So its been a few weeks now so I figured it was about time for me to
update the blog. Things are pretty much just chugging along same as
usual for me. Just teaching and hanging out. The past two weeks have
been a bit rough though. Not too bad its just that all the little
things have been adding up to make me a bit frustrated with life here.
I mean I've gotten used to the whole no electricity or running water
thing but some of the cultural differences can be a bit aggravating to
say the least. Our lives in America are just so different from their
lives here and while I understand that different things are priorities
here when just feeding your family is hard to do sometimes, it is
still difficult to see children pulled out of school to work, or
people just accepting that corruption is a way of life here. I guess
that's what always having food on the table and money in the bank does
but I still cant help thinking that it doesn't have to be that way.
And that's not to say people here don't want things to change but as I
said it is more difficult when simply surviving isn't a given.
So as I said I had been feeling a little down and a bit homesick for
America but after a nice weekend at the beach two weekends ago and a
fun night out with some friends this last week things are looking a
little better. Plus I think all my physical ailments are finally
healing up (knock on wood) so hopefully I am well on my way to being
healthy and happy in Africa. Which Mohamed told me is not too much to
ask for. (haha I told him I just wanted to be happy and healthy in
Africa, is that too much to ask for? And he took my question quite
literally and replied "no sara that isn't too much to ask for. In fact
you could ask for more." Haha sometimes I love how literally he takes
everything me and fellow volunteers say)
Two weekends ago I finally made it to a beach outside of Freetown. A
small group of volunteers went to Bureh beach. It was absolutely
gorgeous. Nice white sand and a beautiful blue ocean that was perfect
for swimming. Also, the best part was we were the only ones there.
We had the whole magnificent beach to ourselves! Mohamed ended up
meeting some friends of his from his community in Freetown so we
stayed in a nice room by ourselves very near to the beach and very
near to where the other volunteers were. And not only did we save a
little money but we got to sleep in a bed rather than in a tent on the
sand. Overall, it was a nice mini vacation full of sunbathing,
swimming, and chatting with fellow volunteers. The only problem was
after travel time and everything it was a bit too short for my taste.
It has started getting super hot again. And apparently it only gets
hotter as we move towards the end of March and enter into April.
Considering I am already in a full sweat just by moving from laying on
my bed to sitting on my back stoop I don't know if I can handle the
weather getting any hotter. (Good thing I just got the cold-weather
clothes my mom sent for me this past week.) Yup so its getting hot
and all the water is drying up.. I'm not sure what exactly happens but
I hear getting water becomes even more of a chore than it already is.
Also, it is definitely too hot during the day for my poor little dog
Keba as I found out when I tried taking him for a walk yesterday. We
got almost halfway when he just turned around looked at me and started
crying. He must think I am absolutely crazy or super mean for
torturing him in that way. But don't worry we found some shade to sit
in and some water for him to drink so we could make it home without
anyone passing out.
We just finished with midterms in school. While I absolutely love
some students and I can tell they actually study and try in math, a
lot of my students still seem to be in a mindset that math is just an
impossible subject that they might as well not even attempt.
Sometimes it is incredibly frustrating to stand up in front of the
class and ask a question I literally have just said the answer to and
only receive blank stares. Its as if what I say really does go in one
ear and out the other. But then there are other times when the kids
are just so cute or try so hard that I absolutely love them and love
teaching. I really do like working with children and really do want
to see some of my students do really well on their external exams but
sometimes it is really hard. While I am now able to see that teaching
is a rewarding career I also have to say I have earned new respect for
my former teachers. This job isn't easy to say the least.
My life at 22.
~ I go sleep by 9 at the absolute latest pretty much every school
night (and most weekend nights too).
~ I wake up at the latest around 7 every day. And yes that does
include weekends.
~ My best friend is an 8 year old boy. He does everything with me.
~ Its been a good week when I have washed my hair twice and maybe even
shaved my whole legs once if I'm lucky.
~ I eat rice literally every day.
~ This past weekend I had water that was almost so cold ice could have
been in it. I almost couldn't drink it because it felt so cold. My
normal drink of choice is nice lukewarm water from my filter.
~ I also slept on a bed with bedsprings for the first time in 9
months. It felt incredible. My normal mattress is foam and has a
clear indentation of my body.
~ I make approximately $250 a month doing a full time job.
