The Realities of Bush Life

I thought I would use this post to share a little about my daily living arrangements here in the African bush.  Simply put, I have NO modern conveniences (refrigerator, oven, television, running water).  The only modern pieces of electronic equipment I have are my laptop computer, my digital camera, and my Peace Corps issued cell phone, all of which I keep charged with my Voltaic solar charger.

My solar charger in action.  I am also taking advantage of the sun by drying mangos and cashews.

My House

I live in a round hut made of mud and cow manure.  My floor is a compacted dirt floor, though I have seen some houses in my village with a concrete floor.  I have one small window, and I’ve installed screens in both the front and back door.  Finally, my roof is made of bamboo and straw.  No, it doesn’t smell and it tends to be as cool as under a mango tree, so it is actually pretty comfortable. (Though I do miss having corners.)   My furniture consists of a “full size” bed made of straw, 2 chairs, and a table.  I am still working on getting shelves made, so most of my belongings are stored in my suitcases or packed in containers on the floor.

Regardless of whether I leave the doors open or closed, my hut gets dirty very quickly.  Thus, sweeping is one of the first things I do when I get up in the morning.   In addition, I get daily visits from mud wasps. (Remember, I live in a mud hut.)  Generally, they are not a problem, just a minor nuisance sometimes.  The free range livestock can also be a problem, as they often try to enter my hut in search of something to eat. (Which is why I am glad I had screens installed in my doors.  Without them, it would be dark and stuffy.)

Water

I, like everyone else in my village, has to pump their water from a well.  I have seen different versions of wells in Guinea, ranging from simple wells (using a rope and a bucket), to human operated mechanical pumps.  In my village, we use a foot pump.  In other villages I have seen hand operated pumps.   My village also has a simple well, but it dries up in March.  I have heard that there are solar powered pumps and wind powered pumps in use in Africa, but I have yet to see either here in Guinea.    I think once development in Guinea gains momentum, solar powered pumps are going to become more widely used.

Regardless of the how one is drawing their water, it takes more effort than turning on a faucet.  In addition, after drawing my water I have to walk a good distance to my hut, 475 feet to be exact.  Because I have chosen to grow a garden behind my house, my water demands are high – 2 bidons (20 liters) and 1 bucket (16 liters) a day.  I treat water as a precious commodity, always looking for ways to get the most from it.  This usually means using any dirty water (without soap) for watering my garden. 

One final note on the pump: everyone and everything comes to the pump for water.  Not only do the livestock come to drink, but also the many thousands of bees that live in the forest.  Because they can be a nuisance (I have been stung a couple of times), I try to pump my water during the evening, when it is both cooler and bee free!

Cooking

If I want to eat, I have two options: cook for myself or find someone else to cook for me.  Though it does take more time than grabbing my spoon after accepting an invitation to join my family for dinner, I do like to cook food that I am more familiar with, and also have the flexibility to create something new.  There are a few dishes here in Guinea that I am have trouble eating, most notably some of the leaf and dried fish sauces. 

Many volunteers choose to purchase a portable gas stove, but since I live so far from a refilling station, I chose to stick with the traditional 3 rock method.  (The idea of hauling a 20 Liter propane tank 20 km into town and back was not appealing!)  I do have to search for and carry my own wood, however.  It is not too difficult to find wood, and my counterpart owns an ax that I use occasionally.  At the moment, my wood pile is a bit disorganized.  With rainy season due to start next month, augmenting my woodpile and building a shelter for it is a top priority. 

The most perfect 3 rock cornbread you'll ever eat!

The biggest challenge with cooking with wood over three rocks is heat regulation.   However, I learned that by adding a couple smaller rocks to two sides of my rock stove created a more even heat, as heat can’t escape out the sides so easily.  (One side is left open for wood.)  Now, I can confidently make French fries or cornbread on a regular basis.