I am halfway throught with my entrepreneurship trainings. Due to serious incomptence on my counterparts part, the first week of trainings, scheduled the week of January 12 has had to be pushed back until mid February but the second week went ahead and started the week of Jan 19 as planned. The training lasted 5 days and Ousmane talked about various things such as why entrepreneurship is important here, what makes a good idea for a business, where to get funding for a project and basic business skills such as marketing and record-keeping. 16 members of the local ASC showed up to participate and they were a really fun group. They were fairly talkative (which pleasantly surprised me) and seem to be quite motivated. Several of them have really good ideas for projects. Masseck, for example, really wants to open a fish-selling business in town and Massamb wants to open a cyber. Now that Pout has internet, we will need more cybers, as the only one we have has 2 computers; neither of which work very well.
Although there were some stressful moments throughout the week, mainly dealing with budgeting issues, the week went quite smoothly and Ousmane did a really great job. He led all of the sessions as language and cultural barriers would make it a lot more difficult for me to do what he did. I wish that I was competent enough to have participated more, but sometimes the hardest thing is to admit that the best thing for everyone is for you to sit back and let someone else take charge (for the greater good). This is expecially hard for a control freak like me.
And the best part is: it's over! Halfway over in the long run. The plan had been to have two consecutive weeks of trainings and then I would leave to go on vacation in Mali, but now the two trainings sandwich my trip. I finished the first before I left and will come back to the second one. At least I have work when I get back, right? The participants were also really interested in doing basic IT trainings with Word and Excel when I get back so we may spend a couple of weekends in the computer room at the local middle school doing that.
I leave tomorrow morning to use up the last of my vacation days in sunny Mali. I know, I know, it's a bit early to have used them all up seeing as how I still have 7 months left in Senegal, but thats sort of how things worked out. If I went to Mali any later than January I would run into their hot season, which I hear is only suited for massochists. I am not a massochist.
So the next time you hear from me, I will be in Mali!
1.25.2009
1.12.2009
So This is the New Year...
2009.
My first (and possibly only) visitor has returned to the UK, and so I am still in Senegal trying to figure out my work for the next eight months. Only, when I start to think about it, I get a little panicked at only having eight months left in Africa and my mind starts to wander.
My counterpart, Ousmane, and I submitted an application for a grant to put on two weeks of entrepreneurship trainings with a local youth organization the weeks of January 12 & 19. Our application was approved and the money was put in my account the first week in January, but when I went to finish up planning with Ousmane and buy the materials, he hadn't actually notified the ASC (the group we're doing the trainings for) of the dates and Friday was too short of notice to begin on Monday. Ipso facto: the trainings have been pushed back. I should have seen this coming, I really should have. I should have checked up on him more often to make sure that he had gotten ahold of the necessary people. There are a million things I should have done but didn't. Oh well. We will still have the week of trainings the 19, but then the second will have to wait until February 23 as I am heading off to Mali at the end of this month and then WAIST is upon us.
So this week, which I had planned on being super busy and productive, is turning out to be just another week of sitting around, checking up on my work partners and making plans for after WAIST in the hopes that I will contribute something to thie community before leaving it.
Sorry, I suppose this entry isn't very optimistic, but it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes amid all the frustration that goes hand in hand with development work.
In more exciting news: I received a donation of 40 books for my youth library that I get to drop off this week! Hurrah for the new english section language of the Pout Library!!!
My first (and possibly only) visitor has returned to the UK, and so I am still in Senegal trying to figure out my work for the next eight months. Only, when I start to think about it, I get a little panicked at only having eight months left in Africa and my mind starts to wander.
My counterpart, Ousmane, and I submitted an application for a grant to put on two weeks of entrepreneurship trainings with a local youth organization the weeks of January 12 & 19. Our application was approved and the money was put in my account the first week in January, but when I went to finish up planning with Ousmane and buy the materials, he hadn't actually notified the ASC (the group we're doing the trainings for) of the dates and Friday was too short of notice to begin on Monday. Ipso facto: the trainings have been pushed back. I should have seen this coming, I really should have. I should have checked up on him more often to make sure that he had gotten ahold of the necessary people. There are a million things I should have done but didn't. Oh well. We will still have the week of trainings the 19, but then the second will have to wait until February 23 as I am heading off to Mali at the end of this month and then WAIST is upon us.
