Costa Rica- Pura Vida

It has been almost 3 months since my last post and 2 months since my arrival in Costa Rica.  Although my training has kept me very busy, I also found it difficult to write an un-biased and non-comparative post of my experience in CR so far.  Coming from Niger where life is so much simpler yet difficult, to Costa Rica, which reminds me of the West Indies, was not an easy transition.  I realized I really miss Niger and my experience there will always be remembered and cherished but I must put that same passion and focus into my work here in Costa Rica because there is definitely a need.
Peace Corp in every country varies but one thing that is the same is training and since this is my 2nd training in a 6 month period it can be a little bit….boring Yet I have definitely enjoyed certain parts of it and the content is also more focused on the program (Children, Youth & Families) I am working in.  My weekly schedule entails, Spanish class Mon., Wed., & Fri from 8am-3:30pm, and technical and core classes on Tuesday & Thursday form 8am-4:30pm.  The rest of the time I usually spend with my host family or traveling on Peace Corps trips to visit other volunteers of your future site.  So far I have visited 2 volunteers in 2 different parts of the country; Santa Cruz, Guanacaste & Buenos Aires, Puntarenas.  Guanacaste was dry and hot but I was able to go to the beach and saw a lot including hundreds of jellyfish in the water and and a dead crocodile on the shore! I was also able to learn about the many projects the completed by the volunteer  in that site including setting up official night classes for adults.  After doing a community diagnostic she realized many adults within her community did not have an education beyond 6th grade so working with Ministry of Education she was able to have certified teachers sent to her community to teach classes for adults.  With these classes students will be able to obtain an equivalent of a high school diploma.  The other volunteer I visited in Puntarenas, which was hot and humid but gorgeous, also completed many projects within her community.  She created a women’s group and helped them in obtaining materials and training to build a greenhouse to simulate income generation among members of her community.  She also got a grant to build a playground for the children within her community as well as many other smaller projects. 
For many Costa Rica is just another vacation site but there are also many parts of the country that are plagued with social issues and economic disparity.  Visiting other volunteers and seeing the work they have done as well as the relationships they have created within their community has inspired me.  It has also helped me realized that just because a country maybe more advanced in terms of infrastructure and technology does not mean all their problems have been eliminated and there is always work to be done.

I would also like to make a special dedication to Seyni, a Peace Corp Niger staff member that passed away from high blood pressure a couple of weeks ago.  I personally remember Seyni and am deeply saddened by his passing especially since I know our departure from Niger had a lot to do with his health.  May his soul rest in peace and my prayers going out to his family.

Some clips of Costa Rica so far!  Most are pics of the schools and children I work with.

Memories of Niger…..

 

Prior to my departure I spent 1 week 1 day living in my village working in the local hospital.  Although I was only there for a short period of time I was able to accomplish a lot and bonded with my community.  My post was located in Markowa in the Dosso region which is in the South Eastern part of the country.  I was about 2 hours away from the capital of Niger, Niamey, and about an hour away from the regional capital.  Moving day was an adventure in itself since me and 3 other PCVs were moving in on the same day; therefore all of us along with our luggage, furniture,and kittens squeezed into a Land Cruiser and headed out to Markowa. 

Once I arrived in Markowa I was greeted by the whole village and a formal meeting was done by my program manager to introduce me to my new community.  At first I was nervous; being dropped off in the middle of nowhere, miles away from any other PCV or anyone who can even speak English can be a bit nerve wrecking.  After a couple of hours of getting my head together and unpacking everything into my 2 room mud house I began to feel more comfortable and ready to meet and greet my neighbors and fellow colleagues.  Since many people living in the rural parts of Niger have never even traveled outside their village or met an American before, I was the object of attention for many Nigeriens in my village.  I was also the first volunteer to serve in Markowa, unlike some other sites where a new PCV maybe replacing a volunteer who has just finished their service.  Being the “new kid on the block” I had to endure a “hazing” phase of extensive greetings that were sometimes a bit awkward and uncomfortable for me but a sign of culture respect for Nigeriens.  This meant that every morning starting at 8am people would come visit throughout the day just to say hello; some brought gifts such as rice, peanuts, beans or whatever they had to offer and some just came to stare.  At first I was unsure how to handle 15 children standing in my front yard just staring at me cook or read a book.  Some were very shy and so I tried to engage them in conversation but with they would simply smile bashfully and continue to watch me, only talking among themselves.  Eventually I learned how to engage them by offering food and candy and even taught some of the girls how to jump rope and the boys how to play Frisbee. 

