This little series of blogs goes out to Elloa - thanks for the request! Just goes to show that if you ask - I will respond... and probably in more detail than you were thinking :) I was going to make a short "Top-10" list for each of these, but by now you all have learned that brevity is not my strong suit. There are definitely more things I could add to each list, but for now I'll stick with some highlights. So listed with some explanation, here are some things I am going to miss about Liberia:
People. The students, fellow teachers, staff, families on campus, friends. All the people here at Ricks have undoubtedly become our extended family over the past 10 months, and I will miss these people more than anything. I don't think any further explanation is needed.
Pineapple. It's incredible. Some of the best, most naturally sweet pineapple you'll ever eat. Some kinds can even be bright green on the outside yet still amazingly sweet and juicy inside. There's just no compaison.
Saying hi to every person I see. Literally every person I see on campus says hello. One of my favorite greetings comes from some little girls and little boys who don't know my real name so instead simply call out "white woman hello!" in a sing-song type of way that makes it sound like all one word. Other children think my name is "Miss White" which is closer to Miss Wegman but not quite, yet still very cute and funny to me. Adults aren't without greeting either, whether it's "good morning" or "how's your day?" or simply, "yeah, hello ma." I know I'll be moving to the south where hospitality abounds, but I somehow doubt it can match the warmth and friendliness of the Ricks community.
Being part of a nation during a critical point in its history. Liberia is at a crossroads. Having recently emerged from a civil war and looking toward the future with hope, Liberia is at a point where working for progress and development is crucial. Roads are slowly being paved, power is progressively being restored, and access to clean water is gradually improving. There is abundant hope for Liberia. Yet there's also the sense that it is a collective effort, and that all people in the country - non-citizens included but especially Liberians - are needed for the rebuilding effort. It's an exciting time in this little nation's history, and I feel privileged to get to be a part of it.
Liberian food. I really like it! Rice with some kind of spicy, oily soup... not exactly something I would have picked out for myself, but really unique and really quite good! From potato greens to Okra, ground pea to plantains, I will miss this stuff! I've heard of a couple Liberian restaurants in the States and might even try cooking some myself if the craving strikes and I can rummage up the ingredients.
The slower, more simple pace of my life here. For the first time ever I have a job that I go to in the morning and finish with in the afternoon or evening. There are no papers I should be reading or writing or extra things I should be doing at night. I have free time, and lots of it. I read books for fun and write in my journal and come up with long blog posts. I can go a week or two without leaving campus - and therefore without getting in a car. I can walk everywhere on campus I need to go, and everything I really need is right here. I'm part of a small community where everyone knows each other, and I love this.
The beach. The beaches here are gorgeous, and the water seems somehow more wild and majestic than it does in the US. Perhaps this is because I'm looking out into the Atlantic instead of the Gulf of Mexico... but there are always waves and often big ones. There are no tacky, neon-colored shops selling seashells and one-size-fits-all t-shirts. It's just the beauty of the beach and the water, and often some striking black rocks. When I'm on the beach I often feel I've slipped into Narnia or found some remote island that no one else knows about... It's a feeling that can't be replaced.
Feeling a sense of purpose in my life each day. Without question I believe that each day of each person's life has purpose, and that the work I do in graduate school is just as important and done in the same effort to serve God and love others as the work I'm doing here at Ricks. I firmly believe this. Yet it's easier to feel and believe that's true here. Something about being labeled a "missionary" - having someone say, "you're doing God's work" - makes it easier to remember the purpose of what I'm doing each day. Naturally, it's easier to find purpose and meaning in teaching students than it is in being a student and getting caught up in the reading and writing and research of graduate school. I will miss the ease with which I remember my purpose here at Ricks, although I will strive to remember it more intentionally in the days and years to come.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
What I Will NOT Miss
I love Ricks, and I love being here. I know this is where I was supposed to be for this year and it has become my home. With that said, I admit there are a few things that won't be too hard to say goodbye to... so here's the list of things I will NOT miss when I leave!
