Photo Dump #6

Click here to see the latest photos from my time back at site, in Gbarma.

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Pre-celebration photo of some of the Royal Ladies, the birthday club we're in.
From left to right: Bendu, Rachel, Fatu, and me.

Musician from VP Joseph Boakai's Office plays a song for the female Gola country devil to dance to.

11th Grade Mitosis Dance: Prophase

11th Grade Mitosis Dance: Metaphase

11th Grade Mitosis Dance: Anaphase (AKA, time to dance!)

11th Grade Mitosis Dance: Telophase





Students at devotion prior to school.



And I'm Back!

Hello blog-readers! It’s been a while since I last wrote an update, and a lot has happened in the past 3 months! But first, check out an article I wrote for Investigative Africa’s website:

Never Too Late to Get an Education in Liberia

 

Also, be sure to check out and “Like” the Peace Corps Liberia Facebook page!

 

Alright, now for my update…

 

Well, it feels like I’m finally settled in back at my Gbarma Town home this second time around. While I don’t really have anything positive to report in regards to my medevac itself, I am very glad I was able to go home to see my friends and family. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed them. A big THANK YOU to everyone who supported me during those difficult 6 weeks I was home. I couldn’t have made it through and returned here to post without you! I love you all!

 

I have now been back for about 5 weeks. While the initial 2 weeks were rough with adjusting, again, to Liberian food, speech, travel, etc., I’m back in the swing of things. However, while I was home, I gained a few things:

 

a greater appreciation for American modern conveniences and efficiencies,

a greater love of American food (and subsequently, 10 lbs.),

and a husband.

 

Yep, that’s right. I even have a ring to prove it! It is turning my finger green.

 

“I get married when I reached America. I na think Peace Corps will allow me to return so I begin to move on wif ma life. I get a different job, I looking for a house to live in, and I get married.”

 

At least that’s the story I’m sticking to when people in my village ask, “Da rumors …dey true?” I don’t like lying to my villagers; however, it has greatly helped to reduce sexual harassment. I should’ve thought of detailed answers to questions people might ask, though. For example, one of my female students in the 10^th grade asked if my mother-in-law loved me. “Of course!” I reassured her. Also, I had to give them my new (fake) last name and briefly explain how a simple courthouse wedding ceremony would go. I have no clue; I made it up. So this is definitely keeping me on my toes!

 

Anyways, I wish I would’ve come up with this scheme when I first arrived in Liberia last June. Men know refer to me as “Sis Bendu” and not just “Hey, baby!” Unfortunately, now all the hopes and dreams of the Liberian male population of Gbarma Town rest on Rachel for her to carry them to America! But, as she has “a 5-year-minimum dating requirement” and since she will only be here another 15 months, there is no possibility for her to help out any of the single men in our town. Rachel S., breaking hearts and taking names!

 

Since I’ve been back, I’ve also had some pretty amazing experiences. Here are a few of them:

• The VP of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, visited Gbarma to have a birthday program. So Rachel and I got VIP seats right behind him, we got to meet him and his wife, the “Second Lady” (Ma Ellen is the first), and we also got to dance! I ended up dancing in the middle of a giant circle of Liberians, and people were clapping and shouting comments to me like “Da woman can dance!” I also made ~$140 LD (~$2 USD) for my efforts. People in the crowd were throwing money to me, and not just small money like $5’s and $10’s, but $20’s! One man even plastered a dirty bill onto my sweaty forehead, and it stuck! I gave the money to my friend and landlady, Johanna, to hold while I was breakin’ it down, but she never returned it. No big though, she cooks us soup (rice+fishy stew) pretty often these days, and she could use the money for future ingredients!