My second day in “ville” I started work immediately.  Normally Peace Corps assigns a counterpart for each volunteer who serves as a colleague, and an informal  supervisor that you work with in your assigned sector.  My counterpart was a nurse and worked in the hospital with his wife, who was a midwife.  During my first week they were both out of town for work; therefore I worked with his assistant & another nurse from a nearby village that commuted there during his absence.  I was given a tour of the hospital which was a small building with about 8 rooms; 4 rooms were used for storage, 1 room for deliveries and surgery, 2 rooms for medical consultations and baby weighing.  Like many other rural villages in Niger there was no electricity or running water in Markowa, including  in the hospital.  Supplies were scarce and sanitation standards were nothing like hospitals in the US but that was where I came in.  My purpose was to educate and promote better sanitation, increase nutritional health among pregnant women and children and to provide assistance in creating sustainable ways to increase the livelihood of the local villagers. 

Unfortunately I was unable to fulfill all my goals during my time in Markowa but what I did accomplish and memories I have will follow me always.  During my 1 week of service I assisted in 2 baby deliveries and weighing, helped conduct over 15 prenatal consultations,conducted hand washing and malnutrition seminars and simply bonded with the women and children of my village.  Even though my technical work was done in the hospital I feel my greatest work was the time spent with the children.  Sharing my life and parts of my childhood with them, like learning to jump rope and playing patty cake, was the most rewarding experience of all.  The smiles on their faces and the pure pleasure of learning something new is something I know they will always remember too.

Moving Day

My kitten Coco

My front “yard”

The kitchen

The “bedroom” in the back

Markowa!

My “kids” aka morning wake up committee

The well

The hospital

The delivery room

My counterpart and his daughter

Where in The World is Carmen Sandiego?

 I have been dreading and delaying writing this post since most of you all know by now, I am no longer in Niger.  Sadly for me and the Nigerien people life has taken a turn and Peace Corps Niger was shut down;  all 98 volunteers have evacuated the country and will not be returning.  Due to safety and security risks Peace Corps decided to temporarily close all programs in Niger until further notice. 

For me personally I never felt unsafe or uneasy while I was in Niger in general, or in my village .  The people were always nice, hospitable, generous, caring and protective and I will miss them and the unique beauty of the country.  From the smiles and laughs of the little children playing to sounds of pounded millet and farm animals that greeted me each sunrise.  Since I will not be returning to Niger I want to take time to dedicate a post to the memories I will always have of Niger, the people, and the PCVs (Peace Corps Volunteers) I shared it with.  I will post this blog before my departure, in 2 weeks, to my new assignment in Costa Rica!

Although Costa Rica is no Niger, Peace Corps volunteers have been serving there since 1963, responding to the need of Ticos through projects in areas of health, education, agriculture, rural & economic community development, and youth development.  I will be working in the children, families and youth sector as a youth development volunteer.  Due to increased migration from rural to urban areas there has been a subsequent social dislocation of youth throughout Costa Rica. In this project, I will be working with the Patronato Naciónal de la Infancia (PANI), a Costa Rican government agency that is similar to Child Protective Services in the US. The project's main focus is to address the needs of a broader range of at-risk communities, not just urban. The project also works with issues such as violence and abuse prevention, school retention, service learning, health, and recreation and increased participation with children, youth, and families, allowing for a more integrated approach to addressing issues that affect young people.

I leave for Costa Rica on March 1st and hope that you all will continue you to follow me on this new adventure.  I am excited about starting a new program and continuing my work in Peace Corps.  Although this blog was originally dedicated to my service in Niger, I have decided to keep my blog address instead of creating a new one.  Therefore you can still find me at www.rosiesniger.blogspot.com.  Till next time thanks for all your support ;-)

Quicky!

Happy Holidays!!! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to yu all.  I was a little sad, missing family and friends during the holidays but I sill enjoyed it for the most part.  With each holiday all the volunteers get together and try to make everyone feel like home even though we are thoudands of miles away.  We all got together and enjoyed a Christmas brunch and dinner filled with carroling and singing plus movies into the night.  All in all I enjoyed my holiday away from with other vounteers and Peace Corps Staff.  In 5 days I will be moving to my new site.  I am very excited about the move and looking forward meeting the poeple in my village and working in the hospital.   I just wanted to quickly put up a holiday post and some pics that I promised.  Till next year....sa anjima!

It's Almost Time!!!