The Heat. After sweating profusely for the better part of 10 months, I'm looking forward to the day when I'm so cold I can't feel my face or toes. Now I realize I am going back to Florida... in June... not exactly an arctic tundra! However, rest assured that air conditioners will be cranked! I am, without question, a person who prefers cold to heat - no contest. The fall in Nashville will be absolutely glorious.
The bugs. Everywhere, all the time. Tickle on your arm? Bug. Random itch on your stomach? Mysterious bug bite. Hear a buzzing? Flying insect. I miss the days when a tickle on my skin meant a stray hair - now it inevitably means a bug is crawling on me. I have killed more bugs of every variety this year than I have in a lifetime. You know that statistic that says a certain number - what, 3? - of heinous 8-legged creatures will crawl in your ear while you sleep each year... I don't even want to think about how many I've had this year!!!
Fans. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE my fan. I would probably say it is the most valuable object I have here. But I miss being able to be cool without sitting directly in front of a fan. Have you ever tried grading a stack of papers whilte sitting in front of a fan set on high? It's tricky!
Power outages. On average I would say the power goes out 5 - 10 times in a day... sometimes for 2 seconds, sometimes for 2 hours. The timing is tough on occasion. At times I swear someone waits outside our bathroom window listening for me to get in the bath and once I'm in and am wet enough that I can't get out, they give the cue to cut the power. Not really... but I have taken several baths in the dark. One night I even shaved my legs and washed my hair and everything when it was so pitch black I literally could not see my hand in front of my face. I'm sure this skill will come in handy one day...
Telling students to stop talking. One of the most frustrating things in teaching has been having to say, probably a thousand times, "please stop talking." Believe me, I've tried every disciplinary measure I can think of, but nothing seems to do the trick. My classes have definitely improved throughout the year, but the idea that you don't talk when someone else is talking still hasn't been fully realized.
Weird skin problems. From the most widespread and persistent case of ringworm in history to some weird problem with my lips that made me look like a botox patient, I've had some random dermatological concerns this year!
The Heat. After sweating profusely for the better part of 10 months, I'm looking forward to the day when I'm so cold I can't feel my face or toes. Now I realize I am going back to Florida... in June... not exactly an arctic tundra! However, rest assured that air conditioners will be cranked! I am, without question, a person who prefers cold to heat - no contest. The fall in Nashville will be absolutely glorious.
The bugs. Everywhere, all the time. Tickle on your arm? Bug. Random itch on your stomach? Mysterious bug bite. Hear a buzzing? Flying insect. I miss the days when a tickle on my skin meant a stray hair - now it inevitably means a bug is crawling on me. I have killed more bugs of every variety this year than I have in a lifetime. You know that statistic that says a certain number - what, 3? - of heinous 8-legged creatures will crawl in your ear while you sleep each year... I don't even want to think about how many I've had this year!!!
Fans. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE my fan. I would probably say it is the most valuable object I have here. But I miss being able to be cool without sitting directly in front of a fan. Have you ever tried grading a stack of papers whilte sitting in front of a fan set on high? It's tricky!
Power outages. On average I would say the power goes out 5 - 10 times in a day... sometimes for 2 seconds, sometimes for 2 hours. The timing is tough on occasion. At times I swear someone waits outside our bathroom window listening for me to get in the bath and once I'm in and am wet enough that I can't get out, they give the cue to cut the power. Not really... but I have taken several baths in the dark. One night I even shaved my legs and washed my hair and everything when it was so pitch black I literally could not see my hand in front of my face. I'm sure this skill will come in handy one day...
Telling students to stop talking. One of the most frustrating things in teaching has been having to say, probably a thousand times, "please stop talking." Believe me, I've tried every disciplinary measure I can think of, but nothing seems to do the trick. My classes have definitely improved throughout the year, but the idea that you don't talk when someone else is talking still hasn't been fully realized.
Weird skin problems. From the most widespread and persistent case of ringworm in history to some weird problem with my lips that made me look like a botox patient, I've had some random dermatological concerns this year!
What I Do Miss From Home
Of course there are also aspects of home I miss. Some of these are obvious, some might be a little less so.
Friends and family. This seems obvious.
