tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:21:35 +0000futurepicturesyahooCloynefreaking outfreeplayenergybooksLettersdiscountgardenluxuriesmusiclife lessonsHansIpodpackingapplicationSenegalPeace CorpsfulakundaFrenchmotivationREIpeacecorps2San DiegotravelMariapariskoldaAlphasmartequipmentreligionBerkeleyvideothiesCloyne CourtstagingtrainingFinding CasamancePeace Corps Volunteer in Senegal. I work with Agricultural Extension. Learning pulaar and french. I live and work in a small pulaar village a few miles outside of Kolda.http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Nathan)Blogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-455507390906855873Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:38:00 +00002009-07-11T19:38:29.774ZA Storm in SenegalJuly 11th 200910:07How you experience a storm in Senegal, is different than how you wouldin the States. How people live here, even in the cities is full offresh air. Airconditioning is a grand luxury. A fan is only for thosewith electricity and money to slowly burn. Most people escape the heatby the shade of a large tree, beautifully woven hand fans and ataaya,a thick tea infused with copious http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/NCkH3f7FJPc/storm-in-senegal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)10<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/NCkH3f7FJPc" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2009/07/storm-in-senegal.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-632223271252864175Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:38:00 +00002009-07-11T19:38:10.945ZReflective MoodJuly 10th 200917:05Another day in Kolda. Went around to my gardens. I've been in areflective mood lately. I found a quote by the Dalai Lama about growthin population and poverty."The growth in population is very much bound up with poverty, and inturn poverty plunders the earth. When human groups are dying ofhunger, they eat everything, grass, insects, everything. They cut downtrees, they leave http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/TERogQEdQXg/reflective-mood.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/TERogQEdQXg" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2009/07/reflective-mood.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-6385060549920317737Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:37:00 +00002009-07-11T19:37:41.170ZGood DaysJuly 7th 200919:48As for my mental health, as always there are the good days and the baddays. Life has definitely gotten easier since my language level hasbecome more functional. Also partly much of life here has becomeordinary. There are part of it that you love and some of it that youhate.For instance, I often feel more comfortable around local Senegalesethan other volunteers. I don't know whathttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/FXQnV9O-gLQ/good-days.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/FXQnV9O-gLQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2009/07/good-days.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5543601890302219012Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:36:00 +00002009-07-11T19:36:56.858ZLong Time Since PostingJuly 7th 20097:04pmIt might have been about a year since I've written on this thing. Alothas changed. For instance, I've made the move from being a ruralvolunteer into being an urban one. I moved into the city of Kolda todo Urban Gardening Work. To make a long story short, I moved becausethere were some great work opportunities in Kolda to make a bigimpact. In the village, I really had the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/iUbvttFq1QI/long-time-since-posting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)12<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/iUbvttFq1QI" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2009/07/long-time-since-posting.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-6322017003823126038Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:28:00 +00002008-11-08T18:28:36.401ZPic from Gambian BorderThat is what I do.... Project Feed Yourself! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/dRnKq7jcDuo/pic-from-gambian-border.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/dRnKq7jcDuo" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/11/pic-from-gambian-border.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5849834724245486438Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:14:00 +00002008-10-17T23:14:48.466ZA Random PicJust a little picture of me and some of the kids in my village. It is much cooler in my village these days and thus much more hospitable to writing. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/u27F1QdEY7s/random-pic.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/u27F1QdEY7s" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/10/random-pic.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-1242618561626890933Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:27:00 +00002008-09-27T13:31:12.637ZHow far will Peace Corps Take You?!*chuckle* *tear*http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/e4Nr1oeF2Rs/how-far-will-peace-corps-take-you.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/e4Nr1oeF2Rs" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/09/how-far-will-peace-corps-take-you.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-2903076763885948264Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:39:00 +00002008-08-13T13:39:51.236ZMy Advice to Incoming TraineesFriday July 11th, 2008 3:28 Pm   To those of you reading my blog to get an idea of what Peace Corps service is like should be warned. Everyone has a completely different experience. Lots of my views and opinions should really be taken with a grain of salt. The stresses and successes of immersion in a totally different culture with a completely different language in a hot subtropical environmenthttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/aQ-WPzFRVb8/my-advice-to-incoming-trainees.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/aQ-WPzFRVb8" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-advice-to-incoming-trainees.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-4353692505615863693Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:37:00 +00002008-08-13T13:37:16.147ZA Constant HassleFriday July 11th 2008 3:12 Pm   One of the constant hassles I encounter here is the idea that white people/ nonafricans can do nothing. They think you are physical incapable of anything until you do it. At first I couldn't pull my own water out of the well… until I did. I can't cook, rake, tie a knot or anything until I show them I can.   