Thursday, November 28, 2013

A Thanksgiving Birhday

November 28, 2013

A Thanksgiving Day Birthday ranks high in my book. It takes years for it to happen and 2013 was one of those years. Mine was this year. Just think of the expectations to feast on turkey as you blow out 72 candles to people singing "Happy Birthday Day to You". Well that is the fantasy. Reality is a little different.

Every year the US Ambassador host a pot luck Thanksgiving Day dinner at the Ambassador's residence for Department of State employees, of which Peace Corps is included. In Liberia her house is located on the old embassy grounds which is a park-like setting, now replaced by the new embassy which is a fortress housed only by US Marines. US Embassy staff also open their homes for some Peace Corps Volunteers for overnight stays.I chose to stay with a family.

It just so happens that the young family consisted of the wife, Alexis, who is an embassy employee, her husband, Esteban, and their 1 1/2 year old son. What is unusual is that the son's name is Nicholas and that Esteban also has a November 28th birthday.

The really important thing is that Esteban is a great cook. His Wednesday night dinner of fish tacos and Thursday breakfast simply filled me up. The Thanksgiving potluck just could not compete.

The home stay gave me an inside look at what embassy life is like. Simply, it is transferring everything American to a foreign land. They can ship 700 pounds of food, car, and other items. The living accommodations are made to make an American feel right at home. There is almost no interaction with the people on the street. Embassy personnel make decisions in a vacuum, based on what hired consultants write, who in tturn get their information from previous hired consultants. 

Old US Embassy grounds
I could go on about how the Peace Corps is probably the only department in the US government that actually has face-to-face interaction with what is really happening in a country, but I won't.

I do miss my family at times like this because they appreciate what a Thanksgiving Day birthday means to a person like me.  
My US Embassy quest family in Monrovia, Esteban, Alexis, and son, Nicholas


View from Embassy, looking towards the USA

Here I am teaching the technique of "moaning" to a Peace Corps Volunteer on the Embassy grass

Peace Corps Volunteers is Liberia. Where's Nick?


Monday, November 25, 2013

Iron Soap

November 25, 2013

One of my Liberian mystery's is iron soap.
Iron soap is very cheap, about 40 cents for three balls. It is a homemade product commonly sold in the market. I assume it is made with palm oil (animal fat is an oxymoron here) and caustic soda (lye). It lasts forever. I have yet to use 1/2 a ball. As for cleaning power, let's just say it does the job.
Iron soap as packaged for sale. I don't understand how people make the balls to fit into these plastic sleeves.

Iron soap, the new craze in home gym equipment.


Saturday, November 23, 2013

Typhoon Haiyan

November 23, 2013

“Dead bodies still litter the road sides, like garbage, one survivor said, waiting to be picked up, while the living struggle for basic necessities.” 

It is hard to imagine what a huge natural disaster is like, especially in poor places without the resources to respond.

A few years back I met a shy foreign exchange student from the Philippines, Vanessa, who was having some problems with her host family in St. Paul. Her host mother was Pilipino, married to an American serviceman. For some reason, we clicked and in 2009 on my return trip from Samoa, I visited her family in the town of Delores, East Samar. They showed me wonderful hospitality. I reciprocated by testing everyone for diabetes. Her father's reading was the highest I had ever seen. Vanessa, her father, and I took a long overnight minivan taxi ride to Tacloban, the largest nearby city with a hospital. I mentioned to the family that the father’s condition was extremely serious and they should prepare for the worst. He died a few months later.

Tacloban was also the city where Vanessa went to college as a Biology student, torn with wanting to go into medicine, but worried about the hardship this would cause her family. She has almost finished her formal medical school classes in Manila and faces many more years of internship, etc.  Now Typhoon Hayian has changed a lot in her life.


Before are a few passages from her spotty emails. I thought you might like to read them.

“Tacloban City has been wiped out. And that where I went into college.  My home for 4 years. I still cant believe it. I have no words for it.

