Experience at farmer

On February 14&21, we had activities, working at a farmer, nursing home or preschool to meet Komagane local people and get some different work experience from usual.

Me, I went to a flower farmer's house with 2 other JOCV and 1 senior volunteer.

◆1st day◆

In the morning, we cleaned up wastes (old materials of green house mainly).

At 9, we started working and at 10, already we got a break with lots of sweet in a warm room.

At noon, it's lunch time. Although we brought our lunch box, the family prepared a great meal for us. I hesitated their too warm welcome but I couldn't defeat my appetite...

From 1 to 3:45 pm, we worked in a green house of Alstroemeria, picking off dead plants.

Then again, a break with plenty of sweets, coffee and tea till a bus comes to pick us up at 4:35.

In the green house of Alstroemeria

A bouquet of Alstroemeria that the family gave us as souvenior at the end of the day

◆2nd day◆
In the morning, we planted a flower bulb and two green vegetables' seedings

Make a hole of the depth of the first 2 knuckles

Put a bulb. The farmer repeated us to plant it with the sharpen part above. (if not, it won't bud)

Cover the buld with soil with its head a bit seen

Planting the veggies seedings

Water the filed with sprinkler !

At lunch, I had expected there would be something again but it was more than I thought... a big rice ball with fried porc and cabbages which is a famous local food in Komagane with homemade delicious sauce. And salad, homemade pickles (Nozawana), just gathered spinach etc... I was more than satisfied...

Afternoon, we went out to the field to remove the plastic covers on Trumpet lily bulbs.

This winter, there is much more snow than usual so there was always snow left and the soil over the cover was frozen and heavy... It was a hard work but as we ate more than enough, it was worth it.

As same as on the 1st day, we finished work at3:45 and got wonderful sweet time : very soft mochi just made that morning with walnuts sauce and homemade pudding !!!

It was a very very precious time and experience for me although it was only 2 days. I learned word work and life of farmers, the importance of nature, and great natural food.

I appreciate the family, Sakama-san's kindness and warm welcome !

Improved oven

February 8, we had life-skill course and I chose one to learn how to make an "improved oven" which is very popular now in Africa because...

- it's not too difficult to make it

- the oven is more convenient than old style one because people, mainly women (used to) make fire pile each time when they cook.

- as the oven enclose the fire place so the fire stays longer or with less woods.

something like this, I assume...

1. Make the frame of the oven with blocks (usually with wooden boards though)

2. Mix the sand and water to make mud

3．Cut straw (or hemp material) to "4.7cm" and put it in the sand to make the sand sticky

4.Make balls with the sticky sand/mud and throw them hard into the frame not to keep air between sand. (It's hard to see but we are making balls there.)

5．Basically it's done. But, then, we found out a problem, yea really basic one... the drum can was touched to the front so when we take out the blocks, it won't be any wall above of fireplace... but nothing we could do to fix it, so we gave up with laughing !

So now only thing we have to do is to wait till the mud dries. In fact, the mud was too watery, it is probably impossible to take the blocks away...

Oh well, we all agreed that anyway we learned how to make the oven, the process so it's all good ! But gradually the cold (O℃ or lower) started killing us...

Then we started making steamed sweet potatoes with an oven that old volunteers made

So big !

So cut them in half

It smelled so nice and yes it was good although it took 2 hours +.

Happy, happy !

I had great, great time today. During the whole process, we were laughing some how. We got dirty with the mud but also we fall some people over on the snow and put as much snow as possible on the person. (well I was the 1st victim...)

Thank you everyone of this group ! Although at the end, we couldn't help shaking because of the cold at the same time we were suffering from pain on fingers and toes...

And we are going to have some drinks tomorrow night☆

French class

At this training center, there is 37 people who study French and who are going to West Africa like Burkina, Senegal, Benin, Gabon, Cameroon and Niger. 4-6 students in one class with 7 teachers (3 Japanese, 1 Congolese, 1 French, 1 Maroccan, and 1 Malagasy).

My teacher is from Madagascar.She is always so energetic and loves joking (sometimes severe though). In my class, there is 2 students going to Senegal, 1 to Benin, 1 to Cameroon and 1 to Niger. Each of them has different characters so it's fun. Plus, the powerful teacher says "pay 10 yen !" each time when we make mistakes on French pronunciation or some basic grammar. The person is so disappointed but others laugh a lot at that time.

notion : when we get enough pile of 10yen we buy snacks or candies, coffee or tea to have during or between the class. So the atmosphere in the class is very relaxing.

The wooden box at the bottom on the photo is the punishment box !

At lunch, we usually eat together. Today's menu is Udon (japanese white noodles).

During lunch break, I play sometimes drums called "tam-tam" which is traditional african musical instrument. The Congolese teacher is the tam-tam master.