July 26, 2006

• K in Africa

  For those of you who have followed the adventures of my ex-student K in Africa, I need to do some updating:

  
  

  
  

  I have been scolded by my sister for failing to adequately describe our first time in the village, so, of course, wanting all of you to understand what we’re actually doing here, I happily am going answer some of the questions that have been mentioned to me.

  
  

  To all of you who have been confused about what on earth is going on over here with me, let me try to clear up a few things...

  
  

   

  
  

  First, why the move to the village in the first place? What was wrong with where we started?

  
  

  Reaiah and I do have a house in town (a normal, westernized house with an actual kitchen, electricity, indoor plumbing, etc.) It is where we keep most of the stuff we brought with us, where we can cook normal American foods, and sleep in when we need the rest. It’s a marvelous house and we are SO blessed to have it. However, in this town the language we are here to focus on is mixed so much with another related language that it is hard for us to get the practice that we need in the right language. Also, we live alone in the house and it is the intention of our supervisors that we be exposed to the culture and language as much as we can possibly stand. AND SO NOW we are spending most of the week living in a mud hut in a compound with a family. In our village, pretty much no one speaks English and so we are forced to use our focus language and, living with a family gives us a much closer look at the culture, how they live, what they believe, and why.

  
  

  We do go back to our house in town a day or two a week just to catch up on work we need to get done on the computer and relax from the sometimes intense language experience of living in the village. Does that explain everything? I hope so, if not, just let me know, I’ll try to do better.

  
  

   

  
  

  Ok, so now for some more specifics: How long did we stay in the village?

  
  

  Alright, the first trip we were out there for three nights. Since then we go out there from Monday till Saturday morning because we come back into town for our language classes. That could change, but its working well for us at the moment.

  
  

   

  
  

  How’s the food?

  
  

  Surprisingly good.  I talk a little about the food on the blog, but its basically a lot of rice served with a variety of sauces that they dip it in. They use a lot of garlic, onion, salt, and tiny red peppers, so its usually pretty tasty. As long as you don’t require a large variety in your diet, you can make it just fine out here.

  
  

   

  
  

  Are the people nice? Accepting?

  
  

  Yes, the people are nice. We spend most of our time with our family (or the extended parts of it that live in the village). They are already becoming very dear to us and we hate it when we have to leave again. They are incredibly curious about what we believe and really open to helping us understand what they believe and why. It has been amazing to talk with them about some of their questions. Of course, they LOVE giving us a hard time, but not anymore than I’m used to from growing up in my family. We have a great time with them and we laugh all the time. Most other people just want to try to talk to us or see if we can do some common chore (we usually cant and we laugh with them).

  
  

   

  
  

  Have they seen white people before?

  
  

  Most people around here have seen white people before… we’re not the only ones out here. But you do occasionally run across a small child who still cries or hides at the sight of us. I know that at least one other American has spent some time in our village before when they were doing language learning.

  
  

   

  
  

  What does your hut look like?

  
  

  It looks like a hut… square, four walls, thatched roof with pointy sticks sticking out of the top of it. We have some mats on the floor that are mattresses lay on, mosquito nets hanging from some bamboo poles, a small table for our water purifier and other random junk, and a large case that we keep some food and personal items in.

  
  

   

  
  

  How far are you from town?

  
  

  Our village is approximately 3 miles from town. I know… I could walk it (and lots of people do everyday). But in between are some amazingly beautiful rice fields, mango groves, and other countryside that I LOVE going through on our way “home”.

  
  

   

  
  

  Will you be working out of more than one village or primarily staying in this one for the rest of your time?

  
  

  For now we’re sticking to this village. Once we get more into the actual work of our project we will probably take some day trips out into some other surrounding villages to test our stories with and hopefully get some groups started.

  
  

   

  
  

  How did language/communicating go in the village?

  
  

  Mostly amusing. Even with the little we could say, I was amazed at what you can communicate when both sides are really trying… a lot of gestures, body language, facial expressions, etc. The Lord gave us someone in our compound who is amazing at explaining terms and getting us to understand what’s going on, who also had a lot of free time in or first two weeks to just sit with us and teach us words. And now that our language is improving we are starting to be able to follow some of the friendly chatter and joking that goes on. There’s still a lot we don’t get, but it doesn’t keep us from cracking a joke or two and laughing at theirs (and they are joking ALL the time).

  
  

   

  
  

  Were we by ourselves or did our teacher go with us?

  
  

  No, our teacher did not go with us. And our supervisor left before we headed out for the first stay, so it was just us and our strange new family. But it was really good for us not to be able to depend on someone else for everything. We had to figure out how to talk for ourselves (and they had to learn how to explain things until we understood).

  
  

   

  
  

  And finally… who lives with you in your compound? (I know its long already, but I’m sure some of you wanted to know…)

  
  

  Ok, we live with the chief (his daughter says he’s 102 years old, but like I said, they are rarely serious here…), his only still-living wife, his two widowed sister-in-laws, a nephew and his wife and kids, two of his sons, and one teenage (we think) granddaughter. These are all those who actually LIVE in our compound, however since we’ve been there has also been three of his grown daughters and numerous grandkids from far away come and stay for weeks at a time so that we feel like they live here too. 

  
  

   

  
  

  for all of you who actually read all the way to the bottom of this, congratulate yourselves, and know that I appreciate you interest in all of this and even more your prayers for God is doing in my life (and the lives of the people). Thanks again.

  
  

   

  
  

  K

  
  

  Psalm 77:16-19

  • 1:40 pm
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