We still haven't heard from mama. Eastern Samar has been badly hit. Thats where the typhoon hit first. We got a news that shes okay but not knowing what really is and not being able to talk with anyone in our family back home is getting us all worried. Very much. Its awful, beyond awful.”

“ The Philippines is all over the news. But really, its Tacloban City that has been hit so soo bad. Its almost gone (but we wont let that happen, of course). Then there Eastern Samar where our place is. If you remember, we are facing the Pacific Ocean... We are blessed that aids are pouring from all over the world... The local government was a victim too so it has been handicapped. And because all communication lines are down and because we are a nation of islands, the national government had a hard time tending to the victims, it has been 10 days but much work has yet to be done. Upto now, we havent been able to contact mama. We heard that damaged at Dolores is minimal as one of our relatives went to a place 4 hours travel time from dolores to inform us they are okay. But, there is shortage of food supply and fuel at our place. My siblings sent a package to our place full of foods and candles. But we dont have idea if it reached our place.

I wish and i hope mama is with us... I really do. She's all alone there but with my nieces and relatives. I wish I can fast forward time and she doesn't have to work anymore to support me and so she'll just live with us here in Manila. She's the only one i have with all my siblings married and papa gone. I love her so much uncle nick that everytime i think of her now i want to cry.

God be with us,
Vanessa”

Vanessa (plaid dress), her mother to immediate right, aunt far right, grandmother to left, father with cousins. Photo taken, August, 2009, Delores, East Samar, Philippines
 . 







 s

Happier Times. Eat Bulat, duckling in the egg, at her brother's apartment in Manila.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Teacher Strike

November 19, 2013

Had lunch today with a couple of high school Peace Corps teachers and wondered why they were not in school. Teachers are on strike they said.
It seems the teachers have not yet been paid, well a lot of them anyway. Of course of the problems are the lack funds, not knowing where the funds are, and determining who should be paid. Some European is trying to institute electronic thumb readers, good idea, but lots of money, especially ridiculous for schools that still have no electricity.
If they ever do get the money and determine just who the teachers really are, the next problem for teachers to collect their salary. For most in the areas where I am, it requires taking at least one day, often two days off away from school, just to go to a distant bank. 
In the meantime, students are out of school and missing the meager education that is available.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Mid-Term Exams

November 18, 2013

Teaching has many rewards, but also some very big disappointments. The three of us Peace Corps Volunteers teaching here at Cuttington University have just finish giving our mid-term exams and find ourselves wondering where do we go next and what is expected of us.The main issues are almost no preparation or knowledge of prerequisite material either for the courses or university admittance, the endemic acceptance of cheating, and expectation by the students that no matter what you do, it is forgiven.

In beginning math a question was asked to write in words a number. Then a number was written in words and they were asked to write it in numerals.  A total blank  There was hardly any comprehension of arranging numbers vertically in ones, tens, hundreds columns. No need go any further. How did these people get here? How is the instructor to proceed with a curriculum totally out-of-sync with student skills?

My students are all upperclassmen majoring in Biology, all of whom say they plan to go to medical school or unable to attain medical school, some graduate program. Statistics is a prerequisite for my Genetics course. Only one student could answer the basic question, ‘What is the probability your first four children are girls?” (Answer is 1/16 or 6%) The concept of independent probability is central to understanding genetics.  This is after similar problems and examples where given in at three lectures and a full day was spent playing the fun game, “Making a Baby”. Knowledge of basic math is also missing, like addition and multiplication of fractions, normally taught in seventh grade. I even told them what my essay question would be, only two did it all the way, another five partially, out of twenty students.

Histology is an almost straight memorization course from the notes given in class. Students generally did well, except for questions that were in any way were reconfigured to assess where they understood some basic principles, like what is the difference between a cell and a tissue.

My exam of asking a question and having them write the answer makes it difficult to guess, like in a multiple choice test. Grading is a time consuming, especially if you grade all students on a single question before grading the next question. However, this method gives you a better idea of students’ comprehension, whether you have misunderstood questions, and is also an excellent way of discovering cheating by comparing similarities in wrong and correct answers. 