~ I'm a local celebrity. Everyone in town knows my name and all the
kids scream it whenever I pass. Also, at any event in town I will be
given a seat at the high table with all the other VIPs.
update the blog. Things are pretty much just chugging along same as
usual for me. Just teaching and hanging out. The past two weeks have
been a bit rough though. Not too bad its just that all the little
things have been adding up to make me a bit frustrated with life here.
I mean I've gotten used to the whole no electricity or running water
thing but some of the cultural differences can be a bit aggravating to
say the least. Our lives in America are just so different from their
lives here and while I understand that different things are priorities
here when just feeding your family is hard to do sometimes, it is
still difficult to see children pulled out of school to work, or
people just accepting that corruption is a way of life here. I guess
that's what always having food on the table and money in the bank does
but I still cant help thinking that it doesn't have to be that way.
And that's not to say people here don't want things to change but as I
said it is more difficult when simply surviving isn't a given.
So as I said I had been feeling a little down and a bit homesick for
America but after a nice weekend at the beach two weekends ago and a
fun night out with some friends this last week things are looking a
little better. Plus I think all my physical ailments are finally
healing up (knock on wood) so hopefully I am well on my way to being
healthy and happy in Africa. Which Mohamed told me is not too much to
ask for. (haha I told him I just wanted to be happy and healthy in
Africa, is that too much to ask for? And he took my question quite
literally and replied "no sara that isn't too much to ask for. In fact
you could ask for more." Haha sometimes I love how literally he takes
everything me and fellow volunteers say)
Two weekends ago I finally made it to a beach outside of Freetown. A
small group of volunteers went to Bureh beach. It was absolutely
gorgeous. Nice white sand and a beautiful blue ocean that was perfect
for swimming. Also, the best part was we were the only ones there.
We had the whole magnificent beach to ourselves! Mohamed ended up
meeting some friends of his from his community in Freetown so we
stayed in a nice room by ourselves very near to the beach and very
near to where the other volunteers were. And not only did we save a
little money but we got to sleep in a bed rather than in a tent on the
sand. Overall, it was a nice mini vacation full of sunbathing,
swimming, and chatting with fellow volunteers. The only problem was
after travel time and everything it was a bit too short for my taste.
It has started getting super hot again. And apparently it only gets
hotter as we move towards the end of March and enter into April.
Considering I am already in a full sweat just by moving from laying on
my bed to sitting on my back stoop I don't know if I can handle the
weather getting any hotter. (Good thing I just got the cold-weather
clothes my mom sent for me this past week.) Yup so its getting hot
and all the water is drying up.. I'm not sure what exactly happens but
I hear getting water becomes even more of a chore than it already is.
Also, it is definitely too hot during the day for my poor little dog
Keba as I found out when I tried taking him for a walk yesterday. We
got almost halfway when he just turned around looked at me and started
crying. He must think I am absolutely crazy or super mean for
torturing him in that way. But don't worry we found some shade to sit
in and some water for him to drink so we could make it home without
anyone passing out.
We just finished with midterms in school. While I absolutely love
some students and I can tell they actually study and try in math, a
lot of my students still seem to be in a mindset that math is just an
impossible subject that they might as well not even attempt.
Sometimes it is incredibly frustrating to stand up in front of the
class and ask a question I literally have just said the answer to and
only receive blank stares. Its as if what I say really does go in one
ear and out the other. But then there are other times when the kids
are just so cute or try so hard that I absolutely love them and love
teaching. I really do like working with children and really do want
to see some of my students do really well on their external exams but
sometimes it is really hard. While I am now able to see that teaching
is a rewarding career I also have to say I have earned new respect for
my former teachers. This job isn't easy to say the least.
My life at 22.
~ I go sleep by 9 at the absolute latest pretty much every school
night (and most weekend nights too).
~ I wake up at the latest around 7 every day. And yes that does
include weekends.
~ My best friend is an 8 year old boy. He does everything with me.
~ Its been a good week when I have washed my hair twice and maybe even
shaved my whole legs once if I'm lucky.
~ I eat rice literally every day.
~ This past weekend I had water that was almost so cold ice could have
been in it. I almost couldn't drink it because it felt so cold. My
normal drink of choice is nice lukewarm water from my filter.
~ I also slept on a bed with bedsprings for the first time in 9
months. It felt incredible. My normal mattress is foam and has a
clear indentation of my body.
~ I make approximately $250 a month doing a full time job.
~ I'm a local celebrity. Everyone in town knows my name and all the
kids scream it whenever I pass. Also, at any event in town I will be
given a seat at the high table with all the other VIPs.
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