Smoke

Well, all this week they have been burning trash behind our house, and the smoke smell is literally making me sick! The smell of burning plastic and who knows what else is making my throat feel constricted and sore, especially in the morning. Ugh.
But on a happy note, I haven't really thought about it since we moved here, but I no longer have the problem of jaw-clenching in my sleep and the related pain associated with it. It was just something that Andy pointed out to me, and I was like, "hey! Yeah!" It's nice. Maybe it is because of the lack of stress from the "time-is-money" society, but who knows.
The other night, I didn't have much to do, and decided to tape a physical map of the world on our front table, (coffee table size). It is a good conversation starter especially with the kids that come over and hang out with us on the couch. One night Fatou Bintou (our 6 going on 7 year old sister) was over and I was asking her to point to Africa, (she couldn't find it), and then we found it, and then Gambia, and I said in Mandinka, "you are from Africa" and she vehemently denied it. It was funny.
Andy and I have shifted our routine again due to the weather. Because it is hotter during the day, and we are taking baths later in the evening, we were struggling to find time to fit out individual workout routines in. So, we decided to try this week to wake up in the morning and work out. It has had several advantages. One being that because it is before our front door is even open, we have complete undisturbed time to do all the things that look extremely weird to our family in the name of exercise. I have even cleared an area where I can get up and jump rope in the house, in peace, with no googling eyes staring at me. Then afterwards I get to take a nice cool shower. Though, because of water use, the morning shower takes away from my ability to take an afternoon one to cool off, I still, at this point think it's worth it. Because now at the end of the day, when I just want to chill out, I can, because I think, "well, I've already worked out!" This morning though I had a hard time getting out of bed, because I did not get sleep between the hours of 1:30 and 5 approximately, probably due in part to the malaria meds, it being hotter yesterday and night, and my throat pain, but I did get up and do a little with the intention of taking a nap after breakfast. Which I did try, but to little avail, I was too uncomfortable in the hot house, with my throat bothering me. I got up and went to the college to get online.
At this point I have cut my time at the nursery school to Tuesdays and Thursdays, even though I don't have classes at the college right now. This is because I found that when I went every day, it was harder on me because I saw little measurable progress, and was always compiling lists of things that could be improved. This routine left me feeling discontent with the work, and frustrated. Now we are making plans for the summer, which, if possible to actually achieve, will be a big project. We are going to attempt to rework the entire curriculum, and the school policies and procedures. Can you say daunting!? But it will be an accomplishment if we achieve any improvements on the current curriculum. It is difficult working within the school system, because this whole year I could see things that needed improving in it, but at the same time was working with other more pressing issues, while still getting to know the system and the way people work here. Hopefully we will be able to work out the major portions of it this summer, then be ready to start the next school year off in a better, more workable position.
Ohhh, I almost forgot, I have been struggling to find places to plant some basic herbs and tomatoes here, because we don't have any backyard space, and our compound is lacking too. So through the volunteer info. newsletters I have decided to try the "hanging upside down" tomato plant thing. Where you take a container of some sort with a handle, like a paint can, and poke a hold in the bottom, and stick a tomato plant through it to grow upside down. this way eliminates the need for staking it, and conserves space too. Andy and I went around the bush last weekend, and got some good dirt, found an old enamel pot, and some peanut shells saw some cows, had a nice walk, etc . For now, I have to wait to do the tomato plant thing until I have actual tomato plants started from seeds, which I planted last weekend in paper egg crates (they have started to come up! yeah!) But to satisfy my instant gratification need, I poked holes with a nail in the bottom of the old enamel pot I found (for drainage), and four holes near the opening on the side to string wire through to make a hanging plant holder. We are going to hang it under the eaves of our roof, (I hope it'll hold!). In that pot I planted around the edge parsley, and in the middle basil (started to come up too!). Yesterday is when Andy discovered they were coming up, and I was really glad, because I've had some failed ones before, and was going to be very disheartened if these didn't start to even grow. The funny thing is, the drain that we throw our dishwater out in behind the house is "magic" at getting seeds to grow, just toss some seeds down there and bam, there they are. So, the next progression is to help the tomato plants grow for a little bit, then transfer them to their upside down hanging place, and hope they grow... and once the herbs get a little more along, hang that pot too. Hopefully soon we will have fresh basil....but there are a few worries, one is that from the position it will hang in the back, there might not be enough sun for them, and two, when rainy season really gets going, the downpour from the edges of the roof will ruin them, so we will have to make sure that doesn't happen.
