I'm working my fingers to the bone!

Hi! Sorry it's been an incredibly long time since I last wrote...and much has happened since then! Work wise things picked up the past week, I have spend 2 wednesdays planting soy with a small group of women, and getting massive blisters which I display to all my neighbors with pride and then tell them I must work harder than them because I have more injury...sometimes they belive me :^) planting here is backbreaking work, that is for sure, and I'm worn out after a little over an hour each time...but for my labors i receive compliments such as "wow, you are solid" which I enjoy. I spent another Wednesday with the health volunteer near me giving a soy formation (presentation) and although I was scared to death it was really nice to have her help me. Hans also came and translated everything into boulou, so I think we did a relatively good job. People were taking notes and we made them summarize what we had presented...it seemed like a lot learned...I suggested a cooking class after we harvest the soy in addition to the formation as well. 2 Thursdays ago I had a meeting with an NGO in Ngoulemakong, 45 min north, FONJAK. I was REALLY impressed, very organized, environmental conservation and scientific minded...all things I dont see too much of! They even had a copy of 'An Inconvenient Truth' in French...so that told me a lot. Also very nice people, so I'm hoping to try to start working with them. That Saturday I had a "meeting" (aka drink 1.5 liters of pop and a glass of red wine while sitting at a bar for 4 hours with 6 million people) with Hans and the Leo, the man who I visited in his village a month or so ago, and I will be planting soy and beans with some women in his village this Saturday, and we'll be looking to start a fish pond there possibly. Lastly, I went to a metting with the women of my village, Ngalane, and am trying to get them to start a soy field with me also...one lady has become my friend at the market and is always firing Boulou at me rapidly and relentlessly.

At home I didn't have power for a solid week, which was really only annoying because I couldnt charge my cell phone, and thus did not have an alarm clock! I entertained myself one night by watching a fly keep buzzing buzzing buzzing around my candle flame until it lit itself on fire and fell to a noisy death in flames on my floor. I went to the 'Wisconsin Badgers' first soccer game 2 weeks ago, and let me tell you...it was awkward! Billy introduced me as the president of the team (made worse by the fact they were all a bunch of teenage boys), everyone applauded, then a bunch of dudes ran off the field midgame to shake my hand immediately upon scoring a goal. I always use the kids to make myself feel less awkward. For example, when they brought me a chair; pretty much a throne, to the sidelines and made me sit in it while everyone else stood around, I made 3 kids share it with me and we built stick houses on the ground. Although, not a good idea to not pay attention to the game because I had to ask if MY team won at the end...whoops...i've never been a sports watching fanatic. After the game my landlord and Billy came to my door offering an enourmous glass full of whisky, which I denied by telling them I would die if I drank it!

I had a site visit with the Peace Corps nurse...and I have to say, I never had and don't think I ever will have a job where they ask you things such as "have you been drunk in country" and "how do you flush your toilet" and expect answers! My postmate and I went out to dinner with the nurse and the PC driver and then, EXCITING, the shelf man was out along side the street and PC drove me home with shelf number 2!!! moving up in the world...now my clothes are off the floor; and not molding! Since the start of the official rainy season I've been enjoying the market...TONS of fruit, including mangos, pineapple, bannanas, watermelon, papaya; guava...and prices are ridiculous (compared to this type of fruit in wisconsin) example, I just bought 12 mangos for 500 cfa, so a little over a dollar...I love it! We've also had lettuce, avacados, zucchini and eggplant regularily...an avacado is 50-100 cfa...so what like under 20 cents...wonderful!!!

So, thats all that's been going on lately! I need to regain my enthusiasm for writing on here; and you people should ASK ME QUESTIONS to motivate me!
Hope all's well!