Forever

Now February is really almost over. We are in Barra making some last min internet searches before we go to Dakar again this weekend. Kristy just bought some garden tools so that the school across the street can start a garden instead of letting it stay the neighborhood dumb.

WAIST, what can I say? It was a bitter-sweet event. Sweet the way that it is always sweet to see PCV's compete in a softball tournament, eat hot dogs, nachos and pulled pork with jalapenos, and the liter sized Gazelles and early morning practice at the club. Bitter in the way that PC RIM was not there, it was quiet and tame (with the same number of people), it was the ghost of WAIST future. We gave it our all made complete fools of ourselves not wearing pants per tradition, played kickball instead of softball one game (it was later won by the Refugees: rock v scissors), and we even kidnapped opposing team members and their mascot. I am proud to say that I was captain of that rowdy bunch of Refugees who's chant was "We're here, we're homeless, get used to us!" It was great to see the old RIM crew and to meet the Guinean PC refugees. We bonded in our mutual experiences and mutual reactions to said experiences. It was good to know that other people feel the same as us.

Shannon, Jeremiah, and Kelly are going to be in Dakar this weekend! My-oh-my! It is almost surreal that they will get to share a bit of our life and see what I write about. There is so much to do and see and so little time to do it in.

We are now in the last quarter of our service, we have to make preparations for our projects to continue without us. Manuals need to be written, to do lists need to be checked off, and that last bit of confidence needs to be given to the counterparts so that they know they can do what we came together for and more after our absence is felt.

Refugee

Days seem to tick by at uneven rates, time truly is relative. Sometimes seconds take lifetimes and sometimes the weeks swiftly pass us by. February has only started and there is no time left. This month will be the one where I work the least during the school year, that is a bitter sweet happening. I want my projects to progress and I have vacation to do too.

I am still organizing the library and working to get the computer teachers to teach a class for the school staff. There is a reluctance to follow through with projects that baffles my work ethic. My librarian really only wants to work when I am present, which saddens me, I have caught her in the storage closet getting her hair braided when she thinks I am not around. My computer teachers complain about not having money but will not host classes which they could earn a supplementary income with. I do have things that go well though, my PTA meetings seems to see self sustaining and held on a monthly basis, we set goals and follow through with what we say.

WAIST is next week, Mauritania and Guinea will combine our displaced forces to create a team dubbed Refugees. Truly to reconnect with our long lost country mates is the major motivation for going to WAIST this year. Gambia PCV's are kinda take it or leave it about the tournament. I know we would be much more pumped had the unfortunate evacuation never happened. I think that it will still be a great time and the hot-dogs with be hot and the beers will be cold.

Also in the works, Shannon, Jeremiah, and Kelly will be coming to visit! Kristy and I are stoked to be able to see a small fraction of our loved ones and to share a bit of our experience here.

I have been lazy and there are some pictures that I need to post, it will happen as soon as it does.

Counting The Days

200 days

200 more days to try

200 more days of being different

200 more days to take afternoon naps

200 more days to dream of home

200 more days to have everyone know my name

200 more days to be a stranger

200 more days to see

200 more days of spending time with my wife

200 more days to be called toubab

200 more days to read

200 more days to haggle

200 more days of frustration

200 more days of having a large family

200 more days of failure

200 more days of success

200 more days of inshalla

200 more days of dirt roads

200 more days of mosquito netting

200 more days of animals everywhere

200 more days of far away

200 more days of hope

200 more days of our 2 room home

200 more days of give me

200 more days of too many languages

200 more days of laughter

200 more days of men holding hands

200 more days of wondering if I can make it

200 more days of making a difference

Paranoid Android

Kristy and I have been trying to use the interweb for a couple weeks now and with the consistant inconsistancies that has been troublesome. We have been well, working to get our Water Charity projects done, you should donate :) here for mine and here for Kristy's. Things are going well I have some new pictures of my project if you want to see what your giving to.

We mentioned a matathon march that we were going to go on with the new PCV's but due to some budget stuff that didn't happen. It was a bummer and the people who did go got lost, such is life.

The holidays came and went and I am glad they are behind us, this year was much harder than the last and we thought of everyone and love you all.

We have run away from a monster called the Konkoran (they beg for money) a few times, they pop up on holidays and are usually surrounded by hoards of people and drumming.

I hope that we can time interweb cafe being open a bit better in the future, take it easy.

Good King Wenceslas

This just in...

My water project was funded by Water Charity! Water Charity pays for the projects up front and hopes that people will be kind enough to pay them back so that they can continue to help all over the world.

I know it's the holiday season and times are tough, if you can give please do.

My project can be found at http://appropriateprojects.com/node/78 but here is what it's about.

Essau Senior Secondary School is a secondary school where students continue their education in hopes of being able to go on to professional jobs and/or higher education at either the college or a university. Students from 5 nearby villages come to attend classes.

Water is available at the high school from only a single tap at the front of the school. It is in poor condition, leaking constantly and wasting water. There is no running water in the restrooms, located at the back of the school.



The leaking tap leaves standing water, allowing mosquitoes to breed, creating conditions conducive to the spread of malaria.

There is also a small community just outside of the school that gets its water from the high school tap.

This project will create a piping system throughout the school. It will bring water to the administrator's house and to the toilets for the staff, boys, and girls. It will also provide water for the science labs.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Great news! Kristy was approved for another project from our friends at Water Charity She has been given a small chunk of money to help the school now to get the work done now now. Water Charity asks that we let our friends and family and random blog readers know about this act of kindness and hopes that you can help reimburse them. If you have a bit to help that would help others in the future (possibly me) be able to work with Water Charity too. Give if you can, a couple bucks goes a long way on this side of the pond, think about the kids.

Of Angles and Angles

This just in, pictures. Pictures from Mali and some from the Essau Schools that Kristy and I work at, I may have to work on captions but it took a long time to upload and I am done on the computing machine for the time being.