Ivory Coast: It's Shawarma Time!

My friend, Florent, and I share a shawarma salad (with the Arabic bread on the side) with an old fashioned glass-bottle Coke.


I didn't mention this earlier but there is a fast-food culture here that does differ from the traditional Ivorian "fast-food" and it can be found in the numerous Lebanese restaurants. While shawarma Lebanese restaurants in CI vary in their offerings, most of them will have shawarma as an option. They also typically have items such as burgers, pizza, and french fries. A shawarma is a sort of Arabic sandwich which consists of flatbread, meat, and vegetables. The meat choices at the local shawarma joints in Daloa vary from chicken to beef to meatballs to -----COW BRAIN! (and I kid you not!) There's also kidneys and liver available for your shawarma too :)

My first experience with shawarmas was when I was living in France but I must say that I have not really tasted another shawarma like a Jordanian shawarma. So anyway, here in CI, when I want to grab a bite to eat quickly, I'll go to one of these shawarma joints and order one up - but, erhmm, beef or chicken only please!

Ivory Coast: Oasis

When a friend suggested to take me swimming at a nearby military police school, I only expected a regular swimming pool. Nothing special aside from the rampancy of athletic looking young men I was sure to see.

What reality greeted me with was an oasis! When we arrived, the military students were doing chores around the campus, away from the pool, so we were welcomed by a mildly relaxing ambiance. There was a small bar with a television displaying an alternation of sports and music videos. At any rate, the swimming pool area was beautiful (aside from the woodsy construction area) and I couldn't believe that I was still in my city of Daloa. For me, it was like a pool lifted up from Maui or Miami. Perhaps I felt this corner of recreation was like an oasis because the normally brilliant sapphire Ivorian skies seemed to gleam just a bit more than usual or maybe it is because the clear, sparkling pool water set off the panoramic green landscape oh so perfectly....

I had a great day swimming until the sun almost set. Perhaps, it's good that I didn't stick around for the celestial event or else I might not have left this blue haven.

Traditional Clothing for Mature Women

Here is one of my colleagues, Madame Koné (right) with her friend. I thought the colors they were wearing were lively so I asked them to pose for me - they did so gladly. The outfits they are wearing are typical of the clothing style here for mature women.

Obama, Obama, O---bama!

When I first arrived in Côte d'Ivoire, I was so amazed by the myriad of Obama representations I saw everywhere. Now, I am used to it but it is still quite a wonder! I have eaten Obama cookies, smelled Obama cologne, seen an Obama printing shop, passed by an Obama apartment hunting business, wanted to purchase an Obama toothbrush (regret that I didn't) and have ridden in an Obama taxi! Oh, and did I mention my Barack Obama flashlight? I hope President Obama knows how much he is revered in this country!




Can you see President Obama in the faded poster to the right? It's an advertisement for green cards to the US? In this regard,I guess Obama is rightfully represented. Today, his face must be the strongest representation of the United States in Côte d'Ivoire and perhaps in the rest of the world.

Feeling So Alive

What a beautiful morning! My cup of tea and French baguette are hot. Lots of work to do today!

Oh yeah, check me out in my traditional African bou bou.

Braids, Finally!

I cannot believe that I have been in West Africa for almost 9 months now and I am just now getting my hair braided! I mean, after all, isn't that one of the things that I should have just been dying to do - getting braided up in the MOtherland? I mean, I seriously asked myself yesterday as I was sitting in the hair salon (at the outdoor flea-like market), "what took you so long?" But as the girl proceeded to tear out my hair with the small toothed comb in order to make her job of braiding my thick hair easier, I remembered why I had been reluctant about letting someone in CI do my hair.

As mentioned in a previous post, relaxers are more common amongst adult women than natural hair so in general stylists, like in the US, are most accustomed to working with relaxed hair. I really made a sacrifice in getting my hair braided yesterday. It was like I decided to lose at least 2 inches of hair (with all of the pulling). Was it worth it? Hmmm....well I like the change of style with my hair but I really wish that I had detangled my own hair. I sat there as the girl tugged, pulled, and snatched. I tried coaching her but I saw that she really didn't have a sense (or didn't care to have one) of treating hair delicately in order to prevent unnecessary breakage. However, I have noticed that here in CI, there seems to be a hair culture of sacrificing healthy hair for beautiful hair. I have seen the most women in my life plagued by alopecia due to excessive weave wearing.

