Language Immersion

So this is just a quick note about language immersion. It was a long two weeks but it went pretty well No sickness at all, so our group was happy about that. Our days went like this: wake up, make tea and eat anasara nwari (white people food; we bought cornflakes and powdered milk) 2 hours of class under our shade hangar, break, 2 more hours of language, lunch, then our daily activities where we had to go into the village and do health and farm demonstrations and speak to people in Zarma. We pulled our own water from the well most days, and then we cooked our own dinner which was really nice. It was the first thing we’ve had control over since we got here. We made a lot of pasta and managed to make some great sauces. Some of the few things you can find in almost all the markets are little cans of tomato paste, garlic, oil, onions and peppers. We also made pancakes (more like tortillas) with cinnamon and sugar. They were delicious! I can honestly say that most of my idle thoughts are about food. Wendy’s, arbys, ice cream, meat without flies all over it, chicken salad. Basically I just dream about anything that isn’t rice, maca or millet.

Village life is wild. Most mornings we woke up to chickens, goats or sheep that somehow snuck into our concession and we’d have to make Abdul Razak chase them away. There was one momma chicken and her baby chicks that would always walk around like they owned the place. I really wanted to eat them.

Our language instructor thought we were speaking too much English with eachother so every night we had to sit with all the village men and farkaray (Converse). One of them asked if I was married and when I said no, he said I could take my pick of all the Tchede men. I respectfully declined, saying that I would be too expensive. Kim is apparently getting married to some 60 year old man but he is supposed to be bringing back 500 camels for her...but we have yet to see them, so I guess the wedding is off.

Also, we hit a cow on the way in. He veered in front of the truck and the car jerked foreword and then made this final lurch and I thought for sure we killed him but he ended up limping away. It was CRAZY.

So that’s all I have time for now…check back next week, I may have a chance to get online Sunday. Friday is site announcement too so I should know where my village is going to be for the next 2 years!!! So excited! xoxoxoxoxoxox