When Animals Attack!!

Life is still going at a slow, but steadier pace here in Africa... I am anxiously awaiting next week, because that is when I get to go to Ouaga to see all of my fellow trainees for a training seminar!! But for now, I am still filling my days in village with whatever happens to come my way. In the mornings, I sort of stopped tutoring because the kids are so busy with working the fields, and it has been raining so much that they are taking full advantage of that. So in the mornings I have started going to the tailor's wife's food stand and helping prepare food that she sells every day. It's always rice with some kind of soup or sauce to go with it, and it's $0.20 for a HUGE plate of it. So I am learning a lot about the preparation of local foods, the spices, etc.. and when I come to help, she feeds me for free - so I don't have to splurge the $0.20. Doesn't mean I am not eating American-style in my own house, but at least I have a general knowledge of the random stuff being sold on market day. In case this wasn't mentioned before, market day is the day in village when vendors come from all around, including from Bobo, to sell their goods. This includes clothes, household goods, foods, spices, animals, etc... since there is no mall, for me it is every Wednesday when they come to my village. I browse around and see what's new... oh, and that is usually nothing. They are always selling the same stuff. I have since bought a chicken, though (for about $3), and he was tasty.

I eat usually with the same people for lunch and dinner, and food is always shared amongst everyone. That is a cultural thing here that if you are about to eat a meal near someone, you MUST invite them to eat, too, or else it is rude. Usually they don't accept, but it is the gesture that counts. When I eat with others, we eat with our hands, too. Imagine eating spaghetti, rice, etc. and messy sauces with your hands all the time and with everyone dipping into the same bowl. It is weird and a little hard at first, but I've actually come to enjoy eating like that. You really feel like you are enjoying your meal, especially when it is all over your face and clothes.

So the BIG news in/near my village this past week was that there was a hippo attack!! It happened just a few miles from me in the neighboring village, where another volunteer lives. A guy was going out in the afternoon to collect some firewood, and some random hippo was nearby and bit a chunk of his leg off!!! When villagers came to help, they blinded him with gunshots to the eyes, and then clubbed him to death with machetes. The hippo's head came through my village before being sent to Bobo for observation, but I am so bummed because I was en route back from Bobo when this happened last weekend and missed the whole thing! But I heard they measured the hippo and she was about 12 feet long!! And you know that everyone has been feasting on hippo meat for the last few days... and being the expert in exotic cuisine that I am (refer to earlier blog on caterpillar sandwiches), I tried a few pieces. Not as tasty as beef, but not as gross as caterpillars. OH, and guess what they named the hippo???? FATIMATA!!! Thank goodness I have since changed my name to Poko...

The guy who was attacked is now being treated at the hospital in Bobo, and no one has news yet about if he will lose his leg or anything, but there is this woman's group (they earn and save money together) in his village that spent about half of their business earnings on sending him to Bobo. These women were just about to deposit their earnings in an account in Bobo, but now they are waiting until they have the full amount again to deposit. So what will they do? Well, they are trying to see about selling a cow, because cows are expensive, you know... and that should replenish their funds. Now tell me, can you make up stories like this?

So as I mentioned earlier, it has been raining a lot, which is good for the cultivators of crops, but difficult for the rest of us. Transport has stopped running to my village because the roads are always flooded - well, I should say that the "good" transport - Aziz - has stopped. This morning I found that out, so I came to Bobo with some other random car that was headed for Bobo. It took twice as long, was twice as crowded, and I was so sure we'd tip over in the mudholes at least 4 times, but I am here. I also came with my neighbor volunteer (from the hippo attack village) so at least I had company. The crops are growing so fast, too. In my court yard, where my landlord has planted corn, the stalks are all taller than me now. While this provides a nice barrier from the passersby that usually stare at me, I can no longer even see my latrine, and the path to the well is now an obstacle course. When I come out of the latrine, I feel like a kid in "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" trying to find my way back to my house. I will have to capture this in photos.

I guess that's all. I will be going back tomorrow - I just came to town to get money, my packages, and emails. But I will be able to receive calls from Sept 9th-16th because that is when I am travelling to Ouaga. SO, if anyone wants to ring me, those days would be good!

Happy Birthday to my sister and Mother!!
And Happy 1st Anniversary Emmie & Keith! I cannot believe it has been almost a year!!!

Hope to talk to some of you soon!!

---- Big hugs transmitted here ----