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Tuesday, October 18, 1977, 10:00 pm, Day 630
At the moment I am really pleased with the way that training is going. People seem to be getting something out of my lessons. As it turns out, I think I am filling the job of Technical Coordinator for the Training Program better than anyone else here could. I come across as being very well organized in my presentations, giving them what they need to know in a form that they can really understand and know how to use.
I have one group made up of 3 of our co-workers. Before training, it was thought that they wouldn't be capable of anything past basic math, if even that. As it turns out, they are all proving that they have some sense, and can use their brains a bit, and so I have found that I can successfully lead them through a course consisting of surveying and map plotting. They have shown that they can get accurate data from the transit, tape, and rod, do the calculations that are required, and then plot this survey information to come up with a map of the survey. It is going to take them the entire 3 weeks to finish the survey and map, while it only took the other group a week, but they are learning, so it is worth taking the time and trouble with them.
The second group consists of 3 people: 1 new PC trainee, 1 new engineer from the Ministry, and Moiba, my co-worker. They finished the survey and each has his map done. Today was the first day of getting into the design.
Thursday, October 20, 1977, 9:00 pm, Day 632
I forgot what day it is, so I will have to fill that part in later. I am still here in Royema, where I have been for well over a week now. Yesterday morning everyone else went on a field trip to look at the water system in Kamakwie, and then they went to Makeni for the night. They came back this afternoon.
Yesterday morning I took 3 villagers along and went and surveyed from the town up to the water source. It only took me about 3 hours to do, but I think it would have taken someone else a couple of days. The afternoon I then spent doing the calculations and then plotting all of the results to come up with a map of Royema Town complete with the water source.
This morning, I then cut survey pegs and went out, brushing a line and putting the pegs in for the whole length of the town, but outside of town, about 500 feet in the bush. That good me good and sweaty and pretty tired, so i took my bath in the middle of the day today.
All training lectures and classes were cancelled today because everyone all came back very tired and worn out from the ride, so I just took it easy this afternoon.
Tomorrow, the construction project begins. We are going to start on building 8 standpipes in town.
Friday, October 21, 1977, 10:00 pm, Day 633
We played Hearts tonight. We played last night also, but I played my usual game then, finishing with the highest total. Tonight, though, it was different. When you're hot, you're hot! And so I was tonight. I ended up with 18 points, compared with 117 and 100 points each for the other two. I was able to shoot the moon twice, taking the -26 points each time. I only got caught once while trying to shoot the moon, for 24 points, and then another time the ceiling fell in on me and I got 23 points, which I didn't want. Another time I had to eat the Gueen of Spades early in the hand, while playing the 3 of Clubs. we played 12 hands altogether, and I also got zero 4 or 5 times.
The last hand we had was a Hold hand, and I ended up shooting the moon on it. I wasn't planning to but someone unloaded the Queen of Spades on me early in the hand. I had the King of Hearts but the Ace was out. I also had the Jack, 10 and 9 of diamonds but the Queen and King were also out. My other cards were good, so I decided to chance these that I've mentioned first. One guy had alot of Diamonds and the other was out. I led my Diamonds off and luckily for me, the first guy kept playing under them, keeping the Queen and King in reserve. The next guy, in turn, kept putting down garbage cards, keeping the Hearts in reserve. After I got successfully through my 3 diamonds, I gave the King of Hearts a try. It could have been beat with the Ace, but luckily the guy went under it. With that out of the way, all I had left was Clubs and Spades, all of which were good, and I raked in all of the remaining cards, collecting all of their high Hearts and Diamonds, which they were still saving to stop me. They couldn't believe that I pulled it off.
Monday, October 24, 1977, 10:00 pm, Day 636
Yesterday evening we were to have a special dance in our honor. We went there to the center of royema where it was to be held. A man and his wife were dressed in elaborate costume and were the dancers. They were accompanied by about 4 or 5 people on drums. The purpose of the dance was to make Royema Town devine, thereby making it possible to quickly get development (or something like that). At one point it started to look like rain, so the dancers stopped to say a little prayer, asking God to hold off for awhile. The cloud then blew on over, leaving a clear starry sky for awhile.
The dancers were still just barely underway when there developed quite a ruckus over in the drum section. Anyway, it ended up in a small street fight, of sorts.
