Settling in

I am writing this post from my room in my new place in Zuarungu. This is where I plan to stay for the next four months. I haven’t posted in a while because it’s hard to write about what I am experiencing. Where do I start? How do I explain? I feel like an alien planted in a strange new land – for those of you who have never felt like an alien before, it is an exhilarating and slightly terrifying feeling!

Exactly one week ago I moved from Meghan’s house to my new house just down the road from her place. Meghan’s host family has hosted EWBers for the past several years since the mother, Vic, is an Agricultural Extension Agent who was involved in the Agriculture As A Business program. The next person I’d like to introduce you to is Zita, the incredible daughter who works, works, works; Mishack the funny son, Emmanuel the eldest son that I have met and who doesn’t talk much, and Issac and Peter, the two youngest kids who have slowly warmed up to me. It was really nice to come home to this warm family and I felt a bit sad to leave them, but I want to stay with a family and not be in Meghan’s hair and to be me in my own place. So here I am sitting on the floor of my new room.

My new casa. I have moved house many a time in my years, and this was unlike any move I have ever done! It was done in the dark! For some reasons that I’m not entirely sure of, I had to move in the dark (I was told that the villagers would talk if I moved in the day light) and half way to the new house my cell phone died and hence the light on my phone turned off and I had to wander around in the dark trying to find the new place. When I got here, everyone was asleep so I had to wake someone up and ask to be let into the room. This is an AWKWARD way to meet people! Especially when they speak little English and you speak little Frafra. The following morning was equally awkward, but things have quickly gotten much better.

My new host family. This place is buzzing! I’m not entirely sure who actually lives here as there is a constant stream of woman coming and going, nor am I entirely sure who is related to whom and how they are related. Families live together in compounds (basically like houses only they’re usually rooms placed in a circular shape to create an open space in the middle), and when a son gets married, his wife moves into the compound and they expand the compound if needed…and then if a daughter gets married she leaves the compound to move to her husbands compound. When I figure out who is related to whom, I will give you more information, but for now – they’re kind and helpful and every day that I spend here feels more and more comfortable. I’m sure they feel the same way about having me here. For the first few days the kids called me “somiya” but when I said, “Hey! You’re talking about me and my name is CLAIRE, not somiya!!” They laughed so hard (they didn’t think I knew the word…but when everyone yells it at you when you walk down the street, you quickly figure out that you are a somiya!) and decided that I could be upgraded from somiya to sister. I am now “Sister Clara”. It seems that Claire is unpronounceable to most so I am embracing the new name. I would like to do an entire blog about my family when I know them better, but for now I will just say that the women make baskets to supplement their families income – they said they’d teach me how to make a basket!!! I’m very stoked about that.

I have now done laundry twice – it’s hard! For all of you back home, be grateful for your clothes washer. Doing them by hand is hard and definitely takes talent and time. To be honest, I’m not actually sure if my clothes are actually any cleaner after I wash them  Thankfully the women I live with laugh, ask me how we do laundry at home and help me to clean my clothes.

Bucket showers are my favourite! It’s so hot out that after the initial shock of pouring cold water on your head it feels quite nice. Unfortunately you can’t shower without water – and getting water is NOT my favourite! Wow. I have gone twice to help get water (two trips each time) and am in awe of the strength of the woman here. The borehole is about 1 km away from the house and you have to cross the main road to get to it. On my first morning with my new family, I went to help get water. The three youngsters at the house came along to watch and all the neighbours seemed to magically appear just in time to watch the “somiya” attempt to carry the water. As we walked to the borehole people called out and I knew they were all talking and exclaiming about the white girl going to the borehole. NO PRESSURE! My pail is much smaller than most but it’s still hard – and I spill water all over me. About half way home, I gave up with my head and carried it by hand, they think this is funny, especially when I say we carry it by hand at home.

I bought a bike from one of the JFs and I absolutely love it! It’s no Cervelo, but it has a lot of character, three speeds, a light, a lock and a basket. I love the freedom the bike gives me, I can ride to my office in about 10 minutes and I can ride into Bolga in about 30-40 minutes. Riding my bike in Bolga is terrifying. You really have to focus on the chickens, goats, motorbikes, cars, and pedistrians that seem to operate on any side of the road and there are no stop signs or traffic lights! I have become friends with a few Peace Corp volunteers and one of them had an extra bicycle helmet and I am now the proud user of it. It’s hot pink. 