It's SOOO AMAZING

IT’s Soo AMAZING, how much I can do here, and how much substitutions work. For Example, you know when you want some AMAZING pasta, you will just go to an expensive restaurant and eat it there, and you would be SOOO AMAZED how they get it soo good. BUT HERE, I get to make AMAZING pasta, with local ingredients. You would be amazed how many things you can use Laughing Cow cheese for and how it turns out sooo delicious. If I want baked cookies just got to the bakery or buy the ready mixed box. BUT HERE I GET TO MADE iT FROM STRACH, and it tastes sooo good. All these little things that we take for granted or we just go buy, I get to make it here and the complicated science I thought went behind it not so complicated. I never thought I would be able to produce such good food here, from starch and with limited ingredients.

It’s soo amazing that I can eat from places that the FDA would ban in America, I can just eat all these street food, that has been sitting out all day eating mayonnaise that has been out for a week. How I only get to eat one big meal each day and eat the same thing for lunch and dinner. Eat rice everyday with about the same three sauces.  Eat with about 6-10 people in a bowl depending on the day, with them eating with their hands and shaking the rice everywhere. Eating with utensils that are sometimes washed with soap, sharing the same tea glasses with 6-10 different people.

It soo Amazing, how the kitchen is right in front of my door. I have rates, cockroaches, mice antes, flies mosquitoes lizards and the likes in my room.  Mice crawling under my mattress. It’s amazing how much time I just sit around, drink tea and chill. How I walk in anyone’s house and feel right at home. How I can eat their food, sleep on their bed and do pretty much do as I like in my own home.

It’s soo Amazing how things that I use to think were bizarre I now partake of, I catch myself doing things that at first that use to annoy me and I just thought were soo different. 

Its soo Amazing, how I’ve been tested times and times again. Reaching a part of me I knew ever existed. Digging deep inside me to get through and just deal with the difference of this place. Over these past few most I've grown and matured and it’s only the beginning.  So watch a for a brand new me.

doing a fro and people thought i had gone mad

Making a Difference I get to See

A surgery in session

This past week was my hardest working week EVER since been in country. I am now a certified nurse under Senegalese standards. I spent the last week being a nurse, doctor’s assistant/translator.  YES A TRANSLATOR, who would have thought; YES after just 5 months of been in country I GET to translate for others.

These doctors from New Jersey are here for two weeks doing eye surgeries, taking out cataracts. They do these mission trips all around the globe and this is their third time in Senegal BUT their most successful mission thus far. Check them out at http://www.righttosightandhealth.org/. Usually while here they do about a 100 surgeries, in the Philippines about 29 BUT so far for week 1 they have done 102 surgeries and have 20 patients for each day remaining.

So I worked from Monday through Saturday, getting up each day at 7, the earliest I have woken up since been here, then I work till around 6pm and for the most part I am on my feet all day.

So my job was pre-up, getting patients ready for the surgery. When they come to me I had to dilate their eyes, given them surgery instructions, clean their eyes, GET THEM TO GO PEE, and prepare them to be injected with numbing solution. The getting them pee part worked for the most part, expect three times, when one of the volunteers had to hold, THREE penis in a bowl, so the men can pee, as they CANNOT get up during surgery.

cleaning an eye

This was such a rewarding week, getting to give people their sight back, something they have been missing for so long in their life. They get to see their children, they have never seen, the new addition their families, needless to say I was quite touched. Most of the patients we saw were young under their 30’s, so that was quite sad. There were some older people; it got me thinking this person could be my dad, mom, or family member.

Some other volunteers even had harder jobs of telling people that there is nothing that can be done, they would be blind for the rest of their life, they can never see again, especially to young women and men who were 25 or less. What’s interesting about this culture, that I think we can take a page from their book is they see it as God’s Will. They took it so well saying, well this is how Allah wanted it to be and there is nothing I can do about. Here we are getting emotional but they don’t even cry or show any emotions, they just take it as God’s will.

This was also a reaffirming week, that my language is improving, that I can speak Pullar just after months of being here, and that my French has improved immensely. I can communicate with people, be the voice for these American doctors, getting across important, delicate and even life changing messages to people. I also improved on my medical jargon in both French and pullar. At first, after I heard what I had to do I was nervous and even wanted to back out because I was not sure how good my language skills are, and since I had to deliver such life changing messages, I did not want to make a mistake and the ruin the life of someone forever.. SO THERE WAS SOME PRESSURE. However after talking to a few volunteers and getting a booster I decided to stay. AND I’M SOOO GALD I DID.

