Friday May 30

Yeah! Andy wrote a blog… finally! Haha.
Anyhow, just a few things going on. I have noticed here with my real lack of work schedule, the day always seems to have a list of things that I could possibily get done, and sometimes, because I am incredibly indept now at being flexible in my work, I feel like I often get things done. Even if it is not exactly the way I had planned, or in the order of things in my mind, it seems to work out for the most part in the end.
Case in point. My “library” idea for the compound. I mentioned the books I come into last blog. For about a week my subconscious, anytime it had a free minute, was thinking of ways to utilize them. I then came up with the idea that I would loan them out, with the help of the older girls, and then eventually give them to the family when we leave. They may choose to continue loaning them out. So, even though I hadn’t done anything concrete with the project, I had mentioned the idea to any of the kids that would come over and look at the books in the house. After that, with some spare time on the computer, I typed up a list of the titles, and made simple bookplates that I printed out at the office. All this while my subconscious is still working on how I would get the kids involved. Even though in a perfect world, I would have liked to take the girls to make the bookplate design, I couldn’t bring them to the college, or the office with me, so, I will look at it like an interest generator, because now I had something concrete to show them, to get them excited about doing work. At the beginning of this week, after going to the nursery school, I was on the front porch reading and MoLamin came and was looking at a book he picked from the stack, when Adja came over and started looking at the book with him. (she is about 15 years old). Then I mentioned my idea again, and brought out the bookplates to show her. We talked about cutting them out and pasting them in the books. Then it kind of went from there where next thing I knew we were inside the house, listening to music, and cutting out the bookplates from computer paper. A girl that lives next store (Jainaba-15 years old also, a Guinean, married! And does not go to school) came over and started helping us paste the bookplates to the inside of the books. After a little while, another girl FatouMata (not our host sister, but a neighbor-she is the one with the bookplate on her forehead in the picture) came over and was looking through the books. We finished soon after and the only thing that was left was to have a dance party… then Ansumana came in! hahah. Where we all pretended to be reading the books that were conveniently in reach. So, progress is being made there. The next day, being inspired by their efforts, I got up the gusto to talk to the carpenters about getting a bookshelf made. I got an estimate, and plan to give the ok maybe tomorrow.

Another similar project that was completed a while ago, but I just forgot to mention it, is the chalkboard on the front porch wall. Adja and I painted it black, and then I got some of the kids to put color paint handprints on the border. They have it memorized who’s hands are which! It is a good thing to use while we want to hang outside on the porch because of the heat. Because I have discovered they love word finds, I will sometimes make up a simple one and put it on the chalkboard for them to do. We have also had races, where I put addition or subtraction problems on the board, divide it into two sides, and have two lines of kids, they run to the board, doing one problem and kind of relaying it between their team members. Whoever finishes all the problems first wins! They enjoy that. It is also just used when the kids want to draw, “play school”, or writing anything they know how.

Enough about “work”.. Last night we had a traditional wedding ceremony for our host mom’s sister. The wife lady gets dressed up, washed by the elders, and a white headscarf is put on her at her father’s compound. I went to her father’s compound last night. People pretty much just sit around, all dressed up and decked out, and food is served (in a large tray to a group of people to share-eating with the hands of course). People sing and serenade the wife and those people are given some money. That’s about it. Tonight, day two of the ceremony, she will be taken to the husband’s compound and her covering will be changed to black. Then there will be a “program” (that will be tonight) where there might be drummers, a dj if they can afford it, and more of the same stuff as the first day. What I don’t understand yet, (and haven’t had the chance to talk to anyone about that can explain it to me) is that the couple has already been together for a while, have two children, and a third “on the way”. The explanation that really isn’t an explanation is that this one is the “traditional” ceremony. Uh…. Yeah… I don’t know. Whether or not I will go to the program tonight, remains to be seen,… I don’t really want to just because of the attention I get focused on me being a “toubab”. The singers and dancers always pester me for more money.
On a quick note, I have a couple basil plants, parsley, and about 8 tomato plants coming up. This weekend I will hang the basil and parsley in the hanging potter I made. But I am still waiting for the tomato plants to get bigger before I transplant them to their upside down growing position.
Next week PC is having a meeting near us about the food shortage problem and how it will directly effects our families and what we can help do about it being in the “grass roots” position. That will be interesting.

Fatou Bintou-Looking very stylish in the hat Cheryl sent me-Thanks!