So this week, which I had planned on being super busy and productive, is turning out to be just another week of sitting around, checking up on my work partners and making plans for after WAIST in the hopes that I will contribute something to thie community before leaving it.
Sorry, I suppose this entry isn't very optimistic, but it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes amid all the frustration that goes hand in hand with development work.
In more exciting news: I received a donation of 40 books for my youth library that I get to drop off this week! Hurrah for the new english section language of the Pout Library!!!
1.04.2009
Special Guest Writer
Terry, my first visitor in Senegal, showed up on Christmas morning to spend two weeks here in sunny Senegal. A week and a half into his trip, I thought it might be a good idea to let him write about his impressions and experiences here. So, withouth further adue, here's Terry!
Well what can I say,
My first interesting experience in Senegal was Dakar airport. As I eventually made it through security and baggage claim at about 3am I was bombarded by about 15 taxi drivers asking me if I want a Taxi, well thats what I guess they were saying as they were speaking french and I don't.
Looking through the croud of taxi drivers I saw Mandi with a blow-up Santa doll, so fighting my way through them I got to Mandi and we then went to our hotel, The Hotel we stayed at was basic but it was great to be here with Mandi.
When we woke up we left the hotel and headed for Goree Island which is a small island off the coast of Dakar, it was used as one of the hubs in the african slave trade. It is a pretty Island.
We met up with 8 other PCV's there and we had a nice christmas dinner and hung out.
On Boxing Day Mandi and I went back to her site in Pout where I met her host family and even cooked them a hamburgers and chips for dinner, which was fun. We spent a couple of days in Pout with Ellie, her cat, then headed into Thies we spent a couple of nights there at a place called Massa Massa which was very nice and the food was amazing. We will go back there in April when I come back.
On the 30th we went back to Dakar to get the boat down to Zigunchor, as we got our tickets late there were no cabins left so we ended up with chairs so we spent 14 hours in the seats as there was no common seating area so it wasnt much fun but we got to Zigunchor.
We arrived in Zigunchor on New Years Eve and as we got off the boat we had to wait for the baggage, about 30 mins later we had to go through a door to collect the baggage.
There was about 200 people going through a single door and then looking for their bags it was an experience in its self. After we got the bags we got to the hotel and the fan didn't work and then the light in the bathroom stopped working and there was no water so I couldn't have a shower.
Needless to say we only stayed there for 1 night and we then went to the hotel over the road which had a fan that worked, lights that worked and water for the shower which was great.
We have been down here in Zigunchor for 5 days and it has been good. There is a street vendor that makes a mean spaghetti sandwhich which has been breakfast for the last 5 days.
The food in Senegal has been very good infact I don't think I have had a bad meal at all. Ironically, Mandi ate some Senegalese food that disagreed with her and upset her stomach, but I haven't had any problems.
We are heading back to Dakar today which means back on the boat in the seats again this time for 16 hours. Fun!
Well I have enjoyed my trip so far and it has opened my eyes a bit more on what I have. I will not take for granted as a lot of people here have nothing and are begging for money and food.
The transportation is an interesting experience as well as 95% of the cars would not be road legal in the west as there are bits hanging off and bits missing and smoke from the exhausts, but some how they are still going.
Well thats about it at the mo will try and post a bit more after the trip. Till Then
Take care and remember how lucky you are.
Well what can I say,
My first interesting experience in Senegal was Dakar airport. As I eventually made it through security and baggage claim at about 3am I was bombarded by about 15 taxi drivers asking me if I want a Taxi, well thats what I guess they were saying as they were speaking french and I don't.
Looking through the croud of taxi drivers I saw Mandi with a blow-up Santa doll, so fighting my way through them I got to Mandi and we then went to our hotel, The Hotel we stayed at was basic but it was great to be here with Mandi.
