Senegalese News Piece on PC Senegal Swear-In -- They interview me!
RTS Peace Corps Spotlight 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PezD-VV8iSo
Hilarious Video Summarizing Interesting oddities about being a PC Volunteer in Africa (They're true)
You know you're a Peace Corps Volunteer in Africa when...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4swOWhsaQg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Also, more of my pictures available at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2044542&id=1146150057&l=39cf88237f
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Commencement
Wednesday October 20th I took a Peace Corps car from Kounkane, Senegal south to be officially installed into my site as a Peace Corps volunteer.
As we pulled into my city (which I can't disclose for security reasons) I assumed we had planned to just go straight to my new house, but as we passed the community center we realized something greater was planned. I stepped out of the vehicle to the reception of a few hundred people. Most everyone was sitting in a semi-circle facing the entrance while a small group of residents danced and drummed right near the front. My first thought was that there was no way that this was all for me...but it was. As I crossed the semi-circle I was met with stares of wonder and curiosity. Some of the admins of the city instructed me to enter the community center where official record of my arrival was taken. Afterword I was led outside for the festivities.
I stepped outside still bewildered and took a seat toward the middle of the semi-circle. From there the speeches began. My host counterpart, Suleyman Barry, my supervisor, Bajey, and Mossley, the head of the agriculture sector of Peace Corps Senegal, each gave speeches to the community. I could understand all of the speeches in French and a good portion of the speeches in Pulaar (Peace Corps Senegal has very good teachers). It was expected that Mossley would be sure to tell the people I was a volunteer for the whole town, but when my host counterpart stood up to speak, I was stunned at the gravity of my arrival. "He isn't my volunteer. He isn't Bajey's volunteer. He is the son of the city (biddo saare in Pulaar). We had Peace Corps in the area down here in [the early 90s] (he knew the year), but we messed it up (I'm not sure exactly what happened), and to get another volunteer we had to have the mayor, Bajey, myelf, etc. request one. If we work well with this one, Peace Corps will give us more volunteers in the future, but if we mess it up, they won't." I could feel the pressure, and I had only been there 10 minutes. I knew the town felt neglected after not getting a volunteer for quite some time despite its relative significant size of around 3000 people, but I hadn't realized the degree to which these people had worked to get me there.
The speeches finished - all with the same notion that the people were responsible for getting the most out of my time there, and if they did Peace Corps Senegal would rain more volunteers down from the heavens.
I stood up to leave and felt that I should shake a few of the admins' hands before I left. Little did I know that this would trigger the entire town to crowd around to greet me - the Kolda region really has the friendliest people in Senegal.
I walked from the community center down the main street to my new home surrounded by hundreds of my new "countrymen." It was so surreal. I seriously could not help but smile and eventually laugh out loud. Where was I? What was going on? Was all this really for me? The drummers came up close behind me in the sea of my new people, and I started dancing - dancing in the middle of the street while I made my way to my new home. Everyone started laughing and clapping in time with me.
We finally made it to my compound (I had visited in September, so I knew which one it was). Everyone poured in, and I started to unload my stuff and put it into my new hut. I then joined the crowd for what was sure to be a quite the party. Right off the bat I was called to the center of the circle to dance to the drums. I was still riding the high of the march to my compound, so I danced my heart out as the people screamed and laughed. Things eventually settled down, the Peace Corps car left, and I enjoyed a couple of cold drinks with the people.
The following couple of days I spent the afternoons walking the streets of my new city greeting the people and the admins. On my first day I was hailed over by a group of adolescent girls hailed me over to greet them in Pulaar. Shortly after realizing I could speak Pulaar one of them offered herself to me to be my wife. My response was quick to diffuse the situation by calling her crazy since I had just arrived the day before. You wouldn't believe how many times I've been offered daughters and wives to take back to America, and everytime I have to come up with something whitty to come back with to deny but also not to insult them. Once I was even offered to buy a middle-aged man's wife. My response was (in Pulaar): "She doesn't speak English. I'll come back in 20 years, and if she speaks English by then, I'll take her with me." They weren't too keen on waiting so long.
