It was evident that there was a need for trash collection
and people in Gueoul were willing to pay for it.
We expanded from two donkeys to a citywide waste management system by
working with at the trash collectors in Gueoul.
Of course being the only American in Gueoul everyone,
wants to have a conversation with you but it's always a conversation,
"How's the waste management going?
I'm getting a trash can!"
It's exciting to hear the community talking about the project and supporting it.
Being half Nigerian and American, a lot of Americans and other foreigners
automatically assume that I'll have an easier time integrating into Senegalese culture.
But it's funny. The second I go anywhere in Senegal
everyone can instantly tell that I'm not Senegalese.
Just being a minority as a Peace Corps Volunteer, not only are you
integrating into a completely different culture, you're also
being placed in an environment where not a lot of people look like you
and we found that a lot of other countries were using—had in place a diversity committee.
Now all incoming Volunteers, during their trainings, they'll have conversations about diversity
and providing support and serving as an ally for your fellow Volunteers who are coming from different backgrounds.
I think it's just great to reinforce to other Americans how
alike we are in the fact that we grew up in America, we have this similar culture
that isn't based on the color of our skin
and the people in Senegal, they can see that.
With us being Black Americans, I mean is obvious that we stand out.
There's not much diversity in Ukraine or Eastern Europe in general.
We understand and know there's a novelty factor when people see us because
it's, when people see us, people see us.
Oftentimes people think that the average American
is white in we're not, and so it actually
makes a great match because people can see the diversity of America.
And they're being taught English by people who
may not be the people that they see on television.
Living here, a lot of times people like to focus on traditional things
and doing things the traditional way.
But for instance, teaching kids, taking them outside to do activities, that's
out-of-the-box and a lot of times people don't expect that.
So I think we've taught them that creativity can really encourage people to want to learn more.
I think we've taught them it's okay to be different.
I think that's one thing we think about in relation to America
and coming to a place that has very little diversity that
to think differently is sometimes good.
Nicaragua touches both the Pacific and the Atlantic coasts, and on the Atlantic coast there is a Black population.
So if I go up to a Nicaraguan, they hear me speak Spanish,
and they'll say, "Where're you from? The Atlantic Coast?" And I'll go, "No."
I'll say, "I'm American I'm from North America. I'm American."
And they'll just stare at me and be like, "Wow. Okay."
"I didn't know that you guys, you were there."
As a Small Business Volunteer, the main project that we have is teaching entrepreneurship in the
high schools to the juniors and seniors.
The town has a history of creating natural medicines.
So they spoke with the elders in the community. They spoke with her family
members, and they were able to come up with a concoction of natural plants.
And this product can be used for
alleviating pain, helping to heal scaring, sore muscles.
After the Peace Corps, I plan to stay in Nicaragua.
I love my site. I love being in Revas,
and I have many business ideas that I want to pursue.
The Nicaraguan culture overall is just so...everyone really has open arms and
they're very welcoming.
Being able to be an African-American in Nicaragua has been a great experience
in terms of everyone I've been able to interact with and say, "You know I'm
the face of America as well."
It's that we're not just one shade, we have a variety of shades and sizes and colors.
My NGO is called, "Tolerance for Everyone."
We're using sports to create projects where they get both young Roma and
young ethnic Bulgarian participants to create a cultural awareness and a cultural exchange as well.
I've actually been coaching basketball for kids for a while now.
In Samokov, basketball has become a pretty developed sport.
A lot of the coaches, for example, a lot of them actually been in the States before.
So they've had interactions before with African-Americans.
The players who I coach, the little girls,
I think they're actually just curious about me.
They're curious about me as a Black person. I think they're really curious about that
because of what they see in, for example, music videos.
I'm actually kind of flattered by the attention and how interested they are in getting to know me.
And getting to know more about me being a Black person. They're actually very open about
asking me questions about being Black, which is kind of refreshing.
Bulgarians are very reserved, and initially they can come off
as being almost cold.
But once they get to know you, they're very, very generous and very hospitable.
I can't think of anything that I would ever need that I would not feel
comfortable asking one of my colleagues or someone here.
I think I belong here. I feel I'm part of this community.