My room. The black bags are the beginnings of a tree nursery.
My family's cooking hut.
Where some of the family sleeps and where we eat lunch.
The concrete building where my room is, where the chief sleeps (left) and the goat hut in the background.
A typical Mauritanian pose, they like to show how serious they are. "If you are going to take a photo that will last for ever you should not be doing something goofy."
Drinking tea.
Aamadou (my brother (I am named after him, by him)) making tea, a very elaborate process.
The robinet, where the village gets all of its water.
The garden my fellow trainees have started.
Our classroom. From left to right, Michelle, Manna, and Sara Kate.
Our language teacher Ablaye. He is awesome: adviser to the largest political party, director of a school, de facto chief of his village, and our language teacher!
A UN Development Project water tower. Its broken and once I know how to ask why in Pulaar I will.
Aamadou milking (he wanted me to take a picture of this).
The store in our town.
Binta, she is the cutest, most flirtatious little girl I have ever met. She always makes me smile.
Our U.S. tax dollar bought toilet.
Rather, pit latrine.
Main street in my village.
UNHCR refugee tents in my village. (I'm an international institution junkie :)
My Mauritanian "father" Abalaye and my brother Sidi. Sidi is amazing, he is more responsible and works harder than most people I know of any age and he still plays around and has fun. In general, Mauritanian kids are 10 times tougher than American kids and work 100 times more. Frankly, when compared to how well behaved they are, I am embarrassed by how I acted and how most American kids act at comparative ages.
My brothers, left to right, Allsem, Samba, Sidi, Aamadou, Aamadou. Quite a crew huh?
My room. The black bags are the beginnings of a tree nursery.
My family's cooking hut.
Where some of the family sleeps and where we eat lunch.
The concrete building where my room is, where the chief sleeps (left) and the goat hut in the background.
A typical Mauritanian pose, they like to show how serious they are. "If you are going to take a photo that will last for ever you should not be doing something goofy."
Drinking tea.
Aamadou (my brother (I am named after him, by him)) making tea, a very elaborate process.
The robinet, where the village gets all of its water.
The garden my fellow trainees have started.
Our classroom. From left to right, Michelle, Manna, and Sara Kate.
Our language teacher Ablaye. He is awesome: adviser to the largest political party, director of a school, de facto chief of his village, and our language teacher!
A UN Development Project water tower. Its broken and once I know how to ask why in Pulaar I will.
Aamadou milking (he wanted me to take a picture of this).
The store in our town.
Binta, she is the cutest, most flirtatious little girl I have ever met. She always makes me smile.
Our U.S. tax dollar bought toilet.
Rather, pit latrine.
Main street in my village.
UNHCR refugee tents in my village. (I'm an international institution junkie :)
My Mauritanian "father" Abalaye and my brother Sidi. Sidi is amazing, he is more responsible and works harder than most people I know of any age and he still plays around and has fun. In general, Mauritanian kids are 10 times tougher than American kids and work 100 times more. Frankly, when compared to how well behaved they are, I am embarrassed by how I acted and how most American kids act at comparative ages.
My brothers, left to right, Allsem, Samba, Sidi, Aamadou, Aamadou. Quite a crew huh?
Posts
3 comments:
Wow Zach, I don't even know where to begin. First however, I must comment on the attitude towards picture taking. Have I not been telling you and Becca this for a long time! :)
Tell your family I say hello and thanks for being your family there. They look like kind wonderful people. The pictures of the village are great and gives me an idea of your world I am a communication junkie. I love to know what your life is like the picture say so much. Keep drinking! Love Mom
The pics are INCREDIBLE Zach. Being your sister and so as not to disappoint you.. in true form of your oldest high maintenance sister (altho in my defense, you have to admit, in my meager livings, I HAVE gotten better)... but when I saw the pics of your surrounds, I actually said ... well... I won't say. I just love you and I am THRILLED you are braver and in many senses, more adventurous than I ever could be. And I say this WITH LOVE.. Better you than me.. *grin*.. I love you completely.. I'm glad I'm not beyond being able to learn and grow through my younger brother. I continue to say I'm so proud of you........ I know I couldn't do it.
With that being said, you without sounding culturally insensitive, but .. well, do you have TP? In your latrine pit, what was the bottle of substance in the pic? Perhaps a bottle of wine to help get you through your bathroom experiences???? .. *grin*..
I LOVED the pic of Aamadou, your brother. I can already see you two getting along .. I got a great vibe from him. It seems like he has great energy.. everyone seems to... Binta looks like she will keep you on your toes!!!! .. *smile*.. Fun energy all the way around... Seeing you look SO happy was wonderful. When I saw the picture of you with Ablaye, I cried... for every happy reason. You look SO happy!!!!!!!!!!
I love you Zach...... continue to love where you are.. Kirk and I continue to love what you have to say... and all those things you don't say but that we know you are just experiencing... *hug*
Just wanted to tell you I loved seeing your pictures from over there and I miss you!!!
-Smerc
Post a Comment