tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:05:39 +0000Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal. I work with Agricultural Extension. Learning pulaar and french. I live and work in a small pulaar village a few miles outside of Kolda.http://www.findingcasamance.com/noreply@blogger.com (Nathan)Blogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-6322017003823126038Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:28:00 +00002008-11-08T18:28:36.401ZThat is what I do.... Project Feed Yourself! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/446759616/pic-from-gambian-border.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/446759616" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/11/pic-from-gambian-border.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5849834724245486438Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:14:00 +00002008-10-17T23:14:48.466ZJust a little picture of me and some of the kids in my village. It is much cooler in my village these days and thus much more hospitable to writing. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/424200174/random-pic.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/424200174" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/10/random-pic.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-1242618561626890933Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:27:00 +00002008-09-27T13:31:12.637Z*chuckle* *tear* http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/404660642/how-far-will-peace-corps-take-you.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/404660642" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/09/how-far-will-peace-corps-take-you.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-7423024264348719732Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:41:00 +00002008-08-13T13:41:09.302ZAugust 1st 2008 12:55 AM   The ups and downs of this place still get me. It is only more amplified because now is the rainy season- or better know as my primary work season. What is gets me is that people they want stuff and don't follow through with what they say they are going to do- constantly. I have to chase them down and reask them to do it. Then then still don't do it. Leaves me feelinghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/363919324/fears-and-fretts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/363919324" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/08/fears-and-fretts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-2903076763885948264Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:39:00 +00002008-08-13T13:39:51.236ZFriday July 11th, 2008 3:28 Pm   To those of you reading my blog to get an idea of what Peace Corps service is like should be warned. Everyone has a completely different experience. Lots of my views and opinions should really be taken with a grain of salt. The stresses and successes of immersion in a totally different culture with a completely different language in a hot subtropical environmenthttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/363919325/my-advice-to-incoming-trainees.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/363919325" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/08/my-advice-to-incoming-trainees.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-4353692505615863693Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:37:00 +00002008-08-13T13:37:16.147ZFriday July 11th 2008 3:12 Pm   One of the constant hassles I encounter here is the idea that white people/ nonafricans can do nothing. They think you are physical incapable of anything until you do it. At first I couldn't pull my own water out of the well… until I did. I can't cook, rake, tie a knot or anything until I show them I can.   One of the worst things is they think that if I get a http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/363919326/constant-hassle.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/363919326" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/08/constant-hassle.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-3002289568779482199Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:35:00 +00002008-08-13T13:35:41.992ZJuly 11th 2008 1:42PM   It has been raining cats and dogs almost every evening and night. During the day I have been running around super busy. Part of my job is to extend seed to farmers. This seed is a local variety but improved. It is not a hybrid but nonetheless has much higher yields. I am extending rice, corn, millet, blackeyed beans and sorghum. Haven't had a chance to extend the rice http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/363919327/busy-busy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/363919327" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/08/busy-busy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5903497604838625255Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:35:00 +00002008-08-13T13:35:06.156ZThursday July 3rd 2008 8:17 PM   Wow, what a day. A total work day. I have been working like crazy distributing seed to farmers. Giving away seed is the easy part. The difficult part is trying to get my demonstration plot farmers in gear. Two farmers that said they were game two monthes ago and confirmed again another month ago have completely changed their mind. They don't want to do it. It http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/363919328/general-thoughts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/363919328" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/08/general-thoughts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-7275293350903451463Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:33:00 +00002008-08-13T13:33:48.629ZJuly 1st, 2008 7:50PM   Having returned from a much needed vacation from the States, I feel much better about life. I can't say for sure which I feel better about: the people & culture or the climate. My grasp of the language has made it so I can get along in the village without much of a problem. I understand most of the time what is being said to be at least- other conversations that I try to http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/363897914/long-time-no-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/363897914" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/08/long-time-no-post.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-6767215727257727564Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:43:00 +00002008-06-20T00:43:15.035ZSome pictures of a presentation I made to my World Wide Schools program in Downey, CA. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455156/world-wide-schools-presentation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455156" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/06/world-wide-schools-presentation.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-4607995657438359389Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:45:00 +00002008-04-28T17:43:43.719ZJust published a list of 589 pulaar verbs in an excel file. I found this on the Volunteer Computer at the Kolda regional house. I don't know who created it- I would love to give credit to them. I published it because I believe this type of information should be shared and not hidden. Here is the URL: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pjKmGc-nHW0Kuf5--SBG_Qw&output=html http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455157/pulaar-verbs-list.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455157" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/pulaar-verbs-list.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-7182410313056970406Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:27:00 +00002008-04-28T17:25:38.835ZSaturday April 26th 2009 9:16 AM I have probably mentioned before but the morning is my favorite time of the day. It is not hot. Generally there is a cool breeze that has a touch of coolness to it. During the mid day from roughly 1PM to 4PM it is so hot. So hot that it totally saps any energy or desire for me to do anything. Sometimes I'll lay under the shade and sometimes I try to douse the http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455158/ice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455158" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/ice.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5295107577924026753Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:08:00 +00002008-04-28T17:20:20.588ZPumpkin and Apple Pies that me and Danny made for Christmas. They weresuper yummy.All you need for pie crust is flour, salt, fat solids and a little coldwater.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455159/christmas-pies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455159" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/christmas-pies.