Letters from Hannah

Dear Everyone,

This week marked the first time I've felt like a real volunteer. There's this guy in the neighborhood who hangs out with my brother and flirts with me and Carrie -- he's probably my only friend among the teenagers, but it's not like we hang or anything. We had to interview somebody about opinions of AIDS and STDs and sex and so I called him over to answer questions Tuesday night. It was awkward at first -- question, response, question, response, but after we were done he kept asking questions about symptoms of AIDS and how you could tell you had it -- he's a smart kid and knows how it's transmitted and what it does to the immune systeme, but he really wantedthere to be ways to tell if someone was infected. I just kept repeating that you can't tell, you start getting sick all the time once your systeme is already weakened, but that might happen 3 months or 6 months or a year or 5 years after. We talked for an hour and a half and it was awesome and frightening to see him process the info. He's worried now and I know he's had unprotected sex but he said he was going to tell his friends what he learned and that I shold go to everyone in the quartier and have the same kind of conversations with the young people there. Wednesday we prepared our small animations and I basically took what I learned from Yannick -- his questions, his background, and made fiches (posters). I made it really interactive -- what does SIDA stand for, what do people joke that it stands for (Imaginary Syndrome that Discourages Lovers) -- don't be discouraged! I said. Then I asked if they knew how it's spread, and had a fiche with that plus ways it's not spread -- mosquitoes, handholding, toilets. The next fiche was questions, which I had them read and respond to -- how soon after infection can you get tested, how long until you get sick, what are signs and opportunistic infections, and who should get tested. The last fiche wasa game -- I handed out cards with things like kissing, oral sex with condom, sex without condom, withdrawal, massage, etc., and they had to tape their words onto the board in 1 of 3 columns -- not risky, medium risky, and very risky activities. And then we talked about why they go in which columns. I presented Thursday and some kids from the quartier were there and it went really well -- they were engaged and involved and learned from eachother, not just from me handing down info. The other folks in my group said they really liked it too and that meant a lot. If I can keep on having experiences like this I'll be set.

This week has been stressful too -- making the fiches and figuring them out took a long time but I like that stuff -- how to get a message across, how to present info in a way people will understand and be interested in. We're also waiting for our site assignments -- pretty much roulette at this point. Everyone's stressed and anxious and trying to figure out if they want a small or large town, and preparing to get the "worst post." My language group is having problems with our facilitateur -- he thinks we're kinda dumb and we get mad and there's tension and little wars... but it's getting ironed out and we're working together so we actually learn something.

I have a new host family, sort of. The Malians around the corner have adopted me and I sneak out to eat dinner there sometimes. I'm basically cheating on my family -- I stay out late every night, with friends or the Malians, and I say I'm just watching CNN (chez les Malians) or working/hanging out. I don't think Mama's happy but whatever. Since she got back from LBV there's been no money and little food, so part of all this is I'm fending for myself. The Malians are wonderful -- awesome food, so nice, interested, not drunk 24/7 like my whole family, and fun to be with. Sali sews a little -- she made my skirts, and her husband Diakité is an English teacher. Awa, a cousin, is 15 and adorable. They are the best thing in this neighborhood and my Bambara is being kept up and even improved! Once I get my post I'm gonna start learning whatever language I'll use there, but hopefully there will be Malians at post too -- they're pretty much everywhere.

We find out Wednesday where we go and leave Saturday for site visit -- we'll have a blast taking bush taxis and/or the train. I'm definitely psyched to get out of town. It was really nice having my family gone -- Begonia is just awful and Mama keeps asking me for beer money. I'm still trying to hang out with the facilitators but it's a little tricky cuz they may or may not be interested in me. One for sure is, but the rest I'm hoping are just being friendly. You never really get away from sex here and I'm learning you just gotta be real careful about what you do or say -- it'll be interpreted differently. I've noticed since making the sex game fiche that the facilitators are approaching me more, because apparently knowing about these things means that they have a chance to do them with you. Don't worry -- everyone is very professional and no one has anything to worry about from them. They're just African guys and sex is more openly at the forefront of their minds than it is at home. I'm getting used to it -- it was the same in Mali, only we're more exposed here to guys. My brother has been setting me up with his friends who all say they fell in love with me at first site, and now whenever I'm home, like now, writing a letter, they come over and try to drague with me (hit on me). Another reason I don't like being at home. I pretty much tell them it ain't happenin and I'm glad I can express myself with humor because it makes everybody feel better. The women with less French feel fine because they don't know guys are draggin them -- they just think everyone's friendly. Yesterday we learned about gardens and compost -- one of the PCVs nearly chopped her finger off with her first swing of the machete. She got stitches and is OK. That's it -- more after site visit.

Love,

Ana