What Dry Season Means

(Pictures to come)

 I’ve spent time in Namibia, walking miles under the hot sun tracking wildlife, collecting camera traps, and performing various scientific inquiries... but at the end of the day, I always had water available. Having two large rain catches and a water well near my house in Sierra Leone, I did not concern myself with water during the first few months of dry season. That quickly changed when water became scarce. The last of the dragonflies had fledged and the bottom of my cement water cache became dry and pitiful. The thought of using an entire bucket (2 gallons) to bathe seemed ridiculous. I’ve since grown used to bathing with 2-3 liters. Three Nalgene water bottles to be exact. Had I known the large yellow containers Rachel (previous Peace Corps Volunteer) left were meant for water storage, I would never have cut them to pot plants. Dry mouth and dirtied, that’s the one decision I’ve regretted here. But you have to laugh at yourself once in a while. My efforts have since increased from drawing water out of the water well…to walking down to the water side (spring) to pull water and carry water up the hill. With dishes, clothes, and plants it starts to add up. Not to mention the amount of water I drink in a day (2-4 liters)! Just Imagine! I manage to get by with an average of 6 buckets in a week! I’d use even less if I could, but I’m constantly getting myself dirty scrambling after chameleons, jogging, and playing with dirty bobos (young boys). But at least their mango-stained hands leave me smelling fresh, right?

But dry seasons not all bad! Dry Season is a time of easy travel, community events, and cold drinks. Schools put on sport programs and picnics, encouraging students to work together with their houses (a house color is chosen for each student) to train and build a small house for the upcoming sports. Likened to that of a track meet, students participate in various tract events representing their house. Our school has 4 houses: red, blue, yellow, and Griffindor!... actually the fourth is white, I just couldn’t help myself.

Learning the Library:

Thanks to the African Library Project (ALP), our library is sporting a surplus of American novels! From Nancy Drew to Animorphs…even Harry Potter! ALP is an organization that has donated thousands of books to various schools/libraries across Sierra Leone. Not to mention the countless other African countries they have helped. I find that increasing the diversity of books in our library has allowed students to open their eyes to new perspectives around the world. Such books offer a gateway to new ideas, including careers these students have never considered. So thanks to ALP our library is stacked full of beautiful books –the best learning resources a village could ask for! My sincere thanks to the African Library Project!

There’s just one setback. I find that students continue to go and use the same Sierra Leonean textbooks. One reason in part, because their teachers use the same book(s) to teach. So despite having such resources, I found my students seldom expand beyond their comfort zone. A formidable challenge, but one I’m willing to accept!

This week I’m trying a new library activity! I call it “Smart pas mark”. It’s Krio and it means just as it sounds, smart pass the mark (or as we say, genius). My activity asks several questions over a specific topic of interest. The questions reference books and page numbers. Students have to work to find answers by reading from different books on display. It sounds simple, but many of these students have never learned to use a table of contents or index. Even the ability to turn the page of a book gently is something many of us take for granted. Students will have the opportunity to submit their answers in a box. During assembly I’ll award one lucky student with correct answers. This week the topic is Mt. Everest!

My last Adventure?

It’s difficult for some Sierra Leoneans to understand why an individual would want to spend two days climbing the highest mountain in West Africa, Mt. Bintumani. But that’s just what we did. Its true, we suffered. But those that contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of strength (Rachel Carson). And our reserves got us to the top! The journey began alongside three companions: Larissa, Lawrence, and Nicole. A group of sporadic, nature-enthusiasts whom I wouldn’t have traded the world for (they’re also fellow Peace Corps Volunteers).

It was a journey just reaching the base of the mountain. So we did our best to meet with friends along the way. Our friend Karen was kind enough to house us. We devoured her food, played with puppies, and teased pikindem (children). Hopefully our thanks were sufficient. Thanks again Karen!!!

We started the climb in Senecoral, a small village at the base of Mt. Bintumani. The children were on us like bees on sugar, grasping our hands and repeating the few English words they knew. We did our best to greet in Coronko. And in doing so, we made new friends. The villagers were kind to us, providing us with food, water, and an area to pitch our tents. We left late morning after negotiating for a guide with the town chief.  Before we knew it, we were already on our way. We traversed through agricultural fields, crossing muddy channels over lain boards and bamboo. Fortunately for us, fresh pineapple was one of the crops we passed. And we were ecstatic when our friend Sheku presented us with one. We enjoyed them near a cold flowing stream. After our break the incline became apparent. I was in the rear inspecting every leaf and fruit. It was my first hike through “intact” rainforest, and I wanted to make the most of it. “Intact” though it was, I learned there were more efforts needed. A nearby snare had caught a small species of arboreal porcupine (brush-tailed porcupine?). The creature itself had a rattle on the tail, reduced spines, and large incisors (perhaps to eat tree cambium or hard fruits). I suspect science knows very little about it. Despite joining our guide in dining on bush meat, I hoped there would be more conservation efforts in the future. As this area was home to a high diversity of life, a “hot spot” you could say. In fact, the path was little more than an animal trail. And it became increasingly difficult as the incline grew steep. I was thankful for the thick vines that acted as handholds and the shade provided by the canopy overhead. Some 12 miles later, light broke through overhead. Before I knew it, we had emerged, crawling onto an open plateau. Clumps of grasses made up the landscape with large boulders scattered about, similar to pictures I had seen of New Zealand. We had reached Camp 2. We washed at a nearby stream and setup camp. Next we found ourselves inhaling banana and groundnut paste (similar to peanut butter) on bread. We sat exhausted until our curiosity got the best of us. We explored the plateau and overlooked the blanket of green. We found ourselves standing at the edge of the Earth. My companions began displaying their yoga skills. And they couldn’t have picked a better spot! If we weren’t laughing, we were listening to the calls of nature. Birds, frogs, and unknown creatures called from the canopy below. My most memorable moment was listening to the echoing calls of the wild Western Chimpanzee alongside Larissa. Most inspiring! I felt my heart fill with passion for Mother Nature. And we hadn’t even reached the top!

The Summit:

We packed and set off for the last leg. Baboons watched us curiously as we trekked through their territory. An occasional bark reminded me of their presence. After easy walking, we saw Mt. Bintumani in the distance. She was the mother of mountains here.  But to face her, we’d have to climb another mountain. When we reached a tower stood before us. We continued climbing between the crags, gripping the Earth’s grass as support. We were climbing a wall. And when we conquered we may as well have been above the clouds. We collapsed and enjoyed the view for what seemed an hour. We placed a stone and left a message in the rock pile climbers have so characteristically left all around the world. A memorable trip I’ll never forget.

And just in time!
Look, the rains have come.

Until next time,

Matthew Solberg