Mud Hut to First Home

Taking the time to turn my house into a home paid off.  I felt safe and happy in this 10 x 12 mud hut.  After 2 months of living out of a bag, I could take my stuff out of a bag and put it on the floor Haha. Not for long because my father built me a shelf, bed and a table.  Now that everything had their own place around the room I could start decorating the walls.  I put up some of my photography from my past travels and pictures of family and friends (It’s a big wall and it has plenty of room for more pictures…hint, hint). After rainy season I plan to put some color on the walls and paint some morals. Going through the process of making a house a home, I now see a as valuable part of the learning curve.

Left in a Cloud of Dust

American Waw (I have to specify because ‘waw’ means ‘yes’ in Wolof and it can get confusing when I am talking to the other volunteers if I don’t), it has been almost 1 and ½ months since I had internet access and written a blog. I told you internet would be limited.  It is probably hard to imagine since in the states we constantly have internet access, if not on our computers then on our phones.  The closet town with electricity is 25 Km and internet about 60 Km. It has been surprisingly easy to adopt to and at times enjoyable to live without electricity.  Ask me that 2 months ago and you might have gotten a very different answer.  There is a noticeable learning curve in the whole process of moving to my permanent site.  The first 2 weeks started with a bit of a down slope; the fallowing weeks have exponentially continued to up slope.

Allow me to go in chronological order, from bad to good.  It all started May 14^th:

I was literally dropped off in front of my house with my luggage. The Land Cruiser was unloaded in 10 min and they were leaving in a cloud of dust. I stood there waving as the PC driver looked at me through the rearview mirror.  The first thoughts that came to my head were: ‘…and now I am alone’ and ‘now what do I do?’ I went into my room and just sat there and sweat, both from the heat and the unknown.  It was a bit of a punch in the stomach, coming from a big high of partying to feeling completely alone.  The other volunteers call it post Banjul depression (hanging out with all your friends then going back to slow village life takes a couple of days of readjustment).  It was that feeling plus being alone for the first time in a couple months.   Actually, I was the first time being alone like this ever.  I traveled to Asia, had apartments to myself, and meditated for hours but I never felt like this.   I was here to live with people I did not know, speak a language I could not really speak and do a job I did not know how to do.  You would probably feel the walls closing in on you too.     I said I would be honest and I am not ashamed to say – I cried.  Two days in, a wave of emotions hit me; I sat down on the floor and cried until the tears stopped.   While it is not commonly known fact about me, it is something I do on occasion and a good cry cleanses my soul. The blog header set not false pretenses, this was the first time but it will not be the last.

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are the rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried then before – more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle.” Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Ndanka Ndanka - Slowly Slowly

Last time I wrote a post I was in Senegal, it seems as if it has been forever. A lot has change, many have come and gone but I am here only (‘I am here only’ is a common wolof phrase).

I am slowly falling in love with my new home – The Gambia.  But not only that, my new friends, the Gambian people, my host family and all the positive energy. [Allow me to be a pessimist for a minute: I have yet to begin actual work, start projects, teach classes & etc. Getting things done, from what I hear, is the most frustrating part. I am still in the honeymoon stage, where I am just hanging out, learning language and getting to know people. But as I said from the very beginning, I am going to take it one step at a time and do my best to enjoy every step I take.]

It is difficult to re-cap a months time but I will my best to give you a little taste of my adventure: A 10 hour bus ride brought us from Theis, Senegal to Kambo, The Gambia.  We arrived just in time to see our first sunset over the beautiful Gambia beach.  We then spent the next 4 days getting to know the staff and learning the greater Banjul area.  The next 2 weeks were spent at our training villages. (Which is usually 2 months but with my group spent half the time in Senegal and half the time in Gambia)

I lived with the Gaye family, whom I immediately connected with.  Speaking some English made a big difference when I was trying to get to know my 7 brothers and sisters.  In training village we spent about 7 hours of the day with our language teacher because training villages in Gambia we eat lunches together.  It was a lot of hard work and structured planned days but it paid off because our language skills started to really improve.

After the first week of training village we embarked one of the many The Gambia PC traditions – The Marathon March!  It was an epic 13 mile (plus) hike through salt flats were the mud was so deep you would sink down to your knees (for me at least but waist for those that aren’t  6’4”).  We trekked through mangroves and had to swim a certain points because the water was high.  The way I would describe the trek is what you would see in a movie: A group adventure seeking Americans walking across picturesque African scenery coming across small grass hut villages and little boys with machetes and all.   It was exhausting but a ton of fun and a great bonding experience.

