January 26, 2004 - Monday
1:15pm
Gbereyire
Not sure if that's how you spell it, but it looks right. I really need to start writing in this more often so I don't have so much to write all the time, but I have so little free time that I never get a chance to. My host family likes to monopolize all of my free time and in the little free time I steal for myself I'm often trying to dash off a letter to try and send ASAP because it takes so long for them to make it home. Ugh. So yeah, this past weekend was interesting. My family basically wanted to spend every free second with me, but I was good in setting some boundaries and taking time for myself. I feel like I never just go and do anything guilt free, though, because they will inevitably comment on it. I guess I just have to get over them commenting on it and let them get used to it. Independent women definitely clash with this culture. We have all noticed many examples of the men challenging us women and our actions. It's very difficult, because we don't want to be rude, but we also don't want to be dominated. We've basically been told not to worry about it and err on the side of being rude because the Susu are very forgiving and we would rather set the tone for the rest of the time here and be happy than try and establish independence later. I keep trying to remember that this is supposed to be a cultural exchange, so they should learn about American women being independent.
7:26pm (cont.)
So I came outside to write and I have six children around me, just watching. It's like nothing I do isn't interesting and worth watching. Intently. I'm hoping the novelty wears off eventually, but I don't know.
9:58pm (cont.)
Good lord. Not a free moment around here to write a complete thought uninterrupted. Well this is the first night I haven't been expected to sit around and "blague" [joke] all night long. I went on a walk with my father and Ingrid's dad, not really knowing what was going on, but ended up at the President's [of the village] house. Nicole lives there, so I actually had a really good time talking to her. We are on very similar pages on a lot of things, so I would like to get to know her better. Today was a long day because we had the same class all morning and then language class all afternoon. I like the classes when we're all together because I miss seeing everyone and I miss our group dynamic when we're not all together.
My 11 year old brother told me told me today that I am his first choice for his chérie. I didn't really know how to take that, so I laughed and promptly shut him down by telling him I was too old for him. I'd be much more worried if it was the 19 year old, but the 11 year old doesn't worry me too much. It's amazing to me how eager the Guineans are to up and marry the first American who comes along. I don't know what that says about them or their culture, but I do think that "having" an American, in any way, is a definite status thing, which is also very strange. What is the US doing, as a culture, to make itself so desirable? I'm sure this will be something I think about a lot over the next two years, just like I did in Australia.
Well I'm mad tired so I'm going to rest up for yet another long day of language tomorrow. At least we get to eat with everyone tomorrow. But we also have to take the mefloquin [malaria prophylaxis] tomorrow, so I will probably feel like crap after I take it and on Wednesday. Hopefully not, but we'll see!
1:15pm
Gbereyire
Not sure if that's how you spell it, but it looks right. I really need to start writing in this more often so I don't have so much to write all the time, but I have so little free time that I never get a chance to. My host family likes to monopolize all of my free time and in the little free time I steal for myself I'm often trying to dash off a letter to try and send ASAP because it takes so long for them to make it home. Ugh. So yeah, this past weekend was interesting. My family basically wanted to spend every free second with me, but I was good in setting some boundaries and taking time for myself. I feel like I never just go and do anything guilt free, though, because they will inevitably comment on it. I guess I just have to get over them commenting on it and let them get used to it. Independent women definitely clash with this culture. We have all noticed many examples of the men challenging us women and our actions. It's very difficult, because we don't want to be rude, but we also don't want to be dominated. We've basically been told not to worry about it and err on the side of being rude because the Susu are very forgiving and we would rather set the tone for the rest of the time here and be happy than try and establish independence later. I keep trying to remember that this is supposed to be a cultural exchange, so they should learn about American women being independent.
7:26pm (cont.)
So I came outside to write and I have six children around me, just watching. It's like nothing I do isn't interesting and worth watching. Intently. I'm hoping the novelty wears off eventually, but I don't know.
9:58pm (cont.)
Good lord. Not a free moment around here to write a complete thought uninterrupted. Well this is the first night I haven't been expected to sit around and "blague" [joke] all night long. I went on a walk with my father and Ingrid's dad, not really knowing what was going on, but ended up at the President's [of the village] house. Nicole lives there, so I actually had a really good time talking to her. We are on very similar pages on a lot of things, so I would like to get to know her better. Today was a long day because we had the same class all morning and then language class all afternoon. I like the classes when we're all together because I miss seeing everyone and I miss our group dynamic when we're not all together.
My 11 year old brother told me told me today that I am his first choice for his chérie. I didn't really know how to take that, so I laughed and promptly shut him down by telling him I was too old for him. I'd be much more worried if it was the 19 year old, but the 11 year old doesn't worry me too much. It's amazing to me how eager the Guineans are to up and marry the first American who comes along. I don't know what that says about them or their culture, but I do think that "having" an American, in any way, is a definite status thing, which is also very strange. What is the US doing, as a culture, to make itself so desirable? I'm sure this will be something I think about a lot over the next two years, just like I did in Australia.
Well I'm mad tired so I'm going to rest up for yet another long day of language tomorrow. At least we get to eat with everyone tomorrow. But we also have to take the mefloquin [malaria prophylaxis] tomorrow, so I will probably feel like crap after I take it and on Wednesday. Hopefully not, but we'll see!
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