6:00pm today five year old Fabine asked me if I had a car. I told her no. (slow to realize that she wanted a toy car...) I told her I don't have any money to buy a car. I work for free.
Rosanda her 11 year old sister looked at me and said 'white people are richer then black people.'
I asked her if she had ever heard of Oprah.
How could she have, she doesn't have t.v. Part of the three goals of peace corps is to help provide an understanding of American culture. I explained as much as I could of Oprah's fame and ever expanding empire. I told her how I was even lucky enough to go to one of her shows, that is really hard to get tickets, Rosanda just looked at me more confused then interested.
I think a wonderful activity will be to have a few days here were the kids and I discuss famous, history making Black Americans. Maybe I'll wait til I can get into the city and download some images and bio's so that there are visuals and stories to share -- make it a celebration kind of learning.
Today in general was a long one. It started with waking too early to a dream that felt to real. Dream involved previous snake making a home inside my pillow case. Basi A annoyed me by asking where he's suppose to poop (since the latrine funding is taking awhile) in front of my new visiting neighbors, and before 7:30am I hadn't even had my coffee yet. I just grumbled at him.
Gabbie came over at 8:00am wanting to play with playdough - I told her we would play later, that I was going to church. She laughed right in my face. (I usually don't go to church) I locked her out the house. She came back and had brought me a mango.
After playing with playdough until 10:00am she left.
I cooked mac and tuna, ate all of it at one sitting...then took a walk.
Hot.
Headed to Kendilia's house. She made me fold laundry, wash Sofie and take out all (at least 20) of Alisha's little tiny braids. Then she shoved food and cake at me to eat.
Armondo and Danka (both 15yrs old) come over and sang 'I love your sexy body' on repeat--finally followed by Armondo saying 'I want to eat food in a barn'.
I told him tomorrow 4:00 English lesson. We've skipped to many (apparently!)
Danka asked me if I had any condoms, I asked why - do you want one? Kendila screamed 'Don't give him any!!' He disappeared for about five minutes. (I thought out of embarassment) NO.
He had filled a condom he DID have with water and threw it at the porch where we were all sitting.
Kendila yelled and screamed.
Sofie and Alisha started crying.
Armondo laughed his head off.
I was just relieved to know why he was so eager for condoms. All that made me tired and a little cranky, so I headed home. On my way back home, Captian and his wife stopped me. They had a handful of people sitting around and visiting. Captian's wife starts telling the group how yesterday, in front of her house, one of the worker guys told me he didn't have a woman. I said, So? I already have a man in America.'
'You don't have a man here, I'll be your man', he replied.
Me, 'Why would I want you?!'
Luckily everyone errupted into laugher and I fled the scene before he could answer. So today as she retold the story, they all laughed again and told me I was tough and a smart mouth. Claudia asked me what my boyfriends name was, I answered Jonny Depp.
Before I could make it to my hammock, Olivia and Ande called me over. Olivia is due next month and Sister Anna is rumored to not be returning for another five months. I told them I had heard the same news, but I hadn't spoken directly to Sister Anna. They nodded and we chatted for a minute more. Back home washed my dishes, lazed around, finished my book. Then ran into Fabine.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Happy Birthday Mom!
You let me know you love me
in so many different ways
You make me feel important
with encouragement and praise
You're always there when I need you
to comfort and to care
I know I'm in your thoughts
your love follows me everywhere
Thank you for all you've done
and given so generously
I love you my wonderful mom
for setting me straight and then setting me free
You're the best mom you can be.
in so many different ways
You make me feel important
with encouragement and praise
You're always there when I need you
to comfort and to care
I know I'm in your thoughts
your love follows me everywhere
Thank you for all you've done
and given so generously
I love you my wonderful mom
for setting me straight and then setting me free
You're the best mom you can be.
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Visitor
Jan. 5th 2010
The lanti boat is still broke, luckily staff was heading out to visit AT, so I caught a ride out with them today. We headed out bright and early this morning and made it to AT's site before lunch time. It was great to see AT's house and village. His garden hosts the largest pumpkins I have ever seen in my life! He gave us a tour - it was a short one, his village is so tiny! After waiting out a few rain showers, Jono drove me to Wan Hati.
I don't know if it's the travelling, the fresh air or the change in scenery, but I always am so tired when I first get back (maybe it's the thought of having to clean up my house and unpack that drains all my motivation)
Before I can even get all my bags in the house, Jeni is in the front yard smiling at me and just chatting away. Next, Olivia is heading over - as usual she walks right in and takes a seat. We talk about our New Years and how much fun we had during the holidays. She then asks if she could borrow one of my gasbombs. I have two, but one is empty and unfortunately the second is about to be! Since the lanti boat isn't running its hard to get someone to take and fill the gasbombs in Moengo. I made sure to include lots of snacks during my shopping - just incase I have to go a few days without being about to cook. Olivia heads out and I head to take a nap.
