International Women's Day

     Hello to all.  It has been quite a while.  I've been at post for a little over five weeks with no internet or electricty.  Every year on March 8th, is International Women's Day.  I don't believe we celebrate it in the USA because, there is pretty much equality between men and women chez nous.  However, in places like Africa where  "women are considered inferior to men", observe the holiday.
    I celebrated women's day in Belel with my community.  The festivities started a week before with a discussion (that was boring and no one really showed up, because in Belel cutlure women aren't valued to be honest with you), and a soccer match.  The  night before March 8th was was an event of sketches, dances, and music.  It was pretty fun, a lot of students and the community showed up.  The day of, we marched in the heat.  We were supposed to start at nine, however, on African time we started at 11.  I got burned.  In the evening there was a football match (soccer).  My team one, I haven't sprinted like that since high school.  My post-mate and I played with girls who are eleven years old and quite fast.  All of my students came and heard my "Ole" when I ran past.  I'm sure they got a kick when the ball went right past me.  After, there was a party for the women who paid.

   Now, what enraged me was this day is supposed to symbolize the equality between men and women.  However, some notions are that (from Africans) it is a day for women to wear panya and get drunk.  During our parade there were virtually no spectators.  Again, in Belel cutlure (Muslim) women are not valued.  What enraged me the most was during the party at the end of the night, it was the women who cooked the food all day.  When it was time to do the buffet style, the men were invited first to eat.  Moreover, the young students who where hired for the night to chase away the kids who would derange were also served before the women.  I left with my blood boiling. I refused to support a party, a day where in reality doesn't mean a thing.  So at the end of the day, does Women's Day really mean anything?