Anyway, at the end of it all, I am happy to have gotten my hair braided and will most likely do it once more before leaving, but this time, I will come ready with my own wide tooth comb!

The Night I Almost Slept with a Mouse

It is almost midnight and I just swept my entire apartment and cleaned the floors with bleach. Only moments ago, I felt icky, disgusting….my skin quivered.

An hour and a half ago, I arrived at my apartment after a long day out. I left the house around 8:30am this morning and stayed out all day –working, taking care of errands, and spending time with friends. Since I didn’t sleep very long last night and I must get up early tomorrow morning, I was looking forward to a nice evening of sleep.

When I came home at 10:45pm tonight, I started my normal routine of undressing and getting ready to go to sleep. Around 15 minutes after my arrival, I noticed a wet spot in my bed. My mattress is violet and so when it is wet, the moistened area darkens and is noticeable. I wondered to myself, now what did I do to make a wet stain on the bed as I didn’t remember being anywhere near the bed in my 15 minutes of being at home. It was strange. I started thinking about the steps I had taken since my arrival. I touched the wet spot with my fingers to ensure that it was really wet and not just a dark area – a sign that perhaps I’d soiled it earlier. No, it was definitely wet. Actually there were two stains, a small one and a large one. I had not yet even touched water since being at home – that was the baffling part. I don’t remember what thought I had next; I only remember what I did. I pulled back my covers and something moved quickly and immediately, I knew what that something was - a MOUSE! { My skin is chilled just thinking about it.} I shrieked and it started moving everywhere in my bed - in my bed! It was looking for a way out but could not find it thanks to my mosquito net which totally encloses the bed. It got stuck in one corner and stayed there --- looking at me at the corner of its eye, scared. I was scared and so was it. We stayed there, staring at one another with fear making us both frozen into place. I called a friend and asked him what to do. He told me to push him out of the bed with a broom. I didn’t want to gently coax the thing out. I wanted to beat him…kill him. After all, he was in my bed! But for that very reason, I could not hurt him. Imagine mouse remains scattered in my bed at midnight. I mean really, could I ever really sleep in that bed again? And I have no sofa alternative so that wouldn’t have been a good move. I got my broom and a can of roach spray. I then widened the opening of the mosquito net so that the mouse would have sufficient room to get out. I sprayed him first so that he’d be irritated and move. He did. Instead of jumping through the entrance, out of my bed, and out of the open door onto the terrace, he ran to the corner of the bed where I lay my head. My head I said! I figured that this night was screwed. I mean, what if he decided to stay there with his long body and tail, next to my pillow? I would not sleep the entire night, that’s evident. I sprayed some more and opened mosquito net exit further. Finally he hopped out of the bed, fearing for his life dare I say it. And then ran out of the apartment into the night.

So it is now almost 30 minutes past midnight and I am here in my bleach fragranced apartment hoping that I have cleaned up enough to erase the events of tonight’s nightmares from my head. I have thrown my covers into the hamper and I have cleaned the wet spot (which I now realize is mouse pee) with antibacterial spray, soap, and water. I am waiting for it to dry. Since I must be awake in six hours, I will try my best to put my horror to rest and as well as my body and proceed as if I did not almost sleep with a mouse!

Fast Food in Côte d'Ivoire

So....there's no culture of drive-thrus as you might have imagined. However, you can pull up (or walk up to) just about any curb and order a variety of meals to go. For example, in this photo, this woman whose business is to sell fried fish and attieké (which is a starch dish made from manioc; can be substituted for rice in many instances).

How does curbside ordering work in Côte d'Ivoire? : You walk up and tell the seller how much fish you want (for example, you can say that you want to pay for 50 cents worth or a dollar worth). She gives you the fish and attieké in a small sack and adds oils, peppers, and other seasonings to make it taste yummy. Joints like these are practically everywhere. The other day, I paid for lunch at one of these curb sides next to my house. I got two pieces of fish and attieké all for 50 cents. Yep, not like our fast food in the US huh? Here, the fast food is arguably healthier and cheaper - but I must say the USA wins hands down on the fastness of the food! At any rate, can you see why I am not particularly missing McDonald's!? Although a Big Mac with fries and a Coke will be on my agenda of purchases upon my arrival on US soil! LOL

Other foods that are available at curbside: grilled chicken, smoked sausage, beef, and sheep, grilled fish, etc.

