G-18 in July

The next education group (G-18) is coming to Guinea in July. The current teachers are excited to meet the new group and work with them this summer. We know that when we were packing, we checked out other blogs for ideas on packing or general questions, so if you are a future Guinea education volunteer, here are some things we're glad we have and the truth about cell phones and care packages.

Pack this:

1. Ipod and battery-operated speakers (batteries are cheap in the markets here although they are cheap in quality too...but they work just fine)

2. Solio to charge your ipod and your cell phone (the solios come with a Nokia charger tip and the most popular cheap phone here is a Nokia...so it works.) Most volunteers in Guinea do not have electricity (or running water for that matter.) Most volunteers do have cell phone service somewhere within a bikable or hikable distance, and more and more volunteers are getting service. A month ago I got service in my village (not in my house, but I no longer have hike a hill for service!) And you just never know when that tower might arrive - that's the fun of Guinea. (I have the Solio H1000 - and I have charged it everyday I've been at site. Its a great product!) Still bring your wall charger for when you're around electricity.

3. Headlamp - especially as a teacher. Grading the papers after the sunset...the headlamp is the only way to go. And bring your headlamp on any trip you take in Guinea; the electricity all around is unreliable.

As for everything else, you can find in Guinea. No kidding. But there are those things I appreciate that I brought, like my clothes. Some people embrace the African fashions and numerous second-hand markets; I'm glad for my tshirts, underwear and bras, and skirts made of cotton. Other things I'm glad I have:

School "stuff":

4. School clothes: I wear a white blouse (I brought them from the States) and a skirt everyday to school along with a pair of Merrell Mary Janes. I'm not a fan of the line of all-terrain shoes that are trying to look fashionable, but I'm glad I have a pair for school. Skirts for school need to be in-between calves and ankles. I've had some skirts made here; if you have one good one, you can take it to a tailor and have it copied. Men generally wear button down shirts with pants and shoes. Some go the very "Peace Corps" route with their attire, but it is appreciated if you dress nice.

5. A calculator. A scientific calculator will do just fine; I use my graphing calculator once in a while but its not necessary. I thought I'd use them more often for demonstrations but for the curriculum we're teaching, its not worth bringing it. All teachers need them for calculating grades.

6. I brought Ward gradebook; not necessary at all but I like having it. Actually, I have the lesson plan grade book combo book. Really, you can just create one with a ruler and a Guinean notebook like the other teachers do. Since I started teaching after college, I always had an electronic gradebook so I was sort of excited to kick it old-school with the old-fashioned gradebook. Like I said, not really necessary.

7. A good pair of scissors and real scotch tape. If some of my fellow PCVs saw "real scotch tape" on the list they'd wonder what the heck one does with scotch tape in Guinea. But I use it all the time to hang things in my house. Its the only thing that works.

8. Sharpies. I use the big ones for flipcharts; I use the smaller ones for other lessons. The permenant markers are crap here.

9. A 6-pocket expanding folder. I need it to stay organized with collecting homework and handing it back. Other volunteers say they brought one and never use it. Everyone has their own system.

10. As far as school supplies, you can easily get notebooks and pens. If you want to bring extra things for your classroom, as a math teacher, rulers, protractors, and compasses are the most useful.

"Non-school" stuff:

11. I brought a hammock that I use often. Lots of people bought them here too.

12. Coloring books and a few boxes of crayons. They're a good icebreaker with the new neighborhood kids.

13. During the first couple of months, you will be in a homestay with a family. You want to bring gifts for them; nothing expensive or excessive is necessary, but something to say thanks and from the states is greatly appreciated. Ideas: playing cards, marbles, soccer ball, earrings, baseball hats with your home team, cleveland cavs tshirts, bracelets, anything with a photo of scenes of the US, extra photos of your family that you can leave with them (I know that sounds odd, but they wanted to keep my photos.) Candy. I had a great host family with a wide range of ages so bring extras. You can always use them in your village. Also a fun activity I did with my host family was movie night with my laptop. Movies that have a French dubbing option are great; even though the young kids don't understand, the teenagers will (and it is good for your language training.) They loved Goonies. I think animated ones would work well - Shrek or Finding Nemo.

14. A world map and a United States map. You can find them in Conakry but I wished I'd had them during homestay.

15. A pair of sturdy flipflops. Many volunteers took advantage of the Chaco discount; if you scan your invitation letter you can get 50% off. I did not do this but I'm happy with my reefs. The sandals here in the market are cheap but fall apart real quick.

16. A couple of books. The books people bring get passed around in training and the regional capitals have so many books. Don't pack more than 3 or 4 books.

17. A basketball, soccerball, or a volleyball if you like to play these sports. And a pump. Or a frisbee.

18. Bike gel seat. I don't have one but other volunteers swear by them.

19. A good kitchen knife. Most here don't really cut things.

20. Ziplock bags. I use for lots of food stuff and when I go to the market. Anytime someone sends a care package, request things in ziplocks and if you're a female, tampons. Or you can go the Diva Cup route.

