Ah Hah...

>> Why is Blogspot talking to me in Spanish today? Such is life. Thank you all for your kind comments and words of encouragement. Along with the e-mails and Facebook comments, they help to keep me grounded that you all still *do* exist, just across the ocean :) I have "settled" in a little bit more since my last post. I feel that my villagers may have come to understand that expecting me to learn all of their native languages in two weeks may have been slightly presumptuous and they are now happy with my basic greetings and a smile. My Loko is far improved (modesty) and I can now remember who speaks Limba (and who doesn't) and I've even made a friend where I greet here in Loko, Temne (Themne? It sounds like Temm-nay), and Limba and we both get a laugh out of it. Foday continues to be a welcome resource and we spend most nights relaxing on my veranda with beverage and Bob Marley / Capitol Radio playing into the night. Most volunteers have a very 'public' setting, but my mansion is set back from the road (behind Foday's house) and faces *away* from Foday's house and into the relative jungle. This means that sitting on the porch is a relaxing affair and not so much an invitation for endless conversation (which of course is nice, but I'd rather have people come to me when they want to talk to me as opposed to, oh! i'm walking by! there's that nice plump American! let's chat!) Not that I'm not social, but the privacy is wonderful. I'm excited for the school year to start. It should start September 13th although I've been informed multiple times that students take the first week as 'vacation' so I shouldn't expect any serious classes until Stepmber .. sigh. *September 20th. As great as integrating into my community is, meeting people, touring the village, etc., it's not **really** the reason I'm here. I'm here to teach, to hopefully help out a broken education system, and learn something in the process. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm ready for my new routine- the one I'm going to have for most of the school year and most of my service. I know what you're thinking.. 'the petete leaf is always greener on the other side..' but that's just the way I am. I love and miss you all :)