Well the first three weeks (yeah that's right I'm up to three weeks now) have been relatively low-key. My normal day consists of me waking up around 7/7:30 to go and greet the family and have breakfast. I'll then spend some time chatting with them to work on my Pulaar and discuss family matters. Afterword, I'll retire to my room to do some relaxing and reading (I've already read Robinson Crusoe, and I'm starting A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius). I then come out for lunch around 12:30/1pm and spend a good chunk of the afternoon hanging out and talking with family members or people from the town. In the evenings I usually visit someone's land to discuss a project they have in mind for me to help them with.
It sounds like I don't really do much, but for the first few months my job is to integrate into the community, work on my Pulaar, and discuss what the people want from me. I really haven't done much training in Agroforestry because most of Pre-Service Training was spent on Pulaar and Senegalese culture. I will be completing an In-Service Training Module over the course of about 2-3 weeks in December at the Training Center in Thies. Afterword I will have the knowledge to put into action the projects I have spent the last few weeks planning.
Most everyone either wants a fence (I would help with live fencing) or to start a plantation of Mango/Cashew trees. I then go to their land and take notes on the state of the soil fertility, the area of the land, what has grown there in the past, and what is growing there now.
I am currently completing a language seminar in a larger city north of my site, but I will be returning tomorrow morning. I then plan to go to the Kolda regional house for Thanksgiving before heading north to Thies for IST.
I truly am happy in my site. I have been going on evening bike rides where I just pick a direction and ride for an hour or so before turning back to town. You would not believe the absolute beauty of being surrounded by trees for miles and miles, especially at sunset. It is truly a bikers' paradise. I have not brought out my camera yet, but rest assured I will have plenty of pictures at Thanksgiving.
Miss all you guys back in the States, and I hope everyone is doing well.
Congratulations to the Grinnell Pioneers on securing a successful season!
Also, good luck to Tommy Rees as he takes on his true freshman starting role for the Irish when they take on Utah this Saturday. GO IRISH!
As we pulled into my city (which I can't disclose for security reasons) I assumed we had planned to just go straight to my new house, but as we passed the community center we realized something greater was planned. I stepped out of the vehicle to the reception of a few hundred people. Most everyone was sitting in a semi-circle facing the entrance while a small group of residents danced and drummed right near the front. My first thought was that there was no way that this was all for me...but it was. As I crossed the semi-circle I was met with stares of wonder and curiosity. Some of the admins of the city instructed me to enter the community center where official record of my arrival was taken. Afterword I was led outside for the festivities.
I stepped outside still bewildered and took a seat toward the middle of the semi-circle. From there the speeches began. My host counterpart, Suleyman Barry, my supervisor, Bajey, and Mossley, the head of the agriculture sector of Peace Corps Senegal, each gave speeches to the community. I could understand all of the speeches in French and a good portion of the speeches in Pulaar (Peace Corps Senegal has very good teachers). It was expected that Mossley would be sure to tell the people I was a volunteer for the whole town, but when my host counterpart stood up to speak, I was stunned at the gravity of my arrival. "He isn't my volunteer. He isn't Bajey's volunteer. He is the son of the city (biddo saare in Pulaar). We had Peace Corps in the area down here in [the early 90s] (he knew the year), but we messed it up (I'm not sure exactly what happened), and to get another volunteer we had to have the mayor, Bajey, myelf, etc. request one. If we work well with this one, Peace Corps will give us more volunteers in the future, but if we mess it up, they won't." I could feel the pressure, and I had only been there 10 minutes. I knew the town felt neglected after not getting a volunteer for quite some time despite its relative significant size of around 3000 people, but I hadn't realized the degree to which these people had worked to get me there.
The speeches finished - all with the same notion that the people were responsible for getting the most out of my time there, and if they did Peace Corps Senegal would rain more volunteers down from the heavens.
I stood up to leave and felt that I should shake a few of the admins' hands before I left. Little did I know that this would trigger the entire town to crowd around to greet me - the Kolda region really has the friendliest people in Senegal.
I walked from the community center down the main street to my new home surrounded by hundreds of my new "countrymen." It was so surreal. I seriously could not help but smile and eventually laugh out loud. Where was I? What was going on? Was all this really for me? The drummers came up close behind me in the sea of my new people, and I started dancing - dancing in the middle of the street while I made my way to my new home. Everyone started laughing and clapping in time with me.