• My town also ran out of scratch cards (for calling), so what did I do? I just jogged to Lofa Bridge, which connects the small Vaye Town (Gbarpolu County) to the much larger Lofa Bridge Town (Grand Cape Mount County). And there, they definitely have scratch cards. After I ran the 9 miles there, I had planned on taking a taxi back but then it rained. It was such a nice reprieve from the mid-morning heat, so I just got some bag water, chatted a bit with some Liberians, and then jogged home. Let me tell you, those 18 miles did a number on my feet, but it was a good run. People—some that I know and some that I don’t—that live in the smaller villages along the way waved to me and said, “Tank you,” for my effort in taking exercise. AND, my iPod lasted the entire time. Usually I’m pretty bad about rationing out use so my battery will last for those long runs, but I had good tunes to motivate me throughout the entire run. J

• We made s’mores with some of the kids this past Wed. night. We had originally planned to invite more than 2, but we decided against it because it would’ve been too crazy and we would’ve had marshmallow casualties. In the end, the decision was for the best because Rachel and I each got to eat 5 s’mores.

• I’m teaching the kids in my town how to play softball. They call it the “hard football” and think the gloves are for boxing, but we’re making progress “small-small”. 

• I recently taught my 11^th graders mitosis and we did a Mitosis Dance to practice the 4 stages of the process: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! Last Friday we only had 12 students come to class, so 8 students of them were the sister chromatids, forming 4 chromosomes when paired up. We also had 2 students who were the centrioles and 2 students representing the nuclear envelope. I would narrate the steps and after I instructed them where and how to move, they’d do it. The best part was between metaphase and anaphase: I’d shout “Anaphase!” and the centrioles would pull the sister chromatids apart. The latter would then dance over to the opposite sides of the cell (opposite ends of the classroom) while singing “No Sleeping Tonight” to prepare for telophase. This activity was a great way for my students to practice a new concept with complicated vocabulary and steps. So I’d like to give a shoutout to PNH’s Mr. Duggan for inspiring me to make this Mitosis Dance. Back in 2004 when I was in his 10^th grade Honors Bio. 2 class, he did this hunched over, wiggling dance to symbolize the sister chromatids of the chromosomes separating at the centromeres during anaphase. I never forgot that lesson and modified the idea for my own students. Thanks, Mr. Duggan!

Well, this blog post is already long enough. I’m heading back to site tomorrow morning so I’ll be without internet access for a while, but I’m currently uploading some photos, so check out what I’ve been up to these past 5 weeks. (Links coming soon!) J ~Dany~

Packing List

What do I even bring to Liberia?  Well, I’ll tell ya!

Don’t freak out about what to bring either. You don't have to bring everything on the list. If you can't find/afford to buy/fit into your luggage some items, you'll be fine. :-)

DOs:

-a camelback, if you have one

-water bottle

-wide-brimmed hat

-sunglasses (UVA, UVB, & polarized)

-sunscreen

-insect repellant

-over-the-counter meds (ibuprofen, chewable pepto bismal tablets, etc.)

-3-month’s worth of prescription meds

-vitamins, calcium supplements, probiotics, etc.

-a few band-aids+Neosporin to hold you out until you get your med-kit issued to you

-tootbrush+toothpaste+floss+small bottle of mouthwash

-germ-x (small bottle)

-baby wipes (for diarrhea days & great for household cleaning!)

-tampons & pads, as they’re expensive in Monrovia

-razor+cartridge refills for shaving

-1 small beach towel (dries faster than a regular towel)

-1 small hand/face towel

-brush/comb

-hair ties, cloth head bands for women (or men that plan on growing out their hair)

-2 handkerchiefs (1 for a sweat rag, 1 for a snot rag)

-granola bars for runny belly days during PST homestay when you won't want to eat spicy rice+soup

-chocolate and candy for stress relief (individually wrapped is best w/ the climate)

-cheese packs from mac ‘n cheese boxes

-drink mix packets for juice

-2 Tupperware containers to keep your food safe from the ants, cockroaches, & mice

-14 pairs of underwear

-bras, including sports bras

-knee-length skirts or longer

-non-cleavage-y blouses for school

-1 nice, semi-dressy outfit (business casual)

-a few t-shirts

-tank tops (thick straps)

-cargo shorts/pants

-jeans (1 pair is fine)

