Friday, April 8, 2016

Return to Site!

Friday, March 25 (Written from April 2-8, 2016)

Palms whizzed by as we raced along the sandy red road. Each bend opened a new view beyond the dense tropical bush surrounding us. Small villages would appear, along with plots of agriculture and charcoal burning. Each jump in the road jogged my memory of site. Peace Corps Sierra Leone had surprised me with a personal escort to my former site. Despite our current travel restrictions in place, Peace Corps had allowed me to visit my home in the north alongside Abdul. I would be going back to Madina Tonko, Limba Chiefdom of Kambia District.

A rush of emotions filled me as we entered Madina. Even now as I type, I smile through tears. There's no sign, no marker upon arrival. You make your way down a gentle hill that rises to the town's mosque before the road gives way to an open junction. You'd call it a village, and in many ways it is. However, with 6 secondary schools and a population around 5,000 people, one could call Madina a rural town. I simply call it my second home.

I followed traditional custom, greeting the Paramount Chief first. My chief was happy and welcomed me warmly. Because my surname Solberg sounds like sol bag (salt bag in Krio), I thought it fitting to return with a large bag of salt for my community. I smiled and said “Sol bag don kam” (salt bag has come). I was known for such acts. My jokes were simple and bad at site, but they brought me smiles and forged the relationships I have here today. I met with many a friend as time allowed. I had been given two days in Madina before I needed to return to my current assignment in the south. Many friends were in disbelief. Some cried, and some were upset I had taken so long. I sat with many friends and colleagues, hearing stories recited. I was reminded of the time I went hunting and set fire to the bush surrounding Madina (though it wasn’t I who actually set the fire). Of the time Madina’s female soccer team placed second in our district and came home with prize winnings. Of the long-distance race I placed last in during our school’s sports competition. And all the animals I fostered to release or terrorize my neighbors (and some students in class). Countless stories were told. But more than anything, I was happy to hear my top female student had left Madina to pursue a science program in a nearby town. Though I loved all the extra-curricular activities, my fondest memories came from teaching science in Madina (my assigned role). I was ecstatic to hear news of a former student pursuing science! She is pictured in a previous blog entry receiving an award.

On the surface, little has changed in Madina. Buildings are still intact. Families still present. Madina is still a beautiful and bustling place of colors. None of the chaos the media brought to newspapers. Many of the surrounding villages had individuals infected by the Ebola virus, even one family in Madina. Unfortunately, this has greatly impacted the way people interact. Hand shaking, an integral part of Sierra Leonean culture has taken a blow. I found many neighbors clasping their own hands together to greet. Some friends were even hesitant to embrace my hug. It’s sad, but with time and continued hand washing practices, people will go back to hand shaking. Other changes I noticed were few people selling items while walking. Additionally, the bustling Luma Market that takes place Fridays had become a market for community members only. Trucks from Guinea passed, but nobody outside the community was selling at the Luma Market. But aside from these changes, Madina is still the community I came to know and love.

One of my close friends Kabba took our group of friends to a nearby beach (on the condition that I would not swim). Kabba had never shown me the place for fear I would swim with the crocodiles. He was smart in doing so, as I also love crocodiles more than the average person. It was a nice treat upon return. A tropical paradise. And a reminder of the beauty this country holds. We visited Kabba’s home village and he proudly showed me a new health post he had worked to construct. I was happy to see my friends involved with the CDC and the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children Affairs, making positive changes within and around our community. I dedicate this entry to them, and all their efforts.

Here’s some more background information:
Madina was my home from July 2013 until August 2014. I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer Science Educator at the Government Secondary School of Madina (GSSM). I became proficient in Krio and learned common greetings in Tonko Limba (one of 14 dialects of Limba). On March 18th, 2014 Guinea announced the outbreak of a mysterious hemorrhagic disease. It wasn't until May 26th that the first recorded death caused by Ebola virus landed in Sierra Leone. It spread rapidly and a state of emergency was declared on July 30th. I was evacuated along with many Peace Corps Volunteers (pcvs) and Trainees from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia on August 1st, 2014 (this date may vary for other pcvs).

With the reopening of Peace Corps posts in West Africa I have returned as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer to serve as a higher education STEM Teacher Trainer in Kenema District, Sierra Leone.

Kind regards,
Dauda (Matthew Solberg)

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