As the year ends…

Things started really getting good! It was never NOT good before. Things were always going well…but it seems that things just started making sense a few weeks ago. I went with a day of having my worst homesickness after watching “The Holiday” and feeling those twinges of wanting to be around family, and hot chocolate (in cold weather), to really just feeling so much more integrated and natural to be here. I think it must have been a couple weekends ago. Just a wonderful weekend of playing pick-up soccer, walking around the grand marche into the night on “marche day” which happened to be on a Saturday, going to the Catholic church for a big fete and picnic, and watching Azove club football at a huge terrain in town. And I have been feeling that stride ever since…

Part of it might have to do with just letting go of planning my days, and compartmentalizing everything I do. I am trying more to just live in the moment and see where that takes me. In the United States, we are SO future oriented and we are planners- it is often hard to let go of that way of thinking and living – but I am thinking more and more that might be the trick here To  discovering and learning…and mostly understanding.

I have discovered how incredibly fun Marche Day can be. And how awesome it is into the night as well. It is like a little festival every four days! It is truly really cool. At night, the women start lighting their candles and the town just turns into this array of lights everywhere…During marche day, one can find the most awesome fried plantains, choock (local alcool if one desires ), pineapple and iced tea type drinks, wonderful bread, and other unique foods…I am really beginning to love these marche days — it is definetly something to look forward to …

I think I might have mentioned before – joined the Catholic church choir – and the people are so nice and freindly – seriously some of the nicest and warmest women i have met thus far in town. My postmate Allison really introduced me to this side of the community (she is a regular attendee at the church), so it is nice to be doing these things together too…

Allison is also helping me coach the women’s football team now -and they definetly seem to be improving a bit. It is hard to make them be a bit serious about the game – only in the sense to improve their athleticism and skill…I think part of the point of this is to develop leadership, community, some focus…but I also have to remember to keep it fun Their apparently is a women’s team in a neighboring town of Dogbo and maybe other areas – I need to do some more research and hopefully try to organize area games as they improve…And shoes and uniforms would be a dream in the future… I really enjoy this as well however as it is something different and meaningful away from teaching. I definetly enjoy teaching, but realize I am going to need to be involved in other activities totally seperate from English and education to keep me sane here…and also feel like there is other needs that the communities around me have as well that I would be thrilled to partner on…I am reallly interested in women and legal rights…looking into something on that level at some point maybe in the near future…with time…

Oh, and my postmates and I finally went to this men’s club football game – we kept getting invited, and never could go…but went a few weeks ago, and boy was it impressive. It’s on this huge “terrain” (field) just a little out of town, and several Azove club teams play along with some neighboring village towns. The guys are highschool age and a little older and they are soooooo good. Tons of people come and watch and there is so much energy – tons of my students are there. It was was strange though – only about 2 other women were watching in the crowd (besides me and my postmate!). We need to get our women’s football team to come watch…Anyways, it was another really cool community experience. And although soccer season is over soon, i think it picks up again in February or something…Oh! And I cannot wait for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana coming soon! I hope to go to these little sport watching center things in Azove – basically a TV taht plays the matches and charges a bit- I bet there will be a ton of energy (just like there was when I was in Uganda and Rwanda! I was awesome!)

Here, I will write a little note from my journal on my reflections of life as well – this is actually in no particular order: ” Totally content. Just found some awesome manioc pile that I often just pass everyday on my way to and from school – right around the corner and just across from the bean lady. I am realizing more and more here – everything, or many things – are hidden – if one does not LOOK for things, one will be blind to it all…///

Talked it up more with the ‘menusiers’ (carpenters) in front of my house – they, like many men here, do not seem to understand why I am not married or have a serious boyfriend. It seems hard for them to understand an independent working, traveling women who is SUPER young and wanting to also continue my studies…but I am patient and explain my perspective every time. It is always an interesting and kind of fun cultural exchange to say the least…And I am always surpised at the amount of French I am able to pull out of my hat…And I love it – all the women around shake their heads in agreement…///

(As there are also frusturating days, this one regarding one particular day at school)…I truly feel like I am in an impossible situation sometimes, but maybe I am just overreacting. Tuesday I was frusturated with the kids (threatening to leave class), and today I calmed down and was having a great class, but then I was thrown because another professor had to use it. I understand. There is not enough classrooms. I have to start my class late a lot of times of this. Or not have class at all. But it still continues to frusturate me. For the kids sake. And that I do put a lot of work into this. Aaargh. It is a difficult situation for all. So this time I was having such a great class, and we were having class here because we could not use the class we were actually finally assigned too because another teacher was using it…and this is after the censor changed my schedule because there was no open classrooms! I got a little upset and the censor thought I was overeacting , and I probably was – but again, no class for the students. What can you do…I hope things will get better for next semester, and it’s true, I do not teach under a tree three times a week like Lauren in Dogbo…///

A few night ago I was tuturing Krystal (neighbor) in English, with her freind Krystal with the dry erase board sent from home (thanks Aunt Shari!) I was amazed to find that the other Krystal was going to be taking the 5ieme English devoir (examen), but she had NEVER had an English teacher come to school! So she was taking it without being taught anything, and she only remembered to be from 6ieme. And the system wonders why these kids are doing terrible on the devoir! After some tutoring, the rest of the night was fun as welll…I practiced Adja, learned a long Adja song. I absolutely love my neighbor kids…they are soo funny, and good, and often just easier to deal with than the adults. And they are soo freakin cute and beautiful!///

…This morning I went on a mini bike ride and found this beautiful area right past my school. Past the paved road and onto the dirt road. I was looking for a river I had heard about. I never found the river (maybe it dried up?), but what I stumbled upon was absolutely beautiful (there are pictures up of it). It was just amazing to me how you can just go al ittle bit further outside the confines of Azove, and the scene changes and the French really just stops. And there is just women after women with baskets on their head, heading back and forth to and from Azove. And the trees are expansive and wide and incredible – from Boabab to low hanging flora…It is breathtaking”

So there is a little taste of my journal reflections of life.

Besides all the rest, the weather is changing. It does not really rain any more daily as it did before, and is much hotter during the day. Now, it just started getting bit misty and even foggy in the morning (not sure how long that will last) – almost like home! And it is much cooler at night now with a slight breeze. At dusk, the sky and the surroundings turn an incredible orange – I like to sit outside my concession and just observe the color scheme.

Reading The Fate of Africa: 50 Years of Independence, and Cry , The Beloved Country  right now. So in Africa, reading Africa focused material

So that is my little update enjoy the pics of Azove – a link is attached below, and I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and New Year. Thank you for your continued emails, blog comments, and responses – I read them all And I look forward to more letters!

 Peace and love and a safe and restful holiday to all!

 Jordan