There are also always littlee "nic naks" available on corners such as fresh fruit and vegetables, peanuts (raw and cooked), small cakes, cookies, fried chips, grilled corn on the cob, grilled bananas, etc.

Meet an Ivoirian: Dabré Zakaria

Zakaria lives in one of the villages that I work in called Scierie (Belleville). He is a student in one of the literacy classes that we have established there. His elders say he is brilliant and learns quicker than lightning. He is studying to become literate, something that half of the population of Côte d'Ivoire has not yet mastered. Get this....Zakaria is blind. And no, he's not learning Braille, a reading system designed for blind persons. He is taking his literacy course with persons who see "normally". When I heard this story, I felt it was an inspiration to share. Zakaria is looking for information on how he get a free eye analysis which will permit him to see if his condition can be fixed. If you know of any organizations that might assist him, let me know!

Women Business Owners in CI: Training in Microfinance and Enterprise

I spent three days last week (June 16-18) assisting one of my colleagues with a microfinance seminar for women business owners from a local village. It was an awesome training! In three days, the women learned the importance of investing, saving, and enlarging their enterprises. They all received a small stipend to make their businesses stronger after the 3-day training. I am shown in the photo with Teresa (far left), Rachel (in orange), and three other women from Zoukougbeu village. We'd just finished a team exercise outside.

The Value of Literacy

A literacy student reads, for the first time, a short paragraph that she's composed while her friend looks on.

Father's Day 2010 | A Father's Love in AfRiCa

I love this photo!
Taken on Father's Day in Scierie, Belleville, Côte d'Ivoire.

"Obama Spotting" | 4 Carrefour

I was working in the village of 4 Carrefour on Sunday and this cutie came along and I couldn't resist taking his photo. Poor thing, he had no idea what he was modeling for! He is too cute.

A Day of Bigs

Big Slingshot | This is one serious slingshot! It belongs to one of the tutors of our literacy program. He is a planter, as all of our tutors are, and he uses the slingshot to scare off birds that try to eat the rice crops. I am sure if you used it on a person, it'd knock him/her out!



Big Tree | Okay, so I realized after the fact that I should have gotten out of the car to stand by the tree so that you could see exactly how huge this tree is. But all is not lost...Take a look at the bottom of the pic and you'll find where the road is. That should give you a better idea of the immensity of this tree! I have passed this tree many times on my way into the village of Belleville to work but each time I'd forget to get a photo. Got it this time!

Bananas in the Raw

Ever seen bananas growing from the tree? In CI, there is a vast variety of bananas. The type shown in this photo is a type I call mini-banana because they stay small, as shown in the photo. I love how I am forced to come in contact with nature in Côte d'Ivoire -- well, sometimes!

Millepates | One Thousand Feet

This worm has to be the first sign that I was really no longer in "Kansas". I remember back in November when I saw this creature for the first time. I was like, "What in the heck?!?" I got creepy crawly feelings all over! Now when I see "millepates" which means "one thousand feet" in French, I still get creepy feelings but nothing like before. One could say I've become used to seeing them now but I still am amazed at their body structure and size. Check him out! :)

Bye-Bye CAFOPeans: End of the Year Ball at the Teachers' College

This year has been amazing working at the CAFOP. The CAFOP is what the Ivoirian government calls the college where people enroll to become primary teachers. My office is located in the library of the local CAFOP here in Daloa. For the last six months, I have made friendships and bonded with many of the students and professors. Now that today was the big finale - graduation!- we celebrated well but I will miss them! Congratulations to the Class of 2010 CAFOPeans!

Here is a photo of one of the professors and me posing with our 2010 uniforms last night! Every student and professor purchased the same fabric and had it tailored to their preferred design.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

There are many things that separate Côte d’Ivoire from the United States. One of them is the culture of litter. In the United States, before littering became illegal, more people threw their undesirables out the window without a second thought. Nowadays, because we care about the safety of our environment, want to preserve the beauty of our landscapes, and are frightened of fines, Americans, in general, avoid littering. (If you have lived in a city like NY however, you understand why I emphasized in general).

In Côte d’Ivoire however, there is no such culture (or law, as far as I know) against littering. In fact, I remember during my first month in the country, I asked someone where the trashcan was. I had finished downing a cup of Yoplait yogurt and wanted to dispose of the container. The guy I asked kind of chuckled and pointed to the ground. After I refused to throw it away Ivoirian style (you often realize how culturally programmed you are once you leave your homeland), he later told me to give him the container and that he’d take care of it for me. He walked away with the Yoplait cup and I felt grateful that he did me this favor. Later on, one of my colleagues told me that she saw him throw it away alright – on the ground.

