I will preface this post by saying that everything I post on my blog is 100 percent reality. I’m not embellishing or making any of this stuff up. Of course, I am selective with those topics I choose to post and how they depict the people here and my job. However, this story I just have to share because…well because I just have to.

Before receiving electricity, it was necessary to charge my cell phone at this little boutique in the middle of the village market. The man who owns the boutique also owns a video club where people pay to watch Jean Claude Van Dam movies and other outdated American films. Typically, I would bring my phone to the man and pick it up sometime before 8p.m.  Well one day, I dropped my phone off around 6p.m. and the conversation went like this:

Me- Hey, is it too late to start charging my phone now?

Cell Phone Guy- Well when will you be back to pick it up? I have to leave around 8.

Me-Ok, I will be back around 7:30. Is that ok?

CPG- No problem.  Just be back before 8.

Me- Ok, thanks.

So around 7:15 I head back to the market to pick up my cell phone. On the way there I realize I don’t have a flashlight and it will be way too dark in the market to see. By chance, I pass a guy I know who works at the CSPS and he offers me his flashlight.  I take it and continue into the market. As I’m walking I hear this really loud noise. I keep walking and realize it’s a woman moaning loudly. I stop and think, ok…..maybe they’re watching a movie at the video club and woman is giving birth in the movie or something. I keep walking and the moaning keeps going.  At this point I’m like ok, scratch a woman giving birth that’s no longer the same type of moan and I’m pretty sure I heard a man too. My next thought is that maybe it’s just a sex scene in the movie, in which case the scene should pass soon.  I really didn’t want to keep going and ask for my phone, if that was the case. With that I stop walking towards the boutique because I see that the light isn’t on where they usually play the movies but where the man charges the cell phones. I see a bunch of men standing at the window of the boutique all focusing intently on whatever is going on inside. I don’t know why but I’m still standing in the shadows of the market with this flash light like, when is this scene going to be over? Then I hear actual words from the movie (because of course it was in English) and I’m like… “Oh my god they are watching porn! And why is it so loud?!”  I began to shaking my head asking myself, “Why does stuff like this always happen to me?” So of course I’m not going to walk over and get my phone, and at the same time I don’t want anyone to see me standing there in the dark like I’m interested in what they’re doing. I turn off the flash light and start pacing…and laughing….as I try to figure out how I’m going to get my phone. Not to mention, the film was playing EXTREMELY loud.  I look around the corner again and see little kids watching the movie too!  Again, I ask myself how is it that I always end up in situations like this?  Just as the movie is getting crazier and crazier, and I’m about to say forget it…I can’t go get my phone tonight, one of the guys watching the movie sees me turn the flash light back on and runs over to me. He comes over with this really awkward grin and all I could do at first was laugh because I was sooo uncomfortable! He says,

Guy- Hey…yea, so I just finished playing soccer. I’m about to go home.

Me- Look, I really don’t care what you were just doing but can you run back over there and get my cell phone for me?

Guy- Oh yea. No problem.

Annoyed by his first response, I stand there waiting for my phone.  When he goes back to the boutique he says something and I see some of the people at the window turn and look towards my direction. I would have stepped back into the shadows but I was busy looking at the group of little kids standing in the dark watching what was going on in the movie.  And although I did not actually see what was going on…from what I heard, it was DEFINITELY NOT something I would  have wanted my children watching. The guy runs back over with my phone.

Guy- so, you’re not going to say anything right?

Me- Really, that’s none of my business but if you don’t want anyone to know then why is it so loud? And, there are kids watching….you all are ruining the little kids!

Guy- Yea you’re right, we shouldn’t be watching it so loud. I’ll tell him to turn it down.

Me-  And the kids!? What’s wrong with you? Ok…., I have to get out of here.

Happy to have gotten my phone, but completely disturbed by the whole episode, I leave the market.

The next day I’m talking to one of my friends in village and I tell her about the men (and children) watching porn the night before in the market.  She looks at me and starts laughing.

My friend- He does that almost every night. If he runs out of regular movies the men pay him to play porn.

Me- That’s so sick. I don’t understand why a group of married men are interested in watching porn in the market …together? But more importantly, there were kids there watching.

Friend- (laughing) Yea and if you go into the little houses, you will see the little kids doing what they saw in the films.

Me- …….. (On the floor laughing)……….(I don’t know why but the whole “little houses” thing tickled me.)

Then I stopped and thought about what they actually do in the films.

Me- Wait, what?! Oh my god do you know what they do in those films?!!! Are you sure? How do you know?

Friend- Everybody knows. I caught a couple of kids behind the church one day.

Me- No, but you said they are doing exactly what they see in the films. Do you mean in general or like exactly?  I mean, they’re both bad but if children are practicing what they see in those videos that’s a serious problem.

Friend- (laughing at me) I mean all of it.

Me- What the hell! How did I wind up this village?

Friend- You see, everyone here is ruined…even the kids.

After this conversation, I really didn’t know what to think. Yes, in one sense it was all funny but at the same time it’s an issue. I knew that I would be working with children in some capacity but not like that. After speaking with one of my mentors, he told me that I should teach the kids about contraceptive methods and HIV/AIDS.  Personally, I don’t know if I feel comfortable teaching kids how to use condoms and birth control, so I said maybe I will start by creating some type of recreational activity (sense we all know an idol mind is the devil’s playground and these children are way too idol). I promised to share my experiences here with you all in the U.S.  and that’s what I’m doing…raw and uncut. Not to mention, this has now shaped an entire aspect of what I will be doing here for the next two years—keeping the children away from porn.

I must run. I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving!  To my family and friends, I love and miss you all oh so very much!!!  

Peace and Blessings

Song- The World Has Too Many Freaks- Play N Skillz ft. Krayzie Bone  and Adina Howard