The Practicalities of My Job (Pt. 1)

Life as a Peace Corps Senegal volunteer is not all fun and games. It's also not just getting to know Senegalese culture or your assigned language. There are three parts to our job here, one is to understand and become acclimated with the culture and people of Senegal, and to teach Americans back home about the culture. The second is to teach the Senegalese people about American culture, show and tell them how you've lived, how you live, and do things. The third and most important is to use your knowledge and technical skills/training to help those who are untrained or less knowledgeable: aka "Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women."

I've just been installed, but I have been speaking to my host father (the village chief), the school director, and my counterparts in the medical field about what my village needs. The village is small, about 800 people, so the people that live here, these people, know what the village needs. The big problems of our village are (1) a lack of educated people: a dearth of men and women educated past high school. (2) Very high levels of malnutrition: out of all the children aged 0-5 20% are malnourished and around 20% of babies aged 0-12 months are underweight.

I've been thinking about how to tackle the malnutrition levels. I've been writing a plan d'action, and so far it goes a little somethin' like this:

1. Start a School Garden with the help of the students at the village school. Plant a Moringa Olifera nursery, a very resilient tree nicknamed the "never die" tree (the Pulaar call it Nebedye). Gram for gram, Nebedye contains 4 times the calcium of milk, 7 times the Vitamin A of Carrots, 4 times more iron than spinich, etc. The leaves can be dried and pounded into a powder which can be added to anything. Which leads to...
2. Harvest Nebedye, create Nebedye Powder and fortify the school's lunches with it. Which leads to...
3. Buy a large cooking pot for the school so they can cook lunch in a timely manner; as of right now they don't have a pot and have been borrowing one from whomever is able to bring one. Sometimes they can't get one on time and lunch is served hours late.
4. Paint murals at the school about nutrition. Currently, the lunch at the school is always Maffe Gerte, or Peanut Sauce. While full of protein, peanut sauce and rice every day is hardly nutritious enough for the kids. And this is why I must...
5. Plant a vegetable garden bed at the school with the help of the school children. I can teach them about nutrition and gardening while using them for manual labor. I've collected many seeds, and have brought some from home. To do this I must...
6. Build a strong fence for the garden. This is to keep out the many cows, sheep, donkeys, goats, dogs and chickens that wander my village.

This plan is in the works. The education problem I'm working on as well. So far I want to teach English to any children that would like to learn. Also, the adults of my village keep asking me to teach them. For the children, I can start an English Club. I can teach English, and at the same time I can use activities and other teaching methods to speak about gender equality and the strength of girls and women/the importance of education for women. I'm sure I can find ways to sneak in lessons on gender equality, reproductive health, maternal health and environmental education, among other important topics.

For the adults, it'll be hard to teach them about these topics. I think I may just throw stuff at them and see what sticks.

So ha! I do do work here, but for now I just plan. Seeda Seeda, slowly slowly in Pulaar. Seeeeeeeeeda Seeeeeeeeeeeda...
 

The life of Sakou Balde

My life here in the small village of Niandouba is easy. I eat a bunch of mangoes, and eat awesome peanut sauce or other awesome sauce. My host family is great, my host sister wants to marry me i think haha. She keeps sitting really close to me, and she cooks for just me and her. The second night in village I went to bed and she poked her head over my backyard fence and was like "Sakou.... Sakou... bring a spoon... come here and bring a spoon... put a shirt on and come eat dinner..." And since then instead of eating with my father or mothers (of which I have 4) I usually eat lunch with just her. Don't worry, she is attractive but I will not marry her.

Sakou, my name, literally means sack or bag. It's a very uncommon name, I know of only two Sakous, and that is myself and my host father. When I tell people my name, they question it or don't understand and then I tell them, Sakou Cent Kilo Balde, walla Sakou Sukar Balde walla Sakou Maaro. Sakou 100 Kilo Balde or Sakou Sugar Balde, or Sakou Rice. AKA 100 Kilo Sack, Sack of Sugar, or Sack of Rice Balde. They always genuinely laugh at this.