Heaven on My Terrace

I am so lucky. I almost feel like I am living on the first floor of heaven. This is a photo of a typical sunny day with almost perfect clouds taken from my terrace. I look at the Ivoirian beautiful sky often!

Cutting the Grass at the CAFOP

Students at the college where I work cut the grass old-school style- with machetes!
Unlike in the States, students here in CI whether at college or at primary and secondary schools often do chores around their school grounds.

The Many "Faces" of My Job in Côte d'Ivoire

Giving a speech at a high school conference titled, "The Importance of English in the World".


Catching a wind near my skirt at the library of the college where my office is located.


Discussing reproductive issues and family planning with women of Debo II village.


Family planning session with the local representative of the Ivorian Agency for Family Well-Being, literacy tutors, and the women of Detroya village.


My office!

My Baby

Well, she isn't really mine but I keep telling her parents that I am going to take her away from them when I leave. They always smile and agree :) LOL I love this baby...isn't she just adorable?!

Is She Kissing Me?

Yeah....so I guess I wasn't the only one who found this pose a bit strange. Oh, and let me just say that that was my first day meeting the girl who is hugging on me ...at this point, I didn't even know her name! LOL

Ivorian Greetings

How do people greet each other in Côte d’Ivoire? The most common greeting amongst males and females alike is the standard handshake, like the one we have in the US. Also, Ivorians have incorporated the cheek-to-cheek kiss into their culture, with giving 3 kisses opposed to 2 kisses as the French do. This is normally done between good friends and also when you haven’t seen someone in quite sometime. There is another greeting that I have seen several times but only between men, who are often important figures. This particular greeting seems to express a great deal of respect between the two people greeting each other. It goes like this: two men embrace each other by the hands, neck, or shoulders and then they touch foreheads 3 times, alternating from side to side and turning the neck each time. Interesting, right?

It’s a Stare Down!

For Americans, it is culturally impolite to stare. I still remember one of my uncles telling me to “stop gazing” when we were at a McDonalds – what must to have been some 20 years ago. Well, in Côte d’Ivoire, the American faux pas of staring does not exist. People will stare you straight in the face until you’re out of eyes’ reach. Whereas Americans look away to prevent looking at strangers too long, Ivoirians seem to go more by the rule of, “God gave me eyes to use and I can’t let this sense go to waste.” It’s amusing to ride by in a car and watch passersby stare you down. I often think that one could easily get caught cheating in this city the way that these folks stare into cars – they miss nothing with their eyes! An Ivoirian person’s “business” begins and ends with what he or she can see. One might say that Ivoirians are nosey. I think that we (Americans) were more like them – that is before we became so industrialized and “developed”.

I think there are benefits to people’s perceptivity here. For example, one day, a gentleman on a motorcycle, noticed me walking from the market with tons of heavy bags. He stopped and gave me a lift home. On another occasion, I was chastising a young girl for making a rude remark at me and random woman at the market who saw the situation unfold came to add her two cents – chastising the child with me! There is a sense of community here that reminds you of what it must have been like to grow up in the “good old days” in the US.

Oh…the Flies!

I will never look at flies the same way ever again. You know those commercials that we too often see in the United States of poor Africans with flies swarming all around? Well, for the record, I have not seen anything like that. I have seen no starving, sick people in the streets or any babies with ribcages poking through their skin. Yet, I have seen a whole lot of flies. What I am trying to say is that these flies are not typically living on people like those commercials for “Feed the Children” convey but rather, they’re always there…forever present…around especially wherever there is food or drink. At my own house, I see too many flies in one day. Today, I tried to take a nap but couldn’t quite get to stage 2 of slumber due to the buzz, buzz, buzz of flies! I remember the first time I ate agouti – the rodent like animal which is a popular variety of bush meat for Ivoirians –in the little hut of a restaurant in a local village; the eatery was full of flies! So the fact that I was going to eat agouti which had been full of flies just minutes before it was set before my eyes on the table made me want to hurl even before I had put the rat meat to my lips.

