8/26/2002: 2 of 5
1. family phone calls and update: all right. family called yesterday and today. Rama 1st. spoke to her, Aboudi and Tala. all seems well. they're in Dubai! looking for schools. kids excited. Rama anxious but optimistic. Allah ya'eenha... [God help her]. OMZ called. he's all right. in his books. in the rap-thing, too. he's looking to pursue both. gotta love him! Allah yuwafiqah... [God grant him success].
mama called this morning. she's well. back in Damas. claims that Istanbul is the prettiest city on earth. has permission [from the security office] to renovate the new apartment she has in the city, not far from the foreign ministry. she's thinking about coming here again. why not?! Allah y'tawwil 3umrha... [God give her long life].
water is hot... gonna bathe! i'll be back...
Saturday, November 21, 2009
i want to write about...
8/26/2002: 1 of 5
i want to write but i don't want to write. my head hurts. my eyes specifically. glasses seem to be hurting my head. prescription? also got a shot to my eye playing [basket]ball yesterday. not sure what's up?! anywho... i want to write about:
i want to write but i don't want to write. my head hurts. my eyes specifically. glasses seem to be hurting my head. prescription? also got a shot to my eye playing [basket]ball yesterday. not sure what's up?! anywho... i want to write about:
- family phone calls and update
- dinner with the young crowd (under 30)... PESTO!
- talk w/Shawn about sustainable development and
- Small is Beautiful
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
call it a day
8/23/2002:
same day [as the last journal entry/blog post], the 23rd.
swearing in was fine... good to see PCTs, now PCVs! they were happy to see me, too. saw Mike and Todd off. kinda sad. also saw Mirabelle [my host-mother]. still not sure when she's coming to visit? puet-etre the 4th?
didn't make it back to Bamenda in time to catch the bank or Jum'aa [Friday prayer]. the CD spoke for way too long! in English and French. he said they wouldn't take Paul's IVP stuff this cycle. that really pissed me off!
he, the CD, is coming to visit us in the NW province. Sunday or Monday Wum, it sounds like. you know, i don't like the CD... i don't like my APCD... the SDO thinks i'm a spy...
but it didn't rain today and tucker's sheets and my clothes from last night are dry! take what you can get and call it a day... right? right.
same day [as the last journal entry/blog post], the 23rd.
swearing in was fine... good to see PCTs, now PCVs! they were happy to see me, too. saw Mike and Todd off. kinda sad. also saw Mirabelle [my host-mother]. still not sure when she's coming to visit? puet-etre the 4th?
didn't make it back to Bamenda in time to catch the bank or Jum'aa [Friday prayer]. the CD spoke for way too long! in English and French. he said they wouldn't take Paul's IVP stuff this cycle. that really pissed me off!
he, the CD, is coming to visit us in the NW province. Sunday or Monday Wum, it sounds like. you know, i don't like the CD... i don't like my APCD... the SDO thinks i'm a spy...
but it didn't rain today and tucker's sheets and my clothes from last night are dry! take what you can get and call it a day... right? right.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
relief - release - soaking
8/23/2002:
early morning hours here at chez Tucker... you will not believe what happened at a 1/4 past midnight earlier this morning:
i woke up to an all too visceral sensation of relief and release. warmth, too. yup... i woke up peeing. on Tucker's spare mattress! sheets and all.
won-duh-ful won-das!
and it wasn't just a tinkle... not just shorts and PJ-soaking, but all down the leg and sheets and through the mattress to the other side!
O Lord... how we are tested.
i got up and changed. the sheet and my clothes are soaking [in soap & water]. waiting for Sarah F. and Tucker to wake up so i can wash them. they're getting up right now, actually.
what to do with the mattress??? hmmm... i think some soaping & soaking on both sides will do.
subhan'Allah... hot to explain this one?
and i've got 1/2 an hour to do all this b/c my APCD leaves for Dschang by 7am.
early morning hours here at chez Tucker... you will not believe what happened at a 1/4 past midnight earlier this morning:
i woke up to an all too visceral sensation of relief and release. warmth, too. yup... i woke up peeing. on Tucker's spare mattress! sheets and all.
won-duh-ful won-das!
and it wasn't just a tinkle... not just shorts and PJ-soaking, but all down the leg and sheets and through the mattress to the other side!