Around 5pm the sound of something rustling around wakes me up, I try to ignore it - but it's really irratating me! I battle with a mouse problem in the house, and they keep me up at all hours. I can't take the noise anymore and get up to investigate. The noise is coming from behind my backpack. I peer over it and see a SNAKE! It's head is up and bobbing from side to side. Something compels me to grab my can of Raid and spray its face.
It jumps - I leap onto my bed.
It spews out a slimy fully intacted mouse. Mouse goes airborne landing by the base of my bed.
I'm horrified.
The snake is HUGE. Easily the full length of my room. Huge.
I watch as it slithers it's way into one of my bags. I don't want to leave to get help for fear it will move somewhere else in my house and we won't be able to find it. I see all the guys out on the soccer area and figure I'll wait til they walk by my house then get one of them to help me.
Sometimes I really wonder what I'm thinking...
As I'm standing on my bed - the snake starts to wriggle it's head out of my bag. I grab my broom and jump back up on my bed. Then knowing full well I shouldn't - I wack my pack with the broomstick.
Snake is pissed and bolts out of the bag.
The sound of the snake on my floor freaks me out , and he heads straight for under my bed.
I race into the other room and stand on the table, broomstick and Raid in hand. I look out the window, the guys are still playing soccer - it's starting to get dark.
No sooner do I look back at my bed - I see the snake's head and half it's body on the top of my mosquito net! The rest of him is dangling down the side of the net.
Now addrenaline is coursing through me. Fast as a flash I slide under the netting (opposite side from snake) I take my can of Raid - and fire full on at it's face. As I know from earlier snake doesn't like Raid.
He flies off the top of the netting back onto the floor and into my wash area.
He's big and mad and knocking over all my bottles. I trade my can of Raid for my machete. There's a drain hole in the side of the wash area, big enough for him to fit through--if I can get him to do it.
I have a big pink plastic tub I use as a shield and descide to trade back to my Raid bottle. (machete is long, but not long enough for my confort!)
I'm wacking the area like a crazy women with the broomstick trying to scare him to the drain hole - holding my pink tub in front of me like a warrior incase he comes to close to me.
Somehow now he worked his way to the ceiling and is dangling his head down at me.
I aim and spray - at the same time backing up to stand ontop of my table again.
Snake hates me.
He's back on the ground. I reach out and poke him with the broomstick - he's close to the drain hole. I wack him again and he darts out of the hole!!
I watch from my window as he heads out into the bush.
It's pretty dark as I take the dead mouse outside. The guys are walking past my house - finished playing soccer.
Sleep well, they call out.
The lanti boat is still broke, luckily staff was heading out to visit AT, so I caught a ride out with them today. We headed out bright and early this morning and made it to AT's site before lunch time. It was great to see AT's house and village. His garden hosts the largest pumpkins I have ever seen in my life! He gave us a tour - it was a short one, his village is so tiny! After waiting out a few rain showers, Jono drove me to Wan Hati.
I don't know if it's the travelling, the fresh air or the change in scenery, but I always am so tired when I first get back (maybe it's the thought of having to clean up my house and unpack that drains all my motivation)
Before I can even get all my bags in the house, Jeni is in the front yard smiling at me and just chatting away. Next, Olivia is heading over - as usual she walks right in and takes a seat. We talk about our New Years and how much fun we had during the holidays. She then asks if she could borrow one of my gasbombs. I have two, but one is empty and unfortunately the second is about to be! Since the lanti boat isn't running its hard to get someone to take and fill the gasbombs in Moengo. I made sure to include lots of snacks during my shopping - just incase I have to go a few days without being about to cook. Olivia heads out and I head to take a nap.
Around 5pm the sound of something rustling around wakes me up, I try to ignore it - but it's really irratating me! I battle with a mouse problem in the house, and they keep me up at all hours. I can't take the noise anymore and get up to investigate. The noise is coming from behind my backpack. I peer over it and see a SNAKE! It's head is up and bobbing from side to side. Something compels me to grab my can of Raid and spray its face.
It jumps - I leap onto my bed.
It spews out a slimy fully intacted mouse. Mouse goes airborne landing by the base of my bed.
I'm horrified.
The snake is HUGE. Easily the full length of my room. Huge.
I watch as it slithers it's way into one of my bags. I don't want to leave to get help for fear it will move somewhere else in my house and we won't be able to find it. I see all the guys out on the soccer area and figure I'll wait til they walk by my house then get one of them to help me.
Sometimes I really wonder what I'm thinking...
As I'm standing on my bed - the snake starts to wriggle it's head out of my bag. I grab my broom and jump back up on my bed. Then knowing full well I shouldn't - I wack my pack with the broomstick.
Snake is pissed and bolts out of the bag.
