This past weekend, I was in Kaolack. It was a cool day…
Just so you know what that means, I spilled a significant amount of water on my pants and after a 5 minute taxi ride, it was completely dry. And I said that was a “cool day”. Not like it really matters because another 5 minutes later I had sweat through my pants…
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Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Return of an American Musical Ico
I never thought I would ever be sharing headphones with another dude, listening to KC and JoJo, and thoroughly enjoying the experience. But that’s exactly what happened yesterday and the moment made my day and possibly my entire week.
Just picture me in Africa, rocking out to middle school slow dance songs with a big Senegalese man. That should be a vivid enough image…
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Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
Just picture me in Africa, rocking out to middle school slow dance songs with a big Senegalese man. That should be a vivid enough image…
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
Journées Nationales de Vaccination contre le Poliomyélite
For those who don’t know French: National Vaccination Days to counter Polio
February 6-8: For 3 days, 25 volunteers set out to vaccinate all infants ages 0-5 in Karang and all surrounding towns. There was a quick training and formation of teams, then we were off. We went door to door in each neighborhood during the hottest times of the day. It was a bit strenuous and tough, but very important work.
Now I can brag: The other day I vaccinated an entire town of infants against Polio, and tried to speak in Mandinka (which would be the 5th language I’m working on). Not too shabby for a day’s work…
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
February 6-8: For 3 days, 25 volunteers set out to vaccinate all infants ages 0-5 in Karang and all surrounding towns. There was a quick training and formation of teams, then we were off. We went door to door in each neighborhood during the hottest times of the day. It was a bit strenuous and tough, but very important work.
Now I can brag: The other day I vaccinated an entire town of infants against Polio, and tried to speak in Mandinka (which would be the 5th language I’m working on). Not too shabby for a day’s work…
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
Monday, March 8, 2010
In Service Training
Feb 17 – March 3: In Service Training (IST)
After struggling for our first 3 months at site with language, cultural, and integration issues, as well as having absolutely no work projects to do, IST arrived just in time to prevent complete insanity. Our entire stage of new volunteers were once again reunited for an intensive technical training. We learned techniques for teaching and working with Senegalese, project management, and various funding sources for our projects.
The business volunteers’ training also required us to give a 1 hour business lesson, taught completely in French. This proved somewhat challenging, but was an excellent warm up as there is little French spoken in my town and I therefore will be teaching business classes in Wolof only. Yikes!
After being out of site for an entire month, I’m ready to go back “home” and very eager to start working. Wish me luck and success!
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
After struggling for our first 3 months at site with language, cultural, and integration issues, as well as having absolutely no work projects to do, IST arrived just in time to prevent complete insanity. Our entire stage of new volunteers were once again reunited for an intensive technical training. We learned techniques for teaching and working with Senegalese, project management, and various funding sources for our projects.
The business volunteers’ training also required us to give a 1 hour business lesson, taught completely in French. This proved somewhat challenging, but was an excellent warm up as there is little French spoken in my town and I therefore will be teaching business classes in Wolof only. Yikes!
After being out of site for an entire month, I’m ready to go back “home” and very eager to start working. Wish me luck and success!
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
The Miracle of Life
When your days are filled with absolutely nothing, the best thing to do is witness a pregnant kitty to 6 lovely kittens. We managed to find a box, some scraps of cloth, and some of us sat around for the entire 2 hour labor process. It was fascinating to watch this cat’s instinct kick in and I found the entire process incredibly interesting – even the eating of the afterbirth.
That’s how I spent my day. How was yours?
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Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
That’s how I spent my day. How was yours?
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
More Transportation Fun
So I'm getting used to having to push start cars in this country.
However, the other day our mini car (a mini bus) was being push-started into an oncoming large bus and 7-place. I was a little afraid. But the engine started in time to pull the vehicle around the other way and I made it to my destination accident-free. Alxumdulilay! (Praise be to God).
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
However, the other day our mini car (a mini bus) was being push-started into an oncoming large bus and 7-place. I was a little afraid. But the engine started in time to pull the vehicle around the other way and I made it to my destination accident-free. Alxumdulilay! (Praise be to God).
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
A Little Poetry
It's always nice to have an artistic outlet for all the things a PCV experiences in country.
Youtube now has the first of hopefully several poetry "performances" inspired by my time in Senegal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wZVj6m-mw0
Sorry about the wind and noise. It was also very hot, but that shouldn't affect your viewing...Enjoy!
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
Youtube now has the first of hopefully several poetry "performances" inspired by my time in Senegal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wZVj6m-mw0
Sorry about the wind and noise. It was also very hot, but that shouldn't affect your viewing...Enjoy!
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
Monday, March 1, 2010
Gamou
Gamou: The official celebration of the Prophet Muhammed’s birthday (Islam religion).
Every year in Senegal, people flock from all over the country to a town called Tivaouane (my town where I learned Wolof for 2 months back in August 2009). I was invited to come celebrate this exciting event with my original host family. How to summarize this crazy party? Picture (in the US) a giant music festival and combine that with the energy and noise of a huge theme park…
Tivaouane has about 50,000 residents normally; Gamou hosted about 2,000,000. My compound alone had about 200 people sitting, eating, talking, and NOT sleeping in it. All the sidewalks were lined with makeshift tents full of intense vendors, each attempting to shout out each other with their own megaphone. The streets were also twice as narrow due to all the tents/booths. I walked to the end of town by pushing and being pushed.
We all feasted on freshly killed cows, onions, and fried potatoes. If you were still hungry you could find a plethora of coconuts, sodas, and other snacks. Unfortunately, all water sources had been cut off or exhausted due to the high influx of people. Above all the noise, excitement, and chaos, blared the hundreds of mosques, each stuffed full of devoted Muslims praying and giving thanks.
Luckily, I did not have to spend the night there, as there were people literally sleeping on top of each other and in the streets. This experience was not for the introverted or claustrophobic, but it was a fantastic insight into the Senegalese’s culture and religion. Happy birthday, Muhammed! I hope you had as much fun as I did…
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
Every year in Senegal, people flock from all over the country to a town called Tivaouane (my town where I learned Wolof for 2 months back in August 2009). I was invited to come celebrate this exciting event with my original host family. How to summarize this crazy party? Picture (in the US) a giant music festival and combine that with the energy and noise of a huge theme park…
Tivaouane has about 50,000 residents normally; Gamou hosted about 2,000,000. My compound alone had about 200 people sitting, eating, talking, and NOT sleeping in it. All the sidewalks were lined with makeshift tents full of intense vendors, each attempting to shout out each other with their own megaphone. The streets were also twice as narrow due to all the tents/booths. I walked to the end of town by pushing and being pushed.
We all feasted on freshly killed cows, onions, and fried potatoes. If you were still hungry you could find a plethora of coconuts, sodas, and other snacks. Unfortunately, all water sources had been cut off or exhausted due to the high influx of people. Above all the noise, excitement, and chaos, blared the hundreds of mosques, each stuffed full of devoted Muslims praying and giving thanks.
Luckily, I did not have to spend the night there, as there were people literally sleeping on top of each other and in the streets. This experience was not for the introverted or claustrophobic, but it was a fantastic insight into the Senegalese’s culture and religion. Happy birthday, Muhammed! I hope you had as much fun as I did…
--
Byron Yee
Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009
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