Today was spent in bed, I started feeling sick yesterdy and last night was rough. Fever, chills etc, I spent day sipping ginger tea and finally I feel better, I missed my classes but Colleen worked for us both, Some of the kids came by to see if I was ok.
a side note- have this sticky mat for bugs and three times people have inadverntly stepped on it and it sruck to their shoes! it was pretty funny
my little visitorsThe rain was so intense last night it felt like it was building up to an explosion. But in the morning very little trace of the 6 inches that fell. Our breakfast was great , spicy sauces and fresh avocados with eggs. Delcios french bread as as well. We are being fed quite nicely. Today we had a dance class with Siku who went a little easier on us today lol, But the room is sweltering and so humid, No AC in dance room. We had class with staff and started a debate so they could speak aloud and practice. We had our one group of kids. We showed them a video and did a reading on hummingbirds. During break we met this lovely girl Kadisha who goes to the American school. She is part Guneain and part Moroccan, she is very smart and has appliedto several IVY schools in the states. Cornell is her top pick, She was here at Mindleaps for community service.
Guinea is the top producer of bauxite used for aluminum and other products. There are many cement ( they use bauxite) factories . China is their biggest customer, as well as most of the countries in the world that use bauxite hence some bridges are named after countries that financed the building - maybe for preferential bauxite treatment
More about Our last class are the kids- they are great! mixed levels of English proficiency. We have them for 2 hrs and broke up the time with games like zip zap zoop- which they did not kow how to play, Today I taught them simon says. They loved it! we playd like 4 times. I watched then during an earlier break playing sames that are universal and timeless, They were playing a version of dodge ball with a small homemade ball. They call it Balance Ball. Then I saw some kids playing hop scotch- they call it Sou-Sou name of Zato and then I saw girls using small pieces of rolled up paper or using small rocks to play what we would call Jax! they called it Concony another Sou-Sou word. I was struck by how kids are kids everywhere, These kids , like in Rwanda find ways and materials to be creative and play .
Ansoumane comes everyday for extra help in English- he is the assistant English teacher and wants s much to learn, I taught him the word tenaciouos today.
Electricity goes in and out, showers are cold but the hearts are warm. Enjoy todays photos
Sekou in our English class and our dance instructor
This is Djeinabou who I caught smiling she always looks serious. She is oe of the staff teachers
"Zato" hop scotch
Ansoumane helping one of the kids in class
Boffa
Miriam family and home
Boffa fishing 
free cage free chickens lol
Steps of no return
slaves were shackeled here
and here
the water hole
Sunday July23, Martin and Olivier along with Thassinda( business coordinator for ML) started our road trip to Boffa. I tried Googling Boffa and found many interesting facts about his coastal fishing center but I could not find out about the main reason we were heading there- which was about Boffa being a port through which of thousands jus of African enslaved people walked down the "steps of no return" to the awaiting slave ships. Guinea has a history of being a port for slave traders from Portugal Brazil and the Americas and all the information I found was about other ports but nothing about Boffa.
The ride was long but so interesting to see the country and more so as Martin and Olivier helped fill in gaps of history, Colleen being a history teacher added much to the story for me. On the way we stopped in a village of thatched houses to pick up Miriam, a ML student who is trying to start her own business with the help of the small grants ML gives to women entrepreneurs. So Thassinda was with us to talk to her about some decisions that needed to be addressed. Both women very young and very determined.
Rain fell on and off and after about 3 hrs we arrived to a marshy space with a church and a small house where our guide John met us. Noone else, no other visitors were there nor do any really come there, hence no renovations have been done- there is no funding for this space of historical signifiance. The guide spoke only French so everyone had to help me out. My HS French helped a little and the guide ( can not spell his name sorry) used a lotof body language to help. There were chickens and roosters and little dogs roaming the area. The rain came down and ponchos came out - my waterproof shoes and socks (thanks Jen) worked!
We walked through wet overgrown marshy like grass and stopped at a man made water hole. This was dug by slaves who needed water and no one was doing this for them, The water was briney in the dry season and unusable but in wet season rain water would take the salt out, It was literally just a hole with stones as a retaining wall. He said the water was deep when full.We then saw an area clearly made into a four corner cache which was used to store weapons.
We continued on through the high wet grass nearing the water edge, He pointed out an area that had an underground prison for slaves being punished( yes i shook my head as well). The guide has longed to have the underground prison rennovated but again no funding. The massive tree certainly has seen much and often slaves were tied to it and the other stumps dotting the water's edge were used as well. Then we walked down a bit leading to the water. These are where the steps going into the water are known as the steps of no return. There were about 4 actual stone steps going into the water and after that the slaves had to make there way to a little inlet where they were taken and stuffed like sardines into slave ships. Our guide said the numbers vary as many died before boarding or were shot for trying to escape. Along with the slaves, the ships took sugar cane and tobacco plants which became a big industry in the southern states. He mentioned several well known people who have traced their roots to Guinea and the slave trade: Carl Lewis, Pele, Michelle Obama and he belives Alex Haley"s story originated in Guinea but I can not say that is fact. We spent a lot of time on that shore and saw a few canoes and a bigger fishing boat pass by.
