Blogs from Conakry, Guinea, Africa - page 3

After months of multiple applications, blood samples, and random jobs I arrived in Guinea last night. I'm with a group of 36 other volunteers-to-be and we all sort of freaked out when we were waiting in Philadelphia for three days at our staging. The moment we landed in Conakry though it was like coming home. All the stress and anxiety immediately disappeared. I knew right away that I'd made the right choice. The streets in the capital are crazy and crowded. People are everyone at all times of the night. Driving is hectic to saw the least. I'm extremely grateful that I'm not allowed to drive awhile I'm here. My first impressions of Guinea are incredible. I've never seen such a beautiful country. Guineans are the nicest most hospitable people you'll ever meet. We're being extremely ... read more

So it doesn't exactly feel like the holiday season because it's still hot and, well, no one here celebrates Christmas. The muslim Fete de Tabaski is coming up though - it's the day where you kill a sheep. That's all I really know about it. Everyone gets really excited to actually eat some meat. I'm sure there's some religious significance, too (Abraham and Issac story?), but people seem to be most interested in eating a sheep. I'm in Conakry for Christmas, or I might go to Freetown, Sierra Leone. We'll see. Since my last update... Thanksgiving dinner in Labe was fantastic. Our director sent a turkey to each regional capital. We also bought some fish and sacrificed a chicken. We had a vat of mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, fresh salad, stuffing, gravy, the works. We ... read more

Hey everyone! I'm visiting Conakry for my last chance to use internet until the end of September. So far the city has lots of large but dilapidated buildings, muddy streets, and cars with crazy drivers and no traffic laws. We had the rare opportuinty to go to a European supermarket where I got real cheese and yogurt!! (though it cost me a week's pay) I had fun in Labe on the rest of my site visit. Labe has a huge market that I wandered in for hours before buying some local jewelry and fabric. It is set up like a labarynth of stalls and narrow aisles, mostly covered with scrap tin that keeps most of the rain out. You can find almost anything you need there, if you spend enough time dodging crowds, pickpockets, and mudpuddles. ... read more

Where were we at? Oh, yeah, the overpriced airplane trip to Conakry. Dakar is just barely sub-Saharan, and relatively dry. Guinea is at the beginning of the rainforests, and the city itself is a finger jutting out into the ocean. I'm sure it keeps a few people cooler that way... 3 or 4 of them, if they turn the air conditioning on. I was greeted by an online acquaintance of the team - supposedly a trapper, a the only person who hadn't tried to get them to send money. He was accompanied by the airport veterinarian and some other fellow. I received an honored welcome, shuffled on past the customs agents who would have tried to extort funds from me. The fellow, like most in Guinea, hoped to gain a position in the good graces of ... read more