Random Things I Miss from the USA

o Corn Dogs
o Maple Seasoned Breakfasts! (Maple syrup, maple bacon, etc)

Working Out : Ears & Body

Yep, feeling pretty good and revitalized right now! Around 5:48 pm, I started the walk from my house to my aerobics class at the Catholic Cultural Center. I arrived approximately 15 minutes later. I just got back; it’s around 7:20 pm. And since the electricity isn’t cut off tonight (as it was cut off all day) I was able to walk back and on my way, I paid for 4 bananas – 10 cents for all 4. But actually the woman gave me one as a cadeaux, which means “gift” in French. The aerobics class is composed of women-only (most of the time) and is not very rigorous but it is so much better than sitting at home working out finger muscles while jamming fatty foods into my mouth. Those who know me well should know that I live with very few regrets. In fact, it is rare for me regret anything because I see mistakes as life lessons and life lessons tend to make one better, stronger, and wiser. But, I can say that there are two things that I wish I would have done earlier in my sojourn here in Cote d’Ivoire 1) commence with aerobics and 2) buy a radio.

Aerobics, although I wasn’t working out regularly in the U.S., serve one well here in Côte d’Ivoire. I find that the cuisine here is quite rich in fats. I have all but lost weight here in Africa! I am easily 5-10 pounds larger than I was in New York! Now, chew on that! I do walk a lot here. In fact, I walk to work every day but the food I eat here in CI sticks! I would even say that I have consumed more oil (palm oil mainly) in these past 8 months than I have in all my years on earth! Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration because I have eaten a lot of fried chicken and fish in my day but still….it’s not a serious embellishment, believe you me. With that said, I am looking forward and not backwards and feel very satisfied that I have started working out this month.

The week of May 10th, I purchased a radio and I have never been happier! The only thing that I’d wished is that I would have thought of buying it sooner. Why? I do not have a TV (unlike most, if not all, of my neighbors) and a radio is the next best thing! Why? Because it allows you to stay in-the-know with current events and allows you to listen to music that you wouldn’t have otherwise heard. And for me, the biggest benefit of it all is that at the same time, I am training my ears in French! Each day I listen to the radio, I hear a new word or phrase or a reinforce something I already know. I think that having a radio is better than having a TV because I can’t use my eyes. I have to really listen!

Love, Romance, and Marriage in Côte d'Ivoire

Wow…where do I start?

Men here in Côte d’Ivoire are not sleeping when it comes to chasing women. I have been proposed to, summoned by a United Nations’ official, and followed to work by these tenacious men! Just yesterday, a young fellow approached me - well, let me go back - he had his friend to stop me and he only approached me minutes later. Well, when I told him I was married (something I’ve gotten quite used to saying since living here – or else I am asking to be bothered all the time!) do you know what he asked me? “Is it a legal marriage?” LOL! But in reality, his question has relevance here in Côte d’Ivoire. There are three different types of marriages here: 1) one in which a man asks for a woman’s hand in marriage by going to visit her parents (traditionally in the villages) and bringing them some gifts (often alcohol) 2) one in which it is a civil, legal marriage done at the mayor’s office or 3) one in which the couple decides to live together in a free union, meaning married but not legally.

I do not know much about the dating scene except to say that there is one! I often buy Ivoirian love newsletters. In these newsletters (the stories you find inside are often so juicy!) there are personal ads. Do you remember when personal ads were not on match.com or E-Harmony but good old pursuits of love happiness written in black and white in weekly or daily newspapers? Well, I do. As a kid, I enjoyed reading love ads (and obituaries- morbid, yes I know) in the paper. Well, fortunately (and I say fortunately because I am one of those who appreciates old-fashioned modernism) in CI, the printed love ad section of the paper still exists. Nothing has changed and I still love reading these personal ads – especially here in CI because it gives me an insight into the culture. Here are some excerpts from one of my love newsletters from this week (Translated from French to English):

Young man, 36 y/o, 1m85 (height), slim, dark-skinned, nice and discreet, desires to meet mature, saucy women (preferably nice, round, and plump) for love relations and maybe more! # 04 19 88 63 -Arthur
P.S. I accept text messages also and I will certainly respond. You can reach me for the most part after 8pm. Kisses to all.

Hi. Young, business man desires to correspond with all ladies between 25-35 y/o. Please do not send me text messages nor beep me and above all, [I would like] a stable woman who works please because I also work. Those who don’t have a job, it’s not even worth it to call. # 66 29 50 33

My name is Edmond, a young student age 23 who is looking to meet ladies who are between 30-50 y/o for a discreet relationship.

I am Henry, 25 y/o. I desire to meet ladies or young ladies from 25 to 50 y/o who desire to be satisfied.

