27 Sep 12
Brief highlights:
Inherited project update: they built a garden, formed a garden committee, repaired the well and hand pump... it's actually been cool to see them erect this all with very little of my input or help!
I assisted in killing my first rat, my host sister helped/did most of it as I barely had the heart to. He/she was driving me crazy the last four months but the bugger was kind of cute. Just, not a suitable roommate ya know?
PC is coming up tomorrow to change out the white wooded window frames and door frame for red wooded ones as this type of wood is less tasty for termites. PLUS I get a free PC ride which is such a huge bonus compared to public transport!! Just coming in this time to submit a status report of the inherited garden project took EIGHT hours! That's not that bad but you know, it's a small country!
I think we've seen the last of the rains. Sneaky thing or things left without much of a warning. We were so lucky this year, almost too much, with plentiful hearty rains. As much of a pain they could be at times with the constant wetness/sogginess, mold and thick humidity, it was really nice and they will be greatly missed. I'm almost in disbelief, if we have seen the last of them, that we won't see them again for another 8-10 months! Painful. But 'cold season' is just around the corner. After getting caught in a mild rain and soaked I found myself shivering pretty impressively for a formerly claimed AK girl. Suppose I really am acclimating. Still it's nice to feel cold sometimes you know? Especially when it's a rare treat.
New environment volunteers arrive tomorrow. A group of ten. My group (20), the most recent education group (20), and this group are all very close to each other. It's kind of nuts! The training schedule got temporarily de-railed due to the joint training of my group in Senegal. But Gambia PC training will find it's stride in due time, Inshallah.
My host father let me talk him into planting FIVE Leuceana trees in his corn field! And that was inspired by him recruiting me to help him plant a Mango tree he had in a poly pot! That was actually super awesome. It was probably the most broken wolof I could have tried to speak but it worked. Leuceana is a great ally cropping or live fencing tree species as it has nutritious leaves that give back to the soil as well as a root system that symbiotically lives with bacteria that help fix nitrogen further giving back to the soil. And it has very light shade cover and a not invasive root system that corn or whatever can grow right amongst it. As agfo (agroforestry) volunteers we try to support ally cropping or any tree planting as much as possible as it helps stabilize soil and in most cases can provide food to both livestock and humans, helps the water table and eventually with enough trees, can help bring more rains as you are increasing the amount of evapo-transpiration in an area. They also can use trees of course for firewood and structures, but we're trying to not promote that use as much.. Did I ever mention how much I love trees...?
My host father then tells me, too late for this year now I think, that he wants to plant cashew trees! I tried to get him to do this earlier but he didn't seem interested. Not sure what has changed but he seems much more interested now! I don't think I can do justice explaining what a victory it was for me, a foreign woman playing role of host daughter, to be asked by and work with a Gambian man playing the role of host father. Even if I was Gambian it would be unlikely for my father to listen to me as a female. So yes, super duper exciting! He's a most excellent hard working thorough farmer and even better host father. Peace Corps, it is not always easy; ok it's rarely easy, but I feel very lucky given my placement, family, and community. Even with the rats and termites... pesky buggers.
Hope everyone had enjoyable summers and are getting ready for "harvest season" aka fall (lower 48) and winter (ak). May you stay warm, see beautiful fall leaf colors, amazing northern light displays if you are in an area to see that, and enjoy good company with family and friends around warm fires, delicious food and beverages. Amin amin.
Brief highlights:
Inherited project update: they built a garden, formed a garden committee, repaired the well and hand pump... it's actually been cool to see them erect this all with very little of my input or help!
I assisted in killing my first rat, my host sister helped/did most of it as I barely had the heart to. He/she was driving me crazy the last four months but the bugger was kind of cute. Just, not a suitable roommate ya know?
PC is coming up tomorrow to change out the white wooded window frames and door frame for red wooded ones as this type of wood is less tasty for termites. PLUS I get a free PC ride which is such a huge bonus compared to public transport!! Just coming in this time to submit a status report of the inherited garden project took EIGHT hours! That's not that bad but you know, it's a small country!
I think we've seen the last of the rains. Sneaky thing or things left without much of a warning. We were so lucky this year, almost too much, with plentiful hearty rains. As much of a pain they could be at times with the constant wetness/sogginess, mold and thick humidity, it was really nice and they will be greatly missed. I'm almost in disbelief, if we have seen the last of them, that we won't see them again for another 8-10 months! Painful. But 'cold season' is just around the corner. After getting caught in a mild rain and soaked I found myself shivering pretty impressively for a formerly claimed AK girl. Suppose I really am acclimating. Still it's nice to feel cold sometimes you know? Especially when it's a rare treat.
New environment volunteers arrive tomorrow. A group of ten. My group (20), the most recent education group (20), and this group are all very close to each other. It's kind of nuts! The training schedule got temporarily de-railed due to the joint training of my group in Senegal. But Gambia PC training will find it's stride in due time, Inshallah.
My host father let me talk him into planting FIVE Leuceana trees in his corn field! And that was inspired by him recruiting me to help him plant a Mango tree he had in a poly pot! That was actually super awesome. It was probably the most broken wolof I could have tried to speak but it worked. Leuceana is a great ally cropping or live fencing tree species as it has nutritious leaves that give back to the soil as well as a root system that symbiotically lives with bacteria that help fix nitrogen further giving back to the soil. And it has very light shade cover and a not invasive root system that corn or whatever can grow right amongst it. As agfo (agroforestry) volunteers we try to support ally cropping or any tree planting as much as possible as it helps stabilize soil and in most cases can provide food to both livestock and humans, helps the water table and eventually with enough trees, can help bring more rains as you are increasing the amount of evapo-transpiration in an area. They also can use trees of course for firewood and structures, but we're trying to not promote that use as much.. Did I ever mention how much I love trees...?
My host father then tells me, too late for this year now I think, that he wants to plant cashew trees! I tried to get him to do this earlier but he didn't seem interested. Not sure what has changed but he seems much more interested now! I don't think I can do justice explaining what a victory it was for me, a foreign woman playing role of host daughter, to be asked by and work with a Gambian man playing the role of host father. Even if I was Gambian it would be unlikely for my father to listen to me as a female. So yes, super duper exciting! He's a most excellent hard working thorough farmer and even better host father. Peace Corps, it is not always easy; ok it's rarely easy, but I feel very lucky given my placement, family, and community. Even with the rats and termites... pesky buggers.
Hope everyone had enjoyable summers and are getting ready for "harvest season" aka fall (lower 48) and winter (ak). May you stay warm, see beautiful fall leaf colors, amazing northern light displays if you are in an area to see that, and enjoy good company with family and friends around warm fires, delicious food and beverages. Amin amin.
Things seem to be going well with you agfo projects and your family.
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