Entries from my journal

Gabon straddles the equator on the west coast of Africa. I was posted  in the north at Oyem and lived on the campus of a rural development school staffed by UNESCO employees (United Nations) along with Gabonese. I taught one pisciculture course (breeding of fish as a farm product) at the school and spent the majority of my time in the rural villages doing the same. These are the days of my life from training in Norman, Oklahoma and Zaire to my post in Gabon
 from June 28th, 1979 to December 1st, 1981.
September 7th, 1979  Kikwit, Zaire  So far, just hanging out in Kikwit, some of the volunteers have gone to another post. Took my morning bath in the Kwilu River, that flows in the backyard of the house we are lodging in. I went swimming au naturalle as do the locals that were bathing with us.  The river moves at about 5 mph. Swimming against the current was like being on a tread mill.  At one time there were hippos and crocodiles in this river and all sorts of animal life around here, not anymore. Don't drink the river water because there is a cholera epidemic upstream. Walked through the marché (market) de ville and tried for the first time fried caterpillars and palm wine.  The caterpillars are okay but the palm wine will take getting use to. It tastes like bad coconut milk.  We are waiting for transportation to visit a fisheries post.  

October 9th, 1979   Bukavu, Zaire  You haven't had the shits until you have had them in Africa. I have gone about 6 times in less than 3 hours. It is like turning on the water faucet full blast and the wiping part is so painful.  Along with these rapid and sometimes unsuccessful trips to the bathroom, need I explain, are the continuous stomach cramps. So what does one do?  Leave class,  lay down and sip on the Peace Corps issue UNICEF oral rehydration salts. The stuff seems to be working. I shouldn't eat solid food for 24 hours, again a Peace Corps recommendation, this supposedly cleans out your system and starves the bugs.  This morning  my stomach feels a little bit lousy but I still went for a swim in Lac Kivu and had a large breakfast. That was a big mistake and you know where that breakfast went. Oh well, I hope I am better tomorrow. I am most thankful for a toilet seat to sit on because it would be hell balancing in an outhouse over a hole. Not a pretty place to pass out in when you feel bad. The things we take for granted in the USA.  We are in the rainy season and when it rains it pours.

October 27th, 1979   The insects in Africa are quite diverse. Large and small, ugly and beautiful, and colorful and dull. Saw a grasshopper with purple wings and body length of ~23 cm! Get out of his way. Another bug was button size, fiery red, and ugly.
The high point of the day was swimming in Lake Tanganyika in our underwear and being chased out of the water by a huge hippopotamus. Local people on the shore spotted him first and were yelling in their native tongue to get out of the water but who understands Swahili.  We didn't understand what all the excitement on shore was about  but others in the water did and started leaving so we followed. Once out of the water we turned around and could see the hippo surfacing for air and looking like a whale and then submerging. We later learn that these guys can kill and are not the gentle and docile animals you think they are.  The Africans respect them for the dangerous creatures they are and give them a wide berth.

December 25th, 1979  Oyem, Gabon   Christmas Day   What a beautiful gift His people have given Him. I am talking about the Gabonese in church today.  The dancing, movement, singing, and drums, what a celebration! I couldn't stop my eyes from watering. Women dressed in the same print of clothing swaying back and forth and singing in one voice; giving glory to God. It was absolutely church windows heavenly.  The mass was in Fang and mostly all singing. I missed having Christmas with my family but for that time in church I forgot my loneliness and was very happy. Christmas morning here isn't like in the states, no one opens presents. It is just a  beautiful celebration that Christ is born and a time for a special meal with family. After mass, people are rushing to see the baby Jesus in the crèche. They touch Him. Women outside the church kneeling on the ground and praying.   After mass, I prepared myself a tasty fish dinner all by my lonesome.  My house mate and the other volunteers in town have all gone to Libreville for the holiday. Since I just arrived at my post, I felt that I hadn't earned any time off, so I stayed to do my work. Am I conscientious or crazy?  I knew what to do to cure the blues, after my meal, I ran into town to the soccer stadium to watch a game and had some beers with friends.  I have seen several people around here with legs and feet grossly swollen 2 to 3 times their normal size. To walk they have to shuffle or drag their feet.( It must be filariasis causing elephantiasis. The nematode worm, filaria, is transmitted by the bite of  an infected mosquito or fly. From what I have read about it, you have to live in an endemic area for a few years before you can acquire it. Don't ask me why it was only a minority with the disease.)
These are the stained glass windows of the Catholic church in Oyem and drums are in the foreground


