Thursday, January 29, 2009

Can we try this?!

I like to think that I'm not easily manipulated...especially by students. However, I've discovered a weak spot. When students are inquisitive and propose scientific investigations, I'll do most anything to try to accommodate their curiosities. When I first came, I had to beg students to ask questions, but they have definitely come around! I was so excited last week when one of my JS3 Integrated Science Students came up to me after a class of talking about acids and bases. We had tested different fruits and household materials with a pH probe (thank you OLLU grant!), and litmus paper, and it had gotten him thinking. He came up and asked me,

"Is urine acidic or basic?"
"What do you think?"
"I don't know...can I test it with litmus paper?"
"Why don't you come up with a hypothesis first, then I'll get you some pieces for you to test with. Report back with some data for me!"

He hypothesized basic...wrong hypothesis, but that's okay! When he tested it with red and blue litmus paper...just to be sure...he concluded urine is most definitely acidic. So fun!!!

Then, some SS3 boys who were way too cool to talk to me for the first term have now decided that they're interested in "practicalizing" things. They were looking through the Children's Encyclopedia in the library and found an experiment...the age-old baking soda and vinegar volcano! They had written out the entire procedure, and come to me asking if they could try it during their free period. Of course, I enthusiastically indulged them! They created an excellent volcano out of dirt and proceeded to perform the most measured and accurate baking soda and vinegar volcano I've ever seen.

It was GREAT! They were really excited...well...as excited as 18 year old cool guys get! They must have enjoyed it because today they came back and we attempted to create a copper/zinc battery. That one was a little more complex and a little less successful, but I love the fact that they're interested and trying things! (I did put the kabosh on them wanting to use mercury. I told them it's illegal in US school, I won't subject myself to it.) Yay for science experiments!!!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Mosquito Nets

When I first came to Nigeria, I was appalled by the fact that some people didn’t sleep with mosquito nets! My thought process went something to the effect of “Really?! This is such a simple and inexpensive way to prevent malaria and you’re willing to be so reckless with your life?!” I just didn’t understand.

5 months later…

I now understand. I detest my mosquito net. Every night I have a mental argument in my head that goes something like this:
“I really don’t want to use that mosquito net.”
“Carolyn Carter, this mosquito net will protect you from mosquitoes…and malaria!”
“But, you’re taking an anti-malarial drug…you’re protected!”
“Do you really want to take a chance of contracting a disease which has lifelong lasting effects?”
“There aren’t even any mosquitoes in the room!”
“What would your mother say?!”
“She’s not here…you can make your own choices…besides aren’t you sick of getting twisted in it?!”
“Suck it up, Carolyn…use the net”

The “good voice” has won out every night. However, I must admit that I had decided one night that I would do my devotion without being covered by it with full intentions of having a net-free night, but I got a mosquito bite and took that as a sign that I should keep with the UMC and NBA slogan “Nothing but nets!”

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

A Day in My Jalingo Life

I went to school from 7:10-2:30, came home ate some lunch and then decided to trek about 2 miles to the hospital supply shop to buy a few chemicals that we needed. Now, I could take a cab for about 20 cents, but I enjoy the exercise and opportunity to meet, greet and chat with people along the way.

Here is a prime example: there is this one location where I always see men selling rat poison along the side of the road and found it quite amusing that they “advertise” by holding up a bundle of dead rats hanging from a string! Every time I see them I laugh to myself. Today, at the prompting of a friend, I decided to ask them how long they had been using those particular rats. Well, these guys were really excited to talk with me despite the fact that I assured them I didn’t need any rat poison (but I’ll now know where to go if I do). They told me that the rats that they used are dried and preserved to be used for this purpose. (Therefore, I feel that those same rat have been being used for quite some time…they looked a little aged!) They then continued to ask me where I work, how long I’ve been here, and share the fact that in secondary school they studied arts and not science. In short, I have two more friends in Jalingo, but the day was not over!

When I arrived at the chemical store, I kind of wanted it to be a fast transaction (I’ll never learn…) so that I could make it home to watch the inauguration that I thought was at 4pm. However, I was given a seat and served a Maltonic as we figured out what chemicals he had and which ones he’d have to order (because it’s Jalingo, and of course few things are actually in stock). Then, I explained to him that his costs were exorbitantly high and I am trying to help the children of Nigeria, therefore he should work with me. We continued to go back and forth and in the process he brought me a meat pie. By the time we had agreed on prices for the materials he had and what he was ordering, we had exchanged phone numbers he had promised to come greet me and we were new friends. I had also resigned that I would mark this inauguration by conducting business the way it was described in the book Three Cups of Tea (read it!).

I walked back home with my purchases and stopped by the Bishop’s house to see if there was some residual coverage of the inauguration and was delighted to find that it was just starting at 5:30! I watched the historic event with rapt attention and feelings of excitement and hope (and a little jealousy of the 4-5 friends that I know where amongst the throngs of people present in the cold). Then, just as Obama was walking up to take his oath of office, NEPA went off. That’s right...I had to laugh…there were about 8 of us watching, they had forced me to stand up to honor the president-elect…just as he reached the front, we lost power. We ran to turn on the generator, and it was turned on just in time for us to see them now presenting the 44th President of the United States of America! Funny! However, I was thankful that I got to see the rest of the program and his heartening speech. I am encouraged that he called the American people to action, sacrifice, and steadfastness in the face of the many challenges. I hope and pray that this new administration will lead in an innovative, just and honorable way.

