Home Sweet Home

I've been living in my village for almost a month now. The first few weeks I enjoyed living the slow pace of an African village, reading on my veranda, harvesting granats (peanuts), playing with my neighbors chimpanzees, walking around and spending time with people, and mostly just getting acquainted with life here. That little hut on the right is going to have a hammock underneath it soon.  

School "started" last week. But things take a while to get going, so I've only taught a few classes. I'll be teaching JSS 1, the equivalent of 6th grade, language arts. My classes are going to be much smaller than I expected, only like 20 kids!

 And here's my library! My next task is to organize, label and shelve the books. Some of the highlights of our collection: Amelia Bedelia, a Wrinkle in Time, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a cool Africa map, and lots of encyclopedias and textbooks.

Wi de go bruk

My brother, Hindolo, and I went to the watasay (waterside) to go brook (do laundry). Normally the kids bring water from the well to our house and brook in the yard, but this time he took me to this beautiful pool about 20 minutes from our house. I had no idea it was going to be this cool. 

Here's Hindolo on our way to go wash. My clothes are in the bucket.

Di watasay! 

Hindolo washing clothes... I'll definitely be coming back here to do laundry next weekend!

A go fetch wata

Today I went to fetch water for the first time. Our well is a few hundred yards away from our house. To get to the well the path takes you through a few other peoples backyards. In Sierra Leone it is standard practice to sit and talk with your neighbors for a while as you pass by. Many of the footpaths lead right through people's living and cooking areas, so it's hard to not strike up a conversation for a while. I'm very confident with my Krio greetings, but I'm still working on my Mende. On Sundays many people are outside together either doing laundry (in Krio it's called brooking). preparing food or just hanging out together. The people along the way were excited that a white man (in Mende, Pumuy) was trying to carry a bucket on his head like the locals do. I'm going to need a lot more practice to master the art.

At the well I was greeted with more excitement from the numerous kids playing near the well. Pretty much everywhere I go I am enthusiastically greeted by a group of children, but this time, with a bucket on my head, they could hardly contain there exhilaration. My thirteen year old younger brother also brought a bucket along, so we filled both of them up. The buckets are pretty big and when full I would guess they weigh forty or fifty pounds. Once you get it settled up on your head it's not so bad. We then began the trek back through the gauntlet of gawking neighbors. Their shouts of encouragement motivated each step back towards the house.

Going to fetch the water has given me a new appreciation for the water I consume here. All the water we use to drink, to bathe, to cook with and do laundry with must be carried on our heads about the distance of a few football fields. It is not back breaking work, but it takes time and energy (mostly the energy of my three younger siblings, as they are the ones responsible for fetching water) and makes me very conscious of each cup I consume.

Safe and Sound

Kushe-o mi padi en fambul dem!

That's Krio for hello friends and family! I made it safe and sound to Sierra Leone and I've settled in nicely. I am one week into PST (Pre-service training) in a neighborhood in Bo, Sierra Leone. Training has been going well. We have several hours of Krio instruction everyday and during the other sessions we've been learning about how to stay healthy and safe and be effective teachers in Sierra Leone.

I was adopted by my host family last Sunday and given the name Balayma. In Mende it means "Don't Forget". My family gave me the name so that I wouldn't forget the lessons I learn and the people I meet during my stay in Sierra Leone. I have four siblings that live with me, two brothers and two sisters. They have been incredibly kind and immediately welcomed me into the family. From day one I was referred to as their son. I can't say enough positive things about the Sierra Leonean people I have met so far. They have all been very welcoming and are appreciative of the work Peace Corps does alongside local teachers.

I'm going to keep this one short. I've got futbol practice to get to later this afternoon and the internet cafe is about an hour walk from my house. I'll post more details next weekend. I hope everyone is doing well back home!

Love,

Lawrence

Peace Out

Family and Friends,

Here's my blog! I'll use this to keep y'all updated on my adventure to Sierra Leone. Thank you all for the love and support you have shown me as I have been preparing for my trip. I'll keep this short, because I still have to pack!

Love,

Lawrence