Winter Kept Us Warm

It's December now. Even in Florida December brought a break from the heat. Not so here. We have entered the hot rainy season. "Seasons" don't so much exist in this tropical climate. The year is divided into dry and hot and rainy-sauna-from-hell. The heat is relentless. You would think, coming from Florida, that I would be better equipped to deal with the heat and humidity, but it is my daily struggle. I strongly believe Florida would be less inhabited if it lacked electricity and AC.

It's difficult to sleep through the night. Heat rash breaks down my skin. Everything is sweat soaked and slow to dry in the humidity. The rain doesn't bring much relief from the heat- it just prevents sweat from evaporating. I am grateful for the free water though. Buckets go on the roof to collect rain for my constantly dwindling supply of water. I've been told I am very clever by Comorians for collecting rain water. I can't for the life of me figure out why this isn't common practice.

Soon torrential rain will come daily to disrupt life in Anjouan. Students don't like to attend school in the rain, taxi drivers don't like to pick up passengers, and the market sellers don't like to set up shop. The already slowly paced life here in Comoros grinds to a halt during the rain.

Schooled

It's 7am and the students are pouring into Mustamudu Lycée. They wear the "uniform" of high school students: a red T-shirt and black pants or skirt. In spite of the heat the girls wear extra layers in the name of modesty and cultural tradition. They would never leave the house without their shiromani (a long sari-like cloth wrapped around the body) and a large scarf that covers their hair, neck, and shoulders. I get heat stroke just looking at them.

A guard is posted at the entrance to the campus (which looks like something out of a post apocalyptic teen movie) to catch students out of "uniform" or those who are tardy. No such rule exists for teachers. Tardiness is something of an epidemic here. "Island time" they call it. Locals laugh at foreigners' obsession with time. Being late is partly a result of cultural relations to time but it is also a result of practical delays. Many of my students walk miles over rough terrain or take a crowded taxi-bus from outlying villages.

Many students board together in the city in less than desirable conditions for the opportunity to attend high school. Their class size will drop as they lose the funds to pay school fees, are forced by necessity to find employment, or (for the girls) end up married. With all they face I can't find it within myself to be overly critical when a student is a few minutes late. I'm just glad they showed up at all.

Teachers are just as likely to be tardy or absent. On first discovering this I was horrified. A classroom full of students and no one to instruct them. Shame! It's hard to stay on my high horse when I remember that these teachers haven't been paid in months. They might as well be volunteers at this point. Teachers here receive a lot of criticism, but they do what they can under the circumstances. The classes here have upwards of 40 students, no text books or materials, no electricity or resources. Still, many of the students are better educated in math than I am.

One of my biggest surprises when entering a Comorian classroom was how unexpectedly old my students are. Though they are the equivalent of US 10th graders, many of my students are in their 20s. Some were delayed entering Quranic school as children, some had to wait for funds to travel to Mustamudu for high school, and others had to drop out for a time. For all their struggles they are remarkably like teens and young adults from anywhere in the world. Some struggles they face are ubiquitous to high school students everywhere and some are unique to their circumstances. I'm just honored to have the opportunity to improve their outcome.

When I enter the classroom the students stand and yell "Good morning teacher!" For some of them this is pushing the limits of their English ability. They smile just the same. They have faith that everyday brings the possibility of improvement.

Water

Water security is often a problem for Comoros. During my stay on Grand Comore water outages or shortages were common. Few people in Comoros have the luxury of turning on a tap and being presented with water. The fortunate and wealthy purchase water to fill cisterns or large water drums. The less fortunate beg for water from neighbors, wash in the ocean, siphon water from businesses, or generally scrape by. Grand Comore has no natural ground water. No lakes or rivers, or aqueducts. Water is imported in the dry season and collected in the rainy season.

I was told that Anjouan was different. An island of rivers and waterfalls. A waterworld. In Anjouan, I was told, water flowed free (literally, there isn't a charge). My (limited) experience hasn't supported that.

In my town, for many residents, water doesn't flow from anywhere. Not from the dry riverbed, or the unless pipes, or from the cloudless sky. It is dragged, unwillingly, from a rocky well at the edge of town. If you arrive at the blessed time. I have lived a privileged life. "Water conservation" was simply a buzzword. A favor I might do the planet to feel good about my karma. I might turn the gushing faucet off while I brushed my teeth in the name of environmentalism or global warming or, you know, one if those causes. Sorry California. Sucks to be you. Sucks even more to be an impoverished developing nation with limited resources and little infrastructure.