To finish the night, I returned to my house to kill 4 cockroaches, a spider the size of a 50 cent piece and type up some emails to send the next day. All-in-all, it was a typical day for me in Jalingo filled with new friendships, lessons learned, and unexpected joys accompanied by a few hiccups along the way.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

New Hair-do

I got my hair platted. For all of you who have no idea what this means (which would have included me prior to moving to Jalingo) it means to braid your hair in tiny little braids and mostly applies to Africans and African-Americans….and now to me!  Everyone had been bugging me to try it basically since I arrived, and I decided that January was the time!

It was a LONG 7.5 hour process, which thankfully didn’t really hurt as had been predicted by my Nigerian friends. I was pretty self-conscious about how I looked when I first got done despite the fact that I knew my friend had done a great job! I think I would still be very self-conscious in Iowa, but the Nigerian-me has embraced it and enjoys it! 

When I was told that I couldn’t wash my hair for the duration of the style that concerned me. I’m the girl who goes crazy if she doesn’t wash it everyday and now I’m being told to wait a few weeks! AHHHH!! Let me tell you that I had it done on Saturday, got used to it on Sunday and Monday it started to itch and Tuesday I thought I was going to tear my hair out…it was bad! However, I made it through and it’s now Friday and not bothering me at all. In fact, I sometimes forget that it’s been a week since the last wash. (Sidenote: showers really aren’t any faster because one has to be much more careful about not getting it wet and in the absence of a shower cap, I have resorted to a plastic bag…it works!)

When you check out the pictures, read the comments as it explains how the process worked.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54508&l=a0fa7&id=501312909

Monday, January 12, 2009

Pictures!

Here is the link to some Abuja pictures and some more Jos pictures...good times!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=52075&l=2c8cc&id=501312909
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=52479&l=50ab9&id=501312909

I got my hair platted...braided...and there will be pictures when the internet decides to cooperate! :) Pretty exciting!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Helmets

When I arrived in Jalingo, I did not see a single person on a motorcycle wearing a helmet. When I traveled to Jos, I saw a couple. When I traveled to Abuja, I saw a few. Then, on New Year’s Eve, I saw a commercial on TV, while watching the news, saying that as of January 1, 2009 all motorcyclists must wear a helmet or they would be fined. I was skeptical that anything would change. However on January 1, I was SHOCKED! In Abuja, about 60% of them were wearing helmets and in Jos about 50% of the hundreds, possibly thousands, of motorcyclists were wearing them. Now, these helmets are not all your standard-issued safety-approved helmets, but it’s a start. Some were legitimate helmets, others were construction-style hard hats, but my favorite ones had been created from calabassa. That’s right, a helmet made from the thin outer covering of a gourd! Hilarious! Upon returning to Jalingo, I may have seen one helmet in the last week I’ve been home. Jalingo is definitely a little behind when it comes to implementing new policies, so maybe it will catch on by the end of the year! :)

Sunday, January 4, 2009

New Year's in Abuja!

After a challenging Christmas, New Year’s was EXCELLENT! One would think after discovering that birthday parties, weddings, and choir concerts all are really church services, I shouldn’t have been surprised to figure out that New Year’s celebrations here are also church services, but I was! I was also a little skeptical. However, as with everything here, I just went with the flow and was pleasantly surprised!

I welcomed in 2009 at Living Faith Church in Nyanya. This church was by far the hugest church that I’ve been to in Nigeria. It had quite a few similarities to the church I attended in San Antonio. One similarity that I was really excited about was seeing the words to the worship songs projected on a screen! It makes it so much easier to learn songs when one can see printed words…especially when some of the songs are in different tribal languages!

After some spirited worship, we were led in a time of prayer and reflection about the previous year. I found myself remembering back to some points throughout the past year where I was really struggling: trying to survive grad school classes, feeling completely inadequate teaching AP Chemistry, wondering if I was ever going to get everything ready to go to Nigeria, freaking out the first night of being here in Jalingo. I was completely overwhelmed by how faithful God had been to me throughout all of these situations.

We heard a great sermon and then right before midnight we all (probably a couple thousand people) all lit candles and welcomed in the New Year! It was so powerful! The next 10 minutes or so were spent in prayer regarding the upcoming year. It’s such a different approach than is typically taken in the US, but it was really meaningful. Now, it has been a family tradition to go to the church around New Year’s Eve and do a mini-version of this, thanking God for the past year and praying for the upcoming year. My brother and I have almost always loathed and complained about this wondering why we can’t be like “normal families”. Granted, candle light with thousands of other people in a corporate worship experience is a little more dramatic, but this experience has enabled me to appreciate this “weird family thing” in a new way. It only took 26 years.

Waiting with Confidence

In Abuja, Laitu and I stayed in the “mother-in-law” apartment. I went to the bathroom to bath and was closing the door. I guess I didn’t realize that the door had never closed completely the four previous days that I’d stayed there. On this day, I was trying to get it closed and it latched. As soon as it happened, I knew I was in trouble. It definitely wouldn’t open, so I decided to take my bucket shower and wait. I tried yelling out the window. I tried knocking on the door hoping that people outside would hear me. No one did. I had no watch, no phone, no clothes, but I did have confidence.

I knew that eventually, Laitu would come in the apartment to bathe. I didn’t know how long it would take, but I knew that she would come and I was confident that we would be able to get me out! While I was sitting, waiting for her to come in, I had some time to think (because after you’re clean there’s not a lot else to do) and realized that this is the type of confidence that I should have when approaching God in prayer.

She did come. I’m not sure how long it took, but it was a while. A spoon rescued me and it was the start of a new day with a new lesson!