she spent the day in the airport. She was originally from Senegal but had lived in the US for quite some time.
Anyway to make a long story short, she was having trouble getting a ticket for the plane and she was having trouble maneuvering around the airport. I told her I'd help her so together we went up, down, to different terminals, etc and finally got a ticket. (Aside: I had prayed on the first leg of the journey that God would bring someone into my life with whom I could get to know on this trip. I also prayed for an uneventful trip. First one check, second one sort of...:) )
Then we started through security. I spotted a Senegalese man in the security line whom we had met in the elevator while on our wild goose chase around JFK. The lady was in a different line so she was unable to communicate with this man but I did my best to motion to him to take off his shoes, keep out his boarding pass, etc. He didn't speak French (well neither do I) but Wolof, the local language.
So what started out as a journey alone was no longer. I now had two companions and we were still growing.
As we started to board the plane, we saw a young mother with her infant son strapped to her back. She was trying to push a bag, suitcase, carry a car seat and something else. She didn't speak English either so I told the woman I was with to tell the lady we would help her carry her things. (The two women had conversed earlier.) So now the woman is carrying a car seat, I'm pushing a bag and carrying my own while motioning to the gentleman that we are boarding and he should come even though they didn't call his seat.
I originally hoped to rest at the JFK airport since I don't sleep well on planes. It was nice though being able to help them. The first lady said God always provides someone to help you. I told her it was so true. I helped her at JFK and she helped me when I landed in Dakar.
So I guess this perhaps wasn't the most exciting travel story, but it was fun for me as I saw our group grow. Helping others really does transcend language.
You're probably wanting to hear about Senegal, my new home. Well I'll probably have to provide more details later as I haven't had time to process it all. It definitely is a different world. Waves of calmness and panic have both come. (It's funny though-even though I'm halfway around the world, I was still able to talk with a friend I met at PFO who now lives in Malaysia as well as talk with a former student. The familiar can still be here even though things look and sound different.)
The traffic is crazy. It makes Chicago look like Neola (or Tipton). Drivers weave, there are no lane markings really on many roads) and people will walk along busy streets. I'm glad to be a passenger. :)
My apartment is nice. It has all the furnishings. We did lose electricity earlier today for a few hours but it wasn't too bad. I could hear several goats outside my window today. They walk in the torn down jail that used to be next to my apartment. (catch the words used to) There are some beautiful trees with bright flowers. Gorgeous.
It has been rainy so it's not that hot today. Humid but not hot.
We walked to the school and I saw my classroom. It's not air conditioned, but I haven't taught at an air conditioned school yet so that's not different.
That's a small glimpse into my life. More details to come. Oh, and I will post pictures later. I want to process more before I start snapping photos.
My journey started at 3:30 am CDT in good 'ole Neola. I made it to and through Detroit without any problems. Yay! When I landed at JFK, I realized it was a whole nother world in terms of airports. (If you've been there, you know what I mean.) I was waiting in this big open room which was supposed to turn into a check-in area (I was hoping anyway) when a lady approached several of us who were waiting and asked where we were going. I explained I was going to Senegal and she said she was too. She had missed her flight the previous day so she spent the day in the airport. She was originally from Senegal but had lived in the US for quite some time.
Anyway to make a long story short, she was having trouble getting a ticket for the plane and she was having trouble maneuvering around the airport. I told her I'd help her so together we went up, down, to different terminals, etc and finally got a ticket. (Aside: I had prayed on the first leg of the journey that God would bring someone into my life with whom I could get to know on this trip. I also prayed for an uneventful trip. First one check, second one sort of...:) )
Then we started through security. I spotted a Senegalese man in the security line whom we had met in the elevator while on our wild goose chase around JFK. The lady was in a different line so she was unable to communicate with this man but I did my best to motion to him to take off his shoes, keep out his boarding pass, etc. He didn't speak French (well neither do I) but Wolof, the local language.
So what started out as a journey alone was no longer. I now had two companions and we were still growing.
As we started to board the plane, we saw a young mother with her infant son strapped to her back. She was trying to push a bag, suitcase, carry a car seat and something else. She didn't speak English either so I told the woman I was with to tell the lady we would help her carry her things. (The two women had conversed earlier.) So now the woman is carrying a car seat, I'm pushing a bag and carrying my own while motioning to the gentleman that we are boarding and he should come even though they didn't call his seat.
I originally hoped to rest at the JFK airport since I don't sleep well on planes. It was nice though being able to help them. The first lady said God always provides someone to help you. I told her it was so true. I helped her at JFK and she helped me when I landed in Dakar.
So I guess this perhaps wasn't the most exciting travel story, but it was fun for me as I saw our group grow. Helping others really does transcend language.
You're probably wanting to hear about Senegal, my new home. Well I'll probably have to provide more details later as I haven't had time to process it all. It definitely is a different world. Waves of calmness and panic have both come. (It's funny though-even though I'm halfway around the world, I was still able to talk with a friend I met at PFO who now lives in Malaysia as well as talk with a former student. The familiar can still be here even though things look and sound different.)
The traffic is crazy. It makes Chicago look like Neola (or Tipton). Drivers weave, there are no lane markings really on many roads) and people will walk along busy streets. I'm glad to be a passenger. :)
My apartment is nice. It has all the furnishings. We did lose electricity earlier today for a few hours but it wasn't too bad. I could hear several goats outside my window today. They walk in the torn down jail that used to be next to my apartment. (catch the words used to) There are some beautiful trees with bright flowers. Gorgeous.