The sound of the snake on my floor freaks me out , and he heads straight for under my bed.
I race into the other room and stand on the table, broomstick and Raid in hand. I look out the window, the guys are still playing soccer - it's starting to get dark.
No sooner do I look back at my bed - I see the snake's head and half it's body on the top of my mosquito net! The rest of him is dangling down the side of the net.
Now addrenaline is coursing through me. Fast as a flash I slide under the netting (opposite side from snake) I take my can of Raid - and fire full on at it's face. As I know from earlier snake doesn't like Raid.
He flies off the top of the netting back onto the floor and into my wash area.
He's big and mad and knocking over all my bottles. I trade my can of Raid for my machete. There's a drain hole in the side of the wash area, big enough for him to fit through--if I can get him to do it.
I have a big pink plastic tub I use as a shield and descide to trade back to my Raid bottle. (machete is long, but not long enough for my confort!)
I'm wacking the area like a crazy women with the broomstick trying to scare him to the drain hole - holding my pink tub in front of me like a warrior incase he comes to close to me.
Somehow now he worked his way to the ceiling and is dangling his head down at me.
I aim and spray - at the same time backing up to stand ontop of my table again.
Snake hates me.
He's back on the ground. I reach out and poke him with the broomstick - he's close to the drain hole. I wack him again and he darts out of the hole!!
I watch from my window as he heads out into the bush.
It's pretty dark as I take the dead mouse outside. The guys are walking past my house - finished playing soccer.
Sleep well, they call out.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Happy New Year
---How Anansi got his stories ---
Once there were no stories in the world. The Sky-God, Nyame, had them all. Anansi went to Nyame and asked how much they would cost to buy.
Nyame set a high price: Anansi must bring back Onini the Python, Osebo the Leopard, the Mmoboro Hornets, and Mmoatia, the dwarf.
Anansi set about capturing these. First he went to where Python lived and debated out loud whether Python was really longer than the palm branch or not as his wife Aso says. Python overheard and, when Anansi explained the debate, agreed to lie along the palm branch. Because he cannot easily make himself completely straight a true impression of his actual length is difficult to obtain, so Python agreed to be tied to the branch. When he was completely tied, Anansi took him to Nyame.
To catch the leopard, Anansi dug a deep hole in the ground. When the leopard fell in the hole Anansi offered to help him out with his webs. Once the leopard was out of the hole though he was bound in Anansi's webs and was carried away.
To catch the hornets, Anansi filled a calabash with water and poured some over a banana leaf he held over his head and some over the nest, calling out that it was raining. He suggested the hornets get into the empty calabash and, when they obliged, quickly sealed the opening.
To catch the dwarf he made a doll and covered it with sticky gum. He placed the doll under the odum tree where the dwarfs play and put some yam in a bowl in front of it. When the dwarf came and ate the yam she thanked the doll which of course did not reply. Annoyed at its bad manners she struck it, first with one hand then the other. Anansi captured her.
Anansi handed his captives over to Nyame who rewards him with the stories, which now become known as Anansi stories.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The kids love to share and tell anansi (anansi is a cunning trickster in spider form) stories. I love listening and sharing with them.
Here's to a year full of stories and adventures!
Once there were no stories in the world. The Sky-God, Nyame, had them all. Anansi went to Nyame and asked how much they would cost to buy.
Nyame set a high price: Anansi must bring back Onini the Python, Osebo the Leopard, the Mmoboro Hornets, and Mmoatia, the dwarf.
Anansi set about capturing these. First he went to where Python lived and debated out loud whether Python was really longer than the palm branch or not as his wife Aso says. Python overheard and, when Anansi explained the debate, agreed to lie along the palm branch. Because he cannot easily make himself completely straight a true impression of his actual length is difficult to obtain, so Python agreed to be tied to the branch. When he was completely tied, Anansi took him to Nyame.
To catch the leopard, Anansi dug a deep hole in the ground. When the leopard fell in the hole Anansi offered to help him out with his webs. Once the leopard was out of the hole though he was bound in Anansi's webs and was carried away.
To catch the hornets, Anansi filled a calabash with water and poured some over a banana leaf he held over his head and some over the nest, calling out that it was raining. He suggested the hornets get into the empty calabash and, when they obliged, quickly sealed the opening.
To catch the dwarf he made a doll and covered it with sticky gum. He placed the doll under the odum tree where the dwarfs play and put some yam in a bowl in front of it. When the dwarf came and ate the yam she thanked the doll which of course did not reply. Annoyed at its bad manners she struck it, first with one hand then the other. Anansi captured her.
Anansi handed his captives over to Nyame who rewards him with the stories, which now become known as Anansi stories.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The kids love to share and tell anansi (anansi is a cunning trickster in spider form) stories. I love listening and sharing with them.
Here's to a year full of stories and adventures!
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