I have got to admit my students, and those of the other teachers, are really great at cheating. They have perfected techniques over years of schooling. They form cliques that are able to pass answers through whispers, signs, passing papers, direct copying, and now electronically (although all electronic devices are strictly forbidden). Good students are normally the source, using their power to exact favors from others. The university’s policy on cheating is severe, failing the class, but is almost never enforced. Even the best students don’t know all the answers and don’t count on an instructor to actually read and compare answers.  Almost 25-30% of my students are getting “zeros” for cheating. I am preparing myself for the torrent of pleadings upon release of the scores.

You also have got to give students an “A” for their audacity to ask forgiveness and be excused for even blatant rule violations.  One of my students came in after the tenth question and refused to write anything on his paper, even his name, when he was told he would have the first ten questions subtracted from his score. He glared at me the entire exam, as if to intimidate me. He said he was graduating this semester. I told him he is getting a zero on the exam.

This university is a private school, considered the most expensive in West Africa, and needs tuition money to pay for the fine raiment and automobiles of its administrators. Funds are not available for textbooks, lab supplies, or working computers. Cafeteria food is monotonous and of poor quality. Teachers are poorly paid and are susceptible to bribes for grades. Clerical staff likewise is not adverse to changing grades on transcripts for money. Students know this and demonstrate a complete disregard when you say, “No electronic devices in the classroom and students caught cheating get a zero for the exam”.

I don’t mean to imply that educational corruption is only a problem in third world countries. In the U.S. the way to graduate is by donating to the university, paying full-tuition for admittance, then take some easy curriculum, or being an athlete. It just is more open and prevalent here.

I came here to teach. There are good students here who want to learn and look at schooling as a way to a better life. There are also students here who have their futures already paved and simply need a graduation certificate to grab the golden ring. The issue for me is how do I maintain my own integrity and serve those students who want to learn?  Why should I waste my time and energy on the “non-students”?

I am going to try an experiment, probably in violation of all written rules, but also in keeping with the spirit of the place. I am going to offer students a choice. They can sign a statement which says they agree to a “C” as their final grade and no longer are to attend class, take any exams, or write final papers. If they do not want to accept a “C” at this time, they continue with all the course requirements and accept their final earned grade.

How many do you think accept my offer?

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Break-in November 11, 2013

November 17, 2013

There is just too much to describe all the events and emotions one experiences to be suddenly awakened at 1:00am to find two men inside your house.

I am happy to report I am well.

Below is a letter which I have sent to the Peace Corps Director in Liberia as well as some crime scene photos taken by another Peace Corps Volunteer.