A few days later we all went on a field trip/tour of Gambia to see medical facilities and projects other volunteers were working on.  It was an eye opening experience in terms of the health care system or lack there of.  That is probably why they only send the healthiest volunteers to The Gambia.  As scary as the whole task of starting a successful project is, some of the volunteers are really doing a great job.  Taking the time to plan and get to know the community really pays off.  Slowly, slowly things will happen and change.

Now I am sitting here at my permanent site on a 4 day site visit. I have had the chance to get to know my family and visit with the village chief and elders.  My site has never had a PCV but from this first visit they seem extremely excited to have me.  I have yet to mention this but on several occasions I have done African dancing and it has been a hit!  I guess I just naturally know how to dance to the beat of an African drum.   The women go crazy, it’s not normal for men to dance in this culture, so they like it when this crazy toubob (foreigner) gets up there and dances.  I have already been to two different weddings and had a dance off at each of them.  One of the weddings was at my site visit and for a moment I stole the show from the bride.  I danced my way into their hearts (corny but so true, the next day everyone was talking about it).

Very soon I will swear in as an official volunteer. We have a few days of celebration and then I officially move into my new home.  Looking back it doesn’t seem like it is moving slowly, slowly but more like quickly, quickly.

Jamaa Rek

PS As I sit here and write this post on a piece of paper, I am watching my 7 y/o cousin chase my 3 y/o naked sister around the compound after her shower. After a 20 min struggle she is just as dirty as she started.

Site Announcement

It has been a great week of technical health information here at the training center in Theis, Senegal.  I wanted to pass some information along to y’ll before I head out to The Gambia and have limited internet access.  But first I wanted to make a couple comments on the recent pictures I have posted.

That was my home stay family from Bayahk.  I had 3 brothers, one older sister and a single mother.  The father had passed away some years ago from unknown causes.  I was there first Peace Corps home stay and it was most defiantly a learning process for us all.  Despite the challenge of language, they accepted me as their own.  I was told on one occasion to put my pants up by my mom and I received several worried phone calls when I was out past dark.

The morning of my departure I had to wake the family up to say good bye at 7 AM. Frazzled from me barging in to say good bye, they all jump to action and grabbed my belongings, not allowing me to carry anything to the bus.  As I approached the PC bus, full volunteers, I had an entourage following me with all my bags and everyone on the bus was either laughing or ooo-ing and aww-ing.  Once we got all my stuff on board, it was time for final good byes but hugging is not a common place thing here in Africa.  Even though I know hugs were not big here, I still gave each one of them a big bear hug so they couldn’t escape the awkward moment.  We finely pulled away and little Omar dragged his feet, looking back 3 times as we drove away in a cloud of dust.  It’s going to be harder and harder to say good bye to the people I meet along the way but can always leave knowing that I have been changed by them and hope that I have made an impact on their lives. You always wish you have more time but I am starting to realize how important it is to make use of the time you already have.

On much much happier news…I just found out WHERE I will be living for the next 2 years!!! I am in the North Bank region in The Gambia YAY!  I will be starting a new village that has had some contact with PCV and is very excited for my arrival.  I have been told that the village is super motivated to do projects and get things started.  My focus will be based in nutrition, pre/post natal care and rehydration.  I cannot give y’ll much information about it yet but don’t you worry…there will be 2 whole years of info to come!

On news of other small achievements, I gave myself my first hair cut and yes I literally did it all myself (accept squaring off the back and cutting off the neck hair Nicole hates so much)!  These small achievements are what I like to think of as the small pieces of the big puzzle that will shape my service as a PC member and my life as a whole.

Jama Rek 

The Family

From Left to Right:  Amed              Omar                  Pap                 Gundo                       Ndey Jobe

Let it Begin

The first post in Africa! I have been here for about a month and if this month is any indication of what the rest of the 26 months will be like – it will be an amazing journey!

I have to first apologize for taking so long to write this first post.  You can say part of my process is full immersion; I found it difficult to pull myself away from culture and relationship building to write a post. I also felt like there was not much to tell, other than my struggle with language and that it is damn hot.  But now . . . my language skills are growing, I have been living at a home stay for 2 weeks and I have been laughed at more than I would like to say.  

