Some answers to some American Students questions:
How is life in Africa?
Life in Africa is great but it is very different from life in the United States . It took me a few months to get used to life here and I am still learning new things about the customs and culture everyday. So far though, living in Sierra Leone has been an eye-opening and rewarding experience.
Are the people nice to you?
All of the people are very friendly and kind and are always ready to help when I need assistance.
Is it hot there?
The weather here is much different than I am accustomed to. I am from Michigan, so I am used to having 4 seasons with winter being very, very cold. Here it is always pretty warm . Even now at the end of October it is still pretty hot some days and I have yet to have a day where I didn't sweat at all. But the people keep telling me that the cool weather is coming so we will see what that means.. Also, there are only 2 seasons here, the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season is coming to an end so there are plenty of storms now. I like the rain though because it makes the place a little cooler. It is almost like temporary air conditioning.
How is your city?
I live in a small town called Fadugu.There is one main road that goes through the town. This is one of the only paved roads in all of Sierra Leone and is the highway from Freetown to Kabala (and by highway they essentially just mean it has been paved, do not imagine American highways) Most of the stores are located on one small strip of this road that they call "the line." This area is only about 1 block long. We also have a market that comes every Saturday where you can go to buy the goods you need. I will try and share some more pictures of the town the next time I go to Freetown.
Is your home there a lot different than your home in America?
My home here is much different than my home in America. First of all, there is no electricity or running water in my house. When the sun goes down my house is very dark and I need to use flashlights to see and do work. This also means I don't have a T.V. and I can onl y use the internet when I go to a big city and pay to use it at an internet cafe. My bathroom is outside. I use a latrine for my toilet and I need to take bucket baths instead of showers. I get my water from a community water pump just a short walk from my house. Despite all of these differences though my house still feels like home now and is very nice compared to many other homes here.
What stuff do kids have there?
Kids here do not have many toys and most of the toys they have, they have made themselves. For example, plenty of little boys have racecars they have constructed themselves from old tomato paste cans for the base of the car and pop bottle lids for the wheels. They then attach the little car to a stick and push it around. Also, toys here are strictly played with outside. Most children do not have toys to play with in their house most likely because most of the time when they are home they are very busy doing chores for their parents such as cooking, laundering, or dishwashing. But they make the best of what they have and enjoy life greatly for the most part.
Is the school building small?
The building I teach in is pretty small considering the number of children we have in each class. We pack about 50 kids into each class and the classes are just divided by a wooden partition so if one class is loud everyone is distracted.
Do they all wear uniforms?
Yes. The students must wear uniforms and this rule is very strictly enforced.
Do the meals taste better than McDonalds?
The meals are very very different from McDonalds and consist of a variation of rice and sauce everyday, for every meal. It is good but oh what I would give for some McDonalds fries and a chocolate shale right now! haha
How is life in Africa?
Life in Africa is great but it is very different from life in the United States . It took me a few months to get used to life here and I am still learning new things about the customs and culture everyday. So far though, living in Sierra Leone has been an eye-opening and rewarding experience.
Are the people nice to you?
All of the people are very friendly and kind and are always ready to help when I need assistance.
Is it hot there?
The weather here is much different than I am accustomed to. I am from Michigan, so I am used to having 4 seasons with winter being very, very cold. Here it is always pretty warm . Even now at the end of October it is still pretty hot some days and I have yet to have a day where I didn't sweat at all. But the people keep telling me that the cool weather is coming so we will see what that means.. Also, there are only 2 seasons here, the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season is coming to an end so there are plenty of storms now. I like the rain though because it makes the place a little cooler. It is almost like temporary air conditioning.
How is your city?
I live in a small town called Fadugu.There is one main road that goes through the town. This is one of the only paved roads in all of Sierra Leone and is the highway from Freetown to Kabala (and by highway they essentially just mean it has been paved, do not imagine American highways) Most of the stores are located on one small strip of this road that they call "the line." This area is only about 1 block long. We also have a market that comes every Saturday where you can go to buy the goods you need. I will try and share some more pictures of the town the next time I go to Freetown.
Is your home there a lot different than your home in America?
My home here is much different than my home in America. First of all, there is no electricity or running water in my house. When the sun goes down my house is very dark and I need to use flashlights to see and do work. This also means I don't have a T.V. and I can onl y use the internet when I go to a big city and pay to use it at an internet cafe. My bathroom is outside. I use a latrine for my toilet and I need to take bucket baths instead of showers. I get my water from a community water pump just a short walk from my house. Despite all of these differences though my house still feels like home now and is very nice compared to many other homes here.
What stuff do kids have there?
Kids here do not have many toys and most of the toys they have, they have made themselves. For example, plenty of little boys have racecars they have constructed themselves from old tomato paste cans for the base of the car and pop bottle lids for the wheels. They then attach the little car to a stick and push it around. Also, toys here are strictly played with outside. Most children do not have toys to play with in their house most likely because most of the time when they are home they are very busy doing chores for their parents such as cooking, laundering, or dishwashing. But they make the best of what they have and enjoy life greatly for the most part.
Is the school building small?
The building I teach in is pretty small considering the number of children we have in each class. We pack about 50 kids into each class and the classes are just divided by a wooden partition so if one class is loud everyone is distracted.
Do they all wear uniforms?
Yes. The students must wear uniforms and this rule is very strictly enforced.
Do the meals taste better than McDonalds?
The meals are very very different from McDonalds and consist of a variation of rice and sauce everyday, for every meal. It is good but oh what I would give for some McDonalds fries and a chocolate shale right now! haha
Okay here are some pics from Fadugu
Some children in the community. I just wanted to highlight the little toy car the boy in the middle has to give you an idea of the types of things children construct to play with here.
They tote everything on their heads here. It is amazing. This is my little neighbor carrying a huge bucket of water from the pump to the house.
They have an assembly every morning before school where they say some Muslim prayers/ songs in Arabic and then recite the national pledge and anthem. I tried uploading a video but it was taking way too long.
This is my favorite food here, acheke. It is made of gari, noodles, spicy gravy/ sauce, cucumber, onion, ketchup, mayonnaise, and fish. I know sounds appetizing, right?
This is before the big football match between my town, Fadugu, and the district capital, Kabala. The match was 1-1. Mohamed is the one smiling at the camera
Okay well that is all for now. I miss all of you. Thank you for sending letters and keep them coming! It is always a pleasure to receive them and I have tried writing all of you back but unfortunately no one I know has been able to successfully send a letter home to America, but we'll see! Maybe I'll be the lucky one. haha And at the very least please email me. I always appreciate hearing from you!
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