Back in the Swing of Things

I've been such a super volunteer lately. (I'm patting myself on the back as I write this) My classes are going well and I love having small classes. We've already started review sessions and most of the kids are showing up, which makes me insanely happy. They might just learn English this year!

Thursday I am moving to the new house. Per the usual here, it's been a bit tricky. The car broke down in Conakry. Then there was a staff retreat. Etc. But Boiro and Ousmane are coming on Thursday to help me move and I'm excited - it's great timing too, since the guys who were living in my house just got back. One of them came by last night to get something...guess what? Not the eggs or the flip flops or any of the other crap. A GPS system. How a guy living in Timbi Madina got his hands on a GPS system is anyone's guess. The people here have more money than virtually anywhere, there are lots of remittances and quite a few people who have been to Europe and America.

I was reminded the other day why I don't ride motos here...besides that it's illegal and grounds for admin separation from PC. One of my friends stopped by and said he was going to visit Jacqui in Ninguelande (14 km away) and asked if I wanted to go. I told him, for about the 10th time, that I don't use motos because I'm scared. He laughed at me and sped off. Jacqui showed up in Timbi that next day really upset because he'd gotten into an accident 6 km from her site and his eye was all busted and 2 teeth are missing and he has tons of cuts. I cannot express how happy I am that I was not on that moto and also that he wasn't killed. I went to see him again yesterday and he looks much better, but it's not like dental care here is anything to write home about, they'll send us to Dakar just to get a filling, so I have no idea what he'll do about the teeth. Gold ones, perhaps?

Our new group is arriving in early December. We are all so excited! It's a little lonely here with only 14 PCVs. I'll even have a neighbor just a couple kilometers down the road.

I'm trying to think of what else interesting is going on. Seems like life is just clipping along at a nice pace - I'm definitely making more of an effort to make friends this time around and am spending precious little time in my house. I haven't even used my hammock since school started! My French is finally improving and I found a temporary tutor. Actually, let me tell you about this kid...

His name is Beckham. Or that's what everyone calls him. He's one of the 11-20 percent of Terminale students who passed the test to go to University this year. It was 11 or 20 that passed that test and 11 or 20 who passed the test to get to high school, I forget the order. Anyway, he told me that he makes necklaces to sell to earn extra money so he can pay for lodging at University. It's 6 days before he's supposed to arrive and the Ministry hasn't announced who is going where yet. At any rate, he's the first 20 something unmarried guy who hasn't asked me for a visa or a white wife or money. He actually told me that he'd like to get married, but he thinks it's hard here because there's no equality between men and women. He'd like to travel all around the world and see what there is to offer before coming back here and making music and helping people. Basically, it's kids like him who make me glad I'm here. I've hired him as my French tutor and am paying him way more than I need to (almost a dollar an hour!) just because he's so motivated and wants to work. The government will give him 60,000 each month for rent and food and books, about 12 dollars. His father is dead and his mom lives far away, near Camilo. Anyway, he's a hard worker and that's the kind of behavior I want to reinforce! Plus I do need French help.

I talked to my mom recently and told her that the young men here have been really bugging me. The other day a guy asked me to go out with him and I told him no and that I was married. He said, "I didn't ask if you were married. That doesn't bother me." It's so sad that the guys are such idiots because everyone else is so nice and helpful! But I told my Censeur at school and he told me to start taking down their names and he'll send someone to their houses to yell at them! He even said that if it doesn't stop he'll get a soldier to stay at my house. Clearly that's unnecessary, but it made me feel good that he was willing to pull out all the stops...when Camilo comes I'm going to parade him around town. That worked wonders last year in Mamou.

In closing, I cannot even begin to describe how happy I am to be back. I'm so glad I took a chance that the program would reopen and am excited about getting a bunch of projects off the ground - a world map on a building at school, girls' review sessions, Girls' Conference, etc. It's a good time to be a PC Guinea volunteer. Plus I'm glad that we got our raise and I can use olive oil whenever I want without worrying about running out of money.