Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Tree Nursery

Moussa Diallo & myself have established
 and cared for this nursery
Citrus Seedlings (Left), Thorny Live-fencing (center),
Guavas (Right)
63 Mango Trees Ready to be Grafted

Citrus Seedlings (Front), Papaya Tree (center),
 Mangoes (Right)
A Mango Graft has Taken
Guavas (top left), Mangoes (front),
Thorny Live-fencing (top right)
Papaya Tree (left), Thorny Live-fencing (center-left),
Papaya Seedlings (center right)

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Lundi Science ("Monday Science" en Anglais)


A LITTLE BACKGROUND
NPR (National Public Radio) has "Science Friday" where Ira Glass covers the current topics of interest in the world of science for a broad range of listeners. Occasionally guests are brought on to comment on a current event or give some special insight into their field of expertise and there is a "Video Pick of the Week" showcasing an internet-posted clip, but one thing is for sure, Ira will peek your interest into science.




Velingara is the the departmental captial on the east side of the region of Kolda about 60 km (3 hr) to the north of my site, where I often go for internet, banking, and post office needs. During my monthly/bimonthly trips to Velingara a fellow-volunteer and friend of mine, Mike Goldman, and I have an amusing time at local restaurants and sandwich shops poking fun at each other in our mutual local language of Pulaar - calling one a hyena, while the other is said to eat beans and have a big stomach (both very common joking insults with the Pulaar ethnicity). The salesmen and clientele die laughing at these two Americans laying it on each other in a language that they had never even heard westerners speak. For a year this was common practice until finally we were struck with genius.

In the Fall of 2011 Mike was having trouble filling the biweekly Monday evening half-hour radio slot he was responsible for when it hit him like a bolt of lightening. A frequent listener of the Podcast "Science Friday," hosted by Ira Glass, he thought, "why not do the same for the people of the greater Velingara area?" Mike immediately sent me a text message informing me of his recent brainstorm, and "Lundi Science" was born.

For the last year, Michael Goldman and myself have been meeting every other week to discuss and determine the subject matter for each radio show, research the scientific topics, write a script discussing the topicS in an entertaining manner, and finally translate it into Pulaar for radio broadcast. Topics have ranged from sports nutrition and medicine to endangered species and gardening techniques. We had an episode on the extinction of Black Rhinoceros, a "Question of the Day" on whether the United States or Senegal produces more corn, and a "Photo of the Week" featuring the Whale Shark on our Facebook Group. There was even an episode where a guest volunteer, with a degree in Soils Science, came on to be interviewed for his thoughts on composting; his Senegalese name was Abdoulaye Diamanka. Since my Senegalese family name of Barry and his of Diamanka have a "cousin relationship" this opened the script up to even more jokes and tricks than Mike and I usually have. It's this comical entertaining "cousinage joking/making fun of" aspect of the culture that we highlight while also giving people of Senegal, especially villagers who may have never seen much of the region much less the country, a window into the world of science.

I wasn't sure of the success of the show until I had this exchange with my counterpart, Moussa Diallo:

Moussa: "Dienaba (my host mom) is very interested in when the next episode of 'Lundi Science' is airing."
Me: "Oh yeah, she really likes the show? I didn't know she listened to it."
Moussa: "Yeah she really likes it. Because you can learn about things you've never heard of before."

Friday, September 7, 2012

They Say, "It's a Small World," but This Was Ridiculous

Before coming to Senegal to join the Peace Corps I studied Biology at Grinnell College in the rural southeastern Iowa town of Grinnell. While attending Grinnell a good friend of mine was Tibetan-born, Nepali-raised, Tashi Langton. Tashi was also a Biology major and we took many courses and completed many labs together while also earning our keep in the college equipment room folding laundry and renting out basketballs. Growing up in Nepal, Tashi attended the American International High School, Lincoln School, in the capital of Kathmandu before eventually coming to Grinnell in the Fall of 2006.

Flash-forward to August 2010 when I arrived as an Agroforestry trainee in Thies, Senegal where shortly after my arrival I received a message from Tashi asking if I had yet met his friend Peter Gill. "Peter Gill? Where would I have met one of Tashi's friends in Senegal when I had barely even left the Training Center?" Somewhat confused I put the question on hold and decided I would respond to Tashi in a day or two when I had the chance. Shortly thereafter, during some free time at the training center, I was greeted by a one Peter Gill, also a new Agroforestry trainee.

We immediately launched into a discussion about how it was he knew my college friend, Tashi.  Peter also grew up in Nepal where he attended a high school by the name of Lincoln School. At Lincoln, one of his best friends was a one Tashi Langton.

From an international high school in Nepal, Southeast Asia, to a small liberal arts college in rural southeastern Iowa, to the exact same training group and program in Senegal, West Africa, we had discovered a connection that would give you chills.