I have returned to the training center in Thies after being in Mboro for 1 1/2 weeks. The end of training is truly nearing the corner now, and I can't wait. I will only be in Mboro for 2 more days, so I took the majority of my belongings with me when I left. When my family saw me carrying so much from my room (it's amazing how much I accumulated in my small room as a result of so many short visits during which I brought more and more stuff), they panicked and assumed I was not coming back. Despite the explanation I had given them the night before and my reassurances that morning, I don't think they were convinced I was ever returning. So I showed them the sheets still on my bed, my filter still set up, my wash bucket still in the corner of my room - all evidence that I had to return. It was nice to see how much they enjoyed having me in their house and didn't want me to leave.
But I am jumping ahead of myself and must backtrack to my time in Mboro during this stay. My language skills have improved so much more during this stay. I attribute this completely to my wonderful teacher, Aissatu, as well as the format of language learning in the Peace Corps - we have language classes in small groups for about 6 hours a day (approximately 4 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening), are completely immersed in the language, and are not surrounded by many other Americans so we are not distracted by speaking english or engaging in other pasttimes with our peers. My language class has been reduced to just 2 of us. (The 3rd girl was switched to learning Mandinka instead as the village she is placed in is predominantly Mandinka.) Having just one other student in a language class allows for conversation to easily flow back and forth; as we each tell stories and question each other, it begins to feel natural to speak in Wolof. (My classmate has unfortunately fallen sick, so I have reaped the benefit of several days of 1-on-1 classes with Aissatu, though Anne is definitely missed.)
Three days ago, we held a discussion for women in the community about malaria and diarrhea. 12 women came to learn in Wolof (from just me) and Pular (from 2 Pular trainees also living in Mboro) about these issues. It was interesting to hear their thoughts on these issues. One woman said that babies who nursed were more prone to diarrhea. Another said that garbage caused malaria. But for the most part these women were well informed about these sicknesses. I think their knowledge is in part due to their location; they live in a large town. (Here I need to correct a statement from an earlier post. My brother Michael has so graciously Wikipediaed Mboro and found that it has a population of about 12,000, so it is actually much smaller than EB. Though these statistics should be taken with a grain of salt; it is very difficult to get census data in Senegal and the developing world in general.) They also were well informed about the importance of using a mosquito net (though most did not understand that they should use this in the dry season as well-not just the wet season). And they understood the importance of drinking water to prevent dehydration when you have diarrhea. (Interestingly, the Wolof word for diarrhea is "biir bu daw," literally "stomach that runs.") We taught them how to make ORS - a solution containing salt, sugar, and water that is good for replenishing electrolytes when you have diarrhea. We also made neem cream, a mosquito repellent made of soap, oil, and leaves from the neem tree. This cream is very effective at reducing the risk for malaria. (However, I am also told that not much research has been conducted on how effective it also is and how often the cream should be reapplied. This all just shows how much more research is needed for the developing world.) The women were all very intrigued by the neem cream. They had never heard of it before (though they had put neem leaves on burns) and were all eager to participate and watch us make the cream. They also offered some of their traditional malaria prevention techniques - using a cream composed of a different plant as well as calling for the powers of a mystical being to find 3 sticks that prevent malaria. It was very interesting to talk with them, and I was glad when they told my teacher that my Wolof was very good. I had successfully led this discussion, explained how to make ORS and neem cream, answered their questions, and understood their responses to me in Wolof.
This session taught me that there is much I can offer my village in terms of malaria and preventative health education. In many parts of Senegal, people are much less educated than these women. As I said earlier, Mboro is a larger town so the people tend to be slightly wealthier. The women we gathered were more involved members of the community. Additionally, Mboro has an "aunt of the community," a woman who works for the health post to spread important information. She holds monthly sessions with women about different health issues of their choosing, speaks to women who did not attend the baby weighing and vaccinations to encourage them to attend the next time, speaks with men who are not treating their wives properly, and conducts other critical community health outreach. My language group was fortunate to be able to speak with her (we went to her house, requested to speak to her, and sat in her bedroom for 30 minutes asking her questions until she needed to go to the market to shop for lunch). Her job is truly important for the entire community, and I am very impressed by her work and passion for it.
The rest of my time in Mboro passed somewhat uneventfully. I ate maffe for the first time, and it immediately became my favorite Senegalese dish. It is a peanut-sauce on rice, served sometimes with meat. Absolutely delicious. I also spent two days sick and unable to eat food for an entire day. After skipping on both lunch and dinner, as well as spending all afternoon and evening in my room rather than with my family, my mother and sister rushed into my bedroom to find me lying on my bed in the dark. They were extremely concerned about my well-being; again, it is nice to know that my family cares so much about me. (Thankfully, I am better now.) For the two days after that, every time I entered a room, they asked me if I was feeling better. And in Wolof, the answer always is yes, I am feeling better (even if you're not).
So as I said in the beginning, I am now back at the training center. As before, it feels like I am at summer camp, and everyone is itching to get to their permanent sites. But it is nice to see everyone again.
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