Food. Lots of it. My first meal back will probably be Mexican food. I actually know several Americans who go abroad to various places and agree that this is what they miss... there's just no substitute for endless chips and salsa and enchiladas and burritos and quesadillas... hmm. Cold Stone Ice Cream (I actually dreamed about it sometime around our second month here). Mellow Mushroom Pizza - I've had pizza, yes, but nothing like Mellow Mushroom! Panera... everything there. Abundance and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables (although there is a good bit here, it's often different kinds than I'm used to). Cereal. Fresh orange juice!! Smoothies. Starbucks (sadly, yes - I admit it). Chik-Fil-A. Man, now I'm hungry.
Driving. Although we've driven a couple times here, it's different... and we're driving 15 passenger vans! I miss my Jeep - although sadly it is mine no more... so I will be looking for something new to drive once I am home!
High Speed Internet. Broadband has not made it to Liberia yet. Some connections are faster than others, but none are really sufficient for watching videos or uploading pictures to Facebook unless you have a lot of time to spare.
The basics you would expect: showers, air conditioning, constant power, TV (the Office!), my bed, etc.
My clothes. I mainly bought clothes to bring here - long dresses I thought would be cool and modest. Most of my clothes were not practical to bring, so they were left behind. On the bright side, I will feel like I have an entirely new wardrobe when I get home!
Makeup. Never thought this would happen, but I miss it. It's easier to feel pretty and feminine with it - things I haven't felt much in the last year! I'm OK with that... but I suppose that's another thing I miss - getting dressed up and feeling pretty.
Unlimited phone usage. Pay by the minute makes you very aware of how long each phone conversation lasts and how much it costs. I certainly took having a phone plan that lets me talk and text all I want for granted - I will be more grateful now!
Going to the gym. Although I have recently been running more and trying to do some basic exercises (crunches, push ups, etc.), I miss spending an hour at the gym working really hard and leaving feeling totally spent. I miss my workout classes, especially spinning. And free weights... canned foods just aren't heavy enough!
Friends and family. This seems obvious.
Food. Lots of it. My first meal back will probably be Mexican food. I actually know several Americans who go abroad to various places and agree that this is what they miss... there's just no substitute for endless chips and salsa and enchiladas and burritos and quesadillas... hmm. Cold Stone Ice Cream (I actually dreamed about it sometime around our second month here). Mellow Mushroom Pizza - I've had pizza, yes, but nothing like Mellow Mushroom! Panera... everything there. Abundance and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables (although there is a good bit here, it's often different kinds than I'm used to). Cereal. Fresh orange juice!! Smoothies. Starbucks (sadly, yes - I admit it). Chik-Fil-A. Man, now I'm hungry.
Driving. Although we've driven a couple times here, it's different... and we're driving 15 passenger vans! I miss my Jeep - although sadly it is mine no more... so I will be looking for something new to drive once I am home!
High Speed Internet. Broadband has not made it to Liberia yet. Some connections are faster than others, but none are really sufficient for watching videos or uploading pictures to Facebook unless you have a lot of time to spare.
The basics you would expect: showers, air conditioning, constant power, TV (the Office!), my bed, etc.
My clothes. I mainly bought clothes to bring here - long dresses I thought would be cool and modest. Most of my clothes were not practical to bring, so they were left behind. On the bright side, I will feel like I have an entirely new wardrobe when I get home!
Makeup. Never thought this would happen, but I miss it. It's easier to feel pretty and feminine with it - things I haven't felt much in the last year! I'm OK with that... but I suppose that's another thing I miss - getting dressed up and feeling pretty.
Unlimited phone usage. Pay by the minute makes you very aware of how long each phone conversation lasts and how much it costs. I certainly took having a phone plan that lets me talk and text all I want for granted - I will be more grateful now!
Going to the gym. Although I have recently been running more and trying to do some basic exercises (crunches, push ups, etc.), I miss spending an hour at the gym working really hard and leaving feeling totally spent. I miss my workout classes, especially spinning. And free weights... canned foods just aren't heavy enough!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
The Day-to-Day
When I first got to Liberia, I was updating my blog 3 or 4 times a week. Everything that was happening was part of a new and exciting adventure. As my postings have slowed over the last few weeks, I've realized it is because so much of what was once completely new is now simply routine, normal even. With this in mind, I've tried to remind myself of the questions I had before arriving in Liberia so I can try to answer those and give you all more of a glimpse of what life here is like. Really, I think most of my questions revolved around what my day-to-day life would be like. So, I thought I'd give you a glimpse into "a day in the life of Holly" here in Liberia. We'll go with a school day because those are most routine.
