Sometimes its a really good day, other times a really bad week

Wow I have been a busy bee the past few weeks. I think June just needed to appear in order for like concrete must happen events to occur. Some of you know that I was expecting to lose my mind and need a stiff drink at the end of it all but its has been ok, if not exciting (though I would still like that stiff drink- if anything to help me brace brace myself for the rains)
Before anything Please note that I added two links under important links. They are links to two of my neighbors/lifelines/friends, Woppa and Naamo, and they have some cool pictures and stories to tell which will help give you an idea of the diversity in lifestyle we PCVs have here. Not to mention they are just some crazy cool girls who you should know. And Naamo has a sweet video on youtube with Tam Tam circles and Akon music. Watch it and marvel. These people dance furiously and fearlessly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkELWJ8bOPw

In other news, the scholarship process for the high school girls is mostly complete, the only thing left is my recommendation for each girl. Doing this scholarship has been pretty stressful at times, due to travel (10-15K just to go to the school) and my lack of experience , but overall I feel like this was an really good project for me to undertake. We (myself and Woppa or Mariama) went to the houses to do home interviews and I think that really brought into focus how important this scholarship could be for some for some of these girls. One girl lives with some cousins, in a two hut compuond with basically stick and mud huts. Talking to her she was really quiet and when we asked the all important question "If you get married will you continue school or will you quit school?" she said she would have to quit. When I asked who told her that, she said her mother. This girl is ranked in the top 15 for the entire college and she would have to quit school. And to not have your mother's support...in this country I would have a hard time being motivated if it was only me pushing. Just seeing these girls and talking with the families, telling them how their daughters were chosen by the school because they're smart and we want to help them to continue their education, that they are were selected out of all the girls because they are special, made me feel like I could actually have an impact on someone's life.
Being an Agroforestry agent, the work that I do for my primary project, is almost always long term, you're not going to see results until the treed reachmaturity (5 years) and thats if they survive the crazy weather and livestock. Recognizing these girls, which is huge because they come from large families and girls don't typically get recognized till they are getting hitched, and potentially giving them the opportunity to get money for school materials and supplies (saving their family the price tag) I could help someone this year be in school and help encourage her family to support her through her educational career. It felt really good.
In my village news, I did a PACA ( the true acronyms escape me but it is community analysis of needs and projects.) It was super stressful but I am glad I did it. I was so worried that I was not going to get whole thing done right, the villagers were going to not get it or drive me up the wall but it all eneded up ok. I had 6 other volunteers show up which helped convince the village, that Adama was serious tigi tigi (really really). We discussed what the village had (a school, storage building etc) and what they are doing during the year followed by needs and wants. I and another volunteer Eljuma worked with the men while two other volunteer, Aliou and Ibrihima took the women. Now these are all volunteers who have been here for almost two years (in fact they are all leaving this fall, sad face) and they have mad pulaar skills. I was pretty proud of my pulaar but this day was truly humbling for me especially when one of the more out spoken men in my village told me to tell Eljuma what I wanted to say and then have Eljuma say it because they could understand him. Massive blow to the ego.
However it went well (thank god the older volunteers were there otherwise I would have been screwed in terms of man power and crowd control.) Got some priorities down so now when my APCD comes to visit he can name prices for village contribution which is the most important part because I want and need my village to understand that any project we do they must contribute to the it which I feel like they have trouble grasping that concept.

I had also had the best day of life since coming to Senegal recently (followed by the week of hell.)
After the the PACA I went to Kolda and the following day I was heading out to Naamo's site to sit in on a health relais training (i.e. make sure people showed up and learned stuff.)
I went to the garage and I only wanted to be taken 20K out which reasonalbly demands a lower price. The driver would not budge. He wanted me to pay a mille for me and my bike. Thats like two dollars in America which shouldn't have been a problem but it was pushed me to the edge. He wouldn't even bargain with me and I was speaking pulaar. So I told him I would bike there before I would pay him.
It was about respect. I can bargain and he clearly ignored it. So I left and started on my bike for Bagadajii. After I got about 5K out I realized I was stupid. It was about ten AM and it was getting to be really hot, somewhere in the humid hundreds. I was going to be dehydrated and tired and after Bagadajii I was going to have to go another 40K. Not the most brillant move but I was stuck with my fate. Then the Fates of Africa stepped aside and gave me a break.
A cement hauler owned by a friend of Woppa pulled up beside me, recognized me, and gave me a ride (for FREE a PCVs favorite) to Bagadajii. Got there finished my business and went to my road town.
As I got there, the Alhum that refused to lower their price pulled up, the apprendes (who are usually good people who must drive a hard bargain) were smiling and waving, saying " A yotiima!" (You arrived!)
Who was I to explain my fortune to them?
"Haa! Mi waddi velo-um gila Kolda ha do!" "Yes I did my bike since Kolda until here!" Then I added some flourishes as I passed the driver, something about an ugly monkey.
Then Karma stepped back in and I dropped my phone on the road as yet another car pulled up and offered to give me a free ride to Dabo. My phone is my lifeline. I have every number I need for work, family, Peace Corps, you name it is in there. I also busted my watch band so it is my time reminder. Several expletives came out of my mouth and while hyperventilating I got the drivers to back up and let me off so I could go back and find. There were so nice and tried helping me find it but no luck. I was going to have to go back and retrace ever step. I could not leave without locating the phone.
Then I got lucky again. I found it. On the road, without being crushed, or broken or stolen. I must have been really good in a past life because almost ten minutes later another car pulls up and offers to give me a ride using the magical four letter word-free.
At first I was like oh take me to Dabo but then as I talked to the passengers I realized that they were going to village I was (which was 20K off the road from Dabo).
At this point I was convinced A) I was having a melfloquine hallucination B) I was dehydrated and hallucinated C) all of the above.
But then it happen I got free rides all the way to the village I need to be-thats 50K worth of free rides-I only rode my bike for 10k. Best day of my life.
Then of course it could only go one direction-down.
Which will be another post because it is a long long week. And it is not yet over.