I am Dario, informational engineer, 26 y/o, single, 1,60m and 57kg. I would like to meet a pretty, preferably Christian girl who is between 20 and 25 for a sincere relationship which could lead to marriage. Very serious please.

Hi My name is Fleur. I desire correspondence with a man 35-45, light skinned or brown-skinned. Please, no jokers. I am 27.# 02 14 45 35

Hi I am 24 y/o, 52 kilograms, medium height and brown-skinned. Desire to correspond with a man age 28-35 with a stable situation. Thanks. Bintou
Hi, my name is Jacques, single, 25 y/o, 1m90, light-skinned, clean, handsome man doing well for himself. I would like to share my intimacy with chocolate women who are in shape, pretty, and doing well for themselves.

Hi, my name is Emilie. I am 39 years old. I work in the domain of HIV. I am HIV positive. I desire to meet a man who is the same and is 45-50 who works and who is feeling lonely and seeks a loving, sincere, lasting relationship. Players/jokers do not respond.

Hi, I’m Stephanie. I am 19 and I would like to get friendly with young footballers who are between 20-25 who are clean, nice, handsome and very polite for a serious relationship.

HI. I am JM. I am a young optician, 26 y/o desiring to have a sincere relationship (leading towards marriage) with a lady btw 20-30, preferably with a guitar-shaped body, loyal, no kids, and with a financially stable situation. P.S. Jokers refrain from responding.

Random Things I Miss from the USA

o Vanilla Milkshake

Going to the Market for Chicken and Beef

When I first got here, I went into grocery stores looking for packaged meat. I remember having a desire to cook “lardon”, which is a special cut of bacon found in France. I thought, since I am in a French speaking country which has many French imports, it shouldn’t be hard to find lardons. I also remember seeing a package of them in the grocery store in the largest Ivorian city, Abidjan. So, my second week here in Daloa, I went into every single supermarket looking for this bacon only to find that none of them carried it. In fact, I didn’t really see any meat in these grocery stores at all, except for the occasional small cold cut selection. Why? Because people sell and buy meat here the traditional (and I’d argue, normal) way. What does that mean? In the case of beef, someone kills a cow and brings the fresh meat to the market to sell the same day. When I first witnessed the “beef stand", I was in disbelief. The meat was just there like that, on a slab with millions and gazillions of flies swarming around. I remembered what my mom always says, “Where there are flies, there are maggots.” Yuck! I thought, “Looks like I won’t be eating any meat except for fish in Côte d’Ivoire.” And all of a sudden, I could sympathize with those who choose the vegetarian lifestyle. Anyway, what I also noticed is that I was the only one around who was fazed by the fresh meat-selling process. With time, I have gotten over the disbelief and have now become one of the butcher’s best-selling clients; he gave me a call last week just to say hello!

When buying chicken, the process is a little different. Quite simply, you go to where the guys sell chicken at the market; there are tons and tons of chickens in many different cages. Depending on what type of chicken you want –African, “poulet du cher” (which is the type of chicken we have in the States), etc – you pick one out and the seller lets you hold the live chicken by its legs so that you can feel its weight. Normally, you want to try out 2-3 to make sure you’re getting the heaviest chicken – after all, for Ivoirians, that’s what counts – which one has the most meat. After that you decide which one is the one that gets to go home with you, you have it killed – that is, if you don’t want to take it home live and wait a few days and then kill it yourself. How much to have the experts at the market kill the chicken? 100 CFA which is about 25 cents. They cut the poor thing’s throat, put it in hot water, the feathers then literally rub right off, and then they remove the undesirables and leave you with the meat, cut how you like. It’s necessary to mention that they give you the feet, the head, and the gizzard – all of which people here eat. I have never seen anyone eat the head so I don’t really know how that works. As for the feet, I’ve tried to eat them but the claws (i.e. chicken toenails) get in the way and besides, there’s really no meat on them.

Prices:
For a kilo of beef (a kilo is 2.20 lbs) = about $4
For a whole chicken = around $5 (depends on size and type/breed)

I am White

I certainly feel a link between myself and Africans that I do not feel in my connection to my fellow White Americans. Why do I feel this connection? Could it be my skin, my hair, or the remnants of African influence which sprinkle – okay douse -the African-American culture? I must say that it is liberating to know that if you have a problem with someone that it is not because you are black! 99% of everyone you see here is black. That’s not to say that I do not run in to problems here or that I am not treated differently sometimes due to my “status” as an American, due to the fact that I am female, due to my age, etc.