Letter to Peace Corps Country Director
"Dear Country Director Brewer,
I am sure you are aware of the incident where two men broke into my house at 1:00 am on Monday, November 11, 2013 through an unprotected rear window above the kitchen sink, removing the screen and glass window plates, after attempting entry through the rear door and using caustic soda in both instances to eat away metal parts. They were scared off when they surprised me while I was in bed. Although I suffered a significant loss in electronics, money, kitchen knives, credit cards, bank cards, and  IDs, I am thankful I was not personally injured. The response by Peace Corps Liberia staff, especially the Peace Corps Security Officer, Prince, after the incident is laudatory. However, the main issue is the failure on a number of different levels responsible for my security while a Peace Corps Volunteer here at Cuttington University.
I  trust Peace Corps to provide me with the safest environment physically possible. This did not happen.
Peace Corps knew of security problems prior to my arrival at Cuttington. In fact, a former Peace Corps staffer suggested Peace Corps not send additional volunteers to Cuttington until security concerns were addressed. I understand there was even a burglary to the previous Peace Corps Volunteer living in my very unit last year. Just what other security concerns existed I am not aware.
When I was initially dropped off at my site,on or about August 31, 2013, the Peace Corps Security Officer noted that steel window bars had not been installed by Cuttington personnel on my unit and were stored under the house across the road (also intended for the Peace Corps Volunteer living there) for a period of several months. He was irate at Cuttington for their failure to perform what was required of them as a condition for the placement of Peace Corps Volunteers.
Since that time, he has been to my unit on at least three occasions, each time bemoaning the fact that the bars had not yet been installed.
The organization, length of time, and professionalism of the robbery while my unit was under the surveillance by Cuttington security personnel, plus the fact the robbers had a powerful LED flashlights, similar to the ones issued by Cuttington; knew the technique of shinning and holding the light beam in my eyes to blind me; the fact the man entering my room had what looked to be a radio transmitter on his left hip; the fact one robber went onto my front porch where he stood and looked directly at the position where a security guard is usually posted, and that the security guard was at that post when I called for help from my porch, all lead me to conclude that the robbery was conducted directly by Cuttington security personnel or abetted by them.
The response by Cuttington security to block the escape of the robbers was tepid at best. Although they responded quickly to the call from the first security officer, they stood gawking at the kitchen window as precious minutes went by. I had to yell at them not stand there, but to get out into the night to track down the robbers. (Note there is no electric power on campus after midnight and that a flashlight is needed to see anything).
A brief survey of Cuttington students and faculty quickly reenforces my notion that no one feels secure with the Cuttington security force, and indeed, worry or have had incidents where Cuttington security personnel are directly involved in crime.
In subsequent discussions with Cuttington's Vice President and Director of Administration, they have admitted to some concerns about Cuttington security. They have told me of no direct actions or future plans to correct what they admit is a public relations disaster to not have students and faculty trust their security department. To my knowledge, there is no internal investigation planned into the operations or the people employed, either by Cuttington personnel or a reputable independent party. To their credit, I have been reimbursed for my losses.
I also find a resignation among African's on campus that although conditions are bad and they worry about their own safety and security, nothing can be done about it except "to sleep with one eye open".
Peace Corps is in a position to see Peace Corps security requirements are met. Peace Corps Volunteers are a tremendous bonus to the university as instructors to fill positions either vacant because of the inability to pay outside academics or   to find those willing to come. Any laxity to have Cuttington fulfill their obligations falls squarely on the shoulders of Peace Corps.
I strongly recommend that Peace Corps withhold the recruitment and placement of additional Peace Corps Volunteers at Cuttington until a through investigation takes place into my own incident and into the management and qualifications of Cuttington security. I also recommend internal procedures within Peace Corps Liberia be addressed as to the follow-up of open security concerns involving volunteers.
Yours truly,
Nicholas Shuraleff
Peace Corps Response Volunteer, Liberia, 2013"
 Photo Explanations:
 Caustic soda is the same as lye or sodium hydroxide. It is used in products such as Draino to dissolve things. It is a common agent used by Liberian thieves because it can destroy cheap metal thus avoiding noise making means of entry. One disadvantage is that it takes time for the chemicals to work and is dangerous to handle. With me the rear door lock was made of a metal resistant to caustic soda, but not the nails and concrete of the screen.
The footprints in the photos are from the thieves stepping into the soda before entering through the back door which was probably unlock by a smaller person who was let in through the window.
Loosened kitchen window screen, showing caustic soda stains.

Point of Entry

Thieves neatly stacked glass window plates, as well as, items on the kitchen window ledge

Kitchen footprints
Living room footprint which I circled for identification



Back online

November 17, 2013

A Peace Corps Volunteer has graciously lent me his extra computer until I can get a replacement for mine.

A lot has happened within the past week and it may take me a while to bring get it all recorded.

For starters, two men broke into me house last Sunday night while I was asleep and made off with not only my computer, but all cash, ID's, credit cards, cell phone, kitchen knifes, and even my stopwatch which I use as a clock. Fortunately, I was not harmed.

This past week has been university mid-terms and my introduction into the skill students have in cheating, as well as, learning the educational levels of Liberia's university juniors and seniors.

Some great comedy also needs to be told about Peace Corps and Cuttington University's response after the incident. I can assure you I now live like a caged animal under constant patrol.

So like some crime victims, I am cleaning my house of age old fingerprints and dirty walls,  ready to start afresh.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

A Low Point

11-10-2013


You have to expect them, low points. Yesterday mine hit, not seriously, but the effects are there nonetheless. It happens when a number of lows add up after a high, kind of like a weather system.