We finally made it to my compound (I had visited in September, so I knew which one it was). Everyone poured in, and I started to unload my stuff and put it into my new hut. I then joined the crowd for what was sure to be a quite the party. Right off the bat I was called to the center of the circle to dance to the drums. I was still riding the high of the march to my compound, so I danced my heart out as the people screamed and laughed. Things eventually settled down, the Peace Corps car left, and I enjoyed a couple of cold drinks with the people.
The following couple of days I spent the afternoons walking the streets of my new city greeting the people and the admins. On my first day I was hailed over by a group of adolescent girls hailed me over to greet them in Pulaar. Shortly after realizing I could speak Pulaar one of them offered herself to me to be my wife. My response was quick to diffuse the situation by calling her crazy since I had just arrived the day before. You wouldn't believe how many times I've been offered daughters and wives to take back to America, and everytime I have to come up with something whitty to come back with to deny but also not to insult them. Once I was even offered to buy a middle-aged man's wife. My response was (in Pulaar): "She doesn't speak English. I'll come back in 20 years, and if she speaks English by then, I'll take her with me." They weren't too keen on waiting so long.
Well the first three weeks (yeah that's right I'm up to three weeks now) have been relatively low-key. My normal day consists of me waking up around 7/7:30 to go and greet the family and have breakfast. I'll then spend some time chatting with them to work on my Pulaar and discuss family matters. Afterword, I'll retire to my room to do some relaxing and reading (I've already read Robinson Crusoe, and I'm starting A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius). I then come out for lunch around 12:30/1pm and spend a good chunk of the afternoon hanging out and talking with family members or people from the town. In the evenings I usually visit someone's land to discuss a project they have in mind for me to help them with.
It sounds like I don't really do much, but for the first few months my job is to integrate into the community, work on my Pulaar, and discuss what the people want from me. I really haven't done much training in Agroforestry because most of Pre-Service Training was spent on Pulaar and Senegalese culture. I will be completing an In-Service Training Module over the course of about 2-3 weeks in December at the Training Center in Thies. Afterword I will have the knowledge to put into action the projects I have spent the last few weeks planning.
Most everyone either wants a fence (I would help with live fencing) or to start a plantation of Mango/Cashew trees. I then go to their land and take notes on the state of the soil fertility, the area of the land, what has grown there in the past, and what is growing there now.
I am currently completing a language seminar in a larger city north of my site, but I will be returning tomorrow morning. I then plan to go to the Kolda regional house for Thanksgiving before heading north to Thies for IST.
I truly am happy in my site. I have been going on evening bike rides where I just pick a direction and ride for an hour or so before turning back to town. You would not believe the absolute beauty of being surrounded by trees for miles and miles, especially at sunset. It is truly a bikers' paradise. I have not brought out my camera yet, but rest assured I will have plenty of pictures at Thanksgiving.
Miss all you guys back in the States, and I hope everyone is doing well.
Congratulations to the Grinnell Pioneers on securing a successful season!
Also, good luck to Tommy Rees as he takes on his true freshman starting role for the Irish when they take on Utah this Saturday. GO IRISH!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
New Preferred Address!
Curtis McCoy
Corps de la Paix Americain
B.P. 86
Velingara, Senegal
West Africa
I would prefer this address because I will be able to check it more often than the other one, but either one really works
Corps de la Paix Americain
B.P. 86
Velingara, Senegal
West Africa
I would prefer this address because I will be able to check it more often than the other one, but either one really works
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
A New Chapter...
For starters the beach house was amazing - we were right on the water. The first night we had a big party, and most of us spent the entire evening in the water. The next morning a group us took a hike up to the top of the ridge overlooking the ocean.
On Tuesday we finished our time at our homestays. It is amazing how close you get to people after living with them for only a couple of months. I returned from the market after buying a final silafunda (gift) and sat down next to my host mother cooking lunch. I couldn't understand why she was turned away from me, and I had to tap her on the shoulder to get her attention. As she turned, I realized what it was from the tears streaming down her face. She was so choked up that she could barely tell me that she was going to miss me, and she was worried I was going to be like the previous trainee they had hosted who hasn't called or visited in a year. I was quick to assure her I would visit in the future.