I usually get up sometime around 7am, have a quick breakfast (cold Pop Tart and a little juice), throw on some clothes and head to school. The school day starts at 7:30 AM with the students lined up at the flag pole to say the pledge of allegiance, sing the school ode, and sing the national anthem. After that they head in to the chapel to sing a couple hymns (or sometimes more contemporary songs from a kids CD) and have morning devotion - about 5 minutes led by one faculty member (I do it about 2 weeks each semester). After that, things in the chapel can last anywhere from 5 minutes to another hour depending on how many announcements, speeches (seniors all have to give a speech to graduate), and random other things are happening on a given morning. First period is supposed to start at 8:15 but often chapel cuts in to this time; the school day is not adjusted, I just lose time with whatever class is first, which can be tricky!
After chapel (assuming we're out by 8:15), I have four 40-minute periods. Although each period is 40 minutes, there's no time between periods to change classes, so by the time I pack up my things, hurry to my next class, unpack my things and take roll, I'm usually down to about 35 minutes in a given class. After the first 4 periods we have recess for 45 minutes. During that time I am always in the library hoping my students will come ask me questions; they don't nearly as often as they need to, but sometimes they do come and it always makes the sitting there worth it! After recess I have anywhere from 0 - 3 more periods to teach, so I finish as early as 11:40 (Thursdays) and as late as 1:40 (Mondays and Tuesdays).
Once school is over (on Monday, Wednesday, Friday) I head home and sometimes eat lunch (a Lebanese wrap with PB&J and some Pringles) and change for basketball practice which goes from 2 - 3:15ish. During afternoon basketball practices I fulfill the role of assistant coach more than anything, just making sure the team stays on task and helping with some drills. With my limited basketball knowledge and experience, I definitely don't take the lead here! After practice I sometimes eat in the dining hall (rice with some kind of "soup"), sometimes go home for a little bit, and sometimes just hang out up at the school. Then in the evening at 5:30 (when the students finish with study hall), I lead conditioning/jogging practice with the basketball team. We've worked up to about 15 minutes of running, with a break in the middle to do some strengthening exercises. I love this as it brings back fond memories of running cross country in high school and teaching my fitness classes at Wake. Over the last month or so I've started to add my own running on at the beginning or end of practice... I'm working my way up, adding a minute to my runs each day - I'm up to 35 minutes now (the hardest 30-something minute runs of my life in this heat!).
After this I definitely need a shower! And by shower, I mean I stand in a pretty normal looking bathtub that has a bucket of cold water in it. Showering is done by pouring a big cup of water over me. The cold water might sound harsh, but it's almost always quite welcome to help me cool down from a hot day! Yes, we do have running water - but the pressure is not sufficient for an actual shower. Same with the toilet - we have an actual toilet, just not enough pressure to flush it, so we just pour cups of water into it to "flush." We're lucky that we usually don't have to walk to a well and haul water to our house as most of our neighbors do.
At night Ann Elizabeth and I have dinner together (we have 3 mainstays: macaroni and cheese with canned green beans; instant mashed potatoes with canned pork & beans and canned corn; and noodles with tomato sauce). After dinner I usually spend a little time preparing for school the next day (grading or writing plans) and writing in my journal (something I make myself do every night!). If I finish early enough, I usually watch a DVD on my laptop (we can buy movies in town - about 20 movies on one disc for around US $2.50 - obviously illegal but not really an issue here!). With that, Ann Elizabeth and I fall asleep on our twin beds in our shared room with little fans pointed right at us all night so we're cool enough to get under the sheets.
That is pretty much my standard day here at Ricks. Everyone always seems to think my life here is so exciting and exotic, but the things that happen day to day are really quite normal and routine, exceptional only because they happen to be taking place on a continent different from the one where I usually find myself. Don't get me wrong - I think my life is exciting... but I think life is always exciting, no matter where it's taking place!