O Lord... how we are tested.
i got up and changed. the sheet and my clothes are soaking [in soap & water]. waiting for Sarah F. and Tucker to wake up so i can wash them. they're getting up right now, actually.
what to do with the mattress??? hmmm... i think some soaping & soaking on both sides will do.
subhan'Allah... hot to explain this one?
and i've got 1/2 an hour to do all this b/c my APCD leaves for Dschang by 7am.
Friday, November 6, 2009
going to Dschang
8/21/2002:
"l'homme propose... Dieu dispose."
this [italicized] part of the saying is the windshield border sticker on the green [toyota] hilux that took us from Esu to Weh the other day.
i've made up my mind to get to Dschang for swearing in. to see Mike and Todd off [on their close of service or COS]. to congratulate the PCTs [peace corps trainees] on becoming PCVs [peace corps volunteers]. and to touch base with Mirabelle, who'll also be in Dschang.
i'll leave tomorrow. spend a night in Bamenda. WHERE? je ne se pas? catch a ride to Dschang with my APCD... and back. and then back to Wum, insha'Allah. i've got a meeting with Maggie on Saturday morning–no, at noon. all about EE. so i gotta be back by then.
filled out my project report today. tedious. reflective. got some ideas and a little guilt-ridden motivation out of it. HIV/AIDS and HCN [host-country national] cooperation... need to do more of both!
"l'homme propose... Dieu dispose."
this [italicized] part of the saying is the windshield border sticker on the green [toyota] hilux that took us from Esu to Weh the other day.
i've made up my mind to get to Dschang for swearing in. to see Mike and Todd off [on their close of service or COS]. to congratulate the PCTs [peace corps trainees] on becoming PCVs [peace corps volunteers]. and to touch base with Mirabelle, who'll also be in Dschang.
i'll leave tomorrow. spend a night in Bamenda. WHERE? je ne se pas? catch a ride to Dschang with my APCD... and back. and then back to Wum, insha'Allah. i've got a meeting with Maggie on Saturday morning–no, at noon. all about EE. so i gotta be back by then.
filled out my project report today. tedious. reflective. got some ideas and a little guilt-ridden motivation out of it. HIV/AIDS and HCN [host-country national] cooperation... need to do more of both!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
just say "jam"
also 8/18/2002:
sometime this weekend, i was telling Mu'aath how this one old Pa there in Ukpwa always asks about my children ("pu'kwa jam?"). i reply "they no dey [i don't have any] Pa, but yes, jam." so i ask Mu'aath what's up with that? what am i supposed to say?
he tells me that i should just say "jam" [good or in peace]... to keep things moving. not to rock the boat, if you will. and as we're discussing this he looks at me and says "Muhammad, it no bi reality now." hu-'uh! it be na weti if it no bi reality? i guess it was both funny and a little shocking.
it was certainly insightful... that the superficial character to the shibboleth of local greetings isn't just perceived by me. jam bandu? jam. jam nusumri? jam. usako. m'aathala. usako. m'aathala. yaowaa... [a series of greetings and replies in the local Fulani dialect].
sometime this weekend, i was telling Mu'aath how this one old Pa there in Ukpwa always asks about my children ("pu'kwa jam?"). i reply "they no dey [i don't have any] Pa, but yes, jam." so i ask Mu'aath what's up with that? what am i supposed to say?
he tells me that i should just say "jam" [good or in peace]... to keep things moving. not to rock the boat, if you will. and as we're discussing this he looks at me and says "Muhammad, it no bi reality now." hu-'uh! it be na weti if it no bi reality? i guess it was both funny and a little shocking.
it was certainly insightful... that the superficial character to the shibboleth of local greetings isn't just perceived by me. jam bandu? jam. jam nusumri? jam. usako. m'aathala. usako. m'aathala. yaowaa... [a series of greetings and replies in the local Fulani dialect].
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