21. A good pair of shoes that you can hike in. Those, school shoes, and a pair of tennis shoes if you like to run or play basketball. Guineans run and play soccer in jellies...so you can always try that out too. Other than those, its flip flops!

Peace Corps gives you a list of things to bring like tolietries for when you first get here. Bring the things on that list. Things on other lists that they say to bring like a can opener, a garlic press, seeds to grow stuff, spices - that's up to you and whether or not you'll cook. You can find the seeds and spices in Conakry. Can opener and press - I'm sure you can find them in Conakry too. Before you know it, those things will just sit on the shelf anyways 'cause you start to eat rice and sauce three times a day.

As far as care packages go, Peace Corps will give you the address (its the same as the one on this blog, just change the name!) Some say that writing in red is the best way to assure your package makes it here, some say religious symbols help so Guineans won't rummage through the package before it gets to you. Definitely never have anything that can't be replaced in them or anything expensive. There are flat rate boxes at the post office that seem to be the way most people get packages - lots of stuff fits in them. But not all packages make it, so just be prepared. It is disappointing! I've had 3 so far that have not made it that I know of. I'd say the most popular and coveted care package item is bacon/beef jerky/pepperoni. And letters...well I have no idea how many haven't made it but I know its a lot. If you have someone that is going to write you often, have them number the letters then you will know if one (or five) is missing. Bring US stamps to send your letters home - the postal service here isn't too bad but hard to use if you're not near a regional capital. There is always someone going back to the states, whether its a volunteer or a family member or friend of a volunteer.

As for the rest:

1. The laptop - totally up to you. Lots of people have them and are glad they do. Load it up before you go - everyone here will want the newest seasons of shows and movies :)

2. Camping stuff - I'd say that most people do not use the stuff they brought. The cool "camping" type of trips here consist of hikes where there is a lodging option. There are a few of those hard-core volunteers that use their things.

Hope this helps...happy packing. We can't wait to meet you! And if you have any questions, there is a facebook group for Peace Corps Guinea or you can post them to me and I can email you back! Good luck!

More Photos

I've just uploaded another photo album - February and March 2009 as well as another video. My 9th graders were waiting for the 10th graders to join us for English class; they wanted to say hello to the students back in Boston. And to Barak Obama.

Breaking into My House with the Head of Security

Hello from Guinea! Sorry its been so long!

Most of the Education volunteers are in Conakry this week relaxing and catching up with one another. Spring break started Wednesday for me and I traveled to the capital yesterday with three other volunteers. I had a brief flash of the Christmas coup and not getting to come to Conakry for the break: getting out of my village is tough but the Peace Corps head of security, Yamma, was visiting my village on Thursday as part of her tour of my region of Guinea (just a check to make sure things are going well) so I was going to leave the village with her. I had my house ready for visitors and was waiting for her at my neighbors who were cooking for all of us. Yamma arrived and we made our way to my house. It was an extremely windy day, and when we arrived at my door, we found I was locked out of my house. The wind had blown my double doors shut and blew so hard that the pins in the bottom of the door (the pins that provide "extra security" in addition to the lock) had fallen into the floor, locking the door from the inside. It was quite a scene - Yamma, the driver, me, and 10 of my neighbors with an assortment of tools, rocks, sticks, spoons, and knives trying to pry the door and pop the pins. Lots of ideas were thrown around, and Yamma just keep repeating "your house is very secure. Very secure. I'm not worried about you!" as we tried to break in. After an hour, we decided we needed the carpenter because we couldn't break in, which meant I was not going to Conakry anytime soon (the carpenter is a few villages over, so it would take a while to get him, break the door and then fix it again and Yamma had to leave to get to the next village.) It was just like Christmas break...a dead president, a locked door...there's always something keeping me from Conakry! While we were beginning to eat, the driver and one of my students who came to assess the situation went back over and somehow got it open. So I made it here after all.

I'm working on uploading all sorts of things; photos, videos, and stories. For now, check out two new videos. One is the market in my village. Since I'm in such a small village, I have a very small market! The other is lunchtime chez moi. I eat with the family next door. The girls come to my door each day to let me know its time to eat. Lately I've been too slow to come over so now they tell me to hurry up! You'll notice in both that there is more Pulaar than French. Do I understand? Most of it. Do I speak it? Very little. Also is a slideshow - "The Proclamation"...story to follow.

More to come over the next couple of days...so visit again soon!

January 31, 2009 - The Rest of January

Along with the cold, there has been lots of other happenings here in the village since coming back from Paris. I arrived back on a Monday night and showed up back to school on Tuesday morning and was the only one there. I guess this is the way it happens, no one shows up the week after the official vacation, teachers included.

There was a Fete that Wednesday; from what I understand it was a New Year's Fete. I walked 5km with the ladies of my village to a neighboring village to dance to a band from Conakry (see the photos under my profile.) The band played and announced each village; when he announced your village you had to go to the center and dance, but ladies only. It was another one of those events where people were just waiting to see what I did. There was nothing to do but dance! And I must admit, I've earned some "street cred" or should I say "market cred" with the ladies. Show a few dance moves and you're part of the gang.