One of the worst things is they think that if I get a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/oS1esKzSAUI/constant-hassle.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/oS1esKzSAUI" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/08/constant-hassle.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-3002289568779482199Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:35:00 +00002008-08-13T13:35:41.992ZBusy BusyJuly 11th 2008 1:42PM   It has been raining cats and dogs almost every evening and night. During the day I have been running around super busy. Part of my job is to extend seed to farmers. This seed is a local variety but improved. It is not a hybrid but nonetheless has much higher yields. I am extending rice, corn, millet, blackeyed beans and sorghum. Haven't had a chance to extend the rice http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/iEDhscr3LoI/busy-busy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/iEDhscr3LoI" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/08/busy-busy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5903497604838625255Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:35:00 +00002008-08-13T13:35:06.156ZGeneral ThoughtsThursday July 3rd 2008 8:17 PM   Wow, what a day. A total work day. I have been working like crazy distributing seed to farmers. Giving away seed is the easy part. The difficult part is trying to get my demonstration plot farmers in gear. Two farmers that said they were game two monthes ago and confirmed again another month ago have completely changed their mind. They don't want to do it. It http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/hBcI_uYNUVs/general-thoughts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/hBcI_uYNUVs" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/08/general-thoughts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-7275293350903451463Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:33:00 +00002008-08-13T13:33:48.629ZLong time no postJuly 1st, 2008 7:50PM   Having returned from a much needed vacation from the States, I feel much better about life. I can't say for sure which I feel better about: the people & culture or the climate. My grasp of the language has made it so I can get along in the village without much of a problem. I understand most of the time what is being said to be at least- other conversations that I try to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/OfABw34n4Kk/long-time-no-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/OfABw34n4Kk" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/08/long-time-no-post.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-6767215727257727564Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:43:00 +00002008-06-20T00:43:15.035ZWorld Wide Schools PresentationSome pictures of a presentation I made to my World Wide Schools program in Downey, CA. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/UeFuSsHRpMM/world-wide-schools-presentation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/UeFuSsHRpMM" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/06/world-wide-schools-presentation.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-4607995657438359389Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:45:00 +00002008-04-28T17:43:43.719ZPulaar Verbs ListJust published a list of 589 pulaar verbs in an excel file. I found this on the Volunteer Computer at the Kolda regional house. I don't know who created it- I would love to give credit to them. I published it because I believe this type of information should be shared and not hidden. Here is the URL: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pjKmGc-nHW0Kuf5--SBG_Qw&output=html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/i7BL4w1mDCA/pulaar-verbs-list.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/i7BL4w1mDCA" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/pulaar-verbs-list.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-7182410313056970406Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:27:00 +00002008-04-28T17:25:38.835ZICESaturday April 26th 2009 9:16 AM I have probably mentioned before but the morning is my favorite time of the day. It is not hot. Generally there is a cool breeze that has a touch of coolness to it. During the mid day from roughly 1PM to 4PM it is so hot. So hot that it totally saps any energy or desire for me to do anything. Sometimes I'll lay under the shade and sometimes I try to douse the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/7pJvDoRWAqQ/ice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/7pJvDoRWAqQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/ice.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5295107577924026753Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:08:00 +00002008-04-28T17:20:20.588ZChristmas PiesPumpkin and Apple Pies that me and Danny made for Christmas. They weresuper yummy.All you need for pie crust is flour, salt, fat solids and a little coldwater.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/vhusFzgtgmk/christmas-pies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/vhusFzgtgmk" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/christmas-pies.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-6045568082195875940Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:08:00 +00002008-04-28T17:17:17.014ZA Great Article My Friend Wrote[My friend Laura wrote this article for the Sabaar- which is the Official Peace Corps Senegal Newsletter. I included a few contextual notes for non residents of Senegal.] "Bring back the Ooji!" One PCV’s anti-Jumbo Radio Adventure…because development sometimes involves a return to tradition It’s lunchtime during the rainy season, in one of the many small villages dotting the newly-green http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/x9hZpo_CgCc/great-article-my-friend-wrote.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/x9hZpo_CgCc" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/great-article-my-friend-wrote.