I feel like “them”- many have said I look like them - although I know that the feeling is not always mutual. They, as in Ivoirians, when it boils down to it, clearly see me as une blanche (in French the meaning literally means white lady but what Ivoirians really are trying to express with this term is that I am a Westerner). One day a guy told me that it was obvious I wasn’t Ivoirian, when he looked at me he said he knew. I asked, “And my skin?” He said even that looks different. This type of comment, however, is quite rare. Based on my physical appearance, people cannot tell that I am not African. On another day, on my way to work, I crossed a field where many young girls were playing. I heard one of them say, “There goes the “White lady”.”I couldn’t help it. I turned around and asked, “Excuse me but do you see anything white here?” while pointing at my skin. They all giggled because they understood what I was posing with my question.

What I find really interesting is that Ivoirians do not make a distinction between me, as an African American, and a White American. Yes, they realize that I am a by-product of Africa and that I am black, unlike European descended Americans. But for them, generally speaking, we, all Americans, are all the same – precisely our way of thinking. Our occidental mentalities are the same. We are all from the Western world; we are all “white”. This is another reason why, in general*, they do not perceive interracial relationships in the same racist manner that some of us, Americans, do. While I’ve been asked many times, “Is your boyfriend a white American or a black American?” – the curiosity is certainly there - I still think that their perception is different, as if interracial friendships/relationships aren’t as a “loaded” topic as it is or can be in the US. I find that quite fascinating. This says to me that race in America has a different spin than it does in Africa. This is no secret but it just reinforces how racialized the United States is. We judge everything by race. As humans, we categorize. We make boxes; it’s natural. But isn’t it a bit weird that many of us -before considering one’s level of education, age, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, religion -we start with the color of one’s skin? But then again, my experience in Africa has taught me that if race was not the weapon used to assume power and self-legitimacy, it would, most definitely, be something else. For example, here in Côte d’Ivoire, there are at least 60 ethnicities. Yes, all of these people are black but they belong to different ethnic groups with different languages, cultures, and customs. And nowadays, people intermarry between ethnic groups but still I cannot tell you how many times I have heard comments like, “You know, those {fill in any ethnic group} can’t be trusted.” Or “Those folks from the north/south are all lazy.” Even in terms of immigration, I have heard people use all sorts of derogatory comments against the blacks that come from other neighboring (often poorer) African countries to live in Côte d’Ivoire. So, yes, while we have seemingly huge race issues in the United States, the roots of our race problems are less about skin color and more about the natural tendency in man to divide and categorize so that one group can benefit over another. In the States, given our history of slavery and our heterogeneity, racism has been and continues to be one of the easiest tactics to apply in exploiting privilege.

*I use the phase in general often to express my observations because I do not strive to characterize an entire country based on my mere limited experiences. Keep in mind that generalities often ignore someone or something. What I am essentially saying is that there are always exceptions to the rule and my opinions are based on my personal perception. Point: digest everything that is preceded by “in general”, with a grain of salt. And if the “in general” disclaimer is missing, proceed cautiously ;)

The Cutest Tomatoes

Lots of things that we have in the United States, as we know, are exaggerated in size! The United States is known abroad (CI is not an exception) as the creator of big things! With that said, there are versions of things here in Cote d’Ivoire that are the fraction of size of its counterpart in the United States: baby bell peppers, baby bananas, baby cabbages, etc. Let’s take the beefsteak tomato for example. Here in CI, there is a version of this tomato that looks just like our huge beefsteak tomato only a lot smaller! Take a look!

Random Things I Miss from the USA

o Fruit Loops
o Ranch Dressing
o Bacon

A Calm Day after the May Rain

Last night and early this morning, it rained quite a bit. As a result, the air became a bit crispy and cool – around 75 degrees. When I woke up around 7am, the sky was not bright like it normally is, the air was cool, and everything was quite still. I loved the weather, loved the moment. There were no sounds of babies crying, people shuffling around, children going to school, mothers cooking, sheep baaing, sellers selling, roosters cock-a-dooddly-dooing, Ivoirian zouglou music blasting from next door….

And then I decided that there were no sounds of life outside of my apartment because 75 degrees for Ivoirians is like winter! The coolness of the morning seemed to have left people calm – days like these are welcome in the future! As a matter of fact, we should be nearing the rainy season here in Côte d’Ivoire where {surprise!} it rains practically all the time. But since global warming has its footprints all over the world, including Africa, the seasons have changed a bit and there is no telling when the rainy season will actually begin. Soon, I hope!