It’s been awhile since my last update and so much has happened that I can’t type it all.  I am two weeks away from swear in and the end of training.  By January 1^st of the New Year I will placed in my new village which will be my home for the next 24 months.  I am nervous and excited all at the same time but looking forward to the change.  Well before I talk about the future let me update you on the past several weeks.

First, Happy late Thanksgiving & Happy Holidays ;-) Although Niger does not celebrate Thanksgiving, all the Peace Corp trainees got together and enjoyed a lovely feast American style.  We had a Thanksgiving committee that put together a lovely menu as well as prepared most of the food.  From sweet potatoes  to stuffing , to Nigerian style salad and sweet butter cake, all 40 trainees plus a couple of special guest sat outside under the star lit sky and enjoyed the company, food and tradition of Thanksgiving.  All this made me think of my family at home and all my favorite foods I missed but I know it will all be waiting for me when I get back.  After all the festivities of Thanksgiving calmed down it was back to business as usual and training continued. After a couple of weeks of luxury at the training site it was time for us to get our first taste of life in the bush!

For two weeks I stayed in a small village with 5 other trainees and 2 language trainers outside of the state, Maradi .  The village was a 3 hour walk to the closest main road and the only access to the market or the road was by an ox cart, donkey, horse motorbike, or camel.  During these two weeks I focused on building my language skills through intensive classes as well as talking with residents of the village who were all very welcoming and receptive to our visit.  I also had the opportunity to attend 2 naming ceremonies, which is like a baptism, where everyone in the village comes to the newborn’s home and showers the family with gifts and blessings.   The religious leader of the village names the child and then the ceremony is concluded with the killing of a sheep, which is then prepared and cooked by the women.  I also visited the well which is like going to the water cooler at work; it’s where all the action is ;-)  In most rural villages since there is no running water the main water source is either a well, pump, or foot pump.  This village had a well which was 25m deep and provided water for all residents of the village.  Women will usually wake up as early as 5am to get water from the well to provide for their daily activities which includes cooking, cleaning, and water for bathing. This is by no means a small job and women in rural villages work very hard each day carrying gallons of water, gathering firewood, cooking lunch and dinner and taking care of the children.  

Although the village was small and remote village it was one of the few which had a school for grades 2, 4, and 6.  The school was a small 2 room building used to teach over 150 children; needless to say it was overcrowded and in need of many supplies.  The school was surrounded by 2 rows of beautiful itace trees which provided shade and was also where my language classes were held.  During my free time I would sit under the trees and read  a book while watching the animals graze through the field, women carrying water on their head and children playing simple games in the sand.  My two weeks was a great experience and an opportunity to see what my future life in ville will be.   

As time narrows down and my training comes to an end the next chapter of life will begin…follow me until then ;-)

P.S. I will put up some more pics in the next few days so be sure to check back.

On The Road!!! ( For Real!)

Week 3 in Niger and so far I am still here! I have been steadily learning the language and getting to know my host family which I enjoy hanging out with. 
Despite the language barrier we still enjoy eachother's company, I spend my nights teaching them dances like the cupid shuffle, playing cards or playing with the kids
or listening to my roommate Chelsea's mp3.  They even gave me a new name, Jamilya Boba, which mean big Jamilya, since my 10 yr old host sister  My typical day starts at sunrise,
I am usually woken up by the lovely sounds from the chorus of animals I live with including 2 new baby goats, a couple of sheeps, and a handful of roosters. After my
daily bucket bath I head out to the local market to get breakfast; ranging from fried massa (millet and flour balls sprinkeled with sugar ora pepper sauce) to sulanni
(liquid yogurt in a bag) or my favorite, sandwich kwai (egg sandwich w/ onions and pounded peppers in a baguette). My days are usually filled with language and culture
classes outside followed by dinner with my host family which has been variations of rice!  This week was dmystification, which is really a fancy word for visiting other
Peace Corps Volunteers out in the field.  I traveled to one of the other major regions of Niger called Dosso, where I spent 5 days with a great PCV who showed me another side of Niger
that is not quite like my village.  I actually got to go to a pool which was very refreshing, reguardless of how many bugs might have been floating around in it with me lol.

This experience was one to be remembered and gave me a lot to look forward to in the next upcoming years.  There is more to Niger than what meets the eye at first glance and I hope I can show
all of that as well.  Although I still can't speak Hausa or French I have been learning so much more without it so imaginge the possibities once I have both languages mastered.  This was a short entry but until next time enjoy the pics!

Toi sa anijima!

On the Road!

Unfortunatley I had technically difficulties posting, so until when I return I will put up pics and the blog I actually wrote before it was all deleted!