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-2624004645087373425Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:18:00 +00002008-04-28T16:59:33.616ZMulching Demo in the Garden & BeesHere are a few pictures of some mulching demonstrations that I have beendoing in the garden. I took this awhile ago. The mulch is crushed peanut shells that have sat in the sun for awhile. Also some pictures of some bees that swarm around the well. It is so hotand dry, it is the only place they can find water.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/9K5ZVrjZL-k/mulching-demo-in-garden-bees.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/9K5ZVrjZL-k" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/mulching-demo-in-garden-bees.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-971442222847981665Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:49:00 +00002008-04-28T16:54:43.507ZBad Day Wednesday April 16th 2008 10:22 AM Some how I didn't expect this morning to be so hellish. It really was a great start. I woke up early around 7:15 ish. Decided to go out and do some light gardening work before it got too hot. Light gardening means watering- carrying tons of water in big buckets around. I discovered that the well bucket that I let someone borrow wasn't there but instead it http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/XIixxbV-XnI/bad-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/XIixxbV-XnI" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/bad-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-7620285883956903096Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:43:00 +00002008-04-28T16:54:31.980ZHungry Peace Corps Volunteer in AfricaTuesday, April 15th 2008 10:49 PM Did your mom ever tell you to eat all the food on your plate because there were hungry children in Africa that would love to eat what you are having. Luckily my mom never seriously said that- it was too cliché by the time she would have said. Maybe today they should say eat all your green beans because there are hungry Peace Corps volunteers in Africa. That http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/GzpHQzawW7o/hungry-peace-corps-volunteer-in-africa.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/GzpHQzawW7o" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/hungry-peace-corps-volunteer-in-africa.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5549064348151454494Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:42:00 +00002008-04-28T16:54:25.592Z“RE: What do you eat in the village?”Monday April 14th 2008 5:14 PM <i>I am responding to a question asked to me by a student in a high school french class in Downey, California. </i> Right now I am enjoying some tasty food. I cooked up some black eyed peas and millet in my hut. I added a bouillon cube, a pinch of pepper and some oil plus I cut up a whole red onion. It tastes so good. The onion and the bouillon cube give it a sorthttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/CFWShWwlFHo/re-what-do-you-eat-in-village.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/CFWShWwlFHo" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/re-what-do-you-eat-in-village.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-7396572349551648351Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:38:00 +00002008-04-13T12:39:17.816ZEducational Statistics via SeneGADSenegal Specific Educational Statistics (via SeneGAD site) Adult literacy rate: men 51%, females 29% Primary school enrollment ratio: male 78%, females 74% Primary school attendance ratio: male 71%; females 67% Secondary school enrollment ratio: male 22%, females 16% - UNICEF Enrollment rates for boys were 84.4% versus 80.6% for girls. However, the dropout rate is higher forhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/U9BnWqoPSf8/educational-statistics-via-senegad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/U9BnWqoPSf8" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/educational-statistics-via-senegad.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-5314520753199318823Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:05:00 +00002008-04-13T12:08:53.378ZYoutube: Gambian Woman Makes Purses from TrashbagsVery neat video. They do the same thing in a village a few Kilometers from me. I am roughly 30 miles form the Gambian Border.There isn't much different between the people of Gambia and Senegal. The only big difference is how colonial history. The Gambia was an english colony and Senegal was a french colony. Thus Gambians use English as the language of administration while Senegalese use french. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/3xUF2LV8CaA/youtube-gambian-woman-makes-purses-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/3xUF2LV8CaA" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/youtube-gambian-woman-makes-purses-from.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-8465479318311342430Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:55:00 +00002008-04-13T11:58:46.011ZJosh's Blog: Pics from Northern SenegalA picture of Josh and some of his English Club Students. Josh is an urban based Small Enterprise Development PC Volunteer in the Northern Senegal. He and I took a wolof class together during IST (In Service Training). Josh is a great guy with a big heart for working with children and development work in general.He maintains a blog as well as a photo gallery of some neat pics.He has ahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/3kWLbu1EHt8/joshs-blog-pics-from-northern-senegal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/3kWLbu1EHt8" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/joshs-blog-pics-from-northern-senegal.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962343320511457694.post-3496203886744635426Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:31:00 +00002008-04-13T11:43:23.864ZI Dream of MangoesEveryday in my village I go out and look at my mango tree. When I arrived in my village in November, the mango tree was starting to flower. Over the last few months I keenly watch the tree, just waiting for them to ripen. Now they are getting close. But the only problem is the village kids can't wait. They eat the unripened mangoes. Green mangoes are very tart and tangy. Not bad but not nearly http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~3/UjfxMqRSfzc/i-dream-of-mangoes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nathan)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FindingCasamance/~4/UjfxMqRSfzc" height="1" width="1"/>http://nate-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-dream-of-mangoes.html