Lately the onslaught of mangoes has begun, where we are eating about 5 a day.... At night it is entertainment and excitement when the bats knock down mangoes and them come crashing to the ground, and because it is early and they may not be completely ripe and smash, whoever is around as far as the kids goes, take off in a race to get to the mango first. Ansumana (sorry used to calling Andy Ansumana) has been known to take part in this race. It is funny, because, last night I was sitting there reading a story to Fatou B., Mo Lamin, and a boy named Dembo, and then in the middle of it, the crackling of leaves and crack! they bolt and I just look at Ansumana like..."dude I'll take what I can get"...
But they really are beginning to appreciate and get the concept of "reading" for pleasure. I recently, through a round about way, came into ownership of some good childrens books. I have decided that instead of giving them to a local school library where they will likely be mistreated, abused, stolen, not used at all etc... I will directly enrich our kids lives. I have decided that I will get a bookshelf of some sort made, and with a little help maybe from the older girls loan them out to the kids in the compound (of which they are plenty). Then after our time here, I will give them and the bookshelf to the family to enhance their relationship with books in their daily lives. I see this as a more fulfilling prospect, because I know I can and already have, taught them a lot about print concepts and the importance of reading in every day life not just in books. This will help ensure that someone will benefit from the books, like I benefitted from having literature opportunities availaible to me when I was a child. But, unlike me, these children don't have a library to go to, to check out books, or a bookstore, or even people to know the importance of them and buy them for their children. I think it will be a proud thing for them to actually own these books. They already have favorites, Fatou B.'s favorite is a book called Rosie's Walk and also one by Ladybird company called, The Enormous Turnip. Mo Lamin is very good about lap "reading" with me, we talk about things in Mandinka that he sees, he repeats things in English, etc. His favorite right now, is the famous, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I notice that these books that they like are ones that most often involve nature and the things that they see in their daily lives, and we can talk about the words in Mandinka and English. In Rosie's Walk there is a hen, and a picture of a farm, and goats, all of which they are familiar with. In the turnip book, there is a man gardening, a cat, a mouse, etc, which they know as well. The funny thing is, even though I just said all the above, in The Very Hungry Caterpillar book they have never seen things like, pears, plums, orange colored oranges, and until recently strawberries. (Some people have started growing them here through ngo farming type situations, and I bought a little bit from a lady selling the other day, I was dumbstruck that there were strawberries here,... even though I'm kinda allergic we ate them. We gave some to the family too and the kids kept coming to our house all day asking which part it was ok to eat. ) Anyhow, as the book progresses, and the caterpillar goes on to eat things like cake, salami, sausage, etc. they haven't a clue. They keep saying that they sausage is a banana, because it is the only thing they are familiar with that it could possibly be. But it keeps the interest going and the discussion on. We can't find a word for caterpillar, even though they have one for butterfly. I just keep calling it a "butterfly baby". I explain the cocoon concept in my simple Mandinka by saying "and now the caterpillar is fat because he ate a lot of food, (Mo Lamin makes big cheeks like I do when this part comes) and then he goes to sleep in this house, and when he wakes up, he is a butterfly!" hehe.
Well, I figure that is a good long blog for ya, because someone (aka Ansuamana) has not had any inspiration to write lately.... Have a good weekened!