During my first meeting with the board of my host organization, CoDA, someone asked about my experiences so far and whether my expectations were being met. From previous experiences, I have learned that it is best to approach projects like this with minimal expectations. Despite this, I can only say that the first month has exceeded my imagination. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, making me feel at home in a new country almost immediately.
The first month was all about adaptation and observation for me. I had to adjust to a new culture, new foods, and lots of new people. We also delved into the local culture and history, emphasizing the importance of introductions. Consequently, we spent the first two weeks traveling around Kongo and its surrounding areas, meeting key figures in the community.
Engaging in conversations with everyone I meet is something my Dutch self is not used to. At first, I struggled with the language, not only Nabt but also English. However, like everything else, I got used to it, and after two weeks, those struggles had passed. The Nabt classes have certainly been helpful.
Initially, I was apprehensive about living in a small village like Kongo, as I come from a larger town and feared boredom. However, I quickly realized the charm of small-town life. In Kongo, everyone knows each other, so going to the market feels like meeting friends. So far, I have not run out of things to do and don’t expect to. Additionally, the surrounding areas are incredibly beautiful.
I have tried various local foods, including dog meat, donkey meat, goat meat, and the local drink pito. Ironically, it was an egg that gave me food poisoning. Meeting the different groups of women in the community has been enlightening. I am slowly getting familiar with their work and figuring out how I can support them. I feel I am gaining a better understanding of how things work here. Together with the fantastic basket weavers, we created a basket from recycled materials. This is a great way to reduce plastic waste in Kongo, which is unfortunately a significant issue.
In the past month, I have spent hours on the motorbike, quickly growing to love it as my favorite mode of transportation. The cooling wind, the sights of the surrounding areas of Kongo, and perhaps John’s (a member of CoDA) vast knowledge and love for his country and people have made me fall in love with the country and especially Kongo even more. Last week, I even took on the challenge of learning how to drive the motorbike myself. While there has been great improvement, I still have a long way to go before I can tackle the traffic in Bolga!
