Day 139 - Things you only do or get use to or see in Guinee...

Things you only do or get use to or see in Guinee...

Eating out of a huge bowl, just the section in front of you, and being the only person using a spoon.

Cooking outside in the yard with a big iron pot propped over 3 large stones, and it isn't bbq.

Forever having at least one kid staring at you or touch your hair as if you are from a different planet.

Forever have my female students asking me for my hair when I get it cut.

Forever having at least one baby cry when he/she sees you.

Paying more for a clove of garlic than 4-5 tomatos.

Eating outside on the ground.

Eating mostly rice or other form of starch w/ sauce. 2nd, 3rd, or 4th dishes, are you kidding me? (sauce got a lot of things mix in).

Recycle H2O, like soapy using H2O left over from the 1st load of laundry to soak the 2nd load, and I don't even need to pump H2O and go far to get it like.

Pee in a container in the middle of night in my room because I really don't want to get out of my hut into the darkness and elements.

Being able see at night w/ only stars & moon.

Being able to see stars.

Getting excited to see airplanes in the sky and inform my little sisters & brothers.

Say "Crunch" (in French "Croquei") peanut not eating (manger) peanut.

Cutting veggies in your hand. Cutting board you say, well, want to send me one?

Greet in Pular, talk in French, think in Frenangalis, dream in???

Getting lower class kids confused calling you monsieur not madame, because there are very few females teachers and kids' french level is low.

Someone always put out a stool for you to sit when you go visit.

To show you respect, people will hold right elbow w/ left hand when shaking your hand.

Never eat w/ left hand, Guinean use that one to clean themselves after using the toilette. Toilet paper is for porto (White ppl).

Find dead spiders in the room and not care a bit.

Either wash dishes right away or put away in an air tight bucket.

Hold hands w/ female students and still not feel comfortable about it.

Feet getting really dirty everyday. Paved roads in the village? Right...

Seeing Guinean walking outside barefoot in dirt, bushes, stones and wonder how they do it, and seeing them scrubbing it down w/ hard bristle brush.

"Attacked" by flies swarming out of the latrine because I was stupid enough to cover it weeks later after I started using it.

Being laughed at in class when you speak Pular but kids are amused, so it's all good.

Seeing women w/ their breasts exposed even when they are not feeding babies. (Don't know if male volunteers share this or not).

Seeing Guinean wearing winter jacket when they ride motorcycle early in the morning in Nov.-Jan.

Throw trash wherever you like, hesitating less and less.

Having people telling you stay on little longer even though you've been sitting there for an hour and just listen to other people talking in their local language.

Writing so much to you all till my hands hurt.

Bike 60km out not because I need to get out my village, but talk to my parents on the phone.

Getting so excited for mailrun day (Yep, that's this morning for me). Why isn't the "truck" here yet?!

Getting used to little kids saying "give me the book" and not feel they are being rude, cos they just learning to speak French.

Not eat much meat when other offer them to you, cos as it is you free load a lot when visiting families, and meat is expensive.

Seeing switches and outlet in some families homes and being surprised each time.

Seeing little kids (6 or 7) dancing provocatively by our standard or hip hop style and wondering where did they learn all these?

Being able to recognize different veggie and fruit plant, even cotton.

Saving every bit of scrap paper, card board, cans, bottles, strings, odds & ends for things you might want to make for school.

Having audience from other classed because some teachers didn't show.

Playing the family name joke. My case is "Diallo" vs "Balde/Bah". More half of people in my village has the last name is Balde/Bah, so when people learn that my Guinean last name is Diallo, they always say I should change it to Balde/Bah, cos Diallos are the thieves. All good fun of course.

Always get asked do you have tomato/potato or lots of other food in the U.S.?

Love the smell of cloth dried in the sun, not liking the texture cos it isn't soft.

Thinking headlamps is #1 necessity for Peace Corps.

Seeing people chew a certain stick that has natural teeth cleaning ingredient.

Being able to pick beautiful flowers as you wish in the wild to decorate your house.

Stop to watch little kids bath, play in the river and say hi.

Seeing men carry lady handbags.

Having market ladies give you a little extra and you give them a little of your other purchase.

Not have to worry about being late. There is no rush here.