But Seriously..

>> I felt the need to write another post since the last was so dark. I'm also now working on a variety of projects, some personal and some public. I have been funding work around my house, including the construction of a palava hut in the front of my house (which I have been told will be necessary in the very-hot dry season) as well as putting some tile in my toilet. The space where I shower every morning was reminiscent of a dirty cement closet and even though I never "touched" the walls while showering, psychologically it was a mess. I budgeted some money and bought tile to put on the walls of my "shower" and now, while I still don't touch the walls, it gives the impression of a very clean shower and I can scrub the tiles much easier than I could clean rough cement // I've also been putting together the details for when my parents come in late March. I'm really excited for their visit but also going a little nutty trying to think of every possible problem that could come up. I'd like to be completely casual about the trip, but whenever I have misjudged Africa in this manner, I have gotten burned. Some of the volunteers and I have personified Africa as a Cruella Devil or Ursula character, that while she's "fair," that she's alllllways watching. In any regard, I'm working on planning out my parent's itinerary as well as (shhhh) my own, pending approval from a bunch of people for a possible trip home in July... But we will see. I love and miss you all!

Internet is Hard (January 27th)

>> I'm back. Someone hacked my gmail account and got it disabled and I was very (probably more than was necessary) upset about losing my gmail account and, thereby, this blog. But, somehow, magic was worked and the crisis was averted. To whoever hacked my account? Did you enjoy reading e-mails from America and me moping about how much I miss everyone? I hope you're happy. // The holidays were a mixed bag here. Foday and I went to attend a dance on Christmas Eve but before we left for it (8 PM) a child came up and said one of the teachers had been hit on the head and was being taken to the hospital. We went to the dance a little later (the dance was in the center of my village) and found the town in uproar about the departed teacher. We didn't know what was the *right* thing to do, so decided to go to the dance and figure out details in the morning. In the morning, we got our details. Charles M. Fornah, father of two, Agricultural Sciences teacher, had died. His brother had hit him on the head with a large stick/log and he died in Makeni. The next day involved me running some errands and then walking home past his house to hear his sisters and mother WAILING in SORROW. It was TERRIBLE. I stood with my teachers who had gathered outside and waited as long as I could stand before going to my house to finish my errand and then walking back to find a funeral procession had formed. The casket was at the front, followed by about 400 people from my village and one kid from Chicago. I cried at the burial. We were advised never to cry in front of your village, that it shows a weakness you can't really take back, but this hurt. It was probably the closest I've come to deciding to come home. I thought about my family and my friends, and how I would feel if they died. This was NOT a good Christmas. I love and miss you all..