Friday, March 26, 2010

what's up homeslice

March 24, 2010

Greetings! It has been what seems like forever. There has been a lot going on down here in my little village. We started to get rain somewhere around the 3rd and then it finally ended around the 14th. The river that separates my village and Kabby’s (Alison’s new nickname) village had raised about 15 feet. We got I would guess about 6 feet of rain in the 10 days. During this time we had a few visitors from stateside come. First, it was Teresa. She works with the women of my village to help get them out of poverty. She is an amazing woman. The project is called Blessing Basket Project and she buys baskets that the women of my village make. She then sells them mostly at a Whole Foods store. Please check it out. Support it. The baskets are beautiful and all made by hand. I have taken on the role of being Teresa’s eyes and ears here in my village and reporting back to her of any problems or successes. I’m proud to be a part of this group. Right about the same time we had some students from Washington University in Missouri come. They were a group of 8 students and 3 faculty. HI GUYS! They were a great treat. They did some research on the headlamps that the basket weavers were using, not for long but hopefully they got some information out of it. They also went into the school and taught the students how to make a water purifier. It was good to see and interact with some Americans but it was also hard after they left. Which I was fully expecting. But I hope to see some of them again next year as this is a yearly visit. With all this rain comes the damp, moldiness that has taken over my house. There hasn’t been a day where I have been home to open my windows and let it dry out or at least air out because I’ve been either working all day or it has begun raining again. Last night I almost pissed my pants I was so scared of the thunderstorm that I was certain was taking place right above my roof. Speaking of my roof, yes it still leaks. Everywhere. I have finally gotten a bedframe so I am off the floor but now there are two leaks that touch my bed at night. Not pleasant. Yesterday I was on a mission to find people with headlamps to see if they were working properly or being used. I discovered a whole new part of my village that I didn’t know existed. I was so amazed by it that I was out well past dark, with a pack of children following me and lighting the way. Ha.

There is this food here called breadfruit. We don’t have it in the states but it’s here and I like it. It tastes like a baked potato when cooked and I just looooooooooooooove it. However, after eating it, you get a bit gassy. Not Malagasy gasy but gassy. The kids are constantly farting and last night I was talking with this older woman when all of a sudden some kid let a huge one rip. We all laugh. It’s quite entertaining.

On another note, Alison is now called Kabby. This is because her worst nightmare came true a couple weeks ago and she slipped and fell in her kabone (outhouse). I can’t stop laughing about it and use it whenever I am feeling down. We have went out clubbing a couple times and man I’ve never been clubbing in the states but it is a riot here. Lots of guys and girls dancing to older pop music. And lots of Bob Marley. Tiako i Bob Marley (I like bob Marley). They have slow dancing music on and it is hilarious when some older man grabs me to slow dance. Oh I get a chuckle out of it.

I have taught many of the children in my village to say, what’s up homeslice. It’s very comical to be anywhere in my village and hear, what’s up homeslice.

Anyhoo…that’s about all for now. I hope all is well back home. Got two letters. One each at a different address so they work. Please keep sending letters. Love and miss you all!