That’s the rat part…..no there are none in my house, alive or dead! And they don’t have diarrhea...that’s me...tho the spider wars continue…. I feel like a wimp complaining about spiders when many of my fellow vols do (or did) have rats in their houses. Most got cats and that has more or less resolved their situations. I have my geckos for my own personal war….and RAID!….tho I hate to use it. Many of the larger spiders stagger around the house for a while wildly before dying...and other actually survive it...tough buggers….scary! I had these huge ants for a while that refused to die….some tough ass ants that I had to chase down and smoosh several times….God!!!! I finally found their entry point and plugged it with duct tape. Wouldn’t want to meet one of them in a dark alley. Things learn to survive under harsh conditions here and that makes them TOUGH!…me included. Bring it on!!!!!
Well, maybe not so tough. I seem to have developed a mild diahrea problem. It’s not too bad yet….but each time I eat, it follows. I’m thinking I have gotten some kinda (un-american) parasite in the deep dark recesses of my guts. But!...God bless Pepto Bismol (I never thought I’d hear myself say that). It’s a miracle drug and seems to resolve the sitch for a day or two...but then….May have to go to the local hospital (and I use the term loosely) for some meds. We’ll see. It’s not too serious compared to what some of my fellow vols have been thru so I am hoping it will resolve itself….ahhhhh “hope”. But, on the brighter side, it’s a way to lose weight! (now that’s American!)
It’s Weds. eve and I am sitting here writing to you and drinking an icy cold huge beer. Yes, icy cold…..whaaaaat??? I got a little fridge!!! It makes little ice cubes and makes things cold….YEAAssssssss!!! Now I can have cokes with ICE in them and COLD horrible beers. I’m in heaven! (with spiders).
I am knee deep itno my business classes now and am starting to learn how to teach...tho being in a foreign culture makes teaching more difficult. It’s not the language (tho that doesn’t help), it’s the culture….for example, the idea of organizing things (like your day or week or business) doesn’t exist here. It’s an alien idea that takes a long time to teach. I actually realize that I enjoy teaching tho...who knew??? It’s fun and rewarding….especially because my 19 students are charming and really want to learn about business...or more specifically...how to make money. This is especially challenging in a village where nobody has any money to spend!
In the future, I hope to start working with the women’s group in my neighborhood who are desperately poor and work like dogs every day of every week with very little to show for it, how to work as a group (another alien idea) to create a business and build on it to get ahead each year. They have chosen elevage des poulets (raising of chickens to sell for meat) as a possible idea. Now all I have to do is teach them to work as a group, and then find a place to do it and do a feasability study and write a business plan and apply for a grant to get started, and get someone to come in and train them on how to do it...and...and…..this should keep me busy for a while. But, don’t be surprised when you get a message on how to contribute to the grant for my Peace Corps Elevage project in many months….possibly. I ran into a woman today who told me I would never be able to convince Cameroonian women to work as a group…..oh boy….may have to rethink this. But, it’s a learning experience...for all of us.
Okay, now it’s time to watch “Modern Family” episodes on my computer for the evening’s entertainment….or maybe “True Blood”…..or maybe “the L Word”….the list is endless….thanks to my fellow vols. It’s how we survive. A bientot. Love.
I woke up this morning, checked my phone and I was greated by a photo of two rats. I wanted to freak but decided if you can live with them, I can look at them. Evertything you are doing sounds wonderful. How lucky the Batia women are to have you as a leader and freind. If you can't bond with them, no one can. I am in the process of putting a package together for you. Let me know if there is anything special you want or need. I will hold off a little while until I hear from you... Love, Linda XOXOXO
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