It has been rainy so it's not that hot today. Humid but not hot.
We walked to the school and I saw my classroom. It's not air conditioned, but I haven't taught at an air conditioned school yet so that's not different.
That's a small glimpse into my life. More details to come. Oh, and I will post pictures later. I want to process more before I start snapping photos.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
HAC
No worries...life is good. I haven't left yet, but again I feel compelled to write. (I'm glad my friends talked me into starting one of these.)
I must say I have the most amazing church family ever--Harvest Alliance Church. It is always nice to come back "home" to this church. Today they had a commissioning service for me. The congregation may be small, but it has a heart for missions. Like usual, I started weeping. I don't know what it is, but I always get teary when I talk at church. I think it may be the fact that I can feel their love when I'm standing up front. Seeing my family and members of my church family that I know are praying just gets overwhelming (in a good way).
Well unless I decide to write tomorrow, my next entry will come from the other side of the ocean.
Good-bye!
I must say I have the most amazing church family ever--Harvest Alliance Church. It is always nice to come back "home" to this church. Today they had a commissioning service for me. The congregation may be small, but it has a heart for missions. Like usual, I started weeping. I don't know what it is, but I always get teary when I talk at church. I think it may be the fact that I can feel their love when I'm standing up front. Seeing my family and members of my church family that I know are praying just gets overwhelming (in a good way).
Well unless I decide to write tomorrow, my next entry will come from the other side of the ocean.
Good-bye!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
randomness
I feel compelled to write. I don't know why. I'm tired, really tired. I'm in the middle of the unorganization they described at PFO. Fortunately they described that even organized people go through this time where everything is just everywhere so I'm not going crazy...yet.
I'm ready to go. Really ready. If I could step on the plane tomorrow, I would. I guess that's a good sign. It's a step into the unknown, but yet it seems completely right. I mean, I've been going down this path for four years. It's like I've arrived, but it's still just the beginning.
More to come...most likely from the other side of the Atlantic.
I'm ready to go. Really ready. If I could step on the plane tomorrow, I would. I guess that's a good sign. It's a step into the unknown, but yet it seems completely right. I mean, I've been going down this path for four years. It's like I've arrived, but it's still just the beginning.
More to come...most likely from the other side of the Atlantic.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Can it really be?
excited. nervous. ready for adventure. at peace.
When people ask me how I feel about moving to Dakar, Senegal, one (or many) of the previous thoughts run through my head. Can it really be true that I'm moving to Senegal? Sometimes I wonder who signed me up for this. When that thought pops into my head, it serves as a great reminder that the Lord is faithful. He often provides little moments that make me so excited to go. For instance, I was at PFO (more about that later), and I woke up so excited to be working in a Muslim country. I mean, I was really excited. I cannot explain it except to say that God has really opened my heart to these people.
So you may be wondering what PFO is. Pre-Field Orientation is a two-week training program for people going to work at Christian schools around the world. It was great mental preparation as I get ready to leave for Dakar on July 29th. We focused on Third-Culture Kids (TCKs), transitions, culture, and teaching. I also had the privilege of meeting some wonderful people. I got a chance to reconnect with old friends from Spain as well as make new friends. It was such a blessing to be around other people who are going through the same things. Sometimes, I found myself thinking or saying: "I feel the same way" or "me too" or "I'm normal." (well the last one may be open to debate ;)) It was inspiring to be in a room with people that would literally be scattered around the world in a few months. Just among my roomies, we were covering four different continents: Africa, Europe, South America, and Asia.
Well I better bring this first post to a close. I hope to update this site regularly with my thoughts, feelings, and happenings in Dakar. I cannot promise that it will be thought-provoking or an English masterpiece, but hopefully, it will give you a glimpse into my life.
Stay tuned as I touch-down in Dakar on July 30th.
When people ask me how I feel about moving to Dakar, Senegal, one (or many) of the previous thoughts run through my head. Can it really be true that I'm moving to Senegal? Sometimes I wonder who signed me up for this. When that thought pops into my head, it serves as a great reminder that the Lord is faithful. He often provides little moments that make me so excited to go. For instance, I was at PFO (more about that later), and I woke up so excited to be working in a Muslim country. I mean, I was really excited. I cannot explain it except to say that God has really opened my heart to these people.
So you may be wondering what PFO is. Pre-Field Orientation is a two-week training program for people going to work at Christian schools around the world. It was great mental preparation as I get ready to leave for Dakar on July 29th. We focused on Third-Culture Kids (TCKs), transitions, culture, and teaching. I also had the privilege of meeting some wonderful people. I got a chance to reconnect with old friends from Spain as well as make new friends. It was such a blessing to be around other people who are going through the same things. Sometimes, I found myself thinking or saying: "I feel the same way" or "me too" or "I'm normal." (well the last one may be open to debate ;)) It was inspiring to be in a room with people that would literally be scattered around the world in a few months. Just among my roomies, we were covering four different continents: Africa, Europe, South America, and Asia.
Well I better bring this first post to a close. I hope to update this site regularly with my thoughts, feelings, and happenings in Dakar. I cannot promise that it will be thought-provoking or an English masterpiece, but hopefully, it will give you a glimpse into my life.
Stay tuned as I touch-down in Dakar on July 30th.
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