I am so glad I did this because I get to see the lasting effects. Unlike most work I do here, the effects are so minimal; it would take generations to ever see a true difference of what I’m doing here. Because I’m here trying to change history, change the ideas, minds, and way of life for these people that has taken years to build, that has worked for them for sooo long. A culture cannot just be changed in two years, after all Rome was not built in a day. Unlike the Agriculture volunteers, who plant tress and you can see it grow, even at that, if proper techniques are not utilized the tree will never grow.. NEEDLESS to say, I’m just here planting seeds and hoping they would be watered, and were planted on the right spot so they can grow. BUT doing this clinic, the results are immediate, people get to see, and are now part of the world moving around them. They are no long a burden to their family members they can now be useful to society once again.

It was overall a fun hanging out with some fresh Americans, that money to them is not a problem. Because now before I even spend a dollar I have to think hard, it it’s really worth it but for them not sooo much. They took us out to dinner one night and the food/drinks were all on them. Too bad I can’t drink alcohol till March due to my TB meds. Then on Saturday they had a dinner for us, all the volunteers that helped with the clinic, and some who did not. The dinner was by far the best food in country so far. It was sheep marinated overnight and slow cooked all day, scalloped potatoes, baked Zucchinis/eggplants and stuffed baked tomatoes, with and open bar, all the drinks you can have.

I got to even hung out with the nurses took them shopping, to buy material and just go the market. It was AWESOME showing off my language and barging skills.  It was splendid too because I was full every night I was there. Tamba, the city where I was for the week is bigger than mine so it has good food, Toubab stores (like a grocery store, like a mini Wal-Mart/Target) Toubab store literally means white people or foreigner’s store. I also got to materialize few new recipes that I had in my head and they were big hits at the house. I also did some baking, which I brought back for Sam, gave some to my family and my patron friends. I’m eating some of it now while writing this YUM.. Patros means rich (used as a joke to say someone has some money).

So I’m back at site now getting back to my other projects. But I slept the whole day when I returned. I missed my bed. Back to rice again YAYAYAY..

Surgery in process

Help Bring Libraries to Senegal

AJAARAAMA my peeps,

I have one of my first project getting of the ground, and its in partnership with other volunteers. We are trying to open various libraries across the country. It would consist of school and community libraries. These libraries would be used by kids and people in the community.

All around structures are going up for these libraries. All we are waiting on are the books.

SOOOO PLEASE  help us bring these books.


All you have to do it click on this link>>>>>> https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=685-164

You can make a small or a big contribution just as you would like.

Thanks you soo much guys.. Much love

May the Formation Commerence

Today I had my first formation (workshop). It was done with the girls I previously mentioned I’ll be working with. The girls range from 13-19. There are 30 girls, around 20 are married and most of them have kids. They come to this center to learn Pullar alphabets and get some kind of vocational training.

I will be helping them with various trainings. So today, I had a workshop on creating lekki Bowdi (literally means mosquito medicine), so mosquito repellant. I made this one out of pocket. It was really cheap cost me about two dollars and the price can be cheaper. I wanted the girls to try it, so they see that it works. After they test it for themselves and they see it works, they in turn can make it for their households and even make it to sell in their villages. People here know the effects of mosquitoes and are aware of malaria and are scared of it. SOOOO this is a cheap way for them to prevent malaria and the future heartaches of doctor bills or even death, which mostly is the result as people cannot afford the medications.

The repellant is made out of Neem leaves, a tree found all over Senegal. The leaves are boiled then soap broken into pieces and old are added. This turns into a nice lotion that can even be used as lotion, quite moisturizing. It does not even have a bad order. BUT I have an idea. I want to turn this into a business; I’m really trying to sell it to a women’s’ group, to make different scents. Various others leaves can be boiled, or perfume added, or using scenting soaps that can offer a variety of smells. This does not decrease the effects of the Neem. Anyways I’ll keep you posted on that.

It was a major hit with the class; their teacher had told them the day before about it, its effects and all that. But I stressed it on them too, telling them to use on their kids and all that. SO I’ll go back and see what they thought of it and if they would be willing to make it at their homes for personal use OR PROFIT.

I’m also going to start business classes with the girls. This will start when the books I’ve ordered arrived. I’m trying to do projects t that would be suitable after I live and it can be continued without the help of my replacement.

So I’m going to work with their teacher, so she can teach the classes. They have manuals, that I would be using too so it should be easy.