Pulaar is a fun language. It's interesting to think about why certain words were formed. In Pulaar, verbs can get very specific. There is a verb for going to work in the morning. There is one for flashing a flashlight in someone's eyes. There is one for not being blessed by an Imam. Fainting and having a panic attack are the same verb. Soon, I'm going to start inventing verbs; obviously I'm doing this to have fun but also to save time, because these actions happen often. To be bothered by flies while riding a bike, for instance. To greet someone briefly while passing them on a street because you don't have time to greet them fully.

Maybe you can think of some? En Yeso Seeda! In a little bit! Naalen Jam! Spend the day in peace!

Sakou Balde is Installed!

Hello everyone! I haven't posted in a while, sorry. I'm sitting at the Hotel Sehelia down in Kounkane, Kolda, 14km away from my village of Niandouba. I was installed 5 days ago, and I love my village. My Pulaar (my language) skills have grown and I'm able to communicate very well. I'm also able to joke very well haha. I enjoy how everyone's sense of humor translates well into another language, i was initially afraid I wouldnt be able to be myself but I am still able to make funny faces and exclamations, the root of my humor I've found. Well, those and calling people names (getting the first punch in is well respected in Pulaar culture).

It was a bit jarring the first two days in village. I wasn't used to making my own schedule because for the past three months of training our daily schedule was made for us. I also don't really know anyone in my village so that's a little intimidating. But after visiting a current volunteer and observing him I've come to understand my role. for the first three months I should just greet people and get to know the village, and I'm doing that/ I'm more comfortable with doing that after visiting my friend.

Rainy season starts at the end of May, and it rained for the second time last night. I felt it coming, it got really muggy and stuffy and hot, so I slept inside my hut instead of outside where it's cooler, and I successfully avoided getting soaked in my sleep. I have to start my backyard garden before the rain comes or all my seedlings will drown, so yesterday I collected some of the soil amendments I'll need. With my host sister, I collected cow manure and Neem leaves (Hakko Newakim in Pulaar). Now I have to dig my bed, and fill the bed with soil, manure, neem leaves, charcoal and ash. Each item has its own purpose which i will not get into right now.

My village chief, Sakou Balde, whom is my namesake, dropped a project on me last night. He bought tree sacks -- little black plastic bags in which you plant tree seeds in heavily amended soil -- and today at 2pm we have having a village wide meeting about starting tree nurseries for everyone that wants new trees in village. Its 11:30 now, so I have to head back to my village on bike soon, but I wanted to post and say hi. So here we go! Love everyone!

I'll post pictures next time!

Loving life!

Just letting everyone know that I appreciate their love and concern. I'm as happy as a clam here! I get installed into my site down in Niandouba, Kolda on the 16th, and then my real job will start. Training over! I couldn't be more excited or happy.

If you intend on sending me something and haven't sent it yet, here is my new address:

PCV Constantinos Kokkinos
B.P. 26
Kolda, Senegal
West Africa

I've heard flat rate packages cost 55 dollars, that's a LOT of money. I'd rather you not spend that kind of money, I'm heading to Dakar for our Swearing In ceremony and I hear there is a shopping mall there, but if you want to send something... =)

Thanks everyone! I love you. Just ate half a chicken club sandwich and half a hamburger with an egg, gruyere onions and french fries on it, so even if I want Wendy's/taco bell I still find food to enjoy!

What costs what in Senegal

You may want to know how much money a Peace Corps Senegal volunteer makes. I know I would if I were you. I especially would if I wanted to become a volunteer.

The current exchange rate is around 500 CFA:1 USD. When I first arrived, they gave us a walk-around allowance of 28,000 CFA. every two weeks. This week is the last week I get that allowance and then I start getting paid the big bucks: lets say more than five times as much as I'm getting now. This allowance depends on the size of your village/city. My village has a population of 800, someone with a village of 2000 people would get paid more and someone with 200 would receive less. City folk receive a million dollars.

