Week One in Cote d'Ivoire

Bonjour from Cote d'Ivoire!  

If you are my friend on Facebook then you have seen in photos what week 1 has included:  lots and lots of food, relaxation and lots of laughs.  What you are not able to see is what I have truly learned about the culture, the country and about my colleagues.

In the previous entry I included information found on the state department website.  What I have learned since I have been here has been fascinating.

In being in this country I have learned to value quite a few things:

1) My relationship with William.  

William and I, July 2011

Talking to William every day on skype, seeing him on video, having him "tuck me in" every night with a kiss on the webcam seems to not be enough.  Everything has been a complete 180 from my last trip and I truly believe it is a result of prayer, hard work and a true determination to not give up on "us." Don't worry family ~ I miss ya'll too haha but it's a different kind of miss.  What it has taught me is to appreciate the time I have with William so that I have memories to keep me company and to make me smile for no reason in the middle of the day when I am away ...

2) The value of a dollar.
One of the things I am most curious about when I am in another country is the economy.  Not because I want to stick my chest out and think "ha! I make tons more than they do!"  But because I want to remind myself that people live on way less, make ends meet and have a good quality of life. In every country I have in the Caribbean, Africa and Central America, one thing remains the same:  what they value in life.  When asked this question the answer is always:  God, Family, Work.  I will not disclose how much I make in this blog because it is not the point of this section.  But in speaking to a new friend here in Cote d'Ivoire I found out the average income for various positions, cost of rent and other fun financial facts here in Abidjan:

** 475 CFA = $1 **
Minimum wage:

• driver: 70,000 CFA/month
• nanny (this woman watches your children, cleans your house and cooks): 25,000 - 50,000 CFA/month
• security guard: 100,000 CFA/month

Basic food:

• Bread: 150 CFA / loaf
• A croissant:  275 CFA / each
• Chicken: 2000 - 2500 CFA / an entire uncooked chicken
• A meal in a basic restaurant which consists of grilled chicken and a local side dish made of plantains:  5,000 CFA
• A pastry:  1850 CFA

Other "luxuries":

• Tennis shoes: 50,000 CFA
• Buy a house (small): 15M CFA
• Land w/o the home: 50M CFA
• To build the home: 100M CFA
• To rent an apt: 250,000 - 300,000 CFA / month

If you take what people make a month and compare it to what things costs, you can imagine how hard it may be just to afford what we Americans consider "the basic" i.e. a roof over your head, shoes on your feet and bread.  It is no wonder you see small children on the side of the road selling oranges or trying to clean your windshield to assist with helping their family versus being in school to obtain the basic education to ensure the cycle of poverty ends with them.  Yet, how can you end a cycle of poverty if one has to choose between school and contributing to the family?  This is a question that can be asked in any developing nation - not just Africa - this is a worldwide problem, which as an educator, saddens me to no end...but if you ask them, the answer is always God, family, work.  Their worship first, time with the family second and stressing over money third...quality of life.  It is amazing how the value of these and the order in which they would appear vary in every country, household and person.  I asked this question once of a man who had given  up on finding work for the day in Dominican Republic.  I stopped at a gas station to buy a bottle of Brugal and he said [translated] "God will provide, my family will love me and tomorrow there will be work."  I paused and then walked into the gas station to buy what I came for.  When I came out this man had pulled up his beaten up Ford truck, turned on his stereo and was blasting merengue and bachata.  I spotted him dancing close to his truck with huge smile on his face, enjoying the music.  This man was out of work and had been on the corner for 6 hours and yet he found the energy to smile and dance -- to enjoy his day.  What was I to do?  I went back into the gas station and purchased another bottle for rum and some beer and joined the gas station party!  It was the most fun I had that trip and it is something I have never forgotten.  God, family work .. quality of life. 

3) The French language.
Please do not judge me for saying this but I remember a time when I was asked if I would ever learn French and my reply would always be "Hell no!"  I thought it a useless language as I had no plans to ever spend a significant amount of time in a country that would speak this language.  Furthermore, I never thought it as sexy as most say it is ... call me biased but I definitely think Spanish is way sexier and its a phonetic language so it sounds as it looks making it WAY EASIER to learn. 

There is a saying, "Want to make God laugh?  Tell Him your plans..."  Well when all of the aforementioned was said I am sure God was guffawing thinking, "Wait until you see the plans I have for you mademoiselle! muhahaha"

And laugh He did -- the first time was in a simple conversation I was having with a colleague from Rwanda.  We were simply unable to communicate a simple point which was pertinent to training.  I was forced to find a French speaking colleague ... never thought about it again.  Until ... October 2010 when I was in Haiti for two weeks to do a training.  Again, French slapped me in the face.  And while I felt lost it was not too bad because as it is so close to the Dominican Republic I was able to speak Spanish and get by a wee bit.  Until I was drop kicked with the language here in Cote d'Ivoire.  I have found myself lost and silent and feeling like an absolute idiot unable to communicate.  I hate it!  I finally had to do something about it.  I am now taking free lessons on http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/  I have completed stage 1 and stage 3 (I had to jump to stage 3 since it deals with ordering FOOD haha).  I have also learned a lot of the introduction basics to ensure I am polite when meeting.  I am able to greet people, say goodbye (i.e. see you tomorrow or see you later) and order the basics (i.e. "I would like ... with or without...").  My pronunciation of food and drink are not perfect but its getting there and while I am still not able to understand or join in any conversations I am hopeful that if I return in 6 months, God willing, I will be able to hold a small conversation and understand a "oui bit" more of what is going on.  Wish me luck .. or join me!  *WARNING:  this language is not phonetic and is hard hard hard* FYI Spanish is still my first second language love*

I close this blog with the appreciation for the food.  Everything together has allowed me to enjoy and appreciate my time and experience in this country.  I look forward to week 2!  Au revior for now ...

4) Finally, the food.
Good lawd the food is AMAZING!  If you want to know everything my colleague, Kizi, and I have enjoyed in Cote d'Ivoire, follow her blog: CHIC~FOOD~SAVEUR: Ivorian food diary

I can tell you my FAVORITES which have remained in my heart, on my mind and haunting my taste buds have been:

Choukouya (lamb dish)

Wood fired chicken

Poulet yassa (made by Sibi)