Well after an amazing vacation and getting to see all the other volunteers I made it back to sight safely and in time to head to the market and chat with all the women. It was so nice to be home. Everyone knows me there and it's fun to hang out with the women and also give gifts to all the people I bought things for. I gave the little girl that live next door a small stuffed animal and she has yet to put it down and is carrying it around on her back like a baby, like her mom does. I also gave some of the women pictures I got developed, one of the ladies hugged me so tight then gave me two kisses on each cheek and just kept staring at the picture. So it was nice to be home, not have to be living out of a suitcase.
The following week I started classes again and surprisingly there was a great turn out and my students were eager to begin learning again! I got done with classes on Thursday and headed out Thursday night with the look of a storm coming but made it safe and sound to the missionaries house. The other volunteer that lived 35 k from me made it to, we showered and were told we were heading over to another missionaries house. So we all took off, and when we walked in, there was two baked dishes out, home made bread, veggies and just delicious food. We ate as much as we could then they pulled out two cakes, one a chocolate cake with frosting, the other a pumpkin nut cake with whipped cream. DELICIOUS!!! Then they asked us to sit on the couch and handed us presents and asked us to open it. His birthday is in May too. In the first present was a bunch of spices, about 5 different kinds which will be great to cook with, then the second package had a chocolate bar, nutella, a bath spray and oatmeal, and the last TOILET PAPER! We were so excited back it was hysterically that we were more excited for the toilet paper than then others!
Then I headed back to site with all my goodies, and that week my students asked me to head to his village which is a little outside of the center of my village about 7 kilometers. So after school he came to my house and said we were going. So I took off with him and walked the most beautiful 7 kilometers up a mountain but with amazing huge trees surrounding us and untouched land. Then we arrived at the center of this village and walked to his families little hut, they sat me down on the bed, which took up most the room, and immediately got food out for us. I finished eating the rice, then they handed me oranges and peanuts. After what seemed like the whole village came to greet me and welcome me to the village, I walked with my student to see where they are mining. My student says he goes there when he needs money and boy did it look like hard work. Hitting rock with a pick! Then I thought we were heading home, but we were actually going back to his village, where I was forced to lay down on a bed and relax while they cracked the peanuts they gave me for a gift. Then when I stood up, they made me eat again, then handed me more oranges.
The whole time I had kept saying I would like to head home now but they kept telling me to wait till the sun went down, which I kept thinking was a bad idea, but finally the father of my student found a man to translate what he wanted to say in French for me. The father said/ was translated to me something along the lines of... you are the first person/ teacher/ white person to come all the way out to our village and greet us. We are so honored to have you here and so thankful for all the work you are doing here in helping out our kids. We would like you to spend the night, and also accept these gifts. He handed me a bag of oranges, and peanuts, then explained there was a disease in the village which had killed all the chickens but he handed me 20,000 francs and said please buy yourself a chicken and accept that as our gift. I felt terrible after having requested to head home so many times because I felt like I was intruding on them, when in reality they wanted me to stay as long as possible. I accepted the gifts and thanked him for having me and told him I would come back out to spend the night and his eyes filled with joy. Even though I feel as though I am getting acclimated I still forget sometimes to not give into my American tendencies; to hurry along to the next thing. That truly is something I value from my experience here, is learning to take your time and cherish the moment.
Funny/ Sad Story:
I was heading to the regional capital and I had put my cat in my back pack so I could bring him in to get a rabies shot when all of a sudden, I felt my bag was lighter. It had jumped out of my back pack and ran into the woods. So I thought about crying then realized there was no way I was going to find him in the woods. He's black and has a collar on, so we will see if he is home when I get there!
I called my dad the day after my birthday in tears and asked him when my mom and him started having kids because I had started thinking I have no job/ career I'm working towards, no boyfriend, and no kids. He said at 30 and that I had plenty of time and worst case scenario I could always marry here in Africa because I have gotten quite a few offers. HELPFUL DAD!
Dismal Affairs:
My students are really giving me a run for my money and making teaching quite the challenge, to the point where I had to walk out on my students because they were so disrespectful! On top of that I have a pretty good infection in my foot, so hopefully I can buy so antibiotics here and hope that it heals.
Good News:
My sister will be arriving the 5th of May and staying for a month. I have already had to tell the village that she is not available and that, "No I will not offer her for marriage or send them home with her to the United States!"