Thursday, October 27, 1977, 12:00 midnight, Day 639
I just finished dancing. For 2 1/2 hours straight, I joined the group out doing the native dance. It had 4 drums and 1 metal clanger sitting in the middle, and everyone was dancing counter-clockwise around them. I got in right at the beginning of the dance, and then just continued dancing all of the time until the drums finally stopped 2 1/2 hours later. It looked like the dance was over for the night then, so I came back to my room. But while I was sitting here writing this, the drums started up again and they are going now. It is a different beat, so I think it must be the second shift. At the moment I'm not sure if I'll stay here and go to bed or go back again to the dance. I have about 5 young titi's here watching me, so I'll ask them what they want to do, and then just follow that.
Monday, October 31, 1977, very late (4:00 am?), Day 643
Today was the last day of training in Royema. It was pretty good. Just a while ago I left the dance that we were having. It was put on by some of the people in the village for the village people, but sort of as a sendoff for us, although that was not stressed. I was there for the whole thing. John Burke put in his presence for awhile and about 3 or 4 of our co-workers also. Myself, I was the first of our group to arrive and also the last to leave, staying for about 6 hours worth of dancing altogether.
You get pretty dead on your feet after awhile, but I managed to keep going strong throughout, catching quick sit-downs inbetween songs, and getting some quick energy back from candy and a couple of soft drinks. The dance was pretty good this time, because I had at least one dancing partner all the time, and sometimes as much as 6 at the same time.
My basic dancing partner tonight was the same girl that I had before. She told me that her name is Idama, and she seems to be about 14 or 15, like I said before. She likes me, but she is very shy towards me, and I am shy towards her also. In all the time that I have spent with her, I don't think we have said more than a dozen words to each other. I think she doesn't speak too much Krio, either so that doesn't help. Both of us love to dance though, and we like to dance with each other.
It started at the first record-player dance. I think I noticed her at the native dance beforehand, and then actually met her at the R-P dance. Then, during two of the nights since then, they have had other native dances which I had joined. She always showed up also, coming and dancing beside me, but otherwise not even appearing to notice my presence, because of her shyness. This afternoon, I saw her in the town and she was dressed to please. She was wearing a halter-top, leaving a bare back, and it made her look really foxxy, not at all like the school-girl that she is. Her school uniform doesn't do much for her appearence, and a person wouldn't be attracted to her while she was wearing it, but when she gets into her other clothes, they make all the difference in the world. Seeing her dressed so fine this afternoon, I was sure that I would be in luck at the dance.
Sure enough, about 10 minutes after I arrived, she came in and came straight to me. Together, we must have danced about 80% of the dances, with the other 20% going to other dancing partners. She seemed to prefer dancing with me over dancing with the others. Myself, I felt the same way.
This afternoon we finally had our soccer game. It was first scheduled about 2 weeks ago, but we never got around to getting it all arranged until today. It was all of our group - Peace Corps volunteers and MEP co-workers, against some of the people from Royema. We had enough people to fill 10 positions so we took one extra from the village to fill out our team. I was our team captain, and I think I did a pretty good job. I just did it naturally, not having to do anything that I was either unwilling or unable to do.
First, it was my ball. Second, I have a pretty decent knowledge of the game. Third, being an instructor for this Training program, I've been acting more or less like a leader for our crew anyway. Fourth, during the game when I get all worked up and sweaty and get the adrenilin going, my mouth starts working also, and today was no exception.
For the whole game, for just about every play, I was calling out to whichever of our players was working around the ball. Sometimes I would be giving him directions on where to pass it or something, but mostly I was just cheering them on. Good play or bad play, it didn't really matter to me, because I was cheering the effort made, and if everyone was giving what they were capable of, then win or lose, it's a good game.
The whole game I kept talking or clapping or something, and I am sure that I was heard by everyone at the game. At that time you would never, never know that there was anything shy about me.
Back to the team captain thing. The first thing I did was to work out a lineup, putting people first where they wanted to play, and then filling in the rest and rearranging a bit so that as a team we could do the best job. I was left-inside-forward. That is the best place for me because 1) I like the glory of being a forward and getting a chance at scoring, and 2) on the left side because being left-footed I have a better shot on goal from that side.
The other team scored very early in the game, and the score stayed 1-0 until late in the second half, when our team finally scored. The goal was really illegal because someone was a bit offsides but the ref gave it to us anyway. So it was a 1-1 tie at the end. We played two 45-minute halves with a 5-minute extension at the end, and everyone was good and tired at the end. Just about everyone from both teamsthen headed off to the wash area at the stream. That is where we always bathe here, and I stayed in extra long today, just letting the cool water flow over my body.
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