When we woke up we left the hotel and headed for Goree Island which is a small island off the coast of Dakar, it was used as one of the hubs in the african slave trade. It is a pretty Island.
We met up with 8 other PCV's there and we had a nice christmas dinner and hung out.
On Boxing Day Mandi and I went back to her site in Pout where I met her host family and even cooked them a hamburgers and chips for dinner, which was fun. We spent a couple of days in Pout with Ellie, her cat, then headed into Thies we spent a couple of nights there at a place called Massa Massa which was very nice and the food was amazing. We will go back there in April when I come back.
On the 30th we went back to Dakar to get the boat down to Zigunchor, as we got our tickets late there were no cabins left so we ended up with chairs so we spent 14 hours in the seats as there was no common seating area so it wasnt much fun but we got to Zigunchor.
We arrived in Zigunchor on New Years Eve and as we got off the boat we had to wait for the baggage, about 30 mins later we had to go through a door to collect the baggage.
There was about 200 people going through a single door and then looking for their bags it was an experience in its self. After we got the bags we got to the hotel and the fan didn't work and then the light in the bathroom stopped working and there was no water so I couldn't have a shower.
Needless to say we only stayed there for 1 night and we then went to the hotel over the road which had a fan that worked, lights that worked and water for the shower which was great.
We have been down here in Zigunchor for 5 days and it has been good. There is a street vendor that makes a mean spaghetti sandwhich which has been breakfast for the last 5 days.
The food in Senegal has been very good infact I don't think I have had a bad meal at all. Ironically, Mandi ate some Senegalese food that disagreed with her and upset her stomach, but I haven't had any problems.
We are heading back to Dakar today which means back on the boat in the seats again this time for 16 hours. Fun!
Well I have enjoyed my trip so far and it has opened my eyes a bit more on what I have. I will not take for granted as a lot of people here have nothing and are begging for money and food.
The transportation is an interesting experience as well as 95% of the cars would not be road legal in the west as there are bits hanging off and bits missing and smoke from the exhausts, but some how they are still going.
Well thats about it at the mo will try and post a bit more after the trip. Till Then
Take care and remember how lucky you are.
12.19.2008
Operation Smile
For those of you who don't already know, and I realize that I have been talking about this a lot, I have had the AMAZING opportunity to work with Operation Smile, an American NGO that is in Thiès, Senegal this week performing free surgeries, as an interpreter from Wolof to English. To give you a quick rundown on what they do, here are some facts from their website, www.operationsmile.org:
Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide children’s medical charity. In 1982, Operation Smile was founded by Dr. William P. Magee Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen S. Magee, a nurse and clinical social worker.
Since 1982, more than 120,000 children and young adults with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities have been treated by thousands of volunteers worldwide and thousands of medical professionals have been trained globally.
Operation Smile was launched after its first mission to the Philippines in 1982. Operation Smile currently has a presence in 51 countries.
This week was their first trip to Senegal, and if all goes well, they will be coming back within the year to provide more surgeries. This week, a total of around 150 Senegalese patients, mostly children, with facial deformities had the opportunity to receive free, life-changing surgeries and I am so blessed to have been able to participate in it all. As the interpreter, I got to tell the patients about their surgery, how to prepare for it and explain post-operative care to them after surgery. I spent most of my time in post-operative with the nurses following them around and asking patients how they were doing and feeling. It felts really good to be that link between them and their medical care. On the opposite side, it was heartbreaking to have to tell people that we could not perform the surgery for whatever reason and that there was nothing we could ndo for them. Between the highs and the lows, it was an emotional week.
I am a little jealous of the volunteers with Operation Smile (every one of which I completely and utterly respect and admire) who get instant gratification. Within a week they get to see the results of their work. The development work that I am doing is a little different in that we "plant the seeds" of development and hope that our projects will be sustainable, but often it takes years for the results to come about. I believe that both types of development work are necessary, charity and sustainable development work, in order to encourage developping countries, but I suppose Im just a little jealous that I can't experience what these volunteers have.