The highs are from Thanksgiving, eating western food and listening to Liberian jokes; movie night on a Mac with fellow Peace Corps, eating popcorn, and philosophizing on whether “When Harry met Sally” still resonates with younger folk (it does, but “Annie Hall” is deeper, and “500 Days of Summer” is lighter but cute).

The lows come after everyone leaves, your back hurts from sitting in a plastic chair for over 2 ½ hours listening to Liberian jokes most of them you don’t understand some pointed at your homeland, having no running water for over four days and living out of a bucket (it’s still out), finding yourself on a campus with all the students on break and the birds not signing, looking at bare walls with only an African mask and your fedora hats hanging on nails for decoration, no beer, and realizing you are soon to run out of crossword puzzles for filling the gaps in the day. Then your wife sends you a text about being curt to a perfectly good question. The switch to standard time makes even early football games beyond your bedtime.

I know these lows don’t require anti-depressants, as if any are available, but today I am fine.
The cure is being able to get out of bed at dawn and start kneading dough for bread. The expectation of smelling bread bake and to spread lardy margarine and honey may be more euphoria than I can able to handle for the rest of the day. Add to that, the water is back and I am going to the nearby UN Military Base for dinner to celebrate something. My back is back ready to dance the night away; well, I’m ready, even if is just  fantasy.

Really this blog post is for me. If you read it hoping for more, please forgive my indiscretion.

I hope you are having a good day, because there is always tomorrow; maybe not always, but for those days that matter.



Friday, November 8, 2013

My Peace Corps Group

My group of Peace Corps Response Volunteers with US Ambassador (center)
at our swearing in ceremony August 30, 2013 at US Embassy

A Liberian Thanksgiving

11-7-2013


Today is Liberian Thanksgiving. It is a national holiday, the university is closed until Monday, and all the students have left.

Thanksgiving for most is a religious day with church followed by a meal with no special food being served. The guests include several other foreigners, mostly Nigerians, came to join in a large family gathering of a faculty member who lives on campus for well over fifty people.

The food is American fare with barbequed pig, chicken, slaw, potato salad, peach cobbler, and some local dishes of plantains, shortbread, and of course, rice. All this is food a most welcomed change of pace. 

The seats are in a semi-circle facing the entrance to the door and the food inside, a small theater if you will. Soon the performances begin and go non-stop with the telling of jokes with the women completely dominating the show. As time goes on and the alcohol begins to take affect the jokes get raunchier and raunchier. The main joke topics are about sex, infidelity, travels to America, and use of religious and political figures to point out human frailties. In some jokes, I detect bitterness as to the blight of this place.

The Liberians keep challenging the Nigerians to stand up for their country and tell some jokes which they feebly do. Like jokes anywhere, there are always certain ethnic groups, and nationalities which take the brunt. After 2 ½ hours, the jokes are still going strong.

In a way, Thanksgiving represents just another aspect of this place still in search of its own identity. It is hard to determine just for what Liberians are thankful. 





Learning about teaching

11-6-13

I am slowly picking up the teaching styles of instructors and learning habits of my students.
It seems what we call teachers are really lecturers here. Their job is to give assignments and write or dictate the lesson material on the board. It is the student’s job to understand the material and not the lecture’s job.

Testing is a means to determine how well the student understands the material and is not a measure of how well the lecturer presented it. If a student does poorly, it is because the student is at fault for not studying hard enough.

Many tests are made extremely difficult, way beyond the student’s and the school’s capabilities and resources. A person looking at the tests gets a different opinion than what is actually happening. Understandably tests that reflect what the student actually knows can be an extreme embarrassment on the educational system. This creates a system where a 50% score is considered good or the resent example here where every student taking the college entrance exam failed.

One of the Peace Corps teachers here gave an assignment to write a report about a type of rock. A student turned in a long paper about cabbage. It seems that many teachers use reports as busy work without actually reading what the students write.