marchers from a school

March 12th, 1980   Fête De La Renovation*  Don't ask me what this day is about but it is good enough to have a parade for it. This was a parade of people not floats. There were lots of children marching in groups from their respective schools, dressing in the same colors. Women from the villages were dancing and singing. They were dressed in colorful "pagnes" (printed cloth that was used to make African style clothing) or native dress.  All the women from one village or group would try and dress the same as the others from their village , right down to the green baseball caps in one case. The employees of cacao growers marched together in their printed T-shirts just like the rest of the local stores and organizations. It was pretty much advertising for the stores.  A good number of marchers sported their President Bongo shirts or dresses. Lasting almost 3 hours, it was most enjoyable but the best was yet to come. At the end of the parade all the marchers and spectators gathered at a field near the center of town and started to party African style. They danced as they marched, in  groups, along with drumming and singing their hearts out.  It was quite festive. The parade ended at 1 PM and these folks were still going strong at 6 PM. Saw an old man playing the "ballafon", a xylophone instrument made with wooden keys that produces a very beautiful sound. What was interesting about this musician was that he had no fingers or thumbs on either hand and had  sticks tied to the palm of his hands. He had a dish for money  and I gave 100 CFA. party after parade  There were a lot of Africans smiling as they watched the white man shaking  to their beat.
*Anniversary of Renovation Day, also known as National Day, is held on Mar 12 and celebrates the anniversary of the founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) in 1968. The PDG was founded by Omar Bongo and was the nation's only legal political party until 1990.

March 31st, 1980   Spent the night in a bus in Bifoun behind a rain barrier. When it rains hard, barriers go up so that vehicles don't rut up or get stuck in the clay surfaced roads. Didn't sleep at all on the bus, thanks to hard seats, mosquitoes, crowing roosters, radios, rain, and so forth. Really makes one appreciate their bed.  Finally made it to Lambaréne about 10 AM, approximately 24 hours after we left Libreville. According to a travel guide, it is only 4 hours by car.  Tonight a bunch of   volunteers drank a few at a local bar and shared experiences in the villages; what fun and laughs.  Also reminiscing about our training experiences in the states. There are a lot of volunteers from California and Massachusetts; either they lived there or went to school. One PCV had the same professor (Dr Nutting) I had at UMASS. Is this a small world or what?

April 10th, 1980     Is it a miracle?  Yes, but only half of one, I finally received a used motorcycle that doesn't run. I haven't a repair manual or tools. I guess that could be the other half of the miracle, when it happens.  I hope one of the fonctionnaires (government employee) will be able to help me.  Hitched a ride on  a full  taxi bus so I rode on top with the bananas. You need a ride to spread the joys of fish culture, you don't turn down anything that is moving in the direction you are going.  Unfortunately, the village I visited was empty because they were all at a wedding.

April 13th, 1980     I am bored and depressed with my lack of work with the villagers. I can't get out to see them without working transportation. Plus, I feel that I don't speak French well. Am I, my own worse critic?  You think the price of gas is high in the states, well it doesn't help Gabon is a member of OPEC.  The cost of 1 liter of gas is 150 CFA and that is equivalent to $2.88 a gallon. How is that for gas pains? Now, do you really hate those gas lines?  I think, the true rainy season is with us. It has  rained like crazy the pass 4 nights.

April 30th, 1980    Almost wiped out going up a hill in 2nd gear on my 50 cc motorcycle. I was going quite slow through some beer waste (there is a brewery in town) that was all over the clay dirt road.  It was just like hitting a patch of ice. I had to stick my legs out and push off the ground in both directions as I ping ponged to regain my balance.  This little moto only goes about 44 mph (70 km/hr) and that is fast enough for the condition of the roads around here. You always have to be alert for holes, wild animals, and on coming cars around blind curves. Pigs and goats will run right out in front of you and the snakes you will only see just as you are about to run over them.  Tried to visit some farmers but they weren't home. If I had had to walk  and no one was there that would have really bothered me but fortunately I now have the motorcycle.  Taught my pisciculture class and applied the advice of one of my students; give each student a specific job and tell he/she when they are finished they can leave.  It worked.
international highway
                         
    Me and my moto on an international highway of dirt.  There were paved roads but  very few. The town of Oyem had some but once you left town it was either a dust or a mud bowl you would experience depending on the time of the year. The mud was the worst because  several things could happen. Your tires would get caked up with the stuff and you would stop moving, you would slide in the stuff and get covered with it,  and cars and trucks would make big ruts and these are dangerous to drive into. So if it was a rainy day or had been raining a lot, I pretty much canceled any travel plans to villages and tried to do something useful with my time at home. The Gabonese government needs to pour more money into paving the roads. Good roads are an economic and development stimulus.

