A Walk in the Jungle

Hello all! Well, it was definitely an adjustment being back at site after visiting the states. I found myself getting very homesick and missing everyone/thing back home. After about a month at site, time passed quickly (at times) and it seemed like I had visited the states months before, not just a few weeks prior.

I must admit I was disappointed when I returned to my site and no one asked me about the meetings I had told the village I would be having when I went to the city. I had hoped that they would ask me about them, when we could get started, how they could help, etc., and was discouraged when there was no interest. So, I began telling the villagers about what I had discussed with a few of the organizations anyway. After talking with PAHO, who I had hoped would work with me on a water project, I was informed that they wouldn’t be starting any new projects in my area on the river due to lack of funding. My contact at the organization returned to the Netherlands and was hoping to return with funding (sometime in the next 2 years). For this reason, I began looking into alternative funding and am thinking that I will more than likely use the Peace Corps Partnership Program for this project. While I still am in the beginning stages, I am trying to get started on this asap. I am talking to business, trying to come up with the cost of the project, and looking for donations from local business in regards to fuel and transportation costs. (Transporting the tanks will be between a 4-7 hour drive and then a 10 minute boat ride. The length of time depends on the condition of the muddy Afobaka road, which runs from the capital to the ‘port’ at the river where I live. During the rainy season, the road is a mess and the vans constantly get stuck and get flat tires. It is not a very fun trip!) This program requires the village to provide 25% of the required funding and receives the remainder of funding from various donors. I also had a meeting with the National Women’s Group in regards to a rice mill. The organization wanted to focus on a preschool, but as a volunteer I felt it was better to start smaller with the mill. I was concerned with the length of time it can take to complete the funding and building process, and was unsure about the time commitment from the village for such a lengthy project. If the mill goes well, I told the village we would then begin to look at larger projects.

I had a meeting with the heads of the village and it went well. I got some commitments from women who wanted to be trained on the rice mill, volunteers to build a shed to house it, and someone to sit in on proposal writing. The last task was the hardest, and it took several tries to convey that when I was gone, I wanted to know who was going to be able to ask organizations to help them with future projects, that I wanted to be sure if they needed things in the future, they would know how to go about asking for it. I was also glad to hear that the village thought that my language was better. It was a bit nerve racking to be talking in front of 30ish people in a foreign language, but with the help of my counterpart I was able to discuss everything I needed to.

I started teaching English lessons and am enjoying it. I have to say there are plenty of times I am up in front of 10-15 rowdy kids and I am wondering how my friends at home can teach for 8 hours a day (lessons are 1 hour, 2x/week). There are some students that are really impressing me with their desire to learn and how well they are understanding the lessons. There are others that bring me back to reality of the school systems there when after years of schooling they are still unsure of some of the letters of the alphabet. My grandma had sent magnetic letters (the kind you put on the fridge when you are little) and I put them in a bag and told the kids to pull one out, name the letter and something that started with that (in Saramaccan since their English vocab is tiny still). Some could, some couldn’t. We are going to be partnering with a Bessie Ellison in St. Joe and starting a pen-pal program. My friend Erica Matthias is a fourth grade teacher there and I think we are all excited to start writing. The kids are excited to have ‘friends’ in the states and ask if I will take them back with me to meet them when I leave.