My life is radically different now. My hair hasn't been washed in days. I can bathe from a cup and feel grateful. That shirt can definitely go another two weeks without a cursory washing. When my water supply runs out I trek over the dried riverbed full of trash, across to the dusty edge of town, and down into the pit where sometimes water briefly resides. Dozens of women are there hauling water, washing clothes, and generally living their normal lives. For me it is a misery to drag my 20 liters of typhoid infested water home. Life shouldn't be this hard. This is how much of the world lives, but in this aspect I can't cut it. I'm waiting for a delivery of water, which I will measure cup by cup, no drop wasted, because every drop reminds me that many people in my town can't afford this luxury. They can't quit when the labor gets too hard. They'll balance their buckets and jugs on their heads and trek to the well because if they don't their families won't eat, bathe, or drink. Every drop counts.

Medina Life

My new home is in a medina, a maze of tight, narrow streets, shops, and homes that surrounds the mosque. The streets are wide enough for one person to walk down, which doesn't stop packs of wild children from barreling through the maze at full speed. This medina and the crumbling walls around it were built to slow and confuse raiding pirates. I imagine that it was effective. I still struggle to find my way home. Lucky for me the wild children of the medina can always lead me to my house. In fact, any white person who stumbles into the medina will likely be brought to my place. I'm thinking about naming it Wazungu House.

For me the medina is characterized first and foremost by sound. There is no quiet in a place where one can step from roof to roof. Children laugh and scream, women chat and bargain, men listen sports and play games. But here the dominating sound, the sound that rules over daily life, is the call to prayer. It comes from the iconic turret rising from the mosque. An eerie singsong chant calling "Allahu Akbar": God is great. Reminding the medina's inhabitants five times a day of the force that governs their lives. As the call sounds the male residents will make their way to one of the half dozen smaller masques packed tighly into the one kilometer maze. When the call to prayer falls silent the beating of drums  rises to take its place. Women practicing for the all important weddings that are bound to take place that night. Rhythm is life in the medina. Silence rarely comes, even in the deepest night. Music plays at all hours, until the 4am call to prayer signifies the start of a new day.

Journeys

Today is Eid, the long awaited end to Ramadan. I find myself stuffed into a traditional Comorian dress, jammed into a crowded mini-bus, and set off down the road to Fumboni. Today is my host mom's wedding. The distance to Fumboni is short, but the journey is a long one. The roads here were once paved, but that is no longer the case in many parts of the county. Great swaths of the little road to the southern tip of the island have been worn away by time and rain. Now all that remains are narrow strips of asphalt that a bus might set two wheels upon.

I think I first imagined that people in Comoros, being so low down on the development index, would have little idea of what they are missing. But people here remember when the roads were drivable and when the power and water flowed. Those things left with the French Colonial power. The price of freedom I guess.

What all of this means for me is that I  experiencing the second worst bus ride of my life. It's rather like a rollercoaster without the fun. Or the safety equipment. It is a two hour bus ride from Moroni on the central coast to Fumboni on the southern tip. I'm convinced that you could walk it in four hours.

The bus hugs as much of the pavement as it can during the journey. The exciting part is when vehicles approach from the other direction. Then a game of chicken begins. Who will be forced to give up their tiny segment of asphalt? I'm not really sure. I had my eyes closed most of the time. But at the end of all of this was the beautiful town of Fumboni. And a journey of a different kind began.

Home Cooking

Cooking in Comoros is a labor of love. In a country largely devoid of electricity, ovens, refrigeration, and running water quick homemade meals are unheard of. Dinner preparations begin early in the day. My host aunt is in charge of cooking for her family. She leaves for the market shortly after dawn to collect the food stuffs she will need for that night's meal. The market is crowded, noisy, and overwhelming, to me at least. She navigates it easily, as she has done all her life. She returns with fruits and vegetables from one market, flour and oil from another, and cuts of fish and meat from a third. Some of these items will become tonight's dinner. Some will be redistributed to other family members.