And on that note it seems women in the villages are more serious and have their act together than the women in the cities. Like this women’s group I met today that I may just end up working with because I like their motivation. One of the ladies, whom is well off, offered to do micro financing for the women, instead of them going to micro financing institutions, with outrageous costs. All the women, I’m guessing uneducated pay their dues on time. This takes me to a point, as I was doing interviews with the micro financing institutions in my town, most said they liked women in the villages because they pay on time and are more useful with the money than the women in my city. They say, they are sometimes even reluctant to lend money in my city.

Then I was suppose to have a meeting with the women group in my city, PEOPLE DID NOT SHOW UP ON TIME… and I was already 30mintues late because I knew that one going to happen.

SO I left that meeting and went to another. Were the women just stared fighting with each other as they did the last time, when the same such meeting was conveyed.

That’s my day in a nutshell.. HOW Was Yours?

So its not a Public School after all

So I had a revelation today, at this redundant meeting. I'll get into the meeting later.. BUT "public schools" here not not funded by the government. 


This is how it works.. Kids pay a fee at the beginning of the year, which is about a dollar (when converted) with this amount, the school is expected to run an entire school year. Not every kid even pays that fee, however they are still attending classes. 


Knowing this culture maybe about 50% of the students pay this fee and the rest don't. Nothing is done about it by the director or the school. Kids are still allowed to attend classes.

Just a Guess based on what I've seen....
So, the land is there for the school and maybe a few classes put up by the government. However mostly what I've seen, is NGO's or us that build extra classrooms.


The teachers are paid a salary by the government and this has nothing to do with the school. Teachers are sent by government to the various schools. This all done in Dakar by the "education department." In some areas, mostly the villages, these teachers are highly disliked because they lack the passion and motivation. 


They are sent to this village school for a couple of years, so they can climb up the ladder and end up in big city schools.  This seems to be how most government workers are selected or placed. They are just sent by the government to a place to work for a couple of years. Like my supervisor, she was just sent by the government. P.S. she does not speak a leak of the language, that is used here.


Then the kids have to provides their own learning materials, pens, pencils papers. At the beginning of the school year, each student is given a list of materials that they should purchased. Forget about textbooks. Those are provided by the government when available. 


So I found this out because I was at a meeting for the computer lab my ENCN (predecessor) started, because, we were trying to regulate some issues as the lab has fallen on hard times. I just had the idea, why don't the school make the lab part of its budget and the government foots the bill. Then I got the explanation.

OH How Did The Meeting GO?
NO FREAKING WHERE.... people just kept saying the same thing over and over, till someone was like lets just pick this up another day :) WHOOPI

Getting to the 1st Goal of the Peace Corps

Ok. So the PC has three goals the 1^st helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. The 2^nd is helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served. The 3^rd is helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

The first is where the real work comes in and helping others.

While been here, I’ve been focused on the 3^rd goal, learning about Senegal, its culture and its people. The last two goals are ongoing and can be simply achieved by meeting, talking to people and making new friends, however they cannot be quantify. The 1^st goal is the one that can be quantified; it shows that the PC is helping the developing world and the people of these countries on a grassroots level.

I’m a Small Enterprise Development (SED) volunteer. This means I can work on anything that involves business with any sector of the community. However, nothing in the PC is what it seems and a good volunteer is one that works on what his/her community needs. A good volunteer is one the listens to the requests of his/her communities and try to help them with their various needs. This means by the end of my two years of services all I do may not be business related, or I might not even do anything with business but I’ll do what my community requests of me.

Anyways, NOW I’m back from training and ready to work. On the 1^st goal that is. Because I have been working on the other two since been here.

So yesterday I went to a neighboring village to observe a class. One of my neighbor’s is a teacher of this class, which consists of about 30 girls. They come from surrounding villages and learn the basics of their local language, Pullar. So they are thought numbers, alphabets, basically reading and writing in their local language. Senegal was colonized by the French, so the official language of the country is French, kids are taught in French in schools but at home they speak their local languages. SO it gets confusing for them at times. They can speak their local language but can only write in French. (I kind of had this same problem too been brought up in Sierra Leone, thank God my local language is close to English.)

The age range of these girls differ from like 15-20, some with kids and some without, some that have been to school while others have not. I was just talking to my neighbor the day before and she was telling me what she does and I was like can I come with you to check it out, and OFFCOURSE she said sure. I love these people, they are so welcoming.

So I went and observed the class. It’s a center where there is also a class for little kids and the girls learn various skills, like sowing, cooking and they even have a huge garden. This center is sponsored by the government of Senegal.

