A is for Afrique

Summer vacation is finally over. In one sense I’m excited to be back at school where I have a structured schedule and am constantly busy. I’m also excited for my second year of teaching, which will be completely different from my first year. For example, I’ll know that when it’s raining in the morning, all of my students will be late. I won’t be so surprised when the bats in the classroom ceiling fly out at me. I’ll know when my students are secretly trying to take pictures (with their cell phones) of me teaching to show their parents and friends later.

However, I also very much enjoyed my summer. Though it wasn’t very structured and certainly wasn’t busy, I did fill my time with, I think, worthwhile endeavors.

Planting moring seedlings in my village and painting a moringa mural at PCV Brittany's health center

Carte d’Afrique

With the help of two graduated high school students, Fatoumata and Sekou, I painted a map of Africa on one of the walls of our school. It was a fun and easy project and many other students passing the school, would stop by to paint a country. Unfortunately I didn't have the most up-to-date map, so we left Sudan as one for the time being.

Kanyi Donse Fanyi = Kindia’s good food

I attended a food security conference put on by other agroforestry volunteers in the basse cote. The conference was in Kindia, which is essentially the breadbasket of Guinea. They produce tons of fruits and vegetables and other products. During the training, which was held at a training center called Kanyi Donse Fanyi, we learned about nurseries, food drying techniques, jamming, and incorporating healthier foods into Guinean diets (beans, moringa, etc…). 

ABC

Every evening that I was in my village I would tutor the kids in my host family and neigbhors in reading and writing. The kids age from 6-15, some not in school, others in various grades of elementary school. What they all have in common is that they can’t read or write. During the summer we didn’t make enormous progress, but everyone can now recite the alphabet, write all the letters, recognize them, and sound out very simple words. I hope to continue during the school year if time permits. 

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Also, Happy Peanut Harvest!!!