Friday, October 15th we headed out early in the morning for the Ambassador's house in Dakar for the swear-in ceremony. Whenever we go from Thies to Dakar we try to leave at 7am sharp, but of course this never works out and we tend to leave around 7:30/7:45. The problem is that the traffic can get especially difficult trying to get into the city at that time. We loaded up a 3 bus/3 landcruiser caravan complete with Gendarmerie (armed men basically equivalent to a more powerful sheriff in the US) escort. Anytime a car tried to cut into the caravan it was met with a barrage of honking until it moved out of the way. I mentioned that we left a little late, so by the time we got close to the city, the traffic was getting really bad, so what do we do? We travel on the opposite side of the road. Another Gendarm waved us on as we changed lanes and moved into oncoming traffic, but we were official, so we could do anything we wanted. We thought people were staring at us when we just had a few buses full of foreigners with a Gendarm escort, but now we were travelling on the wrong side of the road. We even passed a US army convoy that greeted as we passed them in their lane of traffic. It was all pretty entertaining and we really felt official at that point.
Much to my pleasure, the ceremony was even held inside, keeping us out of the heat while in our traditional Senegalese attire with its robe-like design to keep in a lot of heat. I was expecting a repeat of my college graduation where we sat out in the sun for 3 hours in black graduation robes, but I had some luck on my side. The ceremony consisted of a number of speeches in French given by admin in the Peace Corps Senegal cabinet including Country Director Chris Hedrick and the American Ambassador to Senegal. Then newly sworn in PCVs from our group gave speeches in their respective local language: Wolof, Sereer, Mandinka, and Pulaar. The entire ceremony was covered by RTS (Radio and Television Senegal) and might even be available online, if I get the chance to look it up. We all stood and took the oath, went up and received our visa, and then broke for a relaxing cocktail social (no alcohol though - come on now this is a 90% Muslim country and they are forbidden from it).
Shortly after stepping outside for the social, Bamba (our language coordinator) approached me and asked if I could give a short interview in French for RTS as they were looking for a male who spoke French. I was hesitant at first, but I finally agreed. I have studied French for a number of years, but for the last 2 months or so I have been cramming Pulaar 4-hours a day into my head, so I'm a bit rusty. The beginning of the interview was a little rough as I tried to switch to the language in the back of my head with the camera bearing down on me, but I do feel like I pulled it together alright in the end. It's funny because I've definitely used French a couple times, but it is usually after 5-10 mins of speaking it that it really comes back to me. This interview might also be available online...
After the ceremony we headed to the PC Senegal office to shore up some financial logisitics and change into something a little less like an oven. After that we headed to the Club Atlantique (or the American Club as we all refer to it). It's basically like a country club for American Nationals in Senegal, but more equivalent to a public pool/recreation center/YMCA in the US. We were very excited nonetheless to celebrate our transition to official volunteers with a little fun in the sun and swimming!
We then headed back to the Thies Training Center where the celebration continued. We all went out to dinner at the nicest place in the area (it was great food even by American Standards). Afterward we headed to a local bar to relax and soak in the fact that we were now official. I ended up staying up pretty late especially considering my next day (Saturday) departure for the Kolda regional house at 6am, but it was definitely worth it. I actually even woke up a bit early as I had a bit of packing to do and found a handful of people that had stayed up all night! I suddenly felt a little better about my 4 hours sleep.
We packed up the 3 "Sept-Places" (taxis with 7 seats) and headed out for Kolda. The journey was a bit more precarious this time, but we reached the house just the same. The past couple of days have been filled with logistics discussions, relaxing, buying supplies for our new sites (I swear it was like going to college again - we had to by so much stuff), and of course a little partying. This house is like a frat house (but only in the best way possible) where volunteers in the region can come to relax and get a break from their work for a few days a month.
Today I head out with 4 other new volunteers to Velingara to stay the night at a local hotel (should have internet!). Then tomorrow we will take a tour around Velingara to meet some of the officials in the area before heading South to install at our new sites!! I should be installing around 6:30pm my time. That's it then - I'm there for two years and can't leave the city...Just kidding, I'll be able to leave. But still this is my new home for two years. I'm very excited to finally be able to get to work, but I'm also very nervous about having to start over and meet a whole new family and village. Though the homestay was so different, I eventually got used to it - only to be yanked up and put somewhere else. Time is flying now. So quickly the tomorrow of yesterday becomes today...
