Things that go bump in the nite....

Hey guys!

I've been back in the city now for exactly a week - it's been an interesting week. Infact just this morning, I was just finished showering and walking back to my room...this lady stopped me and asked if she could borrow my shampoo. Sure, right - why not? She knocks on my door to return it - picks up a letter with a photo on it - tells me 'you and your man will make beautiful children.'

The photo was of Johnny Depp! (thank you Jen!) All I could do was smile and said 'thank you - I look forward to making babies with him...when I get back home.' She nodded and told me I shouldn't wait to long.

I've been having a blast in WH! It took me two full days (we're talking 7:00am-8:00pm full days!) to clean the place! I bleached all the walls...the whole sha-bam! I will admit it's a cute little house - all girlie in pinks and purples. I put the kids drawing on the walls, and sheet of words translated from Aculn to English.

Still have a handful of bat roomates - I evicted most, but there are a few that refuse to give up their home. I'm coming to find them oddly cute...fangs and all.

The women made quick work of taking me right under their wings - invloving me in games of Slogball, going to grounds/gardening, random chats (they LOVE to ask me about my man back home, and what I'm cooking...cuz I don't cook!) not one single day went by that Shannon and Kendila didn't call me over to a group of people and tell me to dance. Yes, I danced EVERY time. They laugh - it's entertaining for all. ;)

Some of my favorite quotes in my first three weeks:

'Good morning Mariah, put on the red harness and get up here - weathers great!' - (Wendel, who was building a cell tower - daily tried to get me to climb with him)

'I am very, very tired. I want to eat something and go to my bed - my dear.' (Shannon praticing her English)

'Mariah, it's you, it's you!!' (two girls looking at a Vouge magazine and coming across a picture of some model in a "priceless add')

'You find god - you wino!' (telsur worker....what he was saying... once I understood the alcun and heavy accent.....you have a bodygaurd - yes?)

'I heard you scream, but it was a different langauge so I thought I was dreaming...and went back to sleep' (Linda the morning after I screamed my head off in the middle of the nite)

'You have a nice system - let's get married.' (old man in my village)

'You're rich - I know because you have nice toliet paper.' (kid in the village that used my latrine - toliet paper was compliments of Ilya's care package)

Some really cool things that I got to experience in my first three weeks:

I took a two-hour walk and saw monkey's by the dozens jump from tree to tree.

There is a hummingbird that frequents the tree outside my front door.

Slogball - there are no words for this game....it's random and silly. I love it!

Teaching the women yoga - this is one of my favortie memories! A good 15 women and children in the sand mimicking me and laughing as they fall over. It was a very effective first lesson ;)

Making friends with Mr. French who brought me a book of Suriname birds (after I pointed to a huge bird and asked what it was....he told me with a laugh, a vulture) He comes daily to check on me and talk about history. He's good stuff!

To date - the village has been so gracious with me. I have received 11 watermelon, 1 papaya, 3 oranges, bags of cassava chips and snacks, one raw egg, a used sticker.....drinks. There's even a man that likes to bring me plates of food for dinner.

Men aren't allowed into my hut (ground rules of my counterpart) so they stand outside and chat with me or I go outside to join them. The women just walk themsleves right on it -- bouncing babies and talking so fast I can't understand them half the time!

Unforunately I had a incident that brought me back into the city for awhile....

Last week Friday 1:00am I was almost asleep when I hear my name being called - urgently. So I open my eyes, as they are adjusting to the dark - I see a HAND pulling down my window shutter thing. Then a bright light - (flashlight) being shone in my eyes! He's still calling my name as he makes quick work of tearing down my window (so forceful that he took it off the top hinge) He's at the window by the side of my bed. He got his foot up on the window - and at this point, I took my yoga book and chucked it at his head. It didn't detour him to much, and I didn't want to touch him...so I took my pillow and started to wack and wack him. Luckily he was stuck between the wall and my mosquito netting around my bed. I was able to push him back out the window. He ran. I pulled the window thing back closed (this took some time as I didn't want to go outside...) I turned on every single flashlight I had and lantern...and candles. Since there is still bats in my walls - I was freaking out cuz I couldn't tell if it was the man or the bats rustling around....so I sat by my front door and waited for my friend Waotto to walk by on his way to the bush. (he goes at 4:30am) once I saw his flashlight I called out to him...he helped calm me down and get in contact with P.Corps. They came and took me back to the city. I'm still here, as they are securing my house, and holding meetings on what to do to make it safe for me and see if they can figure out who the man is that did this. I do want to go back to WH, the women and everyone I've met are amazing, and I really like my house and village. I just want a safe home -- ya know?

Luckily some of my friends are coming in on Sunday so it'll be good to see everyone and get caught up with how they are doing at site.

Hopefully I'm back at site by Wens of next week ;)

Love ya all - and hope everyone is doing well!