The task begins with washing last night's giant pile of dishes in shallow buckets in the back yard. My host aunt hauls back breaking gallons of water from the cistern at the front of the house. The washing is cursory to my western sensibilities, but each dish washed requires significantly more effort than loading the dish washing machine back home. When this is taken care of, more women arrive to help. They bake root vegetables over coal fires in the yard, make Comorian bread in shallow pans over gas burners in the kitchen, and peel and juice various fruits while sitting on tiny little stools. Each little task is probably more effort than I would be willing to put into a whole meal. Spices are ground between rocks out back, and strange sauces are removed from a warm refrigerator that serves more as a cabinet than as a device to keep food cool.

I am tasked with taking a portion of the food they cook to Mama Linda, the less fortunate neighbor next door. I walk down the steep ledge to the tin shack in the compound next door and call through the scrap of cloth at the doorway. I am greeted with hugs and kisses and gratitude. Though she can hardly spare it, she sends me home with bread and fish made specially for me.

At the end of their labor they set a table with salad, baked bananas and cassava root, beef or goat, fish, flatbread, rice porridge, crepes, juice, and tea. The women don't partake in the feast they so painstakingly prepared though. It is for their male guests. They women will eat the leavings and burnt pieces from a communal platter in the backyard while others eat the fruits of their labor at the dining room table. I am given a seat of honor at the table with the men. I must admit that I am jealous though. The women's warm laughter from the backyard compliments the food much better than the men's silence.  

Comorian Voices: Yusuf

In the early evenings, before I set the table for dinner, I sit in the living room with my host father, Yusuf. It's during these times that he likes to talk about politics, his love for the people of Comoros, the Seattle Seahawks, and his new home- America. Yusuf grew up in Comoros, but like many young Comorians he had to seek higher education away from the tiny island country's blue waters. He traveled first to Egypt and then to Senegal. He returned home to Moroni for a time but his wandering feet soon led him to Europe, and finally to the USA. He is by all accounts a well traveled and well educated man. It has been gratifying, and often humbling, to see my homeland through his eyes.

Yusuf loves America. Loves it in a way that I think only immigrants can. America, to Yusuf, is a place where hard work can make dreams come true. His love for the Comorian people is boundless, but the poverty in his homeland is stifling. He hasn't given up hope, and looks for solutions to Comoros' many problems, but in many ways America has become his home.

I think Comoros has instilled in him an endlessly kind humor. His good-natured laughter fills the room as he recounts the time that a new coworker attempted to teach him to use the microwave, as if a man from Africa, no matter how well traveled or educated, could not possibly have seen a microwave. He tells me about the woman who expressed disbelief that people in Africa might have cars. She assumed that everyone rode some sort of animal for transport.

In fact, most Americans he meets talk about “Africa” like a single county, with one culture and one story. Yusuf accepts the duality in everything. He knows Comoros is beautiful, even if it is impoverished. In one breath he tells me about being berated as a thief for trying to help an man with his spilled groceries and in another he says “Shanna, the American people are a wonderful people. So welcoming to people like me- immigrants with dreams.”

I begin to cringe at these stories. He, still laughing, tells me to be kind to my countrymen. They simply know nothing of Africa and even less of Comoros. And neither do I, I have discovered. Everyday I find myself confronting my own assumptions and expectations, simultaneously shocked by the poverty and lack of resources and surprised by the ways in which the lives of Comorians and Americans are similar. Yusuf, with his kind laughter and never-ending patience, could teach us all a little about Comoros and about the assumptions we didn't know we had.   

The Longest Flight Ever

Let me just start by saying that I have done a reasonable amount of international travel. But if anything were to keep me in Comoros for the whole two years, it is the thought of taking that flight again.

After arriving at Dulles, our group of twenty, baggage in tow, was forced to wonder back and forth while the airline decided where we could check in. After they pointed us to the right place, they charged everyone who wanted to check two bags (nearly everyone in our group) $100 to do so. Since we lacked any official power there was little we could do to argue. We found out after everyone paid that, indeed, the airline was not supposed to charge us.

We had to wait around for about five hours before our flight to London. We had an 8 hour flight and then a pretty uncomfortable 10 hour layover at Heathrow. We then had another 8 hour flight to Kenya and a five hour layover. Our last four hour flight had an hour stop in Mayotte before we landed in Comoros.

We were all pretty much walking zombies when we arrived only to discover that most of the baggage never arrived. And apparently this is the best flight PC Comoros has ever experienced. I'll cross my fingers for next year's volunteers.

