20 January 2011
Hi everyone!! Hope you all have had a great start to the New Year! It’s crazy how time flies here even though it seems I haven’t really been doing too much on a day to day basis. I’ve been at site in my village for over a month now and it has definitely been a roller coaster experience with extreme highs and lows. I want to say a huge thank you to all of you who have been sending letters and care packages since any bit of home brought here helps so much!! I’ve recently got letters from Jens, my Grandparents, my Mom and sister, a Xmas care package from my Grandparents, Ali and Ali, and from all the SB girls. Thank you so so so much!! I love all the goodies and pictures and letters!
So, the first month at site included many housing issues since I had moved into the house before they were completely ready for a volunteer. So cleaning and privacy was extremely difficult making integrating into the community and crossing cross cultural boundaries, as the first American and first Peace Corps volunteer to live there, quite difficult. However, I ended up getting moved to another house that was more prepared (my own choo, bathroom, and concrete floors and a sealed house) but still in the same village. So things are definitely on the up now. I’ve had many meetings with the village including village leaders, elders (wazee), and the youth (vijana). They are very excited to have a volunteer but it will definitely be a bit difficult to continue to explain the role of a volunteer as a facilitator in work that the community wants and partakes in. Many times aide comes into places and drops money or something and then leaves, so the community never really has a role or responsibility for the sustainability of projects to help in development. So it’s going to be a little difficult to work as just someone who can help push and motivate and provide education or connections but definitely not do all the work or bring in money to the community. However, I think they are very excited nonetheless and I look forward to continue to learn about the community I will live in for 2 years and help analyze the strengths and issues the members in my village face. This coming week I am hoping to sit in on some of the classes at the Primary School and hopefully begin doing some community activities to learn about the gender and age dynamics (such as a community mapping and daily activity with men, women, and youth groups). I am also going to start some house to house surveys to learn more about the community on the family level. So after a month delay of housing issues, hopefully I’ll get some stuff done soon since we are supposed to begin working on potential projects after our 2 week training in Dar in March.
So far I’ve been staying healthy and since I moved to my new house, I’ve gotten lots more food offers from neighbors. Yay ugali and sardine type fish (dagaa). Haha makes your stomach churn after but at least it’s a good sign that neighbors are so generous to share with me. I’ve been able to make bread, hummus, granola, pasta and marinara sauce, egg scrambles, and typical rice and bean dishes. So slowly learning the ways of really making things from scratch and for about 2-4 hours until you aren’t even hungry by the time you’re done cooking it ha. I go to town about once a week to get fresh veggies and fruit since there isn’t a market in my village (most people eat what they grow on their farms). I just got seeds and will start my own vegetable garden in my backyard ASAP as well.
Anyways, I have better internet access at my site now although charging my computer is still a bit of an issue so I will update as much as possible and Skype is even possible from my house now! My Skype name is just my full name (stephaniegaffney) so find me on Skype and hopefully I can see your faces! Happy Birthday Ali!!! Wish I could be there to help celebrate!! Happy Belated Birthday Jens and Happy Birthday Ashleigh, Gereme, and Aunt Lorna soon too!! It’s hard being away for holidays but there isn’t a day that I am not thinking of you all. My heart goes out to my Aunt Diane and Auntie for your loss- I am so sorry and send my love! Also, I am very thankful my mom’s procedure went very well, and I hope Ashleigh’s minor procedure goes well and helps! I hope everyone is doing well and continue to send me love!! PS there is a new page on the right side of my blog that includes a wish list. Please do not feel inclined to send anything more than a letter (those are the best gifts) but there are some ideas on the list if you happen to put together a care package. I love and miss you all tons and hopefully will get to talk with you more and keep you updated more often. Take care. Love and miss you all!! xoxo
