From Alligators to Crocodiles

Finals week has come to pre-service training. We have been doing a lot throughout the past 7 weeks, but it was kicked into high gear this week. The CEDers realized that we had a bunch of presentations, activities, ect that needed to be done this week. We had to present to our partner organization an evaluation of our thoughts about their business. I mentioned this ongoing project a while back, so this was the grand finale. In addition, we were also split up into groups for an experiment in income generating activities (IGA), which was perhaps one of the most eye- opening experiences thus far. The old adage rings true: you don’t know someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. My group for the IGA was Kenny, Abe and myself. We decided to make some Pain Perdu (French toast) to sell. It was an interesting process to see that even with all of our budget planning and hard labor 3 days in a row, our profit was still so small. It is hard to comprehend in our American mindset why anyone would ever go through all that work just for a couple of mil franc of profit. But, without it, where would the Guinean people be? Hard laborious work is the name of the game in this country. There is no service industry really and almost everything is based around/on agriculture. On an interesting note, when I went to the market this week, I saw that my host cousin was selling some French toast in front of her boutique. It was really wonderful and inspiring to see, as we did all of the labor at my house and, she helped us make our first batch. I guess we rubbed off on her. The Fotês did something well. LOL

As a group, we also hit this week our 2-month mark in country and the end of our training, which is sadder than I would have ever expected it. My French continues to improve, but I am still worried about the upcoming and most important language test. I have to pass this test in order to go to site. I am worried, but trying to get in as much studying as possible. I have felt pretty overwhelmed with everything going on over the past two weeks, particulary bececause the reality of site is only a week and a half away. No more Americans every day, no more sweet language trainers who try so hard to understand us, no more safe and lovely Dubreka. I have felt overwhelmed with the fear of being misunderstood, both in language and personality, in Siguiri. I wonder what the hell I will be doing for two years. Yeah, I know it will be business-oriented, but what can I contribute? I realize that my path will be chosen with time, but I would like to know now… please. The end of training is also sad because I have had such a good time getting to know everyone, from my fellow PCTs to staff to my host family. I will miss everyone and Dubreka, a city that has treated us so well, so much. I will miss seeing my friends’ everyday as oppose to once a month or once in a while. I will miss the awesome staff that have filled themselves with patience and understanding with us and has laughed with us multiple times. I will miss Dubreka as a city. I have learned the ins and outs of Dubreka. I have taken the taxi from the marche in ville to 5K a million and one times. I have ridden my bike every morning and afternoon to the PC bureau saying hi to all of our neighbors and answering the children’s’ calls of “Fotê” along the way every day. Dubreka has treated me well. Most of all, I will miss my family here. I have created an amazing bond with my host mother here who has the same sarcastic, dry sense of humor that I have. We have shared so many laughs over dinner and hang out at night. I will miss that a lot. I have learned so much about her. She really is a wonderful person, who has been beyond lovely with me and has extended all of her hospitality to me as well. She truly is my favorite person here. I will also miss my host brother and cousin. While it took them a while to warm up to me, now we share stories and jokes. I will miss them all so much and fear that I might not be able to assimilate as well in Suguiri. I guess only time will tell.

Speaking of a wonderful host mother, last Sunday was Hilary’s birthday, so I decided to invite her and some of our other friends to breakfast at my house. We made French toast together, Clara made a meat dish and my host mom made a delicious fruit salad. I had a wonderful time inviting everyone over to my neck of the woods and hosting a little get together, just like old times back in the States. Everyone was amazed by my host mother (of course) and the compound that I have lived at for the past 9 weeks. Everyone fell in love with the garden, my mom and Blackie, the puppy. I think the morning overall was quite a success and most importantly, Hilary was happy. You know me and birthdays, I just love them.

Now for the title of this blog, the African Cup has arrived in Guinea!! The African Cup is exactly like the World Cup, but just for African countries. If you know me, you know that I am obsessed with the World Cup and grew up with futbol, so this is all good news for me. Equatorial Guinea is hosting this time around, so this past Saturday, I sat down with my host mom and brother to watch the first match. It was funny to hear the speeches made before the match in Spanish (E.G speaks Spanish) and having my family ask to translate for them. MAAHAAHH…now they understand what I have been through for the past 9 weeks here! Je ne comprend pas. Yo no entiendo. I don’t understand. My go-to words over the past weeks. LOL. But, anyway, back to futbol. Since the start of tournament on Saturday, every day there has been two games played, so I have been trying to watch as much futbol as possible. However, because it is Guinea, you can only really watch the games if the electricity comes, which was not the case on Tuesday, when Guinea played against Mali. Yup, no electricity for the most important game. I don’t know who’s idea that was, but I would have rather watched the Guinea game to the Zambia one. Because there was no electricity, I didn’t know the final score until the following day when my mom told me that her beloved Mail (she was born there) had won 1-0. Bummer. It was an even bigger bummer that there was no electricity. But, that hasn’t stopped Guinean people from wearing jerseys, hair ties, bracelets, necklaces and earrings that have the yellow, green and red of the flag. There is some serious patriotism here, which includes dancing and singing in the streets. I really love to see Dubreka like this. I really hope that the Guinean team goes far. I even bought my own pair of Guinean colors earrings for good luck. Viva Guinea! Ps. But in French is goal. Go back to the title of this post to put it together. Volia!

Lastly, I have been bit by the designing clothes bug and had made an African-print dress. The print was a lovely blue and red and the dress was made perfectly. So much so, that many of the girl PCTs want to borrow it to show their tailors. In addition, I also recently went to the tailor to make my swearing-in dress for next week when we officially become volunteers and a specially-requested shirt that I wanted made. I adore the prints of materials here in Africa. They are all so colorful and thanks to family connections, I was able to buy my cloth and have my clothes made at reasonable prices. I will have to take photos of me in my clothes and post as soon as I can. I can’t wait to see how my clothes turn out. I am thinking I will be wearing a lot of African prints in the near future.
So, that is it for me now. I figured a smaller blog entry was necessary after my obnoxiously long one last time. I will not be updating my blog again until Conarky, so watch out next week for my last blog entry before heading to site. I am currently compiling a list of things for care packages, so expect a care package blog entry next time as well. I would love to receive some mail in the first few months of site!! It would definitely cheer up my day! =)

Xoxo,

Carolina