If there are other questions you all have been wondering about, please let me know and I'll do my best to answer. Also, check out some pictures I just uploaded to Picasa!
I usually get up sometime around 7am, have a quick breakfast (cold Pop Tart and a little juice), throw on some clothes and head to school. The school day starts at 7:30 AM with the students lined up at the flag pole to say the pledge of allegiance, sing the school ode, and sing the national anthem. After that they head in to the chapel to sing a couple hymns (or sometimes more contemporary songs from a kids CD) and have morning devotion - about 5 minutes led by one faculty member (I do it about 2 weeks each semester). After that, things in the chapel can last anywhere from 5 minutes to another hour depending on how many announcements, speeches (seniors all have to give a speech to graduate), and random other things are happening on a given morning. First period is supposed to start at 8:15 but often chapel cuts in to this time; the school day is not adjusted, I just lose time with whatever class is first, which can be tricky!
After chapel (assuming we're out by 8:15), I have four 40-minute periods. Although each period is 40 minutes, there's no time between periods to change classes, so by the time I pack up my things, hurry to my next class, unpack my things and take roll, I'm usually down to about 35 minutes in a given class. After the first 4 periods we have recess for 45 minutes. During that time I am always in the library hoping my students will come ask me questions; they don't nearly as often as they need to, but sometimes they do come and it always makes the sitting there worth it! After recess I have anywhere from 0 - 3 more periods to teach, so I finish as early as 11:40 (Thursdays) and as late as 1:40 (Mondays and Tuesdays).
Once school is over (on Monday, Wednesday, Friday) I head home and sometimes eat lunch (a Lebanese wrap with PB&J and some Pringles) and change for basketball practice which goes from 2 - 3:15ish. During afternoon basketball practices I fulfill the role of assistant coach more than anything, just making sure the team stays on task and helping with some drills. With my limited basketball knowledge and experience, I definitely don't take the lead here! After practice I sometimes eat in the dining hall (rice with some kind of "soup"), sometimes go home for a little bit, and sometimes just hang out up at the school. Then in the evening at 5:30 (when the students finish with study hall), I lead conditioning/jogging practice with the basketball team. We've worked up to about 15 minutes of running, with a break in the middle to do some strengthening exercises. I love this as it brings back fond memories of running cross country in high school and teaching my fitness classes at Wake. Over the last month or so I've started to add my own running on at the beginning or end of practice... I'm working my way up, adding a minute to my runs each day - I'm up to 35 minutes now (the hardest 30-something minute runs of my life in this heat!).
After this I definitely need a shower! And by shower, I mean I stand in a pretty normal looking bathtub that has a bucket of cold water in it. Showering is done by pouring a big cup of water over me. The cold water might sound harsh, but it's almost always quite welcome to help me cool down from a hot day! Yes, we do have running water - but the pressure is not sufficient for an actual shower. Same with the toilet - we have an actual toilet, just not enough pressure to flush it, so we just pour cups of water into it to "flush." We're lucky that we usually don't have to walk to a well and haul water to our house as most of our neighbors do.
At night Ann Elizabeth and I have dinner together (we have 3 mainstays: macaroni and cheese with canned green beans; instant mashed potatoes with canned pork & beans and canned corn; and noodles with tomato sauce). After dinner I usually spend a little time preparing for school the next day (grading or writing plans) and writing in my journal (something I make myself do every night!). If I finish early enough, I usually watch a DVD on my laptop (we can buy movies in town - about 20 movies on one disc for around US $2.50 - obviously illegal but not really an issue here!). With that, Ann Elizabeth and I fall asleep on our twin beds in our shared room with little fans pointed right at us all night so we're cool enough to get under the sheets.
That is pretty much my standard day here at Ricks. Everyone always seems to think my life here is so exciting and exotic, but the things that happen day to day are really quite normal and routine, exceptional only because they happen to be taking place on a continent different from the one where I usually find myself. Don't get me wrong - I think my life is exciting... but I think life is always exciting, no matter where it's taking place!
If there are other questions you all have been wondering about, please let me know and I'll do my best to answer. Also, check out some pictures I just uploaded to Picasa!
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