I will be trying to complete the newly-created "5-week challenge" where you are encouraged to stay out of regional houses for the first 5 weeks to allow you to best practice your language and integrate into your community. If you complete the challenge Chris Hedrick, the Country Director, has you over to his house for dinner. During this time I will likely travel to a nearby city for internet once or twice otherwise I will be cut off from the western world.
Wish me luck!!
Much to my pleasure, the ceremony was even held inside, keeping us out of the heat while in our traditional Senegalese attire with its robe-like design to keep in a lot of heat. I was expecting a repeat of my college graduation where we sat out in the sun for 3 hours in black graduation robes, but I had some luck on my side. The ceremony consisted of a number of speeches in French given by admin in the Peace Corps Senegal cabinet including Country Director Chris Hedrick and the American Ambassador to Senegal. Then newly sworn in PCVs from our group gave speeches in their respective local language: Wolof, Sereer, Mandinka, and Pulaar. The entire ceremony was covered by RTS (Radio and Television Senegal) and might even be available online, if I get the chance to look it up. We all stood and took the oath, went up and received our visa, and then broke for a relaxing cocktail social (no alcohol though - come on now this is a 90% Muslim country and they are forbidden from it).
Shortly after stepping outside for the social, Bamba (our language coordinator) approached me and asked if I could give a short interview in French for RTS as they were looking for a male who spoke French. I was hesitant at first, but I finally agreed. I have studied French for a number of years, but for the last 2 months or so I have been cramming Pulaar 4-hours a day into my head, so I'm a bit rusty. The beginning of the interview was a little rough as I tried to switch to the language in the back of my head with the camera bearing down on me, but I do feel like I pulled it together alright in the end. It's funny because I've definitely used French a couple times, but it is usually after 5-10 mins of speaking it that it really comes back to me. This interview might also be available online...
After the ceremony we headed to the PC Senegal office to shore up some financial logisitics and change into something a little less like an oven. After that we headed to the Club Atlantique (or the American Club as we all refer to it). It's basically like a country club for American Nationals in Senegal, but more equivalent to a public pool/recreation center/YMCA in the US. We were very excited nonetheless to celebrate our transition to official volunteers with a little fun in the sun and swimming!
We then headed back to the Thies Training Center where the celebration continued. We all went out to dinner at the nicest place in the area (it was great food even by American Standards). Afterward we headed to a local bar to relax and soak in the fact that we were now official. I ended up staying up pretty late especially considering my next day (Saturday) departure for the Kolda regional house at 6am, but it was definitely worth it. I actually even woke up a bit early as I had a bit of packing to do and found a handful of people that had stayed up all night! I suddenly felt a little better about my 4 hours sleep.
We packed up the 3 "Sept-Places" (taxis with 7 seats) and headed out for Kolda. The journey was a bit more precarious this time, but we reached the house just the same. The past couple of days have been filled with logistics discussions, relaxing, buying supplies for our new sites (I swear it was like going to college again - we had to by so much stuff), and of course a little partying. This house is like a frat house (but only in the best way possible) where volunteers in the region can come to relax and get a break from their work for a few days a month.
Today I head out with 4 other new volunteers to Velingara to stay the night at a local hotel (should have internet!). Then tomorrow we will take a tour around Velingara to meet some of the officials in the area before heading South to install at our new sites!! I should be installing around 6:30pm my time. That's it then - I'm there for two years and can't leave the city...Just kidding, I'll be able to leave. But still this is my new home for two years. I'm very excited to finally be able to get to work, but I'm also very nervous about having to start over and meet a whole new family and village. Though the homestay was so different, I eventually got used to it - only to be yanked up and put somewhere else. Time is flying now. So quickly the tomorrow of yesterday becomes today...
I will be trying to complete the newly-created "5-week challenge" where you are encouraged to stay out of regional houses for the first 5 weeks to allow you to best practice your language and integrate into your community. If you complete the challenge Chris Hedrick, the Country Director, has you over to his house for dinner. During this time I will likely travel to a nearby city for internet once or twice otherwise I will be cut off from the western world.
Wish me luck!!
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