Random

It seems like I should blog, and there’s a lot to say (there always is, really), but I’m not sure where to start. This will probably be pretty all over the place.

I’ll start with the most insane thing that’s happened lately. The other day I was on my way home, crossing the village, when I passed through the main family house at the same time my host sister-in-law was there saying something to my host mom. Her tone of voice was just slightly off, but it left me ill at ease. They walked pretty quickly towards my house, and I stayed just behind them.  Just as I was thinking something bad must have happened, but what, I saw Modou, my friend and host-cousin, literally running toward the house. Which of course, left me a bit freaked. Turns out, the horse bit one of the two sheep. The one who’s eyes I had stared into, just a cute lovely creature. The horse is ill-tempered. So, I wasn’t sure if I should go in to the animal area, but a bunch of the family had gathered so I went in. Modou was checking the sheep, trying to see what could be done. The other Modou, my host-second-cousin, showed up, and carried the sheep to a new location, away from the horse. It had been bitten in the back of the neck and was unable to stand. I’m guessing there was some spinal damage there… Anyway, the only thing they could do was kill it. One Modou gently held the poor thing in place while the other Modou slit its throat. Part of me wanted to be nowhere near what was happening, but I couldn’t leave, and felt like I should see. Like I should let myself reconnect to the “harsh” reality of the meat I eat. I’m glad I did, but it left me shaken and surging with strange emotions. I went for a small walk, literally just around the outside of the compound, but that didn’t do it. So, I got my pulley, my rope and bucket, my beignoir and scarf, and headed to the well.  Carrying one pan of water didn’t use up all that energy either. So, I helped my cousin Seynabou get a couple more pans. I tried pouring water from my head into a clay pot that holds water (the women here are masters at this) and only succeeded in pouring water all over myself. Then I went back to pull and bring back some more water. Somehow working ‘til my muscles were tired and my clothes were soaked and covered with sand felt perfect. Surely this is pretty simple psychology. Anyway in keeping with my desire to meet my meat, I went back into the livestock area. The two Modou’s had finished skinning the body, and were working on cleaning and cutting up the meat. After watching for awhile, I took a shower. And then ate my fill of delicious mutton in onion sauce for dinner. Talk about fresh meat, man, the taste is notably More.

On a more pleasant note, I’m discovered the game of Kumpp. It’s a female-only afternoon in Nawet sport played in the penc, or community gathering area, with a tennis ball. To start, one girl drops the ball at one end and starts running. Others scramble to get the ball and hit the runner with it, as hard as possible. If you can’t realistically get anywhere without being hit, like if you’re the runner and the ball in the hands of someone between you and the goal, you put your hands  in front of your forehead as a target, hoping to catch the ball. Because once you’re hit, the woman who threw the ball at you starts running in the opposite direction. If you can catch the ball, you basically get to throw it right back at whoever threw at you, and hope to continue on your way. Sounds basic, but its major fun. Barefoot in the sand is a good place to start, and it’s hilarious to see who gets pegged, how trips on the sand and then gets pegged, who fumbles the ball, all the usual stuff that makes team sports worth playing. It’s also obviously a good way to show the community that I want to hang out with them and do what they do.  So, yeah. Kumpp. Although, I do Not understand why Kumpp season and soccer season are during the hottest part of the year. Does this make sense? There must be some cultural reason for this that I’m unaware of. I mean, it’s not like it Ever gets so cold here you can’t comfortably play outside.

What else… OH GRASS!!!  So, we’ve still just had the one good rain. We had a short sprinkling a couple mornings ago… Still, the little green things in the sand continue to grow. I rode a charette through the countryside this morning and again this evening, and saw REAL GRASS!! I mean, the little tree-lings growing here are lovely and wonderful, but I saw a full shade tree with a carpet of real grass beneath it, and my heart about stopped. I can’t wait to take a pagne out to one of these spots and just lounge! (There’s a lot of just lounging on pagne’s or mats here, especially from about noon-four (the hottest part of the day), but it’s always on sand.) GRASS, man!!

“Slowly, slowly you will catch the monkey in the forest.” This is a Wolof proverb. So, slowly, slowly, I’m getting to really know people here. Getting to know how to deal with every-day here. Getting a comfortable routine. But I’m still somewhat unsure of how I’m going to WORK here, and what exactly I’m going to do. Fortunately, we’re about to have our IST, where we’re supposed to be learning a bit more about that kind of thing. Plus, 2/3 of the goals of Peace Corps are cultural exchange only, which I’m definitely participating actively in. Another reason I’m excited about IST is that I get to see my friends from my stage! Almost all of whom I haven’t seen for two months. Time for an Hamburger Royale, and a Gazelle or two with my first friends in this country. Though I know that in two weeks away from here, I’m going to miss this place something awful.