As usual I try and do activities in the village. A few weeks ago I was relaxing in my hammock (pretty common) and a bunch of kids came running by with huge buckets. A few of them stop and tell me that they are going back into the jungle bc some men killed a huge wild boar. (Actually there were 2). Since I am always trying to ‘integrate’ I thought this would be a good way for the village to see that I am interested in things. I had gone to church that morning and had only eaten breakfast and had drunk little water at this point. I figured maybe it would be an hour or 2 walk into the jungle. I was wrong. I followed the kids and they are basically running to get to the animals bf the others do. I have on flip flops, and since we are in jungle, there are fallen trees, thorns, creeks, tree roots and ruts everywhere, so I have to walk slower and keep my eyes on the ground. A lot of the kids don’t even have shoes on, which amazes me. I am trying to keep up, but after about 2 hours of weaving on paths (they don’t even look like paths to me-we are trekking right through the middle of the jungle, ducking under tree limbs and climbing over vines. A few times I was at the head of the group, but had to stop bc I had no idea where I was even supposed to take my next step.) I was getting tired (keep in mind on a normal day of activity I walk maybe .25-.5 miles max) and super thirsty. After going to 3 different spots, we finally found the animals, and a group of older adults. A lot of them were surprised to see me yet, they seemed glad. By this time, its 6 pm and in my mind I keep thinking how it gets dark at 7. And how I could hardly find my way on the walk there when it was light out. I leave when the first group heads back (the animal way cut up and everyone –minus me- is carrying back huge chunks of it, some in buckets, others flour sacks, some just with legs slung over their shoulders). They put me in the middle of the group and I start to get worried when I can’t see the purple shirt in front of me that I have been following bc of the darkness. They keep calling out and asking where I am – and I respond by saying ‘I’m here’. Eventually it is pitch black, and my body is tired of walking for 5 hours. There were a few creeks that we passed, but they were stagnant so I didn’t drink any of the water, fearing I would get sick, so I am verrry thirsty. The girl that I followed there (about 13) takes my hand and leads me through the jungle for the entire was back. If she hadn’t, there is no way I would have been completely lost. She’s barefoot and feeling the path with her feet, since she is at the head of the group. She’s wearing a white shirt, but eventually I can’t even see that bc it’s so dark. She tells me about fallen trees and ditches, normally right at the time I mind them with my toes (needless to say my feet were very torn up after this!) We take a path different from the rest of the group bc supposedly it leads to the river and we can take a boat back to the village. At one point someone says the boat isn’t there and I picture myself sleeping in the middle of the jungle bc the idea of turning around seems rediculious. About half an hour later, I hear the river and then see the boat. I can’t think of a recent time when I have been happier! The 20 or so of us pile into the boat and take the 15 min ride back to Gengestone. When we get there, I notice that the electricity isn’t on (like the night before). I make my way up to my house and everyone greets me, tells me to go sit and drink water, and tells me I shouldn’t go that far into the jungle again. (Before we left, my neighbor asked if I could walk, and I think she means for a little while, on a path, not 6 hours through the jungle-I guess I should have asked more questions first!) I am literally exhausted and can feel my body being dehydrated. As soon as I walk in the door, my dad calls, and as much as I wanted to chat, my bones were tired and I was covered in mud, so I didn’t get to chat. I think it is safe to say that I won’t be heading that far bar in the jungle for awhile- or if I do I will definitely be prepared first! So that is my real jungle adventure thus far.

I want to that everyone for the care packages! Beth and Nic the one you sent was delicious and gone very quickly. I think the word was spread how I like Oreo’s bc I got 3 packages of them between all the boxes! I really appreciate you girls sending things – it always makes me so happy when I get mail- package of just a letter! Em- the stationary is super cute and very crafty of you! Elgin I am very excited to watch the entire season of Seinfeld but I am keep it quiet that I have it- I have a feeling that it would be a hot commodity! All you Smiths- the package you send was I think the largest one they have probably gotten at the peace corps office- you can never have enough beef jerky and nuts! Mom and Frank that you for all the goodies and treats! It was like Christmas in January when I got your box!! The speakers are perfect! American Family, I was so surprised and excited to receive a package from you! My mom told me how you all surprised her and how she got emotional, and that of course made me get teary eyed too! I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and am so glad that my mom has such amazing people to work with! I have shared some of the treats with other volunteers who don’t get as many goodies in the mail- and I think the favorite was the People magazine! And m&m’s- they taste different here! Again thank you and I am sure my mom has given you all hugs! UMAR- thanks for everything- I am glad that homeland security decided to let it through the 2nd time! The Adams’- thank you very much for the things that you included in Joe’s package- I was so excited for the mac and cheese- and the ornament is very pretty! Thanks to everyone for the Christmas cards and letters! Elizabeth -thank you for the card! I feel so lucky to have you all in my life! Hope all is well- this has been quite the post!!!