Fun facts about life in Forecariah, Guinea

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*Though Forecariah is a "city," sheep and goats wander the streets and often get in the way of cars. Any food dropped on the ground is quickly devoured by chickens, who wander into the house to escape the rain.

*The electricity comes on randomly, for an average of about 2 hours per day. I've taken to cheering when it turns on and booing when it turns off. If the current is on, the family's TV is also on, in addition to a broken radio that has been playing one of two or three cassettes for the last month and a half. Cheesy pop and dance music from Europe and the US are popular, as well as local music. The TV is tuned to either local news, music videos, or terribly cheesy soap operas dubbed over in French.

*Greetings in local languages can last up to half an hour. The typical salutation goes something like this:
"Good Morning."
"Good Morning."
"Evil did not bother you as you slept?"
"No, Evil did not bother me at all while I slept."
"You slept peacefully?"
"Evil did not bother me at all while I slept."
"You slept?"
"Allah be praised."
Then in the afternoon they ask if evil has bothered you during the day at all, how the family and the kids are, how the kids are, how the parents are, the job, the home, etc etc etc.
Also, if a conversation gets slow at any point, it is normal to revert back to "so how are you doing? You doing well? Things are good?"

*Though there are many types of food available here, Guineans prefer a diet of white rice and sauces based in lots of palm oil. There is also fish in everything - fish spaghetti, fish with rice and sauce, beans and fish. My favorite food story from another trainee is from the first night with our host families: He was eating dinner with the family from a community bowl, rice and sauce and fish heads. Knowing he would have to buck up and partake in Guinean culture at some point, he grabbed one of the fish heads and shoved it into his mouth. Trying not to look disgusted, he crunched on the skull and bones for a minute before swallowing, feeling fins and bones scraping his throat on the way down. Taking a deep breath, he looked up to see the other family members quietly picking the meat off the bone and throwing the scraps aside.

*Soured milk with crumbed corn is a tasty treat. Yes, I have lowered my standards.

*It is easier to carry a bucket of water on your head than it is to hold it by the handle. Though I still don't know how women here do it with no hands and make it look so easy!

*Nothing ever happens on time. In Kourou, we had a deal with a driver to take us 22k to Poredaka leaving at 9am. We rushed to get ready on time, cleaned up the house, and gave away our extra food. After waiting around for about 5 hours, we were hungry again. Because we were in a tiny village and it was not market day, there was no food to buy. The previous volunteer who lived in the house, however, had left us a can of creamed corn and a can of barbeque-flavored pork. We boiled it up with a few small potatoes and two ears of tough guinean corn, and split among the three of us along with a fist-sized hunk of stale bread. Yum! I'll be sure to plan ahead next time and have extra food. The car finally came around 5pm, so we waited 8 hours for the 22km ride.

*Squat latrines are probably more sanitary than American public restrooms.

*Bucket baths are nice, and very efficient.

*I just found out I can get ice cream down the street from here, so I'm out! Later, everyone!!

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