A bar of soap is 350 CFA, a frozen yogurt bar is 100 CFA, a hamburger stuffed with egg, french fries, onion and some other stuff is 1200-1500 depending on if you get cheese, a 22oz bottle of beer served cold at a cheap bar is 500 CFA, a puny mango bought from your mom or someone elses mom is 25 CFA, a big ripe mango is 50CFA, a bag of 8 big mangos bought on the main road if your driver deems it necessary to pull over is 500 CFA, a drinkable bottle of wine starts at 2500 (made in senegal) goes to my range of 3500 (imported from France) and ends at over 12000 CFA, a stick of deoderant as most hygiene products is very expensive and will cost you 2000-5000 CFA, a live chicken that you go to buy with your cousin only to find that you will be the one sawing it's head off with a steak knife is 2500 CFA, two for 5000, a big 10L bottle of water is 1000 CFA, a can of coke is 350 CFA, a 1L bottle of Africa Ananas delicous pineapple soda is 650 CFA, a small paper sachel of roasted peanuts unshelled or shelled will be 25 CFA, a frozen hibiscus and sugar ice slush in a small plastic sandwich bag tied off at the opening is 25 CFA, the bigger ones are 50 CFA, bite at the corner and consume, two frozen hibiscus and two frozen slush called boullie made from the fruit of the baobab tree can be plopped into a glass and mixed together to make a red and orange slush if your having a bad or hot day, a used article of clothing can be bargined down to 100 CFA and can cost as much as 2000 or more depending on what it is, for instance a T-shirt with the Slitherin house emblem on it will cost you 500 CFA and the shopkeep will be a fucking asshole about the price, but a sleep mask with a teddy bear the size of your thumb sewn on the side (which makes it uncomfortable when you try to sleep on that side, sorry i said that teddy i wuv u) is 100 CFA, a pair of silk pajamas with smiling stars and moons all over it costs 250 CFA and a lie that you will come back tomorrow to pay an extra 250 CFA (he and I both knew that wasnt going to happen, and he offered that solution not me).

I think you get the idea. The diet here consists of rice, fish, carrots, cabbage, onions, potatoes, peanut sauce, hibiscus leaf sauce, moringa leaf sauce, chicken on rare occasions, some sort of meat every so often, rice pudding/porrige? its really good. I think thats it. I want taco bell, I want subway, I want wendy's, but what my body needs is more protein. My brain needs better alcohol. If anyone wants to send a small package, you can send it to

Costa Kokkinos
Corps de la Paix
BP 299
Thies, Senegal
West Africa

I only have until May 14th or maybe a little bit after that at this address, so if you want to send something send it asap!!

You yourself can deem whats necessary, but here's my current list of wants:

Protein powders to make like protein shakes, chocolate, strawberry or whatever flavor looks cool
fine liquor
loose tea
Chocolate that wont melt (like its in a candy shell), maybe a chocolate bunny in a candy shell? Or some sort of chocolate whatever that i can just squeeze out of its plastic, thats how almost every snack is sold and consumed here anyway.

Jaaaaaammmm Taaaaaannn.... Or a jamburger and jam tanic on the rocks please.

In pulaar, my language, jam tan is what you say in response to almost every greeting that is spit at you. It means peace only, and many of the languages spoken in Senegal answer with peace only when asked about their day, their work, their home, their family, etc. For instance, hows your family? jam tan be ngoni. or peace only they are. How's your work? Peace only.


I tell you this for two reasons: its interesting to see how a culture has turned out when for centuries they've been talking like hippies to each other. My friends joke about it and have created our own Hippie Speak made up of different phrases from different languages. Hey man, whatever, jam tan. Hey jam tan man! (someone happens to pass a joint to you (just as an example of what a stereotypical hippie would do, we don't smoke pot or do any drugs here), or a hamburger or whatever: jam tan.) Noko bok man, noko bok. Noko bok is your welcome in Wolof but it literally means Everything is everyone's (I think, someone told me that). Its like what's mine is yours. Wonna hay hunnde. Which is the your welcome in Pulaar and means it's nothing. Said in a voice inflicted with a hippie twinge these become very funny.


