There are many things I do here that completely baffle Sierra Leoneans (and to be fair they do many a thing that baffle me, it's all part of the cultural exchange). I've already mentioned that I spend copious amounts of time reading, for fun, which is a relatively odd activity here. This is not a reading culture; partly, I would assume, due to the lack of materials--functioning libraries and bookstores are few and far between. Whenever a Sierra Leonean refers to my reading they call it studying, which is indicative of the fact that when they read it is usually to study notes from class (although from the blank stares I get at school they're not reading notes from my class).
To further confuse people, I do not get cold. Somehow they can't understand how I'm never cold, even though the temperature never drops below 80 and is generally in the 90s. Apparently December and January get cold from the Harmattan, winds off the Sahara, which causes people to walk around in winter hats and snow suits. I will be interested to see if 'cold' means 50s-60s, or if it will actually mean cold as I know it.
Baffling activity #3: I pet/kiss/dote on my kittens. Granted, in the states I probably coddle cats more than I should (feed them too much, don't kick them off my bed, etc.) but here it's a community event to watch me pick up a kitten and cuddle it. People literally stop in the street and watch me if I do this on my front porch. To give you and idea of how Sierra Leoneans, in general, view pets, a couple weeks ago one of my neighbor girls asked me if I was going to eat my cats. The answer, for any of you in doubt, is emphatically 'no.'
Another thing I do that confuses Sierra Leoneans is eat pitifully small amounts of food. When I say 'pitifully small' I mean by their standards. I can't eat 5 cups of rice in one sitting. I've gotten several lectures from my neighbor, Pa Kanu, about how Africans love rice. For another example, I had Nana (Pa Kanu's wife) boil a bunch of plantains for me, with the intent to share most of it with them. About an hour later I got presented with a plate with the equivalent of 3 boiled plantains. These plantains were not small, and I had already eaten a healthy portion of rice, so I only at about 2/3 of a plantain before I foisted the leftovers back on to Nana. Nana's puzzled looks led me to explain that I was full, promptly followed by a round of raucous laughter from Nana. For those of you who know me I by no means am a shy eater, so being told I don't eat enough is a new experience for me.
Baffling activity #5: I'm white. This is not so much an activity as a state of being, but it will never cease to amuse the children in my community. Last week I was walking through town when I had a heard of children run up to me, furiously rub their arm with one finger, then wipe it on me. Pretty sure they were trying to turn me black. Also, whenever I get a sunburn I tell people I'm trying to turn black like them, which is highly entertaining. Sunburns in themselves are baffling--my host sisters in Makeni were very upset the first time they saw my sunburn. Oh, to be a pale white girl in Africa.
Teaching update: I finally have a time-table with a schedule of classes to teach! Some semblance of structure is very exciting for me. So far my classes have been ok. I have assumed the first term will mostly be an adjustment period--the students getting used to me and me figuring out how to most effectively teach. Students in Sierra Leone learn differently than how we're taught in America. Mostly they learn through rote memorization--teachers put notes up on the board and they memorize it word for word. However, in my experience, they rarely understand the concept or the words they are repeating. Whereas in America we are hit over the head with analyzing and processing information. Teaching, here, for me, will have to be a compromise between giving them information to memorize and coaxing out some analytical thought or brainpower. Although, after years of being taught to learn this way I've got my work cut out for me. Should be fun! I will at some point (hopefully soon) do an entire blog update on teaching: what the classes are like, what I'm learning, what the environment is like, etc.
A shout-out to Annie and Keri: you guys are the best friends a girl in Africa could hope for! Your packages are manna from the bowels of God himself. (Bowels may not be where you want your manna to originate, but it's the first thing I thought of, so bowels it will stay. Plus, God's bowel's can't be that bad, right?)
To further confuse people, I do not get cold. Somehow they can't understand how I'm never cold, even though the temperature never drops below 80 and is generally in the 90s. Apparently December and January get cold from the Harmattan, winds off the Sahara, which causes people to walk around in winter hats and snow suits. I will be interested to see if 'cold' means 50s-60s, or if it will actually mean cold as I know it.
Baffling activity #3: I pet/kiss/dote on my kittens. Granted, in the states I probably coddle cats more than I should (feed them too much, don't kick them off my bed, etc.) but here it's a community event to watch me pick up a kitten and cuddle it. People literally stop in the street and watch me if I do this on my front porch. To give you and idea of how Sierra Leoneans, in general, view pets, a couple weeks ago one of my neighbor girls asked me if I was going to eat my cats. The answer, for any of you in doubt, is emphatically 'no.'
Another thing I do that confuses Sierra Leoneans is eat pitifully small amounts of food. When I say 'pitifully small' I mean by their standards. I can't eat 5 cups of rice in one sitting. I've gotten several lectures from my neighbor, Pa Kanu, about how Africans love rice. For another example, I had Nana (Pa Kanu's wife) boil a bunch of plantains for me, with the intent to share most of it with them. About an hour later I got presented with a plate with the equivalent of 3 boiled plantains. These plantains were not small, and I had already eaten a healthy portion of rice, so I only at about 2/3 of a plantain before I foisted the leftovers back on to Nana. Nana's puzzled looks led me to explain that I was full, promptly followed by a round of raucous laughter from Nana. For those of you who know me I by no means am a shy eater, so being told I don't eat enough is a new experience for me.
Baffling activity #5: I'm white. This is not so much an activity as a state of being, but it will never cease to amuse the children in my community. Last week I was walking through town when I had a heard of children run up to me, furiously rub their arm with one finger, then wipe it on me. Pretty sure they were trying to turn me black. Also, whenever I get a sunburn I tell people I'm trying to turn black like them, which is highly entertaining. Sunburns in themselves are baffling--my host sisters in Makeni were very upset the first time they saw my sunburn. Oh, to be a pale white girl in Africa.
Teaching update: I finally have a time-table with a schedule of classes to teach! Some semblance of structure is very exciting for me. So far my classes have been ok. I have assumed the first term will mostly be an adjustment period--the students getting used to me and me figuring out how to most effectively teach. Students in Sierra Leone learn differently than how we're taught in America. Mostly they learn through rote memorization--teachers put notes up on the board and they memorize it word for word. However, in my experience, they rarely understand the concept or the words they are repeating. Whereas in America we are hit over the head with analyzing and processing information. Teaching, here, for me, will have to be a compromise between giving them information to memorize and coaxing out some analytical thought or brainpower. Although, after years of being taught to learn this way I've got my work cut out for me. Should be fun! I will at some point (hopefully soon) do an entire blog update on teaching: what the classes are like, what I'm learning, what the environment is like, etc.
A shout-out to Annie and Keri: you guys are the best friends a girl in Africa could hope for! Your packages are manna from the bowels of God himself. (Bowels may not be where you want your manna to originate, but it's the first thing I thought of, so bowels it will stay. Plus, God's bowel's can't be that bad, right?)
yay Erica I'm so glad you got your birthday package. Hopefully the milk traveled well--we were afraid it was going to explode & ruin everything. Miss you so much & so glad you're having a great time. Can't wait to hear all about your teaching adventures in your next blog.
ReplyDelete-Keri
PS- You know those weird looks you get while reading in Africa---pretty sure Annie & I used to give those to you all the time here in the States too. haha! :)
PS #2- I love your kitty! So adorable!