-light rain jacket/poncho (not essential, as you’ll be given an umbrella during PST)

-tennis shoes (especially important they are of good quality if you are a runner)

*For those interested in distance-running: get a good pair of tights+shorts (to wear on top) & a few moisture-wicking shirts & pairs of socks. Although it’s hot & at times, humid, here in Liberia, the tights help keep the mud & dust off of you during the rainy & dry seasons, respectively. Also, for women interested in running at site, you will probably be the only woman they’ve ever seen “take exercise”, so you’ll want to minimize the attention you’ll draw. Make sure you don’t have any shorts that are too short or tight. I’d suggest wearing shorts over running tights and a loose running shirt. If you want to just wear shorts, make sure they’re longer and not tight.

-yoga/exercise mat

-swimsuit

-cheap shower flip flops

-nice flats for school (black or any neutral color is fine, make sure they are durable with strong soles and comfortable too)

-chacos/tevas/keens

-socks, ~6 pairs

-photos from home

-world map, USA map

-LOTS of batteries (AAA, AA)…the ones here are poor quality

-swiss army knife

-beer-bottle &/or wine-bottle opener

-mini-sewing kit

-2 can openers (1 for you to use at site, 1 to gift to your host family during PST-homestay)

-vegetable peeler

-thin, foldable plastic cutting boards

-pencils & pencil sharpeners

-stickers

-pens (blue, black, and red)

-highlighter

-safety pins

-paper clips

-tape: scotch, duct, clear, masking (tape quality here is bad)

-ruler

-markers/colored pencils

-frisbee, jump ropes

-deflated soccer ball, small pump

-playing cards

-white out

-mini stapler+staples

-scissors

-laptop

-external hard drive (to keep all your documents and videos backed up and safe)

-USB stick

-digital camera+a memory card with large storage

-mp3 player+small, battery-powered speakers if you have them

-earbuds (at least 2 pairs)

-crank flashlight (Here’s the one I bought.)

-headlamp

-earplugs

-textbooks (I brought my college biology textbook, and although it was HEAVY and a pain to bring on my carry on, it’s been a valuable resource.)

-pocket dictionary

-TSA-approved luggage locks (4)

-combination lock (for you to use at site)

-small backpack for school

-backpacking backback

-shoulder-sling-strap purse (Or you can buy one from Charlene’s Girls Club when you get here!)

-money belt (Or you can buy one from Charlene’s Girls Club when you get here!)

-Thermarest (I got a regular-sized ProLite one, and it fits me perfectly—I’m 5’4”.)

-hammock (I got a single net one+set of 2 slapstraps here.)

-bedsheets (twin size fitted & non, pillowcase)

-zip-lock bags, various sizes

-measuring cups, spoons (if you plan to experiment cooking/baking here)

-recipes

-seeds to plant (make sure they'll be able to grow in this climate)

-seasonings (curry powder, cinnamon, garlic salt, etc.)

-a set of good knives+sharpener, 2 small paring knives

-waterproof watch (digital+stopwatch is best)

-nail files+clippers

-nail polish+small bottle of remover

-chapstick w/ SPF

DON’Ts:

-too many clothes à I way over packed and had to pay $100 extra, which I wish I could have to spend here!

-expensive jewelry or very nice purses, accessories, etc.

-makeup…you’ll sweat too much for it to even be worth wearing

-hair conditioner…start getting used to only using cheap shampoo and washing your hair less frequently now

-umbrella

-envelopes (for letter-writing)—you can buy them here

-notebooks, folders—you can buy them here

radio—you can buy it here

-blank CDs…someone from LR-1 or LR-2 suggested to bring some & it was a waste of space

-solar charger—you can charge your items at Doe Palace during PST and at charging stations/video clubs at site

-books for enjoyment-reading—you'll get tons from the Kindle collection & if you want paperbacks, we've got some at Doe in Kakata & at the Office in Monrovia

Liberian English Explained

In case any of you are interested in learning a little more about the evolution of Liberian Vernacular English....