In all fairness, education involves three parties: the student, the teacher, and the school system. Here, like in the States, the critical question of just what the educational objective of each of the parties is never addressed, let alone how to achieve them.


As for my objective, I would like the students to appreciate and walk away with a little knowledge of the wonders of the human body. Maybe their objective is to get a good grade and move on. As for the university’s objective, I would bet it involves money and job security.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Lassa Fever

11-6-2013 
Mastomys natalensis,
 the natural reservoir of the Lassa fever virus
Two evenings ago I heard loud screams and wailing from a woman’s dorm across the field from my house. The next day a fellow Peace Corps teacher said one of his best students had died in the hospital from Lassa fever. The student was in his class and had not missed a class until being hospitalized. I had never heard of Lassa fever so I began to find out more about it.

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever of the Ebola variety in West Africa. Studies show up to a half a million cases per year, about 5,000 resulting in death. In 80% of cases, the disease is unapparent, but in the remaining 20%, it takes a complicated course. It is estimated that the virus is responsible for about 5,000 deaths annually. The fever accounts for up to one third of deaths in hospitals within the affected regions and 10 to 16% of total cases.

The virus is spread in the urine and feces of a ubiquitous household mouse. People often get the virus by eating contaminated food. The virus is contagious with a fatality rate of 50% for those people hospitalized. Hospital workers are warned to wear protective clothing, gloves, and masks, all which should be destroyed after being in contact with the patient. Medicines exist for those exposed or in the early stages of the fever. Incubation period is from six to twenty-one days which means you probably never can find out where you got the virus.

In places like Liberia, identification of the fever is difficult because early symptoms can be confused with other fevers and laboratories are ill-equipped to identify the virus. Health related news is either non-existent or suppressed.

Why am I writing about Lassa fever? Maybe it is just to ease my own mind. Lassa fever is not something to panic over, but it is just another one of those surprises you find here. At least I have notified the Peace Corps Medical Officer in Monrovia.


Monday, November 4, 2013

Frustration Antidote

11-4-2013

The pressure of cultural differences can drive a person into a state of perpetual paranoia. My best defense comes from the musical, “My Fair Lady”. It is when the linguist, Professor Higgins, is trying to resolve his frustrations in trying to teach the Cockney waif, Lisa Doolittle, how to speak proper English.
He breaks out in song.

“Why can’t a woman be more like a man?
Why can’t a woman be like me?”

As I prepare my genetics midterm exam, one of the principles of biology is that life is both unified and diverse. So I am taking the pill of my own lecture and realize that we are all unified in our own perfection; the contradiction arises that our own perfections are different.

Ghez..

Why can’t they be like me?

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Frustration

11-3-2013

Dealing with cultural differences is the hardest part about the Peace Corp life. Some of most frustrating moments is dealing with the nonchalant attitude regarding what people say and what they do.

For example, there is a person who calls me up and says he has been to my house three times that day to pay me money he owes me and use my camera. I said I was home all day. He said you weren’t on your porch. I said then why didn’t you come up and see if I was home. No reply. Then he says I am on my way to your house now. That was three days ago. He still hasn’t come.

It is continuous. A time is posted. Means nothing.  Flyers are posted everywhere with announcements, usually with the words “NEW” or “NEW NEW” or “THIS IS REALLY NEW” handwritten on them in red marker. No dates as to when new is new. Once up, they remain.

Excuses are really meant to be forgiveness’s. So you sit around waiting for someone who tells you the meeting was changed because no one planned to come. Well, what about me? I not only was planning to come, but I came and nada, nothing, no one, nowhere.

I imagine how frustrating it must be to Liberians when I say I accept “No Excuses” and mean it. How about class starts at a certain time and if you are late you get a zero for the day. I must seem like a tyrant. No wonder Liberians have trouble adapting to American work or school routines when they come to our Eden.

There really is no need for me to vent my frustrations today, except I am hot and sticky, ants are biting at my ankles, it is Sunday and what little happens here during the week doesn’t happen at all today, plus the electric is operating normally which means it is shut off for most of the day, and I think I have a bad case of gas from my spicy “cow? meat” stew.