I will also add that the view of Comoros from the airplane was worth it. It's the kind of breathtaking thing you see in the movies.

Staging

Staging was a whirlwind affair. We all left for DC on the 8th. I meet up with another volunteer, Sam, in the airport. We commuted to the hotel together and shortly after check-in we had our first meeting. We received ATM cards with $165 on them to get us through the next few days. Staging is different for each country I am led to believe. Ours seemed to be very brief, perhaps a result of the expense of housing us in DC. Rooms during staging are shared and you use your ATM card to pay for meals. A last American meal with fellow trainees is a good way to say goodbye to home.

The morning after arrival our staging sessions really began. We learned about Peace Corps rules, policies, and regulations. Lots of ice breaking and team work activities so you can get to know your fellow volunteers. We also received our new passport and visa documents. After a few hours of sessions we left for the airport.

Having our staging in DC is apparently unusual. It is generally cost prohibitive but the DC staff wanted to be involved in our staging since we are the first cohort to be sent to Comoros since the program closed in the 1990s.

Most of staging is a blur. After barely 24 hours in DC we were on our way to Comoros.

The Things I Carry

As my leaving date gets closer I am thinking more and more often about the things that matter most to me. Yesterday I came home from a wonderful trip to visit friends in Seattle. When I arrived home there was a care package waiting for me. My best friend Elena had sent it to me while I was away. It contained amazing pictures of my friends, family, and cat. It also had a beautiful journal, clips to hang the photos, and soap (because she is very concerned with the future state of my hygiene). It could have contained anything at all and it wouldn't change the fact the it is probably the single most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me. Two years away from the people who are most important to me is a daunting prospect. But I also know who I am coming home to.

Packing List

I have a few odds and ends left to buy, but for the most part I am packed! I am spending a week in Seattle right before departure so I need to get this done sooner rather than later. It is my intention to post follow up information as time and experience gives me insight. I figure at a later date I will post a list including things I wish I brought and things I wish I had left behind.

This is what I have so far:

Electronics:
Laptop and charger
1TB hard drive
Solar charger and attachments
Bluetooth rechargeable speaker
Headlamp
Earbuds
iPod
Kindle
Adapter
Batteries
Flashlight
USB drives

Toiletries:
Body Wash/Face wash
Shampoo/conditioner
Deodorant
Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Flossers
Razor/blades
Baby powder
Sunscreen
Nail clipper
Hair ties/headbands
Comb
Tampons (box of 18)
Menstrual cups (I have one Diva and one Lily cup)
Birth control (3 months)
Pumice stone
Tweezers
SPF lip balm



Clothing:
Knee-length skirt and dresses (5)
Pants- 1 tan linen and 1 black slacks
Jeans-1
Shorts- 1 plaid, 1 knee length cargo
Cardigans- 2
Tanks tops/undershirts- 5 in different colors
Thigh length tunic-1
Work shirts/blouses- 3
Casual shirts/t-shirts- 5
Leggings- 2
One piece swimsuit-1
Workout clothes- shirt, shorts, leggings
Raincoat
Bras- 2 normal, 2 sports
Underwear- 25
Socks- 2 dress, 2 sport
PJs- 1 pair
Hoodie- 1

Miscellaneous:
Quick-dry towel
Journal/notebooks
Pens
Hat
Sunglasses
Back-up glasses
Tiny frisbee
Umbrella
Knitting needles/yarn
Combo lock
Note cards
Family pics
Hammock
Duct tape
Watch
Peanut butter
Hammock
Games

Documents:
Private passport
Yellow vaccination card
Passport photos
Student loan paperwork
Vaccination records

Shoes:
Running shoes
Flip flops
Teva sandals
Boat shoes
Work flats

Everything should fit in my 75L hiking bag and one carry on. I feel like am underpacking on some things, at least compared to others. But I also believe that I am packing more than needed. I expect that I will be able to buy culturally appropriate clothing in Comoros. I don't want to bring much in the way of teaching material since that isn't very sustainable. I can live without American snacks and bath products. There is some specialty gear that I wonder if I will regret not having. I keep reminding myself that 735,000 Comorosians get by in Comoros just fine. And I am supposed to be living like a local anyway!

I will update as I discover everything that I have done wrong...