The second reason I tell you is because I found myself saying Jam Tan quite a bit over the past weekend. I couldn't help it, all 45 of us got a day at the beach, so we all pitched in and rented a house and had a big sleep over. It was very fun, a real trip. As soon as it kicked off I ended up in the water forgetting exactly what water is or how to swim, but at the same time I was a master of water. I don't know how to explain it, but whatever man, jam tan. I kept saying it out loud, Jaaaammm Taaaannnn, I was just so happy to be pushed around by ocean waves. The night was amazing, lots of people drank a lot, I partook slightly and ended up sitting on some rocks having profound conversations with anyone that would care to join me for about... 6-8 hours? We talked about the stars, constellations, sailing around the world, life goals, taco bell, arab americans (my friend knew this arab american family that would threaten people that accused them of 9-11; they would threaten to drive their jaguar into your house, haha), etc.



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This week is the last week in my village, and some interesting things have happened. This is just an example of what happens here in Peace Corps Senegal: I arrived home for my last week to find one of my host mothers with a cloth wrapped around her head. She said that she couldnt sleep well for four days because her ear hurts and her head hurts. I asked to see it and she showed it to me; she or someone had stuffed a cloth inside her ear and the cloth was soaked with some black ink or something. This freaked me out, and I told her she has to go to the hospital. She gave me the standard answer to that which is "I don't have the money". The health care she would need to receive would cost 2-6 dollars, and her husband works so she has the money its just not a high priority for the family and perhaps they don't see the importance of this specific ailment (it sounds to me like an ear infection).



So getting to the point of the story, for the first time in my training village I gave someone money: I put 2 dollars in her hand and said, you HAVE to go to the doctor today. I know this may not have been the best way to help, but I believe it was the right thing to do; I have the means to help, she may or may not but she won't go if she isn't motivated/doesn't have the cash. And I would have just spend that money on a beer or a hamburger or cookies or a soda or whatever I don't need.


Afterwards I took a nap and when I woke up I felt like my family was treating me differently; they were deliberately saying things to me that I wouldn't understand and they weren't that happy to see me. I might have just been imagining this but giving money is a very delicate thing in Senegal as it can be in America. So here's the actual reason I'm telling you this story: Yesterday during my daily greetings of households I met a guy that speaks a million languages. His name is Amadou Ba and he was so excited to meet me yesterday morning that when I came back to speak to him and his family in the evening he had writted a poem for me in english and Pulaar.



Money is not Everything, by Amadu Bah


With money you can buy a house, but not a home.

With money you can buy a clock, but not time.

With money you can buy a bed, but not sleep.

With money you can buy a book, but not knowlege.

With money you can buy a doctor, but not good health.

With money you can buy a position, but not respect.

With money you can buy blood, but not life.

With money you can buy sex, but not love.


I don't know if he wrote this or just translated it, but it was exactly what I needed. I wanted to ask my family if I made a mistake, and say I was sorry but I didn't think I made a mistake in giving money, but instead I just read this poem, the Pulaar version, to my family. Their reactions were all different, but i think this poem came into my life at the right time, I needed this and the universe answered, so im happy.



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 So our Swearing in ceremony is on Friday, May 13th (spooky), and we all have to have traditional garbs made. I'm waiting for my tailor to finish mine, and I want to let everyone know that I'm taking full advantage of my situation. I'm having a cape made. I'll show you pictures when its done, which should be in a few days, but its a linen, khaki colored cape that wraps around my body, like a cloak from Great Britian in the 1800s, but without a hood. Think Laurence of Arabia. Taking full advantage. I can't wait to walk into households and be like: A Saalam Waleekum, with my hands hidden in my cloak they wont know what im carrying, or if im carrying anything. I could have a gun, I could have a machete, I could have some flowers or a mango, they wont know. Okay until next time! I'll have pictures next time.


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Just saw the cloak, my tailor did not quite understand what I wanted. He has made, so far, a vest with no arm holes. I don't myself or my translators made it crystal clear. I'm trying to have him turn it into what I wanted, I mean I've paid him 30 dollars for this job it better come out the way I want it.