Oh well, c'est la vie. Pastures always greener and whatnot. Operation Smile is having a farewell lunch in town that they have invited the Peace Corps Volunteers to attend and so I am off to a free lunch, and to say to goodbye to some amazing people who have become good friends in only a week.
Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide children’s medical charity. In 1982, Operation Smile was founded by Dr. William P. Magee Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen S. Magee, a nurse and clinical social worker.
Since 1982, more than 120,000 children and young adults with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities have been treated by thousands of volunteers worldwide and thousands of medical professionals have been trained globally.
Operation Smile was launched after its first mission to the Philippines in 1982. Operation Smile currently has a presence in 51 countries.
This week was their first trip to Senegal, and if all goes well, they will be coming back within the year to provide more surgeries. This week, a total of around 150 Senegalese patients, mostly children, with facial deformities had the opportunity to receive free, life-changing surgeries and I am so blessed to have been able to participate in it all. As the interpreter, I got to tell the patients about their surgery, how to prepare for it and explain post-operative care to them after surgery. I spent most of my time in post-operative with the nurses following them around and asking patients how they were doing and feeling. It felts really good to be that link between them and their medical care. On the opposite side, it was heartbreaking to have to tell people that we could not perform the surgery for whatever reason and that there was nothing we could ndo for them. Between the highs and the lows, it was an emotional week.
I am a little jealous of the volunteers with Operation Smile (every one of which I completely and utterly respect and admire) who get instant gratification. Within a week they get to see the results of their work. The development work that I am doing is a little different in that we "plant the seeds" of development and hope that our projects will be sustainable, but often it takes years for the results to come about. I believe that both types of development work are necessary, charity and sustainable development work, in order to encourage developping countries, but I suppose Im just a little jealous that I can't experience what these volunteers have.
Oh well, c'est la vie. Pastures always greener and whatnot. Operation Smile is having a farewell lunch in town that they have invited the Peace Corps Volunteers to attend and so I am off to a free lunch, and to say to goodbye to some amazing people who have become good friends in only a week.
12.01.2008
Bloggers Block
I realize that I have touched on the subject before but I am running out of things to say!!! I haven't been online in almost two weeks for whatever reason, which is the main reason I haven't written, but also I just havent had anything to hurry up and get online to write about.
We got internet in Pout, which I expected to be this life changing event, but we only have one cyber café that is online and there are only two computers in it, both of which suck. Since Im in Thiès twice a week anyways, it just doesn't seem worth it to bother using the internet in town. Yes, the internet is that bad there. Plus I can use it for free here.
I applied for a grant with my work partner in order to fund two weeks worth of basic business skills trainings with leaders from a local youth organization and have been accepted, which I am really excited about. That means two solid weeks worth of work. :) Ousmane and I have a lot of planning to do getting everything ready. The trainings will be the middle two weeks of January.
So yeah, that's the news from over here in too-sunny Senegal (I dare anyone in America to complain about the cold).
We got internet in Pout, which I expected to be this life changing event, but we only have one cyber café that is online and there are only two computers in it, both of which suck. Since Im in Thiès twice a week anyways, it just doesn't seem worth it to bother using the internet in town. Yes, the internet is that bad there. Plus I can use it for free here.
I applied for a grant with my work partner in order to fund two weeks worth of basic business skills trainings with leaders from a local youth organization and have been accepted, which I am really excited about. That means two solid weeks worth of work. :) Ousmane and I have a lot of planning to do getting everything ready. The trainings will be the middle two weeks of January.
So yeah, that's the news from over here in too-sunny Senegal (I dare anyone in America to complain about the cold).
11.11.2008
Mid-Service Fun
Here in Peace Corps-land, after you've been in Senegal for one year, it's time to drop everything, come to Dakar and make sure you're healthy. Relatively so, at least. All volunteers are required to undergo a mid-service medical exam consisting of a complete physical and dental exam. It's about as much fun as it sounds, but it's a good excuse to come to Dakar and relax for a few days and also an example of how amazing our health coverage is here. I am getting very used to full medical coverage and going back to the states after Peace Corps is going to be an experience....
