Right, I know, not much of a hiatus, but as difficult as it was to try to put this experience into words, I realized that it was selfish not to share my life here with those who helped me get here, those who are considering a similar path, and those who want to know how they can help within the confines of their particular environment. And, with every passing day, I feel more and more secure here, thus better equipped to cope with the duel lives I'm leading while writing a blog that connects me with home and living in a village in Sierra Leone. Just to remind everyone, I remain a floundering, somewhere-in-the-neighborhood-of-average writer struggling to find the words to share what is, to-date, the defining experience of my life. So thanks for bearing with me, thanks for the encouragement, let's get on with it.
IT IS HOT AS HELL HERE!! We knew we had it good during the rainy season, but man oh man, we had no idea how good. The dry season is like that a-hole neighbor in the downstairs apartment who starts dating your ex-girlfriend roughly two weeks after you broke-up. Come on, dry season, let me at least move my stuff out of her apartment first! Anyway, it got hot, and fast. But lots of fun things have been going on, so I'll live. I'm the goalkeeper for the Bauya Football Club, and before you spit your drink out on the screen and start convulsing with laughter, let me remind you that in my better days I was a halfway decent volleyball player, so I'm pretty good with my hands. The real trouble starts, however, when that pesky ball comes anywhere near my feet. Either way, my record thus far is 2-0-1 as a keeper, and I'm freakin loving it. The best part is that, due to the lighter shade of black I wear on my skin, people expect me to be way more useless on the football field than I am. That, and when we play neighboring villages, my skin color is, in itself, a hilarious distraction that the opposing team really struggles to ignore. So I'm having lots of fun with all of that.
As far as school goes, things are going pretty well. Unfortunately, I resigned as the vice principal of St. Peter's last month, but the school is running smoothly and my outlook has improved significantly. The brief reign of Mr. Surba as VP was marred by rampant corruption, information suppression, and ultimately, a coup d'etat. Just kidding. It did create unforeseen problems though. I found myself in between the teachers and the principal on a number of issues as well as between the community and my principal on another issue. What I had to remind myself is that my job is literally to come here and make friends, and as an administrator, one often finds themselves having to make decisions that piss people off. So I kicked that job to the curb and refocused my attention on the classroom and the development of my school.
In the development department, thanks to the help of family and friends back home, we are moving with a full head of steam in the right direction. First, one Ethan “Class Act” Wright donated the money to purchase two soccer balls for my school to play with. We have some fabulous players in the school, but their skills really don't shine when they're basically kicking around a deflated balloon. Next up, we have the infamously-inseparable duel, Patrick Brown and Carla Reed. While simultaneously losing their cookies and becoming more enlightened than any of us, they managed to donate the money to give my school a MUCH needed once-over. We're lacking some pretty basic stuff here (doors to the classrooms, who needs 'em!), but you have to start somewhere, so thanks to Pat and Car for shoving us in the pool. Moving on, and while it's just in the preliminary stages, a huge thanks to Mark Lie, Jeff Skelton, Allessandro Fard, and Matt Wright, for your not-so-unbelievably enthusiastic response to my request for website development help. Very soon, instead of having to avoid drooling on your keyboard while you sleep through a blog post of mine, you will be able to keep tabs on St. Peter's by going to their very own website. Really awesome stuff brought to you by current and former employees of www.Mota.com, a kick ass website that basically sells your used car for you (that's not free advertising, Reza, I'm going to be hitting you up next year when I'm fund-raising for an additional building at school!). Last but not least, my right hand wo-man in the States who is really spearheading all of this on my behalf, my sister Marisa. None of this would be possible without her reading emails to me over the phone and acting as my Chief Operations Officer. To the jackasses that haven't hired her yet: thank you, you're making my job much easier!
Thank you all for putting up with that massive shout-out, and I tell you for free that all those folks are probably uncomfortable with me giving them attention for their generosity, but this place needs a bit of help. I was listening to a BBC special tonight about Sierra Leone, and the host was asking people if hard work alone can pull them out of poverty, or if they need outside help to do it. In my opinion, working hard is circumstantial (there are farmers here that work their asses off every day just to feed their kids ONCE a day, yet there are young people who don't lift a finger and complain that white people have it so good and they can't wait to go to America where things are so much easier), but the main thing my students lack is inspiration. And when Americans, who whether rightly or wrongly are idealized as the smartest and best at, well everything (except football), give not just money, but tangible goods that improve the kids' lives on a small, yet incredibly significant, scale, it gives them a glimmer in their eye. That glimmer is inspiration.
For the most part, the people in Bauya work hard, are eager to develop their community, and are unconditionally devoted to their families. Their greatest attribute, however, is their ability to smile and joke about anything and everything. Sure, they'll complain about their situation (one that most would call trying, at best), but they'll be laughing while they do it and shoving whatever food they have in your mouth. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly the community needs (the school needs are much more clear- a new building with a computer lab and library – Project St. Peter's 2011!), but whether or not you believe in them, they believe in themselves, they believe in their family, and they believe in Salone.
As always, thank you for reading, thank you for your support, and thank you for your love. It is always felt. Oh, and Merry Christmas!! I'll be spending my first Christmas in Bauya and couldn't be happier about it. Be well, have a wonderful holiday, catch up with you in 2011!
Peace and Love,
Surba