So after observing the class and talking with the girls, by neighbor and the director of the center, I’m going to start working with them. This class is first stage, the next stage is getting them to start a business, and they are going to have a food transformation workshop. THIS IS MY ARENA. I’m thinking I can work on giving some business classes, helping the girls do accounting, marketing and the various other components of business, when they move to the next phase.

 So for now I will me going with my neighbor to the school and observing and getting to know the girls a little more. In Senegal, relationships are everything, I have to build the trust of the center first, before then can let me in, and my work would be soo much easier. So while I’m just sitting around I’ll be working on the 2^nd goal. You see I am getting things done here.

Okay so after that in the evening, I had a meeting with my supervisor and the various women’s groups. In this meeting I was supposed to be introduced to the women, so they could know the various things I can offer them. We never got to that point because they started fighting. It was about missing money, jealousy all the things that come about with having women around and them trying to achieve the same thing.

Needless to say, I already knew most of the women there as I did my walking around, introducing myself. So I would be working with these various groups, just to get them started on business or improve their current business practices. Some have gardens, others sell products. So I am going to work with these groups. AGAIN, no actually work will be off the ground yet, I will just be meeting with these women, telling them what I can offer, asking what they need, while working on the 2^nd and 3^rd goals. Because even this blog is fulfilling the 3^rd goal, I don’t have to wait till I get back home to fill that goal. I’m sharing my experience and sharing the culture of these people.

I would also be working with this center for girls; it’s kind of an institute for girls that traditional school is just not working for. Again they are learning various business skills, like, sowing, catering. The director wants me to help them build a business component into the school curriculum and help the admin with computer lessons. My ENCN (predecessor) worked with them. Today I gave my first minicomputer lesson. I helped one of the admin do an excel document.

So guys although it does not seem like I’m doing much and at time I just say I’m talking and just chilling with people, that is a BIG part of this work. Gaining the trust of the people, teaching them about American culture, which in turn I can relate to you. 

I’ll keep you posted on how these projects turn out.

My first day in 2011

So for my first day in the year, I had no plans really as I was at home and it is only celebrated by Christians. The night before I bought a cake, which I did not end up liking, because it was like eating creamy sugary butter. I shared it cake with my family and neighbors and OFFCOURSE they liked it. I hung out with my family a little, went to a soiree (a party) but there was nothing much there so I left. I ended up hanging out with some friends till the wee hours of morning.

Ok back to my first day in 2011.

As I was walking, going, to say hi to my parents my Christian neighbor stopped me on the road and was like, Hey I was just coming to get you, so you could come eat lunch with us, we are having pig today. As you know Muslims hate pigs, THAT’S RIGHT NO BACON FOR MEL. Anyways, I went over and I had a tasty lunch. My neighbor’s entire family was there, people all out of town coming to celebrate the holidays.

I even drank some wine, like a sip (shh, I’m not supposed to, as I am on TB meds). After that went out, to his friends’ house. Apparently during the festive seasons they just do tour née of each other’s houses and eat and drink throughout the entire day.

At his friends’ house, they were bumbling to say the least. Alcohol and music, dancing in so many crazy and rude ways. Anyways at around five, I was beat and ready to go home BUT THEY STILL HAD A LONG WAYS TO GO. So they convinced me to go to another house, there again it was the same affair. After that house, they brought me back home and continued on their merry way.

It was soo fun watching these people have fun, dancing and hanging out with friends and family. I’ve never seen that much people in Senegal drink together and it was just cool to see the other side of Senegal and how the Christian holidays are celebrated here.  While they were drinking their alcohol, I was just drinking soda.

To top it off, when I came home I had Salad for dinner. This was my first time eating salad with my family, so I guess they too were in the festive mood. It was a BANGING salad too, with tomatoes and eggs, with a twist, here they season the lettuce with magic (OFF COURSE because you cannot cook without magic in this country) then they make a onion sauce that is quite tasty, that is spread all around the lettuce and just some mayonnaise in the center.

FUNNY SIDE NOTE. While out with my neighbors, whenever I got introduced, I got some BLANK Stares, like what the heck are you doing here, you are not one of us and one guy even said, I don’t like you (although it was in a joking way). Just because of my Name. As I’m not a Toubab (white) they automatically think I’m Senegalese and think I am Muslim due to my Senegalese name, Kadijatu Camara. So my neighbor had to explain the situation and who I really was. After that all was Okay and I was welcomed.