Its a wild world out there and it is time to eat

Haven't been on the computer in a while, so sorry for the lack of updating, but I have lots of new stories. I'll try to type as many as a I can.
First I am getting better at names in the village. I can successfully idenitify and correctly name at least 60 percent of the village. Mostly adults but I know so some of the kids! It sounds small but if everyone knows my name its only reasonable that I know the names of everyone in my village-only about 160-170 people, no problem right? I make sure to go around to the village and greet everyone at least once a day and then hang out with a few families for longer. I was being more guarded around the villagers but now I am relaxing. Other volunteers have had poor experiences in village because they were robbed (which I am mostly confident and hopeful that that won't happen to me) or because a few people would harass them for money or medicine. I have gotten really good at saying no. There is always the polite person in me who says I should be more considerate and that I could be perceived as ungenerous but a good number just want to push my buttons and when I say no I get a little respect (Yay!)
I was sick for the first time in village. I am 90% certain that it was food related because I ate out of another family's bowl. It was a kind of scary experience. It started with me feeling woozy and getting really hot after lunch. Then I just layed on my floor and I could not move. Everything hurt and I was hot and then cold. I took my temperature and it was 104 degrees. I was miserable. The only thing I was thinking was I haven't discussed with my family what to do if there is an emergency or if I am very sick, how to get me to Kolda, to Dakar, or who to call. Dinner came and went and I could not eat anything. I had the raging fever the entire night and the next morning it still wasn't down so I made the decision to go to Kolda in case I continued to get worse and for comfort purposes. Being sick in a hut is not fun. Getting to the road was a challenge because I could not walk straight, let alone bike, and I almost left my glasses behind, and so my host father put me on the back of his bike and carried me to the road where we hitch hiked in. It took three days but my fever went away and left only some headaches. I felt like a wimp for not being sick in village but as other volunteers put it, volunteers sometimes feel like they have to rough it or punish themselvesand be sick in village, but it does no one any good and you'll probably get better faster in a quieter, nutritionally diverse environment.
On the topic of good news I hitch hiked in all by myself for the first time!! yay! I only got overcharged by 100 CFA and I found my way from the garage to the regional house! Could I be gaining a sense of direction?
I also decided to stop fighting parents and accept their children when offered. I have named all the boys under 12 my husband. Their parents get a hoot out of it. One poor boy who was my first husband he sees me and he runs away! Who would have thought cooties are all on continents? Also when I left village to come in this time I also felt like I really had people to say good bye to, you know like people who I feel like I am developing friendships with. it was an odd feeling but a good one too.
I also met my host grandmother. She is clearly the matriarch of the family but she is one cool lady who likes to joke with me that she is mad because I have no gift for her and that she will leave and always be mad at me. We had Tabaski (reason for the second half of the post title) and the result was we went to the mosque, we prayed, went back and killed sheep. Everyone knows I have no particularly affection for sheep. In fact my brothers thought it was funny that when I walked past one of the sheep that I kept telling him I was going to eat him on Tabaski. I have pictures of the sheep killing. It was merciful and quick and the skinning and meat preparing was fascinating. We ate meat, like it was going out of style. It was delicious. I went into a food coma. the downside of it was I SAW what went into the "going to eat" pile and I couldn't really identify it after it was cooked. So I ate it and if it was too chewy then I ate less of that. Not going to pass up the opportunity for protein.
Speaking of Protein I will post my wish list for now. I would also like to thank everyone for sending me letters and packages. When the day is rough it is nice to know I can have a hot chocolate or oatmeal or kool aid or peanut butter and pretend I am in America.
So Wish List!
Jerky
Children's Vitamins (flintstones to be given as "candy" when the kids ask for it)
Koolaid
Tuna or chicken breast packets-you know they come in the aluminum like packages, not refrigerated, come in flavors like garlic herb, lemon zest.
Cranberries!
Trail mix
any magazines you may have lying around from fluff to news (Cosmo to Wire to News Paper articles you think I might like!)
Macaroni
pecans
M and Ms! The big bags so I can make cookies!! please. thank you. I also really love the dark chocolate kind but if you can't find it then regular and peanut will be fine. I will eat whatever you send me
Hair condition-Africa doesn't not like my hair
razors
books that you think I will like
Candy

know that anything you send is greatly appreciated and enjoyed!!
Love to all! Enjoy the holiday season!