Snails Anyone?

Have you ever arrived at the gas station only to realize that you have no Kleenex in the car? Or that you need to buy a new pair of sandals for that birthday party you're headed to? Or that you might want to cook a delectable dish of snails (see tray carried by little boy to the left) for dinner?

Well, if you've ever been in any one of these predicaments, you'd be happy in Côte d'Ivoire! Private industries are still developing so that means that there are entrepreneurs wherever you go. Ivorians sell the most unlikely things in the most unlikely places. But talk about convenient!

Ivorian Brooms

Check out this typical Ivorian broom. I haven't seen the tall American standard of broom here yet but I've gotta say that I've gotten quite used to using the Ivorian version. I actually really like it! You can buy one like this at the market for less than 30 cents.

On the Way Home for Lunch

Côte d'Ivoire, a former French colony, has workday schedules which mirror those of the French. That means at noon, employees and students go home to have lunch and take a nap thereafter and then return to work around 2:30 or 3:00pm.


School girls walk home for lunch.


You can only imagine the level of chatter as these school kids walk home! This is my walk home from work -- almost there!

Mangoes - My New Favorite Fruit

So I thought that my favorite fruit was the all-time Georgia peach or the pink/red grapefruit. But I learned yesterday that they only come second to mangoes! Now, I admit, the first time I ate a mango was not long ago – it was in 2008 in New York (also the first time I ate a pink grapefruit). Mangoes, as we know, are considered an exotic fruit in the United States and are exported into the country for our pleasure. However, here in Cote d’Ivoire, mangoes, unlike money, literally grow on trees – and all around too! Yesterday, my landlord gave me a papaya and three mangoes. Later in the day, I ate one of the mangoes. It was extremely good! So, I had another….and then another! Now, I have a thirst for mangoes that I have not yet quenched! Tomorrow, one of my colleagues is going to go with me to pay for some mangoes in the neighborhood. I am so excited!

So how much do mangoes cost? Well, that reminds me of a story. A month ago, I purchased one mango at the market. My colleague asked me how much I paid for it. I told him 50 CFA which is about 11 cents USD. He told me I was crazy! He said that the more normal price for mangoes is 10 CFA (or 2 cents USD!!) Wow! That’s definitely a bargain one could never have back in the U.S. Although the best mango that I paid for cost 50 cents but it was huge!

I must tell you guys this cute story. The other day I was working in a village and a little boy overheard that I love mangoes. All of a sudden, I was presented with a great big bag of mangoes to take home! I thought that was so sweet. When I asked who told him to bring me the mangoes he said, "ME!" He's now my little cutie in Debo II (the village). I had to take a photo with him after that. His name is Dominique. See our photo below! Last week, I returned to work in the village and although he was too timid to talk with me, he would always appear not far away from me, smiling oh so coyly :)

Shopping at the Market Today – List of Purchases and Prices

Not only is rent cheap, vegetables and fruit at the market are cheap in my city too. Check out my recent list of purchases at the market:

Eggplants (12 colorful, small) $.45 cents
Abrillo Pad $.17 cents
Plantains for Alloco- (12 medium) $.45 cents
Cucumber $.23 cents
Whole Pineapple $.23 cents
Tomatoes (30 small) $1.78
Eggplants (3 purple, medium) $.23 cents
Small Cabbage $.23 cents
Carrots (6 small) $.45 cents
Ground pepper $.11 cents
Lettuce (3 small heads) $.33 cents
Beef (1.5 kilograms) $5.56
Avocados (2 large) $.45 cents
Barack Obama Flashlight $2.22
Local Handmade Freeze Pop (4) $.23 cents
4 Whole Fish (Carpe) $2.00

High School English Club

I was so impressed by the level of conversational English these students mastered during our meeting! I was the guest speaker for the evening and spoke to the kids about the English language, my work in Côte d'Ivoire, and random tidbits about the United States. They had so many questions. I tried to make them understand that my opinions are just that...I cannot speak on the behalf of more than 200 million Americans but I can give my individual impression of life in the States. As international travelers, we should keep in mind that people see us as ambassadors for our country...yet, we are simply citizens...each with her own experiences and each with her own opinions. It is important that when we take on the role of speaking about our country and culture, our audience deserves to be alerted to this fact.