January 10th

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.