Once school finally resumed, we were back to business as usual. We had two weeks to continue lessons and then there were the midterm exams. Back at Trinity, midterm time was one of my favorite times of year - kids studying and reviewing in the days leading up to the exam, teachers trying to put together the ultimate test. I felt that midterm vibe in the days leading up to my exam as I prepared my exam in my house on flipchart paper. The Guinean teachers write their exam on the board while the students sit outside. I find this method takes away from test-taking time (and I was going to be in Mamou for a Peace Corps training session on the day of my exam.) My principal and the other math teacher stopped by to visit and it just felt like midterms were in the air. I am anxious to see how they did once I get back to the village.

For Inauguration Day, I was saving some care-package pasta and a mini bottle of French wine to eat while I was savoring speech and the talk of day on the BBC. I was in the market that day when one of the other teachers asked if I was coming to the house where they were going to SHOW the inauguration. As excited as I was, I knew not to get too excited. And I knew to come prepared in case it didn't work. Sure enough, I showed up and no one else was there, even after I explained multiple times about what time we had to be there. I had my radio and listened to the whole thing. When everyone else arrived about a half-hour later, we watched highlights on France24. It was still really exciting to be able to see some of it on TV. Every time they scanned the crowd on TV the Guineans would say "Hey Allah" which is like saying "oh my God!" They were really excited about it all and hearing the speech dubbed in French.

The last happening of January is one that I've avoided writing about (I think - sometimes I think about a blog I'd write and then I don't.) The first Tuesday I was back to school, the vice principal stood outside my classroom door waiting for late students. When they arrived he would whip them with a stick he had picked up along the way to school. It breaks my heart every single time. It is a Peace Corps interview question - corporal punishment - so I knew that it was bound to be a part of my school life. But there isn't a way to mentally prepare oneself for those first beatings. Hearing the kids squeal, hearing the stick crack against them - it is awful. It is a distraction for everyone; no one is listening to me and I don't even know what I'm saying. It starts with the primary school students; they hit their calves whereas with my older kids they hit them anywhere. It is a cultural norm I just can't wrap my mind around. I try to talk about what we do in the States when students are late or how we punish students. The other teachers listen but beatings and humiliation seem to be the only tactics they are willing to use. The worst beatings are ones I hear in the 6th grade classroom when students give wrong answers. Honest mistakes result in getting hit. The sixth grade teacher is a jerk in general but that is just awful. For me, one of the hardest things is that I just can't have the rational conversation with the other teachers because my French just doesn't get the point across. But I'm working on it. It is just a hard topic in general to try to bring up since it such a part of the culture and how school has been done for so many years.

January 11, 2009 - Those Three Little Words...

I AM COLD! I never thought I'd say those words while here in Guinea, but this morning, I saw my breath. It is Sunday and I'm bundled up in my sweats, wool socks, and hat. All week, on my way to school, people have been going through the usual salutations: Good morning, how did you sleep, how are you, but this week there was an additional, "and the cold?" My response has been that this isn't cold. Cold is my home in the United States. There is snow; that is cold. This is not cold. But then this morning came, and to tell you the truth, I was cold.

It was that type of day in Boston when it is snowing, you have no where to be so you just curl up with a good book and a bowl of soup. There is no movement by anyone, not even the kids. Everyone is huddled up in the cooking huts, hanging around by the fire. Even the family that I often eat with wouldn't leave to knock on my door and let me know the rice and sauce was ready. They just kept yelling until I peeled myself off my couch. I went in and Hija Bobo, the youngest girl, went on and on about how her mother warmed up the bathing water, how she couldn't believe I took a bath too, did I warm up the water, how its too cold to leave the hut. I suppose everyone likes to be a little dramatic about drastic weather changes.

Five New Photo Albums

Under my profile are five new photo albums with photos from January - My Little School on the Hill, Midterm Prep, A Fete, Around the House, and The Calling Hill. I hope the captions come through to explain them all! I have some stories to share as well about January; maybe tomorrow. I'm in the capital until Friday; I get to see the newest volunteers swear-in.

The Sunday Night before the First Monday of School after Vacation

If you're a teacher, you know how awful the Sunday night feeling is when you're going back after vacation. It isn't that we're not happy to be back to teaching, but there's just something about Sunday night that gives nightmares once you actually fall asleep. That feeling still exists here for me, although tomorrow I'll be traveling back to my village and not teaching again until Tuesday. I'm excited to be heading back to the village and get back into the swing of things. I was nervous about what was going to happen to Guinea, how the citizens would react to all of the change. Things are peaceful and Peace Corps feels that it is perfectly safe for us to continue in our work here.

I have two new stories here for you - one about weddings and one that I wrote after a day of travel. I now have a camera so hopefully next time, some photos of life in the village.

Happy New Year!