Alterations...??

Should the path of some of the trip be altered?  I know that most everyone reading this regularly will think of it as a good idea.  My original plan has been to pretty much step off the plane, spend maybe a week in Freetown, and then head off on my trek about the countryside.  Given a wealth of advice that I have been receiving from many people, Kaps' genuine insistence on taking care of me, and the project that he and I have been discussing, I have been more readily contemplating the possibly spending as much as the first month settling in, working on the local language, and getting to the point where I would be better prepared to go on my trek.

More stuff...

So there are a number of things that have been going on of late that I haven't written about yet.  I got my backpack yesterday, and am expecting the Hammock today.  I got this specific backpack pretty much strictly because it had the special airflow back and it was the one of that style that fit best.  As a result, I have no idea what all these pockets and straps are for!!  lol.  Actually, a lot is pretty self explanatory, and makes complete sense given my experience, but still I was going through it last night... so many little intricacies.  Very amusing...

I checked google analytics today and saw that we have officially gotten our first visit to the website from someone actually in Sierra Leone.  May not seem like much, but is still a good step.  I have specifically been holding off on doing much of the marketing until I get closer to actually leaving.  I figure its easier to have people maintain interest in the actual trip once I am there or about to leave, rather than the less exciting build up to it.  So to get visits that seem to just be coming of their own accord is positive.

I have continued to email with Cyril at Zain telecom, and he said that I could very easily just use a modem to plug into the computer and use the internet.  $70-75 for the modem and then $10 for 100mb.  I'm asking him for a full rate card for more usage.  But it is pay as you go so that is positive, no contract or anything.  With this I wouldn't have to buy a $400 smart phone, which would REALLY help my budget.  But I still need to get a phone and I need it to double as a descent camera, so still not out of the woods yet.  But it could give me more flexibility.  I tried calling Nokia yesterday and asking, but think I got hung up on... I'll have to find out more of the technical aspects to it and go from there.  It may be more worth while to do the full-on smart phone given the $75 modem, the cost of another phone with good camera, and future considerations but time will tell.

I have been working on flash cards for Krio, but I must admit am not getting far.  I just can't seem to be too successful without being in country and listening and learning right there on the spot.  This brings me to another thought that has been slowly growing in my mind given multiple conversations I've been having with people associated with the country.  Maybe it would be worth it to spend the beginning of the trip a bit more settled.  Yeah, I know not a new idea, I was already thinking to spend a week in Freetown getting acclimated.  But Kaps with Child Help and I have been talking about some project ideas and with others people about security and not getting taken advantage of - basically involving getting to know my way around the people and language.  This makes perfect sense given all my other time abroad, some places and people will try to take you for all you're worth as a foreigner 'with money'.    I am going to put together an entire post on this in a little bit though that will get into the possible project and these other considerations.  For now though, I just thought I'd put up another update...  

Languages

The language situation there in Sierra Leone is going to be interesting.  The country's official language is English, but it is only spoken by a small minority of the population and mostly located in Freetown.  The lingua franca that unites all the different local and tribal languages is Krio.  Which started "as a trading language for tens of thousands of freed slaves from all over West Africa, Europeans, and other merchants."  It has elements of many languages but its most obvious roots are from Jamaican freed slaves, Nova Scotia, English, and West African languages.  For some simple phrases click here...  

There are also another 23 or so 'living languages' still spoken throughout the country. The two main ones are Mende in the south and Temne further northwest.  It will be useful to be able to greet and exchange pleasantries in these two languages, but for the most part, my focus needs to be Krio.  I have downloaded an old Peace Crops manual for learning Krio, but it is not exactly of the highest quality.  I have my work cut out for me.  Languages for me are also a bit touch and go.  I never really do well learning them from afar.  When I went to Prague I just got a book and walked around reading all the signs and interacting as best I could.  I had my little dictionary and just learned via trying and listening.  Problem now though is that I can't find a pocket english-krio dictionary, but who knows, that may change in country (though I'm not holding my breath... ;)  

Languages throughout the developing world are under a great deal of pressure from globalization as well.  I take a bit of a sense of passion with this.  As you can see from the above video many languages are slowly disappearing due to larger more 'useful' languages.  In the video, it is Krim that is disappearing in the face of Mende (both indigenous languages), but then it is (what could be considered a 'foreign' language) Krio that has overcome Mende as the country's universal language, and then English that has become the official language of the country.  You see this all over the world, the main languages - especially English - are learned everywhere and in turn local languages are threatened and lose some of their vibrance.  With this obviously a part of one culture wanes under the pressures of another.  Though I will be learning a 'new' or 'foreign' language in Krio, I still see this as a step in a more fulfilling direction.  I will not be learning French or Spanish, but learning something unique and specific.  A language spoken by only a few people (in global terms), and I find a pleasant sense of satisfaction within this.  

But I need you all to keep me going with it!!  I am not studying it enough...  ;)