June 5th, 1980   A rewarding day, makes me feel great to be alive. My work is gaining momentum. Visited villages on the road toward Mitzic (south of Oyem) and the villagers have been working. I also met several new villagers with great pond sites that they are in the process of fixing up.  By chance, I met a villager with a wonderful derivation pond that was abandon. This guy yelled at me to come relax in the "corps de garde" as I was passing on my moto on my way to another village. I stopped because I thought he knew me and I had met him somewhere else. I have this terrible problems of not remembering villagers' names and their villages.  After realizing that I didn't know this guy, I explained that I wasn't a tourist and what I was doing.  The villager responded that he was in the process of repairing a pond site.  
African menu - I have eaten foul all my life but this was the smallest whole bird to cross my lips. This next meal was killed by the farmer's young son and a handmade sling shot. It is amazing this young hunter could hit such a small target with a sling shot. Anyway back to the menu, I ate one small bird, though 2 were offered.  This bird's whole body fit in the palm of my hand minus its feathers. It looked like a miniature turkey with those little eyes staring up at me. I was a good dinner guest, I ate the whole bird. That's right, bones, head, lungs, heart, and liver.  The Africans tell me that I am truly African because of my appreciation of their cuisine.    Later, another villager wanted a vote of confidence on the deliciousness of African cuisine, in this case manioc.  He kept repeating that it was good and I knew he was searching for a compliment, which was unnecessary because it was excellent and I told him so. This was manioc in the baton form and mixed with peanut butter (home grown and hand ground)   and piment. It was quite tasty. I wish all the manioc tasted like this preparation.

June 15th, 1980   Rose early this morning, after having little sleep, in order to catch a brousse (bush) taxi to Libreville. What luck, there was a taxi going to Libreville, but the driver canceled the trip after 2 hours of waiting because he didn't have enough customers. The purpose of this trip is to visit two other fisheries volunteers (Don Appe and Paul Olsen) in Lébamba,  in the south of Gabon. I will go via Libreville with the assistant Peace Corps director, Howard Anderson. I would much rather fly out of Oyem but the money would be coming out of my pocket.  I don't understand why Peace Corps can't pay for this trip since it is work related. We will be discussing problems I am having with my work.  The taxi driver told me he will be leaving tomorrow at 6:30 AM. Good, I 'll be there.

June 16th, 1980    The African Experience: You asked for it, 24 hours later.  Well, it all started on a Monday misty morning. There I was up bright and early at 6:15 AM, waiting, waiting, waiting......until noon .  Why the delay? The driver is going all over town picking up riders going to Libreville and wanting to maximize profits, he is now waiting for more riders. We can't leave until the van is full.  Oh well, a late start but I am grateful that we are finally moving.  To my left and to my right, green, green everywhere occasionally interrupted by a small village. The route is hilly and wildlife exposes itself, many beautiful birds I can not possibly identify and a fleeting monkey. There is a cry of disappointment in the van as the monkey crosses the road because nobody has a gun to stop the potential meal.  Further on down the road and many times more are hanging monkey parts along the route waiting to be sold, bought, and eaten. This trip is turning me red.  The movement of passing cars in the other direction are creating dust storms that we are driving through. As we eat and inhale the dust our skin is changing colors. The hair and eyelashes of the Africans are orange and I look like I have a nice tan.  I was pleasantly surprised by a stretch of paved road, a reprieve from the clouds of dust.  This paved road was built by the logging companies to facilitate the removal of trees. Along the sides of the road are HUGE logs waiting to be trucked to the coast for a trip to France.  They are so big I wonder how they got them out of the jungle to the road side. Will the jungle recover from this violation?  Passed part of the Gabonaise railroad that is being built. They are cutting through mountain sides to lay track.  It is getting dark now and the driver refuses to turn on his lights, hoping to prolong the life of his headlights and shorten our lives in the process.  There are more delays lasting more than 2 hours, from getting gas, engine problems, a flat, the driver has to eat, and so forth.  Finally moving again and the driver notices that everyone in the car is napping a little. Our driver pulls over and stops.  What is wrong now?  He informs us, that if no one is going to stay awake while he drives, then why should he?  We are all furious and inform him that we had paid him to drive to Libreville and that is what he better start doing.  It is now 2:30 AM  and we are still in route to Libreville when we have our second flat of the evening.  Stranded ~15 km outside of the city and no cars are passing by at this unholy hour.  At about 5 AM a  truck loaded with bananas approaches and I flag it down. I have to get to Libreville because Howard might be leaving early and there is no way I am waiting for our psycho driver to go into town and return with a new tire. This was the straw that broke the camel's back. I am really pissed at the driver's contribution to the many delays and I tell him I am not going to give him the 8,000 CFA he wanted for the trip.  So, I ask the banana truck driver how much he wants for the trip to the capital, 300 CFA.  I decided to pay the driver minus what I had to pay to the banana truck to finish my trip.  The driver didn't have change for my 1000 CFA, so I told him, he wasn't going to get the reminder of his money. Finally someone offers change.  I was  yelling and swearing at this guy in English. He was shook up. The ambassador wouldn't have been proud of his Peace Corps Volunteer. Grateful to be moving, even if  I am  sitting on a pile of banana regimes, we  passed through 2 police checkpoints to get into the city.  The first checkpoint had a light overhead so that I could see that I was sitting right next to a dead porcupine with its guts coming out of the abdomen. I moved.  Twenty-four hours later, I am in Libreville. I find the hidden key to the Peace Corps office,  wash off all the red soil and lay down for about an hour. What a journey.


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