The arrival to Africa started with 65 Americans stumbling off a plane at the break of dawn.  After 8 hours we were all well acquainted and very tired.  With no departure tunnel, we stepped off onto a misty tarmac with a strong odder of fish.  With a big smile on my face I headed towards customs, already sweating, I thought to myself ‘Welcome to Fucking Africa! (Sorry for the profanity but I did say this was going to be the raw story [I will try not to do it again but it was just too good to leave out])

We were then stationed in Theis (~70 Km east of Dakar) for the next 2 weeks at a Peace Corps training center.  At the center we hit the ground running with about 6 hours of technical training, cultural training and language every day.   I was reminded each session how humbling it was to be selected to work with some of the most energetic knowledgeable and open minded staff and volunteers alike.  I sit in the classroom, garden, disco hut or wherever we may have a class and just try to absorb the energy in the room (…hut or whichever location). I am truly honored and lucky to have this opportunity.

I now understand what everyone meant when they said this will be one of the most challenging things I will ever do.  Try learning a new language in foreign culture in 90 degree weather.  At the same time, start a new diet and take away all common comforts you are used to.  And to top it all off you are dyslexic!  At that point you will understand about 5% what I am going through.  Here is the kicker, I love it.   It’s miserable, hard and uncomfortable but I couldn’t feel more alive at this moment then Right Now!

One story that sticks out is about my little Senegalese brother, Omar.  I had a particularly rough day with language and I was on the verge of having my first real break down.  I was sitting on my bed and he came in my room like he always does with no understanding of my personal space (in the American sense).   He just started cleaning but let me help understand, there are very defined gender lines and cleaning is not a male job, let alone a little boy.  Omar has been the one who has really taken care of me.  He has the hand gestures for eat, sleep and shower down.  At that moment, when I was at a low point, he did it again – he took care of me.

While a lot is growing/changing around me and inside me, my thoughts and prayers are with all of you on a daily bases. I hope you are all health and happy.

Jaama Rek – Peace only

A Letter to Family & Friends

Dear Friends and Family,

  Two weeks from now I will be getting on a plane for Washington DC and four days after that I depart for Africa.  I cannot explain to you how excited and nervous I am to begin this journey. I literally cannot explain these feeling because to be honest, I do not understand them nor do I understand the full extent of the experience to come.

I want to first start by thanking each and every one of you for being a part of my life.  In some way big or small you have all added to the story and in part helped mold me into the man I am today.  I cannot thank you enough!  The Peace Corps suggests that as a volunteer you have a support system/network of people that will aid in your journey and projects.  I would be honored if you would all be my support system.  Accepting this challenge not only pledges your words of encouragement when I experience lows in my journey but also participation in my in country projects.    I do not know what my projects might be and I will not even attempt to try and guess.  As my prospective projects are ambiguous at this point, all that I ask of you is that I will have your support.

I have started a blog on behalf of my journey in the Peace Corps.  With limited internet access this will be your best way to follow my progression through the PC.  I have already posted 2 entries detailing the timeline and my reasons for joining the PC.  I hope you enjoy it and please understand I will have limited internet access (once every one to two months). Please excuse the spelling mistakes and grammatical errors because I will not have much time for editing and as most of you know, I am dyslexic.

www.jwpcorps.blogspot.com

If you feel so inclined to send me letters or packages please be aware of this information.  Letters take between 6 to 8 weeks to arrive and packages can take up to 3 months.  Theft within the African postal service is a big problem, so please take these precautions:  Sequentially number all packages and envelopes.  The most cost-effective way to send packages is to use flat-rate boxes.  Use a lot of tape.  If you can, please remove items from their packaging. Trash is a problem.  Write address information on the outside in red ink, it is said to be superstitious to West Africans to open a package with red writing.  When listing the contents of the box on a customs form, list the least valuable items first to deter a package handler’s interest.  You may also want to list an item of religious content, another superstition.  Please do not attempt to send any items in the first 2 ½ month because at that time I will be in Senegal for training and it will be hard to receive these items.  After my training is complete, please send any mailings to this address:

Justin Wellins, PCV

C/O Peace Corps/The Gambia

P.O. Box 582

Banjul, The Gambia

West Africa

            Feel free to email me at anytime once I leave March 7th for Africa but please be patient because my response time will be very slow.  If you have any more questions, words of advice, encouragement or a quick goodbye, I will have unlimited internet for the next four weeks.

Thank you so very much for being a part of my life, I will miss you all and I look forward to hearing from you all very soon.

Love,

Justin Wellins