Hi from Bangante

WOW there is soooo much to write; and I have 1/2 hour and am on the most impossible keyboard in the world. I am in Bangangte and really really like it. It's an incredibly beautiful town in the mountains with little fields all over and chicken running around, which can be a curse as the roosters crow ALL night long. My family consists of 6 kids, but there are usually at LEAST 15 people all over the house. It took 2 whole days to figure out who anyone was. The kids are 16 to 24 years old and one of my brothers and one of my sisters are albino! Which is interesting. My mother is very very nice, she came to pick me up after our first day of school with an umbrella because it was raining, as it does here far more than in Yaound. I don't see my father hardly ever, I don't really think that he lives in the house??? But I don't know! So far My sisters have braided my hair in the "rasta" style, which looks incredibly ridiculous on me. I look bald and they have painted my finger and toenails which I haven't done for years and my cousin glued these fake diamonds to my moms and my teeth, my new nickname is Bling.

I have in the past few days (to give a brief summary) eaten the entire back end of a fish; seen a HUGE and I mean HUGE rat get caught while eating breakfast, I peeled potatoes with a dull knife which was challenging. I have held more babies than ever (everyone must assume they are at my language level) one of which peed all over my leg. I ate some goat meat, unintentionally insulted the chief, got stuck in a lot of mud (but have yet to fall), sat at a bar with old men playing cards, and went to a church where I had to sit through a very anti-american sermon during which everyone in the entire place glared at me. My brother is in love with me and does everything for me, walks me places and buys me cookies: UMMM!

It may be a LONG time before I post again as we have a 6 pm curfew so that leaves us 1 1/2 hours to do anything we need to do. It is kinda annoying. Training is going well, but language is intense. I understand very little of what my family says but my mother has gotten good at dumbing down her French and speaking very slowly. She's pretty much my translator. My room is very nice, lots of closets, a double bed, a desk and a chair and it's right next to the bath room, with a sometimes working toilet. The power is very iffy. I still like the rain and I like my family very much. My mother says to me everytime she sees me "ooooooh Kaaaate" and always greets me with a BIG smile. I MISS EVERYONE. I looked at pictures last night with my family and they all enjoyed seeing all my friends (they took the most interest in you Colin :P ) love to all; please sent me letters; and if you feel like it I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE dried fruit and nuts. Haha just had to throw that in ! Love Kate