Cancun

It's December, that means another UN Climate Change Conference has come and gone. I know it's not something I am actively involved in at the moment, but I feel like I have to give a shout out to the most important international meeting of the year. This year the conference was held in Cancun and I'm guessing that's the extent of what most people know about it, that and the fact that it did not fail spectacularly like the conference in Copenhagen did last year. So what did happen? What was decided about the biggest environmental, economic, and social problem we face? Here are three links that do a decent job of explaining one of the most complex political negotiations humanity has ever attempted:

"Cancun was a Triumph for Global Cooperation"

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/michael-mccarthy-cancun-was-a-triumph-for-global-cooperation-2162495.html

From the youth perspective:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z09Ex_kwPl0

"Five Reasons to be Hopeful"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-rigg/5-reasons-to-be-hopeful-a_b_796169.html

60,000 Pedal Strokes later

It was actually more like 65,000 pedal strokes later...

Check it my friends post about our bike trip through Senegal's national park: http://stayinggroundedontherun.blogspot.com/2010/11/60000-pedal-strokes-later.html

The Great Trail Building Party

Ever since I the first time I walked out to the Ségou waterfalls a year ago I have dreamed rebuilding the trail that leads to it. For me, the idea of throwing rocks around in the woods with purpose is about as good as it gets. Last week I finally got that chance.

When the villagers first decided to try to make Ségou a tourist attraction several years ago they built a “road” half way out the falls up to the point where the trail joins the streambed. That part of the trail is still in good shape, although it is currently overgrown with tall grass that blinds you as you try bike through. It also drops seed into the back of your mouth which is impossible to get out. Aside from that, it is fairly level and even, so we decided to concentrate on the part of the trail that follows the stream. For four days eight other volunteers and I camped out at the start of the stream-trail and worked our way up to the waterfalls. During the day we were joined by three to five locals from my village. (The idea that it would be fun to camp out in the woods seems scary, stupid, and weird to them.) Each morning we would get up, have breakfast, and then set out to work on the trail. Around one we would break for lunch and tea. Like always, making tea took several hours, something I did not mind one bit since I had strung up my hammock between two stands of bamboo. After tea was finally done, we would rush out to get in one more hour’s worth of work before the light faded. Returning to camp those of us spending the night made a few drinks and settled down around the fire for an entertaining evening of conversation and swapping stories. Adding to the conversation, we were joined by two Belgian tourists who were passing through, Nick and Katherine. They bought a van in Belgium, outfitted it as a camper, and saved up enough money to travel around West Africa for a year. If there was a best way to travel in Africa, I would say that they found it. A number of us took photos of their van with dreams of replicating it some day. Meeting interesting folks like Nick and Katherine has been one of the more interesting and unexpected parts of my experience over here.

Working on the trail itself was a heck of a lot of fun. We all had big smiles on our faces the whole time as we were chopping with machetes, throwing big rocks down hills, and jumping into pools in the stream whenever we had the chance. Each of us lost about 15 years of maturity while we were out there. The best part about it was that even though we were acting like children just playing around, we were actually accomplishing something meaningful. Now it only takes half an hour to cover the distance we cleared whereas before it took over an hour and was dangerous to the ankles of those who are not accustomed to rock hopping. Now that the trail is done the ecolodge is one big step closer to being fully operational. We just need to get the doors on the bathrooms and clear the paths in the lodge and we can start publicizing the ecolodge to guides and local tourism operators. WOOHOO!

Introducing phase two of the Segou Ecolodge Project

The ecolodge is now approaching being operational, but there is still much to be done. The three huts need to be finished, the restaurant needs a floor and a roof, the trails need to be fixed up, and much more. The first phase of funding, provided through USAID's Small Projects Assistance and the contributions of the village, is almost used up. It is now time to introduce the second phase of the Segou Ecolodge Project.

Where the goal of phase one was to construct enough of the ecolodge that it could house tourists, the goal of phase two is to turn the ecolodge into the best tourist lodge in the area. In order to do that we need to finish the bathrooms in the huts, build the storeroom for the restaurant, build the kitchen, and do all of the finishing touches necessary. Of course, all of this will require additional funding. The village has committed to contributing 26% of the costs but that still leaves a $7,741 USD need. To explain the what is needed, how it will be accomplished, and how you can help out by donating I created the Segou Ecolodge Project website (sites.google.com/site/segouecolodge). Please take a look at it and consider donating. Every little bit helps and a donation of only $77 dollars will cover 1% of the total. Also please forward the link to anyone you think might be interested in learning about the project.

First guests!

The ecolodge had its first guests!!! I can't describe what a great moment it was. After a year of working on the project we finally saw some results!

It is still not finished, at the time they stayed there the windows and doors were not up, but the four American students were able to accommodate that in exchange for having the honor of being the first guests. While I had been involved with the project for a year, it was a much more exciting moment for my counterparts who have been trying to realize this dream for many years. I told them, "Jooni, menen acii fudugol golle keso e jooni ha yesso golle amen ko gaynugol ko menen fudike hari." "Now we are done starting new work and now the rest of our work is just finishing off what we have started."

The other really exciting aspect of having our first guests was I could see how the benefits of the ecolodge are going to spread throughout the community. Even though they were the first guests and we were unprepared to host them, as I was walking around town I counted over a dozen different people who were involved in preparing food, finding things to sell, or trying to find their old ceremonial dance equipment. The whole time I have been working on this project I have been dreaming of all of the auxiliary projects that will be possible for the community: selling shea butter or baobab power, selling rope made from local trees, teaching Pula Futa lessons, telling traditional stories, creating a community development fund, and much more. These are the side projects that will extend the benefits of the ecolodge out into the village and will be much more fun to execute than supervising construction. They will also be much more mentally challenging. I can't wait to start taking them on.

It's rare that PCVs get to see the fruits of their work so clearly. Now I see not only the physical buildings we have created but a vision into the future of how the ecolodge, and my work, will function to the benefit of the entire community. This is the moment that I joined the Peace Corps for.

Photos

Not my photos, but they are very good. I don't have any photos like this because most Senegalese do not like their photo being taken by a stranger (tourist/white person). Looking at the photos I can't help but imagine the photographer being yelled at by the people in the photo immediately afterwards. Anyway, really good stuff:

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/senegals-changing-urban-landscape/?ref=africa

More about the rain...

Visual Music

Visual music,
bathes the earth
as a mother lovingly bathes her child

Stilling solice,
dampens the burning ball
of intense inner fire

Cleansing clarity,
clears the air
of immediate concern

Descending droplets,
return grounded
in growing pools of reflection

Running rivlets,
springing up in the sand
inspire new directions

Nourishing nectar,
fuels growth
towards a higher purpose

Rain in West Africa, a rare regularity,
is welcomed by parched soils
and parched souls.