Peace Corps pays us once every three months and the end of November is the end of month number three (ie: I havent been paid since late August). My budgeting skills as they are, I am extremely close to broke and so can't actually afford to go out in Dakar with the other volunteers, but am cooking lots of yummy meals and catching up on my movie watching. I am very much looking forward to this next pay period.
Peace Corps pays us once every three months and the end of November is the end of month number three (ie: I havent been paid since late August). My budgeting skills as they are, I am extremely close to broke and so can't actually afford to go out in Dakar with the other volunteers, but am cooking lots of yummy meals and catching up on my movie watching. I am very much looking forward to this next pay period.
11.08.2008
Obama Mooy Sama Président
Wolof phrase of the day: Obama is my president (see above). I could not be happier to come home to America with Barak Obama as my president next year. The reaction to his victory has been amusing here in Senegal. Mainly because EVERYONE knows the result. Some people may have pretended not to be paying attention to the US race for the White House, but as soon as Obama won, EVERYONE and their mother came over to my house to discuss the news and get my feelings on a black man as president. One man yesterday actually told me I had to make sure to keep the Republicans out of power, so perhaps there was one person here who hasn't heard, but I think he's alone. Another thing that I found really interesting was the Senegaleses reaction. Every single person started off by congratulating me. My family and friends here know I voted for Obama, but everyone else is congratulating me without even asking who I voted for. I can't really explain it, I just find the whole congratulatory thing strange. I appreciate their enthusiasm and boy are the Senegalese excited about Barak Obama!! My host mom has completely forgotten about telling me that if he won he would certainly be assasinated by racists and encouraging me to vote for Clinton and is singing his praises and congratulating me all day long. Barak Obama has some high standards to live up to here in Africa. Even more so in the United States....
In other news, I mentioned last entry that I had two university students staying with me for a week as part of their program. It's called a "rural visit" and every student spends one week of the program outside of Dakar either with a Peace Corps Volunteer or an NGO worker depending on their interests after university. I ended up with a student from UC Boulder and another from Occidental College in LA. Both were amazing. We had a very good time together and I think they were pretty relieved to not be in a village for their rural visits. They sat in on my computer classes in Thiès, got to witness firsthand me showing up for meetings only to have the other party not show up (which is beginning to feel like the majority of my work here), hung out with some Senegalese friends here in town, taste some of Pout's lovely fruit (it is after all what we're known for) and make some nice American food to boot. After two months of cebb u jenn, everyone could use a good plate of pasta, regardless of how tasty cebb u jenn is.
So yeah, a good time was had by all. I came in with them to Dakar this morning for a medical appointment on Monday. Having been here 14 months already (but who's counting?) I am due for my mid-service physical and dentist appointment. I am interested to see what all of this sugar in the attaya I drink here has done to my teeth...
In other news, I mentioned last entry that I had two university students staying with me for a week as part of their program. It's called a "rural visit" and every student spends one week of the program outside of Dakar either with a Peace Corps Volunteer or an NGO worker depending on their interests after university. I ended up with a student from UC Boulder and another from Occidental College in LA. Both were amazing. We had a very good time together and I think they were pretty relieved to not be in a village for their rural visits. They sat in on my computer classes in Thiès, got to witness firsthand me showing up for meetings only to have the other party not show up (which is beginning to feel like the majority of my work here), hung out with some Senegalese friends here in town, taste some of Pout's lovely fruit (it is after all what we're known for) and make some nice American food to boot. After two months of cebb u jenn, everyone could use a good plate of pasta, regardless of how tasty cebb u jenn is.
So yeah, a good time was had by all. I came in with them to Dakar this morning for a medical appointment on Monday. Having been here 14 months already (but who's counting?) I am due for my mid-service physical and dentist appointment. I am interested to see what all of this sugar in the attaya I drink here has done to my teeth...
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