From: Cracking the Code: The Confused Traveler’s Guide to Liberian English,

by John Mark Sheppard, ©2011

II. A Brief History of English in Liberia

                Common wisdom has it that freed slaves from the United States first introduced the English Language to Liberia. Indeed the English spoken in Liberia more closely resembles American English than do the other English-based creoles spoken in the former British colonies of West Africa. However, careful historical research shows that English was spoken in the region that is today Liberia long before the first American settlers arrived in 1821.

                In the 15^th century the Portuguese began exploring West Africa for the purpose of trade. Other European traders followed in the 17^th century, including the Dutch and the British. Europeans knew what is today the Republic of Liberia as the “Pepper Coast” because of the abundance of melegueta pepper. Spices were in high demand at the time, along with slaves who were needed to work the plantations of the New World colonies. Intertribal warfare along the Pepper Coast provided a steady stream of human cargo for the transatlantic slave trade and, sadly, slaves were exported even after Liberia was formed after a republic and slavery was officially banned.

                By the time the African-American settlers arrived in Liberia the British had been actively trading along the Pepper Coast for over 150 years. The first settlers found a large number of indigenous people who had already learned English through trading contacts with the British. A white missionary named Jehudi Ashmun who oversaw the activities of the early settlers remarked, “Very many in all the maritime tribes, speak a corruption of the English language.”

                This “corruption of the English language” referred to by Ashmun is known today by scholars as West African Pidgin English. A pidgin is differentiated from a creole language in that a pidgin has no mother-tongue speakers. Being a basic version of English with a simplified grammar and limited vocabulary, Pidgin was easily learned as a second language by African traders and deck hands on British vessels. In Liberia, this form of English was developed by coastal Kwa-speaking African sailors and became known as Kru Pidgin English. Related pidgins became widespread in West Africa especially in the British colonies of The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria.

                …The freed slaves who founded the Republic of Liberia brought with them other forms of English. The goal of the early Americo-Liberian leaders was to populate their new republic with educated blacks from the U.S. who spoke Standard English. The elite ruling class was made up of people with a mixed racial heritage, of whom many had received a university education. Like the Europeans of the 1800s, the Americo-Liberians sought to subdue the people of the African interior with the colonial trinity of civilization, commerce and Christianity. Essential to all of this was the adoption of the English language. In the settlers’ minds, their possession of the English language elevated them above the “savage” tribes of their new land.

                …Despite their lofty ideals, the high mortality rate among the settlers and the precarious nature of the whole Liberian enterprise meant the American Colonization Society would have great difficulty recruiting emigrants for Liberia. Many of the former slaves who did emigrate had received little or no education and spoke the creolized English used by slaves on rural southern plantations, remembered today in North America through the stories of Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit. This form of English has been preserved in Liberia in what is known as Settler English, which is still spoken in the upriver communities of Sinoe County.

                Until Samuel Doe’s overthrow of President Tolbert’s regime in 1980 the Americo- Liberians maintained a monopoly of power over Liberia. Although making up fewer than 5% of the population, the descendants of the settlers held all the key government positions. Beyond their political dominance, the cultural and linguistic influence of the Americo-Liberians cannot be underestimated. Tribal languages were denigrated as “dialects” and very few settlers attempted to learn or study them. In a Liberia dominated by an English-speaking elite, a man could not hold on to his tribal identity if he wished to succeed in society. Many tribal families sent their children to live as wards in the homes of Americo-Liberians. These children worked as servants while receiving an education and learning the English language. Many other members of the indigenous population found other means of learning English, adopting a “Christian” name, and modifying their identities in an effort to become kwi (civilized). Even today in urban centers such as Monrovia, people from the interior who choose to speak their mother tongue in a public setting are often stigmatized.

