"Spring" in Botou

I like to think of myself as a site guru instead of a site rat. Let me explain. Some people spend weeks on weeks at site, without venturing because there is nowhere to go and nothing else to do. Some like it (I think) and some think it is what you do if you want to be productive at your site. I however, am not in that position. For one thing when I leave site I only have to travel ten kilometers to get to relatively reliable electricity, WiFi, a freezer with cold water, and the peace corps Tambacounda regional house.  And for another I do not leave my site frequently enough to be deemed someone who is escaping site or work and does not really like to be here. Instead I leave site to gather my own sanity and prepare to head back. I've realized that (among many other things) being happy at site is paramount for me. If I'm not happy something is wrong. I'm generally a very happy person and that has translated to the me in Senegal as well. But in order to keep this order within myself and in my village I travel the ten kilometers (about once a week), usually on my nege-so (lit. iron house) to the house where I breathe in some serious dust, experience a warmer city, and bask in a few hours of cold water and conversation with my two other halves (three cheers out there for my mama and papa) and anyone else who might be around. I pick up any letters that you may have sent me and I recharge (literally, I reload books on my kindle, podcasts on my iPod, and charge my Nokia phone).

 At site, recently I've been keeping busy. I've been working with the director of Botou's primary school to bring water (via a spigot) to the school as well as fencing and tools for a school garden. The produce from the garden will supplement the rice, beans and oil given to the school by the World Food Programme. We had to measure the space, calculate what the community already had (tools, land) and what the community could give (labor, sand) in terms of a community contribution (active participation). I had numerous meetings with the men in the village, including one where eight men between the ages of 20-50 and I walked around measuring things out. Then I spent a few trips to Tamba trying (at first unsuccessfully) to get numbers and pricing for piping for the water, and eventually pricing for the door. We figured out the piping back in Botou at the water tower (al hamduilliah). With all the numbers worked out I also met with the inspector of schools for the region of Tamba who wanted to know who I was, what I was doing, and to thank me. The grant has been submitted and we are waiting for the go ahead and the funds which hopefully will come in during the summer so we can get everything set up for when the school year starts in October.

It has been exhausting getting all these minor details worked out before the actual work happens. Something I've realized about working with the Senegalese is that they are very patient and eager for things to work or, but the organization of business and commerce is such that nothing happens when or where you want it to. It can be frustrating but patience has come in the form of Halima Fofana and has become second nature to me here. Frustration often abounds but usually not much else can be done. I have been persistent. Meeting with people multiple times a week or a day to make sure that I get the information I need. Hopefully it will all pay off and there will be fruits of our labor (and vegetables). Only time will tell. And time is all I've got.