We went into this church which was the first Christian church in the area. We left this site and went to the first Catholic church , which is in operation. We met the Deacon who was very mildmannered and soft spoken, I asked if any Jews live in Guinea ( as I found a Chabad in Kilgali) he said no and I was probably the only Jew in Guinea as we speak.Catholics only/make up 4% of the population. Guinea is a Muslim country (I hear the call to prayer 5 times a day in my room)
Then we headed to Miriams home to drop her off and meet her family. The thacthed roof home was cool inside and her family very warm and welcoming. They spoke their native language and French, we shared some rice and chicken and once again on our way home taking bets as to how long it would take. I lost. We drove through roads with the worst holes I had ever experienced maybe some in Rwanda were the same or worse- But our driver Yalo, was unbelievable how he navigated. THEN THE TRAFFIC OMG No lights, no signs just thousands of motos, motorcycles, tuk-tuks ( 3 wheel taxi) PEOPLE everywhere, and everyone jockeying for position. At one point Yalo got off the one way road and drove the wrong way - which I undertand is ok during busy times. I actually felt so secure with this driver I was just amazed at his skillful driving- epescially coming from someone who does not like to drive- people were arguing, yelling but i saw no fights and no accidents which was remarkable. we arrived back at 10 pm. Safe from our "African masssage"
Today we begin our full week teaching. we start with staff members. The kids arrive around 7-8:30 for breakfast of bread and a cup of a milk and coffee like beverage. Lunch is rice with sauce for the kids.
Ill post photos separtely. There are a lot btw in the fishing village Colleen and I had o wear wrap around skirts as no woman can wear shorts or pants in the village, There are signs written about large fines! Similar to visitng the Kotel
Today we began the day with an intense dance class with Sekou, I actual broke a sweat which you all know I never sweat. Colleen and I taught our first group of kids. The names are way too hard for me and my HS French is not helping me LOL. We then had a break after the 2 hr class and then had a class with two English teachers with tips on teaching English. Salif and Ansou are very dedicated and they are themselves still learning English. Their rapport with the kids is something so sweet to see. These are young men in early twenties and Ansou only 18 and is assisting,
The rain is something that I have NEVER seen in my life!! It is so loud and strong it wakes you out of a sleep and can prevent one from sleeping at all.
The food is so much better than I thought! Plantains cooked many ways, The fish is really good and the sauces all spicy and good
Tomorrow is Sunday and we will be going on an exursion to see the steps of no return which were the steps to the boats when Guinea was involved with the African slave trade. I will expect I will use my poncho (thanks Jennie) and my waterproof hiking shoes,
enjoy the photos
dance class
class 
warm up
it was good but I stop here....We arrived after 24 hours total! Stopping in Senagal and arrived to Conakry to a chaotic and crazy airport immigration! No rules, Immigration officer leaving for no reason the line WE were on ! THEN the luggage OMG so many people pulling cases off. One nice worker helped us and all I had was a few US$ to give as a tip. Than goodness Olivier and Martin were there to greet us in a hot , humid ( yes my hair is super curly) crowd of hundreds of people. Many returning from completing the Haj in Saudi Arabia. The cacophony of motorcycles, trucks, cars with literally no traffic signs ! To reach our cab Martin literally held our hands one at a time to just go into the traffic and hope they will let us cross. I wanted to close my eyes. Ive been to many places but seriously NEVER saw traffic like this. A game of chicken as to who lets who go first. On our way to the center we saw many many people, shops, and all looked rather impoverished. There are about 19million in the country and about 2 million in Conakry. Arrived to the center and got the grand tour ,meeting our security guards who stay at night. Our dinner of fish, and really spicy sauce was waiting but we only tasted it bc we were too tired to eat. Our rooms are nice. Each of us has a bedroom with a desk, closet, bathroom ((no hot water) a small frig and AC! The humidity is really oppresive.
Today we visited all the classrooms. The teachers and student names are a challenge. Colleen does well in French. I did not do well i HS! and i seem to be thinking in Hebrew and trying to figure out a word in French. The teachers are amazing and dedicated. Many having been students and volunteers here first. I am always amazed ( as in Rwanda) at the enthusiasm of the kids. Raising hands, wanting to ask questions. I am excited about teaching staff ad kids tomorrow. Many kids here have NEVER been to school at all. I will attempt to ost some photos If I remember how to do it.
I forgot to add that the rain is so LOUD and INTENSE I have never heard rain like this that actually woke me up. The call to prayer at 5 am also helped to wake me up. Electricty is spotty and no one even notices when it goes off along with AC! Tomorrow we will begin teaching.