                Near the beginning of the 20^th century the Liberian government began to bring the numerous tribes of the interior under their control. Their primary means of doing so was through the establishment of the Liberian Frontier Force, the original Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL). In 1926 the Firestone Rubber Company came to Liberia. Both the Frontier Force and Firestone required large amounts of labor. Many men from the Lorma and related Mande-speaking ethnic groups from northern Liberia began to fill Frontier Force positions and they needed a common language with other recruits, Firestone employees, and their Liberian constituency. As a result, another form of pidgin English developed, commonly known as Firestone English or Soldier English. Soldier English combined Liberian Settler English with certain aspects of the Mende landuages spoken by the soldiers and workers. It spread throughout Liberia as the Frontier Force established Liberian control over the interior through such measures as the hated “hut tax”. Firestone plantation workers, returning to their home villages, spread this new language to their communities. Eventually this variety, known academically as “Liberian Interior Pidgin English”, became the lingua franca of the Liberian interior.

                By far the most common form of English in Liberia today is Liberian Vernacular English. Liberian Vernacular English appears to have developed as a result of the contact between Settler English and Interior Pidgin English speakers in the Monrovia area. As a result of the civil war and the massive displacement of the Liberian population, Liberian Vernacular English became the de facto language of wider communication among Liberians.

III. Attitudes Towards English in Liberia

                Although many tribal languages are spoken in Liberia, English is the official language and by far the most dominant. It is the language of the classroom, marketplace, government offices, and increasingly, the home. In Liberia when two people of different ethnic groups marry, they typically use Liberian Vernacular English to communicate in the home. Thus many children learn Liberian English as their mother tongue. Today in some tribal communities, especially those along the coast, the native language is being replaced by Liberian English as parents fail to teach their children their mother tongue, as it is seen as having neither prestige nor economic value.

                Liberia take great pride in their knowledge of the English language. While other English-based creoles of West African countries are known locally as Pidgin or Krio, Liberians generally refer to all the varieties spoken in their country as simply “English”. Some speakers of Liberian Vernacular English will, however, refer to their speech as English or Clear English, differentiating it from varieties as Sirees, the Liberian word for American English. Those who have recognized the distinctiveness of Liberian Vernacular English have developed a number of colorful terms for this language including Waterside English, Potato Greens English, and Colloqua.

                …The history of English in Liberia is rich and varied. From its beginnings as a coastal pidgin to the dominating influence of Americo-Liberian settlers, Liberian Vernacular English has developed into a vibrant creole. While once only spoken on the street and in the home, Liberian Vernacular English can now be heard on the radio and television and seen in newspapers, proving it to be a force to be reckoned with.

Here’s an example from the Sheppard’s book:

Liberian English:  “Ay-yah! Wa happen yo fini ditey yosef?”

What they really say:  “Ay-yah! What happen you finish dirty yourself?”

Standard English:  “Good grief! Why did you go get yourself all dirty?”

Here is an example that isn’t from a book. This one is from the pages of life!

Rachel and I took 2 children (we each picked our favorites) to reach the primary school campus to make s’mores this past Wednesday night! (By the way, did you know Wednesday should really be pronounced “Weh-nes-day”? I didn’t either until I came to Liberia!)

So we’re at the school after dark and all the stars are out. It really was a beautiful, peaceful night. I was a little rusty lighting the coal pot, since I hadn’t done it since Dec., so Rachel helped us out. Once we got the marshmallows roasting on the fire and the s’mores assembled, I gave my camera to my main-man Barshiru, who’s 13. I let him take some photos and told him to teach Faith , who’s 11, how to take a photo so she could contribute to the documentation of the night’s coal-pot-campfire. At one point, when Faith got vexed that Barshiru wouldn’t let her take photos, she shouted, “I will blow you-oh!” (Translation: I will beat you up if you don’t share with me.) Rachel and I instantly burst out laughing. Faith obviously didn’t understand why we found it so funny.

That’s the great thing about Liberian English:  it never ceases to surprise you.

S'MORES!
Auntie Bendu (me) to the left and Auntie Tenneh (Rachel) to the right.

Coal-Pot Campfire

Barshiru Enjoying His First S'more

Faith's Silly Smile