Teaching English in Gabon

So now I am an English teacher.  Last week I started teaching English classes to the Gabonese military on one of the local bases here in Libreville, Gabon.  It’s part of a larger training program that is sponsored by the US military.

This is pretty standard when working with any small US Embassy; everybody pitches in to get done whatever is necessary.

The class is a combination of local military personnel and civil servants.  This first class was an introduction to me, so I spoke with them a little bit about my hometown, NYC.

It was interesting to get their perspective on my life at home.  They can’t grasp the concept of so many people living together, (why is NYC so big?), or what different seasons are like (there are no seasons on the equator), or trying to understand why we work so hard (isn’t that bad for your health?).

As is typical, everyone wanted to know about crime in NYC (how dangerous is it?).  I found it unusual that a large portion of the class associated crime in NY with the Spanish speaking population.  I think it must be a local misunderstanding that comes from news about South American and Mexican drug cartels.  There really is no exposure to other cultures and/or languages in Gabon.

There were a lot of questions about the site of the World Trade Center and what it was like being there during 9/11.  As well as the usual stuff like what is the American dream, how do I get a job, how do I get a green card, etc.? 

I have to come up with some more topics for conversation…they have language basics, now it’s just about practicing and getting comfortable with dialogue over the next few weeks.  I’ll have to get someone to mail me a collection of magazines for them to practice.

Money for Nothing? The Oil Culture in Gabon

Oil exports from Gabon have depleted over the years and this has lead to some cultural challenges here.

When oil export was at its height, certain unofficial ‘subsidies’ existed.  There were more jobs, especially in government.  Of course you had to know someone to get that job, but once you did, you were comfortably compensated and it doesn’t seem that much work was actually done.  Jobs were then passed down through family and friends, obviously not based on knowledge or experience, but by who you knew. 

Boy Has My Life Changed

My life and my perspective have changed dramatically since leaving NYC only 7 months ago.  So many things that were important then, are just no longer important now. 

I used to be a clothes hound…I owned 20+ pairs of shoes and I always wore a matching belt.  I shopped exclusively at Barney’s and Saks.  I used the same salesperson at Saks (Claudio Sevilla) for the last 9 years; he would put Isaia and Brioni suits and jackets aside for me when they were on sale because he knew what I preferred.  I only wore Thomas Pink shirts (a former client) and one of several Tag Heuer watches (also a client).  I knew my dry cleaner by name (Alan) and he knew mine.

What's it Really Like? Food/Friends/TV/etc.

I’ve been in-country for more than 6 months and this posting is just a bit of perspective for you.  I have never lived abroad and it’s a very unique experience.  It was easier to get used to the differences than I thought…

Food

You eat and drink what’s local and available; more beer and wine, less alcohol – a vodka martini doesn’t exist.  Olives are a luxury, martini glasses don’t exist and if you request martini you get a short pour in a rocks glass of the slightly sweet, Italian, martini and rossi (blanc ou rouge?).  By the way, rocks/ice is a luxury too…even if it weren’t so warm, the single cube you get will definitely melt before you finish your drink.

No processed foods exist here.  No fast food.  Bread doesn’t come in plastic, it’s fresh out of the oven and you have to go back to the boulangerie to pick up a new loaf.  I could buy out the entire “chip” section in the supermarket and carry it away in 2 bags.  It’s a few feet on one shelf, versus at home where it’s an entire friggin’ isle.  Soda is a luxury, people drink water.  Eggs obviously come from chickens here because they often have feathers or poop on them…and they’re delicious.

Driving Up North to Cap Esterias

We recently took a drive up to Cap Esterias about 30K (1 hour) north of the city. Drive 15 minutes outside of the city and you are literally in the middle of nowhere. The paved roads that you saw in previous blogs turn into an old logging road that that takes you north through the jungle. On the map, it is demarcated like a highway...in reality, it is an old dirt road that probably used to be paved 10 years ago. We are traveling with someone who has been here before, so we are not worried that none of the routes have signs or markings.

Navigating Gabon works like this, “did we pass an old radio tower back there, I think we make a left soon; no, not that left, I did that the last time and it’s the wrong way, take the next left.” None of the streets, even in the city, have markings. Directions are given by landmark, as long as the jungle doesn't grow over it.

South Africa - Pilanesberg Park

Went to Pilanesberg Park for a few days before going back to Gabon.  Also stopped in Sun City which is at the entrance to the park.  Don’t bother; it’s like a lame Las Vegas.

Pilanesberg is just 2 hours northwest of Johannesburg.  We stayed at a nice lodge inside the park, The Ivory Tree Lodge.  If you are only in South Africa for a short time, the lodge is highly recommended.  Nice rooms, good food and two drives per day with excellent guides.  We got to see wildlife we hadn’t seen in Kruger, including hippos, which were amazing and giraffe.  Our guide Peter tried to get us to see lions, but it didn’t happen.  We’ll definitely come back.

South Africa - Durban

From South Africa

Drove to the east coast and stopped for the evening in Durban on the Indian Ocean.  Very beautiful, another example of the diversity of landscape in South Africa.  The city reminded me of South Beach with the ocean, hotels and restaurants all in close proximity.  The only place in the world that has more people of Indian decent is India.  They were brought over by the British for labor and stayed.  Now they own most of the big hotels.

South Africa - Drive North and Kruger Park

From South Africa

Drove up North through Blyde River Canyon and then over to Kruger.  Beautiful drive through some amazing country; the landscape changes every 100K, flat lands, hills, hugh cattle farms, pine forests, steep rocky outcroppings, etc. The highway stretches forever with nothing in between the exits, yet we often see people walking along the road.  Parts of the highway are adjacent to shanty towns and they have signs that read !Danger Hijacking Area! !Do Not Stop!.  The median on the highway has a wall 15ft high and 6 feet thick in these areas, separating the shanty on one side and a more middle class neighborhood on the other.

South Africa - Pretoria

I met my girlfriend in South Africa on the way back from NYC.  We are spending time and touring around with a friend who works at the US Embassy in Pretoria.

Initially, it felt more like a suburb, maybe in NJ, rather than a country in Africa.  Very clean with street lights, paved highways with signs and exits, nice homes, shopping malls, restaurants…lots of infrastructure.

After I rest up from 20 hours in the air, I start to realize where I am.  

Traveling Home to NYC for a Visit

I am going home next week for doctors visits, etc.  Very excited to see my friends for a few days and catch up.  Not too happy about the long flight or the cold weather, but can’t wait for a little China Town (soup dumplings anmd salt and pepper squid, yum).  Luckily I have some good books, because the trip is unusually long, too many connections:  Libreville – Paris – Amsterdam – NYC – Dubai – South Africa…meeting my girlfriend in South Africa on the way back to check out the country.