No you're a thief..and you like beans!

I said I would write more at Christmas but alas we lost our internet connection at the house and therefore could not write. Christmas wasn't like Christmas in America but it was pretty darn good. We had some serious whizzes in the kitchen who whipped up duck, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole (which actually caught on fire in the stove but we ate it anyways and it was still good!), pumpkin pie, and scalloped potatoes with sausage! And the night before we had stew with rolls made from scratch! It tasted exactly like it does in the US! We devoured it to say the least. Between 12 people we devoured two stew pots. Oh and did I mention someone donated a can of spinach they got from Dakar and made spinach dip. Cloud nine does not begin to describe the extravagenza of tasty delights.
Packages did not come on Christmas nor the day after or the day after that. I was going to wait till monday and then spend the New Year in village (I felt a little guilty since I was away for six days) but then I was told there were going to be a few people in for the holiday. I figured what the heck. The packages probably wouldn't be until after the New Year (or at least not till after I left Kolda) knowing Senegal postal service and I was going stir crazy in the house. Who knew being bombarded by pulaar was so important to my mental health!
So I went to village. It was awesome! Maybe I just needed to be away to recuperate, to refocus and be ready to start again. What was crazy was on my way to the gare routier I ran into two of my villagers, one who was riding the Alhum back to village!! They were like "Adama, we have not seen you, were you in Kolda for the fete?"
So I got back and seeing my family was so wonderful! When I think of how scared and distrustful I was in the beginning, I am that much more thankful that my family was patient with me and didn't press me when I embraced my inner toubaub and retreated into my hut for several hours when I got frustrated. Sure I still have rough moments but I know my family isn't going to give up on me (well most of the time cuz sometimes I deserve what I get.)
Anyways I was busy, busy for three days I was in village! I went to the World Vision and I have decided that is where I am going to go every Monday just to talk with people and get a feel for projects in the area. And some of the people there speak a little english. When I get there they were going over Christmas cards for local kids from sponsors written in English. We talked for a bit, mentioned I needed teacher, and so they said they would help me! Its only once a week for a few hours but it is something! And since they had christmas cards in english, they passed them to me and told me to read in them Pulaar. I could! At little and they helped me with the structure but it was something and when I got back to village some of the kids had them and so I translated what I could. I felt useful! Yay!! Not to mention I have been trying to greet like crazy and the kids don't have school, they are everywhere, so inevitably before I get to ever house there is a rousing game of chase Adama to her room. And I trimmed back my tomatoes (more like gave it a buzz cut) because over half the plant was infected by a virus and I wanted to save what I could. So it kind of looks skeletal but hopefully this will save what is left. I found what was eating the Jaxatu too (curse catipillars!!) One of the villagers is also working on a fish project in the farrow, but since it will be dry by the end of dry season, we'll see what can be done.
One thing that I have noticed is my standard for food hygeine has dropped significantly. You can get frozen bissap juice in bags, and at first I was afraid but now I'm like "its frozen! And tasty!" Of course I'll have three please! Fatayas being sold from a bucket in the market, delicious. Who cares if it had flies on it? Lord if it has beans, the only way I probably won't eat it is if I see something moving in it. Fruit that has fallen on the ground? Don't worry it still has intact skin, but yes I'll eat it.
We had guests over and so we got fish with the rice and leaf sauce (!!!!) and After we were done the men were like "Adama you didn't eat a lot eat more!" All I wanted to say was "Dude I made sure to have a fish ball in each scoopful and I think I consumed more than half of the fish balls in the bowl. I think I am in protein overload and now MUST go lay down."
Don't worry, this type of attitude does have repercussions. And after each one I am little more wary of food but I give into temptation again. and again.
Ohh and now for the wonderful news. Came into Kolda today and after I greeted the post man I became the proud owner of SEVEN packages!! I brought my bike in because I am going to another volunteers village tomorrow and so I had to send them with Jess in a taxi to the regional house! Talk about feeling like a rockstar! Thank you everyone!! Grandma, your cookies were still good and I will get a picture of me in the clothes as soon as I bring my camera in (left it in village-stupid me!). I feel so loved and it makes me want to work that much harder because I have such a marvelous support group in America!! I miss you all very much! Have a happy new year!
My resolutions this year:
1) Run more
2) Be more fearless
3) Learn pulaar
4) Wash clothes at the well-oh wait conquered this one. :) Washed my clothes successfully at the well (with help from my sisters) and now I have CLEAN clothes!! Only had a few gawkers!
Love to all!