1 month at site!

     Hey everybody! I've been at site for one month now and its been smooth sailing.
     As my last post said I was going to get my ears pierced. Well I did it! I didn't do it without a fight though. I probably almost broke this girls hand because I was squeezing it so hard as they punched the earring into my ear. They believe if they spray perfume over the spot where they are going to pierce, it won't hurt. This I can say is a fallacy. This woman (one of the chief's wives actually) got my earring and said what is probably one of 10 English words she knows, "Rrrrready?" To which I replied ".... .... Okay...." Then she leaned in and I leaned away. Far far away. This went on for probably too long when I finally finally worked up the courage to just sit there. It took a lot of laughing from the other wives (they probably thought it was ridiculous how much I struggled to not get them pierced), but I did it.
     I can now carry a bucket that is half the size of what the other women here are carrying. I can only do it once before I need to switch back to my little one, but still it's progress! Woohoo.
     Drama in the village: Yesterday I was washing my clothes by the pond/lake thing. After I finally finished (and had clean nails again) I started walking home. All of a sudden I see a huge flurry of movement. All the young men in the village are running and yelling and pointing. I'm standing there with this wash basin of clothes on my head just watching it all. Nobody can explain to me what is happening in English and it's super hot out so I decide to just go home.
     It takes a while but eventually I'm able to get the story from Abass (a man who speaks good English who lives in my compound). A Fulani (a tribe of people who herd cattle) had cut the water line to a mango field my community watches after. Somebody confronted the Fulani about what he had done and said that he needed to give him one of his cows. The Fulani refused. The situation escalates until two of his cattle are shot.
      Whoa right? The whole issue gets brought the the chief of my village and I believe the resolution is that the meat will be sold and the money from the meat will be used to repair the water line. I'll let you know if anything else happens about this.

      So here is proof that I got my ears pierced. I guess 22 isn't too old.

     I'll post pictures of my site and house sometime. I haven't taken any pictures of site yet because I'm afraid of the children and how they will undoubtedly swarm me, especially if they see me taking pictures. Plus I have 2 years right?
     Lastly I didn't know i could reply to comments on my blog! Haha but I do now so expect responses from here on out.
     Byebye everybody!

Integrating some more

     Since the last post I've eaten about 20 more "saba" and I got to say... it is honestly good. Took a little getting use to and a lot of mental "it's going to be okay its going to be okay" but I got through it and now actually sort of look forward to saba. Try not to judge me too much, okay?
     Sooo I'm going to get my ears pierced. All the women and men here have the same hair cut so one of the main female indicators are earrings. I've had several people ask me where my earrings were and I've always had to say I only have one on my right ear (the cartilage- which btw, thanks Thea for convincing me to get it way back when because it's been a saving grace haha). Anyway I recently buzzed my head so I decided it was time to get earrings to make up for my lack of hair. I know I said I was growing my hair out but it is a lot easier to cut your hair on a whim rather than growing it out. Don't worry all, I'll make sure the needle is sterilized.
     Morning runs have been really great. Sometimes the smoke from the burning bush gets to me though. The people here start the bush on fire to catch the saba. It's not a very good thing but I'm at a loss of what to do. To deny eating the meat they serve me is an insult but to eat it is encouraging bad practice... There was this night where I thought for sure I could hear it raining. I was so confused because I knew that it couldn't be raining though since it's the dry season, yet it was unmistakeable what I was hearing. I forced myself out of bed and peeked outside my window. Bush fire crackling and popping just behind my compound.
     So I'm really enjoying my days at site. I've been really having fun making a fool of myself trying to pronounce certain words and playing with the kids. I haven't really had time to read books actually which has been a surprise.
     Just a short update for now! I'll try to write more next time I'm at the cafe!