“July, July, July / It never seemed so strange /… / And we'll remember this when we are old and ancient / Though the specifics might be vague”

For the 4^th of July, I decided to take my allotted vacation days and spend some time away from Bapa seeing other PCVs in the West and generally enjoying the downtime.  Even though I didn’t spend the day as planned with my toes dipped in the Atlantic Ocean at the beach, I had a very nice Independence Day.  After helping a neighboring volunteer with her tofu demonstration, we headed to another friend’s house for an evening of Mexican food followed by S’mores.  (You know…as our forefathers intended!)  

Normally when we visit each other, our time is limited and we’re always rushed getting there and then racing to get out first thing in the morning so we can get back to our respective posts.  This time though, we took the opportunity to go “tree-tapping” with one of her friends in village.  Raffia wine (vin de raphia) is a refreshing drink that starts off fruity when you first collect it from the tree.  It ferments quickly though, so is best enjoyed fresh when it is still cool, bubbly and fizzy.  Despite stumbling through the fields and woods to get it (I lost my flip-flops to the mud several times), I’m glad I got to see the process.  We even enjoyed the beverage alongside homemade crêpes for breakfast.  The rest of the morning was equally relaxing as we lazed around and watched Out of Africa.         

Back in village, I spent several days without electricity.  Now, there are several people (including other volunteers) for whom this is a way of life, but it’s jarring for those of us accustomed to the “Posh Corps” way of life.  Needless to say, too much downtime meant productivity took a hit and I instead chose to create a crossword puzzle for my Stateside friend, Sarah.

 

The neighbor kids came over one afternoon and we worked on responding to pen-pal letters that Sarah had organized from children she works with in North Carolina.  There was a lot of confusion at first about what we were doing, but I was pleased with the results and it was a nice lesson in geography, grammar, and culture-sharing.  I rewarded them by showing the film Kirikou et la Sorcière again when the power returned later that evening.

 

I had heard that there were small waterfalls (chutes d’eau) at the edge of Bapa, so before the two volunteers in the neighboring village ended their service, we set out to see them.  The falls themselves aren’t the most impressive things you’ll ever see, but they were still beautiful and it made for an enjoyable day hike.  I even got in which was cold but exhilarating at the same time.

Butterfly (papillon)

Kim, a PCV in a village 3 kilometers from my house, had been doing various presentations during the school break.  I tried my best to advertise these events around village and was pleased that a few people from Bapa attended.  One of the favorites amongst the girls in my neighborhood was bead-making.  We used old magazines and it turned out to be really fun and easy.  I’ve since taken to doing it myself during the evenings while watching a movie just to have something to do.

I also helped a fellow health volunteer with her Girls Camp.  Wesley is an absolute champ as she had organized a week-long overnight camp for a dozen adolescent girls.  (More power to her since I was whooped after only 2 days of helping!)  We covered topics ranging from anatomy and reproductive health, to goal setting and role models. 

By popular demand, I arranged a day of presentations at my house one Sunday afternoon.  The turnout was pretty good and we started a little late, but managed to cover bar soap (savon en morceau), powdered detergent (savon en poudre), wine-making, and an introduction to beading.  Of course, there were problems along the way (soap ingredients spilling all over the floor, oil refusing to melt, burning myself with the caustic materials, etc.) but we rolled with it and made do.  By the end of the day, I was exhausted and my house was a mess, but I was ecstatic.  Even though there was a party in my concession that meant loud noise lasting well into the night, I put in my earplugs and passed out almost immediately. 

The laundry detergent turned out (above) but there was a mini-explosion with the fermenting wine.  Helpful hint: Not leaving enough space in the top of the bottle will result in a spray of pineapple all around your house when you go to release some of the pressure…

My last act of “work” in July before taking off for vacation was to teach First Aid for the newest batch of Community Economic Development and Education trainees.  My time with them was short, but it was motivating to see another group of people eager to swear-in and become volunteers.  Of course, they’ll have big shoes to fill in replacing their predecessors who just wrapped up service.  Since I was back in the area, I stopped by to say hello to my two host families from when I went through training nearly two years ago.  I brought gifts from the West region (honey, shea butter, and pictures I had printed), and in turn was lavished with peanuts and a giant spaghetti omelet.  It was a bit awkward and everyone commented over and over again just how fat I’ve gotten (a supposed compliment that I’m obviously healthy and eating well) but seeing how people had changed and the babies had grown was jarring.  Life carries on and I can only imagine I’ll have these revelatory moments to an even greater extent when I return to the U.S. and catch up with friends and family.      

Per usual, I’ll end with the latest and greatest in the kitchen.  We indulged in S’more pie during the Girls Camp.Thanks to the volunteer on the left, Kalika, I’ve also managed to perfect a recipe for chocolate cake. I envision this being a staple at future Peace Corps get-togethers.  I’m also treating myself to buying canned chick peas every now and them so I can roast them.  Anything out of the ordinary is appreciated since I’ve been in a food rut.