2013-03-16
Here’s the setting: I’m sitting on the bus, speaking in English to a fellow Fellow, who is seated next to me. Across the aisle, a ten-year-old girl has her eyes glued to me. Everything about me must have been intriguing–the language I was speaking that she didn’t understand, my fair skin, and the far away...
Read More
2013-03-13
With unfortunate circumstances in my apprenticeship and in my home stay, it was time for me to get out of Joal for a bit. Thanks to the generosity of our country director, Nicole, she allowed me to work at some land that she owns with her husband where they are using unique agriculture techniques as...
Read More
2013-03-12
Hey everybody, Life has been going well down here. I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to go travel and see some pretty amazing places and spend some time with good friends. The diversity of Ecuador is amazing. After a 5 hour bus ride from the mostly gray skied/ life packed cloud forest, we...
Read More
2013-03-12
Having been here for a while, I have gotten an inside look at Ecuadorian culture in the cities. I live in a decent sized city, considering that some other fellows in Global Citizen Year are living in towns of 100 people. Women wear low-cut shirts and jeans or shorts instead of traditional dresses. Men wear...
Read More
2013-03-12
Host father, the village religious leader- “Fatou, where have you been? I hardly see you, my child, anymore.” Me- “I like to wander all over the village.” Host father- <chuckles> “That’s great- now the whole village knows you.” Neighbor- “You’re taking corn to the grinding machine. Can you cook latcheeri*?” *traditional corn cous-cous dish Me-...
Read More
2013-03-12
This one’s for you Kavy. When you’re in a place where you don’t speak your first language, you kind of have to think about what you say. What you want to say, how you’re going to say it, How you can say it. You probably do this normally, at least a little bit, but...
Read More
2013-03-12
The Islam I see is not the one they said I would see. It is joyous dancing that shakes the ground you walk on. It is singing while you weep for the loss of a loved one. It is quietly washing yourself and laying down a mat five times a day. It is gathering every Friday under a...
Read More