Wa salaam

Training is over. It was long and tough. The real work begins soon...

On Wednesday I finished packing my bags and prepared for Peace Corps to come and pick up my luggage, bike and water filter from my host family's house. My 5 year old sisters insisted on helping me carry my 50 pound suitcases out to the street. I spent one last night with my family. Everyone was somber, knowing that I was leaving the next morning.  I wrote a letter in French and Susu to my mom and aunts to thank them for everything. They couldn't read it, so I read it aloud to them and they started crying. My host family has been so gracious, patient, and loving. I'm going to miss them a lot. The women told me du courage (good luck) and told me they are always there for me.

On Thursday morning I had one last bowl of ye fure (rice porridge) on the porch with my family, and left with my mom, aunts and two sisters to take a taxi to the farewell ceremony. I was so happy that all the amazing women in my family could come to the ceremony. Families of all the volunteers attended, as well as government officials of Dubreka. Volunteers gave speeches in each of the languages we learned during training (French, Susu, Pulaar, and Malinke). I gave the Susu speech. Here is an excerpt from my speech:

"Muxu ngae nun muxu babae wo nu wali! Muxu mu noma wo sare fide....Na findi ma suni na n na, barima dari xoroxo. Kono wali bara muxu xili. Muxu lan muxu xa siga. Nakui, wo xa fe mu ne mu ma muxu ra.
Wo nu wali. Allah xa wo sare fi. Wa salaam"

We can not thank you enough for everything you have done for us... We are sad to leave you, but our work is calling us and we must go. Never will we forget all that you have done for us. We thank you. May god bless you. Peace.

We ate one last meal together at the ceremony. Each family got a giant bowl of rice and vegetables to share. They also brought plates and forks. My family saw that all the other volunteers were eating with forks, so they handed me one. I didn't know what to do - eat rice with a fork? No, I put the fork down and went at the rice with my hand, as I have with every other meal with my family. That's how we do it in Guinea. Afterwards we said our goodbyes and hugged each other and cried. I got onto the bus headed to Conakry with all the other volunteers and waved goodbye out of the window until we turned the corner.

Conakry - we arrived Thursday afternoon. I see this city from a much different perspective now than my first few days here in Guinea. Before I didn't think much of Conakry. Now it seems incredibly luxurious. For example, I took my first shower in 3 months. There is electricity, air conditioning, and toilet paper. Really, what more could you ask for in life?

Yesterday, September 23rd, we swore-in as official volunteers. The ceremony was well attended by Peace Corps staff, our trainers, American diplomats and Guinean diplomats. Volunteers gave speeches in local languages again and I drummed with the children's group from Dubreka one last time. On Tuesday I will leave for my regional capital and on Wednesday I will be installed in my village. Not sure when the next time you'll get an update from me, but I'll try not to let it be too long.

I'm really excited and nervous to start this new part of the journey. Most of all, I'm proud. I'm proud that I've made it this far, proud to be a teacher, proud to be a volunteer in Guinea, proud to be a part of this great organization, and proud to be representing America.

 

And finally, some long awaited pictures:



Trainees showing off our new Guinean clothes at the beginning of training



Cascades de Soumba - waterfall on the outskirts of Dubreka. Went swimming there a few times.



My brothers and sisters on the porch coloring in a map of the world that I made for them.



My brothers and sister, Elhadj, Maman and Mohamed in the back of the house.



The courtyard of my future College-Lycee (middle school/high school). Yes, that's a cow.



The average street in my village.



Arc-en-ciel over the compound wall in Dubreka.



11/14 members of my host family posing in front of our compound wall in Dubreka




Laundry! A neighbor and my oldest brother, Mohamed, insisted on doing my laundry for me. I couldn't refuse.



My host mom pounding rice, in preparation for the Ramadan celebration.



Host family in our kitchen preparing for the Ramadan celebration. Maman, Damaye, Ibrahima Sory, Papa, Laze, and the freshly killed chicken.



Terminale (last year of high school) social science students in Dubreka. For our practice school awards ceremony they performed a skit in English. So proud of them!



Stacey, Allison and I with the kids we drum with.



The kids drumming at our swearing-in. Stacey, Allison and I joined them shortly after this pic.



Team physics. Me, Amanda, Momo, Tosten, Mary, Maimouna (our trainer) and Keila. 


Wa salaam!

Ca n'est pas une maladie

If your hands are swollen, bruised, and possibly a little bloody, don’t worry. Ca n’est pas une maladie, it’s not a disease. This is what Yaya, my drum instructor says to us after we complain that our hands will fall off if we drum anymore.  2 other volunteers (well, technically “stagieres”) and I have been learning Guinean drum and dance at the local centre du percussion. I’ve mastered a few rhythms on the tam-tam (djembe)  from the Basse-Cote of Guinea. Recently we’ve been joining the children's drumming group in preparation to perform together at our swearing-in ceremony in Conakry on Friday.The children are absolutely adorable and animated and we have such a fun time playing together.

                Training is nearly over. It’s come and gone so quickly I can hardy believe it. It seems like yesterday that my family was showing me how to eat rice with my hands, that my host mom was showing me how to correctly get water from the well, that my aunt was showing me how to clean my laundry....Now I feel chez moi, like I'm at home. I dance to Susu tunes on the radio with the children, have compelling conversations about women's issues with my mom and aunts in the candlelight on the porch, and I greet everyone in Susu. The most useful phrase I know in Susu is "Nmu xili Fote," which means my name isn't white person. "N xili Damaye," my name is Damaye. After 11 weeks in Dubreka the whole world knows that I am Damaye, not fote. 

Yesterday we finished "Ecole Pratique" - practice school. We simulated the school environment for 3 weeks - teaching Guinean students at the local school, giving exams and grades, dealing with discipline problems, etc... There are no textbooks for students and there are no libraries. Students do not have access to the internet....thus the notes they take in class are all they have for reference. That makes teaching pretty difficult. The Guinean education system very much focuses on the national exams (the Brevet after middle school and the Bac after high school). They're great with numbers but terrible with concepts. My work is cut out for me.

Well, once again the generator is being cut soon so I have to leave it at that.  I will put up pics soon.
Peace~