Today I made a Rocket Stove.

A Rocket Stove is "is a type of stove combining the air-intake with the fuel-feed slot in an opening terminated by the combustion chamber, further leading to a chimney and heat exchanger. A rocket stove is signified by ease of construction and simplicity of building materials while accepting small-diameter fuel such as twigs or small branches, yielding high combustion efficiency and directing the resultant heat onto a small area."

Thank you Wikipedia.

Basically, it's a cylinder surrounded with insulation that draws and preheats air though the fuel slot, thereby making the fire hotter and the air more combustible, or something like that.

I had a friend show me his design and I attempted to recreate it. I decided I wanted to try and not pay for anything, which is possible. I wound up paying 500F ($1) to have the cans I used welded together, which in retrospect, wasn't necessary. I found or was given all the other materials.

I started by finding three tomato cans which I hollowed out to make a cylinder, I then added the smaller perpendicular fuel access can. Then I slapped some mud on a piece of wood to create a base. I enclosed the cans with a sheet of zinc and the filled the gap with ash.

The overall point is to create a more efficient stove and avoid using charcoal. Because the of increased heat and combustion, it works far more efficiently.

My host family said they would test it for me and see how it works. It did manage to boil two liters of water in 10 minutes. I thought that was impressive for only using a few sticks.

Solidarity and Vacations

Just when I think African solidarity couldn't possibly become any more intrusive... it does.

Not only what is in my wallet, fridge, and medicine cabinet not just mine (remember the borrower's right to receive is greater than the lender's right to keep)my vacations come under attack.

Yesterday, I was sitting in the courtyard reading, as I often do to not seem as if I am always in my room, when one of the women in the family, out of nowhere, asked me if I am taking any vacations back to the US. Now, the family knows a lot of what volunteers do, having hosted a volunteer in the past. And let's be honest, it's a reasonable question to ask. I figure I can't get away for weeks on end without telling them. They'll just call Peace Corps, and then I'll have to answer for it when I'm back.

So I reflected for a second and decided there isn't any harm in telling them I'm going to Egypt. It didn't quite work out that way.

As usual, the conversation immediately turned to how the family doesn't have money. So much stems from that one mentality and it's incredibly frustrating. It's always, "we just don't have money," which is a very reactive response. We use this reply in the States, but dig a little deeper and this is where our cultures diverge. Ask someone why he or she doesn't have money and the answer will be different. In Senegal, I never hear someone use debt (good or bad), budget constraints (but how I wish!), or savings. When I ask why they don't have money, the response falls along the lines of not having jobs or things are expensive.

It's rarely, "I had too many kids in an economy with no jobs" or "I didn't finish school and don't speak French" or "I was socially obligated to give what I have to friends/family." I do get these responses, but it's usually by someone who learned a little too late.

I wasn't hounded or harassed, but the conversation moved in the direction of the only family member with solid job and income who is sending money to so many family member. I was told that if he wanted to take a vacation outside of Senegal, the family would call him and say that he was throwing away money because the family has needs and the money could be spend better elsewhere.

Ain't that some shit...

End of Training

Finishing up the rest of February and a few days into March was my In Service Training (IST). This is a technical training held 3 months after becoming a volunteer, which for me happened in October.

It was very informative, and at times, very boring. One presentation followed another day after day and it seemed endless. The worst presentations were given by the Senegalese and the best was given by an importer from the US.

The Senegalese like to talk and talk and talk and then discuss. And subsequently, this transfers over to presentations. Watching a Senegalese presenter present to a group of Senegalese is tantamount to watching a dance. The presenter has to relate his subject to the audience while allowing everyone a chance to comment or offer their opinion. And I mean everyone. And if the presenter fails to allow enough people the opportunity to offer their (usually useless) opinions, his or her evaluation suffers. People raise their hand simply to reiterate what the presenter just mentioned or they do my favorite, get the speakers attention and then point at the person who just spoke and say, "I agree with him." Seriously, Why?

Now take this presenter who is used to the Senegalese non stop verbal assault and place him with a group of Americans who have been sitting in a dark room for a week. And what do you get? Lots of crickets chirping. Often, it became awkward because they would address the audience looking for a comment and they would get silence.

The best presentation, in my opinion, was given by a lady who owns a small business on the West coast and imports products from all across Africa. She offered consumer sided information on the products that she has sold and what she is currently looking at for future imports.

Since IST has finished, I've been thinking of the projects I'd like to work on. I have listed, a vegetable garden for the boy's boarding school, a few technical trainings on computers, trainings in accounting, and exportation. Hopefully I'll stay busy!