UPDATE: So I have received some advice and a care package that has added to my packing list. I picked up a number of games to use with the kids. I also bought some extra flashlights and basic supplies like sharpies and crayons. I've been convinced that one simply cannot come to Comoros without snorkeling gear. My best friend sent me a package with soap, pictures, and hanging clips. So I think I might end up using two checked bags instead of one! There are more pictures and details about my packing mishaps here: Packing Nightmare Continues

So... Where are you going?

It is time to talk a little about Comoros. When I tell people that I am leaving for Peace Corps service the first thing they want to know is where I will be going. The second question is "uh, where is that?" Which is the same question I had when I received my "under consideration" email.

Comoros is a chain of three volcanic islands off the coast of eastern Africa. It sits in the Indian Ocean between Mozambique and Madagascar. At just over 700 square miles between all of the islands, it is one of the world's smallest countries. To put it into perspective (for my US readers) Rhode Island, the smallest of the US states, is more than 1,200 square miles. For readers back home, Comoros is smaller than Jacksonville, FL. It is also among the world's poorest countries. They speak a language called Shikomor that is divided into island specific dialects. Travel between islands looks difficult; one of them is inaccessible by ferry. There is very little in the way of public transportation, and access to electricity and water is limited away from the cities. 

These facts have interesting consequences for Peace Corps service. Recently we completed a placement survey that asked us to honestly consider the conditions that we could work in and live under. I did my best to answer honestly rather than provide the answer that I knew the Peace Corps wanted to hear (which was actually rather difficult. Who wants to admit to being inflexible?) But a major difficulty was that while I was considering the conditions I can withstand in Comoros, I was sitting on my comfy couch, in a temperature controlled room, on my wifi-enabled laptop, drinking a nice cold beverage. 

Right now what I want for my PC placement is to be at a rural site, off of the main island. That would likely mean a house with no running water or electricity. There would probably be very little transportation available on the islands, and we are not permitted to casually travel off the island. The school where I would work (teaching English to secondary school kids) will likely be open-air, with no electricity and few textbooks or other materials for the students. This is the kind of site I have requested, but will I be able to hack it when I get there? I also suspect that the level of English spoken in the villages is very limited. That will make it all the more important to learn my local language, which is intimidating. I think the trick will be to have low expectations and a large amount of resolve!

Pre-departure and stuff

I depart for staging in about two weeks. I planned to spend the two month before departure in the States visiting my friends and family and making last minute preparations. I envisioned myself scurrying from one location to another with a giant "to-do" list right up until the end. Contrary to the experience of other volunteers, I have found that there isn't too much to do pre-departure. In my copious free time I try to study some French since it is spoken by governmental officials in Comoros, though not by most of the the population. I've been spending some time with my grandma learning to knit. I have been watching endless hours of documentaries and storing up audio books to stave off boredom during service. I have often considered going running (but then distract myself with something less productive and less strenuous).

Now that I have wasted away the month and a half I gave myself to prepare I find myself down to the wire. In a few days I leave for a week long trip to Seattle. Before that time I need to have my hair cut, extra passport photos taken, final purchases decided on and made, and I need to consider the most dreaded task- packing. Packing is something I think about often and seldom act upon. I have taken over the entire back room of my father's house. Piles of electronics, toiletries, and clothing await sorting to determine what will make the cut. I seek advice from anyone who will give it, even though I suspect that these are decisions I will have to make on my own. And I try to remind myself that people in Comoros have, you know, things. They have stuff. I don't have to bring all of my stuff from America. I can get it there. And it might even been culturally and climatically appropriate stuff.

An Introduction

Soon I will depart for my 27 month long Peace Corps service in the remote island chain of Comoros. When I do leave it will have been 11 months since I started this process. It's been a long journey and it hasn't even really started! I am part of the first Peace Corps cohort to serve in Comoros since the program closed in 1995. I anticipate that this new program in Comoros will provide many challenges and opportunities and I am hoping to use this blog to share my journey.

I'm spending my time before departing for service learning some French, having knitting lessons with my grandma, spending time with family, eating all of the food I will miss, and watching enough TV to last me a lifetime. I spent a year teaching English in Korea, and another six months in China but these 27 months in Comoros will probably be the hardest years of my life. But I am confident, as we all must be if we are undertaking this journey, that it will be worthwhile.



*If you are interested in more information about the Peace Corps application process you can check out my other blog, A Place in the Sun, which includes a lot of Peace Corps information that is not specific to Comoros.*