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-6045568082195875940Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:08:00 +00002008-04-28T17:17:17.014Z[My friend Laura wrote this article for the Sabaar- which is the Official Peace Corps Senegal Newsletter. I included a few contextual notes for non residents of Senegal.] "Bring back the Ooji!" One PCV’s anti-Jumbo Radio Adventure…because development sometimes involves a return to tradition It’s lunchtime during the rainy season, in one of the many small villages dotting the newly-green http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455160/great-article-my-friend-wrote.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455160" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/great-article-my-friend-wrote.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-2624004645087373425Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:18:00 +00002008-04-28T16:59:33.616ZHere are a few pictures of some mulching demonstrations that I have beendoing in the garden. I took this awhile ago. The mulch is crushed peanut shells that have sat in the sun for awhile. Also some pictures of some bees that swarm around the well. It is so hotand dry, it is the only place they can find water.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455161/mulching-demo-in-garden-bees.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455161" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/mulching-demo-in-garden-bees.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-971442222847981665Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:49:00 +00002008-04-28T16:54:43.507Z Wednesday April 16th 2008 10:22 AM Some how I didn't expect this morning to be so hellish. It really was a great start. I woke up early around 7:15 ish. Decided to go out and do some light gardening work before it got too hot. Light gardening means watering- carrying tons of water in big buckets around. I discovered that the well bucket that I let someone borrow wasn't there but instead it http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455162/bad-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455162" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/bad-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-7620285883956903096Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:43:00 +00002008-04-28T16:54:31.980ZTuesday, April 15th 2008 10:49 PM Did your mom ever tell you to eat all the food on your plate because there were hungry children in Africa that would love to eat what you are having. Luckily my mom never seriously said that- it was too cliché by the time she would have said. Maybe today they should say eat all your green beans because there are hungry Peace Corps volunteers in Africa. That http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455163/hungry-peace-corps-volunteer-in-africa.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455163" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/hungry-peace-corps-volunteer-in-africa.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5549064348151454494Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:42:00 +00002008-04-28T16:54:25.592ZMonday April 14th 2008 5:14 PM <i>I am responding to a question asked to me by a student in a high school french class in Downey, California. </i> Right now I am enjoying some tasty food. I cooked up some black eyed peas and millet in my hut. I added a bouillon cube, a pinch of pepper and some oil plus I cut up a whole red onion. It tastes so good. The onion and the bouillon cube give it a sorthttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455164/re-what-do-you-eat-in-village.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455164" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/re-what-do-you-eat-in-village.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-7396572349551648351Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:38:00 +00002008-04-13T12:39:17.816ZSenegal Specific Educational Statistics (via SeneGAD site) Adult literacy rate: men 51%, females 29% Primary school enrollment ratio: male 78%, females 74% Primary school attendance ratio: male 71%; females 67% Secondary school enrollment ratio: male 22%, females 16% - UNICEF Enrollment rates for boys were 84.4% versus 80.6% for girls. However, the dropout rate is higherhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455165/educational-statistics-via-senegad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455165" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/educational-statistics-via-senegad.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5314520753199318823Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:05:00 +00002008-04-13T12:08:53.378Z Very neat video. They do the same thing in a village a few Kilometers from me. I am roughly 30 miles form the Gambian Border. There isn't much different between the people of Gambia and Senegal. The only big difference is how colonial history. The Gambia was an english colony and Senegal was a french colony. Thus Gambians use English as the language of administration while Senegalese use http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455166/youtube-gambian-woman-makes-purses-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455166" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/youtube-gambian-woman-makes-purses-from.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-8465479318311342430Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:55:00 +00002008-04-13T11:58:46.011Z A picture of Josh and some of his English Club Students. Josh is an urban based Small Enterprise Development PC Volunteer in the Northern Senegal. He and I took a wolof class together during IST (In Service Training). Josh is a great guy with a big heart for working with children and development work in general. He maintains a blog as well as a photo gallery of some neat pics. He has ahttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455167/joshs-blog-pics-from-northern-senegal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455167" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/joshs-blog-pics-from-northern-senegal.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-3496203886744635426Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:31:00 +00002008-04-13T11:43:23.864ZEveryday in my village I go out and look at my mango tree. When I arrived in my village in November, the mango tree was starting to flower. Over the last few months I keenly watch the tree, just waiting for them to ripen. Now they are getting close. But the only problem is the village kids can't wait. They eat the unripened mangoes. Green mangoes are very tart and tangy. Not bad but not nearly http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455168/i-dream-of-mangoes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455168" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/i-dream-of-mangoes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-1238731421843825685Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:28:00 +00002008-04-13T11:44:00.763Z I have planted 9 banana trees in my backyard. They are slowly coming back after the shock of being transplanted. I water them every other day. Each one gets 15 liters of water. The only problem is that grasshoppers attack the young leaves that are still light green and tender. As you can see, I made a little protective sleeve for one of them. I know it looks kinda silly but I couldn't http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455169/welcome-to-banana-paradise.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455169" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/welcome-to-banana-paradise.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5276415427658477892Sun, 13 Apr 2008 09:55:00 +00002008-04-13T10:00:13.615Z This is such a funny video. A Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania in a wrestling match.This is totally what is it like- especially with the music.My villagers are trying to get me to wrestle too. I don't know about it yet.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455170/youtube-video-i-found-wrestling.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455170" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/youtube-video-i-found-wrestling.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5787027652424436935Sun, 13 Apr 2008 09:46:00 +00002008-04-13T09:45:40.877ZThis is one of the many wild animals that from time to time roam theKolda regional house. This is the Kolda house cat. I don't even remember the kat's name. You see this kitty doing one of the things that it does best- attackingrandom things around the house. Otherwise the kitty is good at begging too. The Kolda regional house isgenerally sparsely inhabited by volunteers who are irregularly in http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/316455171/animals-kitty.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/316455171" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.findingcasamance.com/2008/04/animals-kitty.html