Washing Machine

January 27, 2014

My Washing Machine

At first I considered washing my clothes another activity to fill my days. Now it is a chore.The issue is that Liberians, unlike Samoans, dress like they are professional business people in America, but without air-conditioning. This results in a lot of smelly, dirty clothes.

Wolekemah Women’s Organization Parade

January 25, 2014

January 25, 2014 marks the 1^st Anniversary of the Wolekemah Women’s Organization of the nearby Village of Sinyea (one mile from me). I am invited as a “patron”. The parade starts at 7:00 am followed by a rally and program ending about noondish. The invitation reads that the organization believes me to be” a humanitarian and a cheer giver”. How can I resist?

 Drums are beating and women are chanting slogans as the parade winds for over four miles of hot, dusty trails and ramshackle buildings, with bystanders watching on the roadside dancing to beat of the drums and shouting words of support. With occasional stops for water and dancing, I (the only male, white or black) trail well behind taking pictures entranced by their dedication as well as endurance.

The parade and program are to raise money to construct a building for teaching reading and writing to the many illiterate village women, as well as, provide support for battered and abandoned mothers.  Village women are doing this on their own without any outside assistance. As an “honored patron” that means donating money, but how this done is a complete mystery to me.

 I am soon initiated as to the protocol. It starts with the pinning of ribbons on my shirt for a small amount (thank goodness I brought some Liberian money). A woman gets up to sing a solo with a basket in front of her. The first donor throws money in the basket and tells the singer “to shut your mouth”; she stops singing. The next person throws money in the basket and the singer begins; so the cycle goes. A short play follows depicting an illiterate woman who paid for her husband’s education. The husband gets a good job in Monrovia then abandons her with a very sick child and no support. The play ends with a member of the women’s organization providing succor and a chance at learning how to write her name.

The quests are the introduced to come to the dais to say a few words and say the amount of their donation to be put into the basket. My donation and that of an absent Peace Corps who could not be there in are in US dollars. Our donations seem to be the most generous. The emcee later remarks how donations in US dollars receive more applause than Liberian money which is becoming less valuable at an alarming rate.

During my brief remarks, I float the idea that as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I would like to assist the organization in obtaining a grant. I sit down for one second before a member comes to me asking me to attend their business meeting next Sunday. I guess I am now a member of the Wolekemah Women’s Organization of Sinyea Village.

I must confess that my motives for volunteering to assist them are not totally innocent. I need their assistance to implement my grant for the mentoring, and feeding of the village’s neglected children.    

Dee's Haircut

January 22,2014

I needed a haircut and borrowed some clippers from by Peace Corps neighbor across the road.
I asked his girlfriend, Dee, and fellow basketball player if she would cut my air. I like it short,using the number 1 clipper attachment.
Unknown to me, Dee removed the attachment which results in a head of head with no real hair. Her basketball has more fuss than my plate. At least hair does grow back.

Barber and customer

Keke Pua'a (Pork filled bun)

January 22, 2014

Keke Pua'a is a deep-fried or steam bun filled with fatty pork. It is a favorite breakfast food for Samoans coupled with five tablespoons of sugar to sweeten their morning chocolate drink. Keke Pua'a is one of the many foods that help to make Samoans the obese champions of the world.

Some how the Samoan Observer newspaper wrote an article on keke pua'a and used one of my photographs for which they gave me credit.The irony is the photo was taken as part of my efforts to reduce the amount of keke pua'a eaten.

Link to article and picture
http://www.samoaobserver.ws/other/community/8934-up-at-2-am-daily-for-keke-puaa

Ladies from the Bush

January 22, 2014

My house and the house of another Peace Corps Volunteer neighbor are favorite gathering and flopping places for other Peace Corps Volunteers who come in from their remote posts for a meeting or to use the only ATM machine within a six hour drive. This is a time of dread, especially since the young ladies have not used a flush toilet and soft toilet paper for a long time. The result is plugged toilets and my plunger becomes an indispensable tool.

Americans Idea to Discourage Sex

January 21, 2014

What AIDS means for many Liberians is “Americans Idea to Discourage Sex”. I have heard this reference enough times to believe it is wide spread. This saying is coupled with another widespread notion that the HIV virus came from America (It was identified in America, whereas the virus is thought to come from Central Africa) makes the “white man’s” job a tough one.  Being an American white male means I have two strikes against me when preaching words like “abstinence” and “prevention”. Fortunately, the desire for free condoms and some students of my immunology students have taken it upon themselves to carry the banner.

Condoms are going like hotcakes. Students who are distributing are coming back within minutes for additional supplies. This tells me that there is a lot of unprotected sex on campus.  Just how students are to dispose of used condoms is a concern. I fear within a few days the entire campus may be lined with latex.

Some students have formed a group to distribute condoms outside the university with prostitutes, high schools, and markets being targeted. I fear 15,000 condoms may not be enough.

The long term problem is being able to provide a reliable source for condoms after the initial distribution. The students tell me keeping a supply of condoms in the secretary’s office of each college is one good way. I have my reservations, but there is no doubt the openness to discuss sex here would make even American bleeding heart liberals cringe. 

Today one of my students took me to a school in the bush where he taught last year to make his presentation to students 14 years old and up and faculty. One problem he said is that the teachers have sex with these young girls, getting them pregnant. Maybe putting condoms in both their hands might help.

Kennan Institute is a private school, originally funded by American teachers at Cuttington University

Condom demo using a banana

The audience

Girl leaving with what seems like additional condoms collected from classmates

Bush Cat

January 18, 2014

Nick with his baby "Bush Cat", Genet

The Genet is also locally called a "bush cat".

One of the Peace Corps Volunteers spotted a young boy with a small animal which he was taking to the market to sell. The volunteer asked how much for it $2.50 was the asking price. Now he is nursing the baby with a syringe. He says the bush cat can be trained to use a litter box and as a baby becomes fixed on its handle. Now he worries about bringing it back to the U.S.