Fw: More info from Africa

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Rauk"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 8:22 AM
Subject: More info from Africa


> From: Anna Rauk [mailto:africarauk@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 6:45 AM
>
>
> Hello again!
>
> Once again, I'm on a painstakingly slow computer, and so I am going to try
> to get this out before I try to read my emails.
>
> I got my site placement. I will be living in Sokode and working in Ho
> (biking the commute), in the Volta Region on the eastern side of the
country
> (just east of Lake Volta) and not too far from the Togo border. Sokode is
a
> small village, whereas Ho is the regional capital so it is relatively
large
> (key word being relatively. Throw away your U.S. standards). I'm not
quite
> sure what to expect, because my site description says I'll be working in
> Dome, which is a neighborhood on the outskirts of Ho, and apparently its
> mostly inhabited by farmers...so maybe it will have a small village feel
> too. We'll see.
>
> My job description is still pretty vague. I will be "working with
farmers,
> women, and youth to get them more involved in natural resource management
> and conservation". So, I think it may end up being whatever I make of
> it...which could be good or bad. We'll see.
>
> There will be another volunteer in the village where I'll be living,
though
> I dont know how far away or if/how often we'll see each other yet. She is
> also an environment volunteer, and will be managing a tree nursery.
>
> Right now I am in training. I am staying in a TINY village near Swedru
with
> 4 other volunteers who are learning the same language (which, by the way,
is
> Ewe...pronounced eyvay). The village consists of fewer than 200 people,
> and I swear 2/3 of this number must be children under the age of 10. No
> exaggeration.
>
> The village is probably just about exactly what you'd imagine if someone
> were to refer to a small, poor African village. It is tiny (takes about 4
> minutes to walk all the way around it), and made up of small 1-room huts.
I
> have my own, and it is very small. Since the village is so tiny, I am
very
> close to the 4 other volunteers who are training with me. I am not sure
how
> many people sleep in these huts, because it seems that many just sleep on
> the ground outside, or on benches....I've only been here 2 nights, and my
> language classes have only just begun, so I'm still pretty in the dark
about
> details. Only a few speak English, so communication has been slow.
>
> We are followed everywhere by the children. If I sit to write a letter,
at
> least 4 or 5 will sit to watch me. If I break out my guitar.....well,
then
> I am surrounded by dancing children and adults alike! Many of the
children
> have swollen bellies from malnutrition. They get plenty to eat, but not
> much variety, and most people are not very well informed about nutrition.
> It is difficult to be taking my vitamins every day, and receiving
> supplemental food from our trainers, when I know that the people in the
> village are not getting what they need.
>
> Oh...a few of you have inquired about meds. I have been vaccinated for
> yellow fever, meningitis, hep A & B, rabies, and
> more but I can't remember. My malaria med is larium/mefloquine, and so
far
> no noticeable side effects so that's good. I'll let you know if I start
> hallucinating. And of course I sleep under a mosquito net.
>
> The animals are everywhere. The village is saturated with goats, dogs,
and
> chickens. They are everywhere. They fend for themselves, or are fed
> leftover scraps, and so most are scrawny - especially the dogs. They
don't
> eat dog in the Volta region - they are only used for hunting...they flush
> out bush rats for men to shoot.
>
> The noise during the night and morning is incredible. I am already
> adjusting to it fast. I think it is mostly the goats, and of course the
> roosters.....which start crowing around 11pm and continue through until
> morning.
>
> There is no running water or electricity at my training village, so we use
> candles or kerosene lanterns at night, and carry water from the 1 village
> pump. I have already carried a water bucket on my head! The village
women
> laugh at me ....... I'm not sure if I'm doing it wrong, or if they just
find
> it entertaining. Luckily our water pump is supplied by a bore hole, which
> means it is relatively clean and safe. If it came from a river or lake,
we
> would have to collect twice as much, to let it sit for 2-3 days while the
> schistosoma died, or we'd get schistosomiasis. No good.
>
> It sounds like, since my 2-year site is so close to Ho (the regional
> capital), I may actually have running water and/or electricity, at least
> part time. It is going to feel like the Radison after these first few
> months.
>
> I am doing well. The language barrier is frustrating, and so is the
> cultural one, but its something I'm going to have to get used to. But I
> tell ya - this is one great country to be serving in. Everything is
> community-oriented. Once you get out of the touristy areas, it is much
> better. If I need to find someplace, I simply ask someone....and more
> likely than not, they will take my hand and lead me there, even if it is
> miles out of their way. If they don't know where it is, they will ask
those
> around them, and pretty soon someone will be able to help. If I am on the
> tro-tro (the public bus) and don't know where my stop is, all of the other
> passengers will talk to the mate (the driver's partner, who sits by the
door
> and collects money) to tell him where to let me off. If you ask someone
> standing next to you how much you should expect to pay for a taxi, they
will
> probably talk to the taxi driver themselves to make sure you get a fair
> rate.
>
> But I know that it will be a completely new experience once training ends.
> Right now, I still have the safety of the other volunteers right next
door.
> I have to resist the temptation to do everything as pairs. But we are all
> gradually getting better at branching out and trying to use our limited
> language skills to meet people. And the people are so warm and inviting,
I
> have no doubts that I will do fine.
>
> Oh. I forgot to tell you...my host dad is the chief's son. So I am a
> princess. :-)
>
> Well, I think that's good for today. In case anyone needs a refresher,
> here's my address again
>
> Anna Rauk
> c/o Peace Corps/Ghana
> P.O. Box 5796
> Accra North, Ghana
> West Africa
>
> Postage costs 80 cents.
>
> Better send this.
>
> Love you.
>
> -Anna-
>
>