quick update

So...

It was really good finally going back to the village after over a month away. My family and friends in the village LOVED their gifts. Of everything, the pictures were the most widely appreciated and shared among everyone. There's still a few more that I'm trying to distribute around. The tshirts were also a big hit. George (93 year old man) LOVES his long-sleeved shirt from Dad--seriously, he has made it known throughout the village that I love him because I brought him back such a nice and beautiful shirt. It's actually quite amusing seeing my brothers and sisters wearing their shirts--including Group Workcamps Red Shirts (I know I wasn't "supposed" to give those away, but I have tons of them), my Cheerleaders Kick shirt from freshman year of high school, and the "Be Kind to Animals and Kiss a Flute Player" shirt. My sisters also liked their gold earrings (yea Claire's!) and their nailpolish (technically a no-no in Islam, especially during Ramadan, so they are waiting until after and will then wear it on their left hands). The kids have put on the nail polish and my dad marked one of his chickens with some bright red polish. Yep... The young girls loved their bracelet making kits I put together from old jewelry kits from when I was young and the boys loved their little sports balls, plus my brothers loved the Chicago Bulls playing cards I picked up last minute at O'Hare Airport. The little babies liked the stuffed animals (or so I hope), but really it was the photos. And the candy! Holy cow, they LOVED the Skittles and the Starbursts! Seriously, American candy ("whoa, it's sweet!") blows their minds. It was really fun sitting around the compound in the evening after having my sister distribute the candy for me and smelling the Skittle breath as they all tried to figure out how to best open the bag, pronounce the name "Skittles" and pointing out the "S" on each little candy, and figure out the flavors. The same happened at Sally's compound when I brought the Starbursts--I ran out the night before Ramadan started to make sure they had their candy before fasting insanity started--and it was fun. I remember when I first became a health PCV I was all "I'm never going to bring my family candy--just fruits and veggies!" Then I realized how disgusting Senegalese village candy (a spicy mint thing... or cherry cough drops) is and how much joy they get from fruity delicious imported stuff. Yea, blame me for rotting their teeth or undermining local industry. Bad health Volunteer I am...:)

Anyways, the gifts went over well. One of my sisters had prepared my hut prior to my arrival, sweeping, making my bed (did not ask her to, but still nice), and evicting a mouse family, plus preparing my backyard for my brothers to weed the massive (6ft+) weeds that had taken over. Unfortunately, my brothers were over-zealous and also weedwacked two of my new trees, but I replanted and am moving on. I was glad I had arranged with my sister Ami to prepare my hut because it was dark by the time I arrived in my village and had I not, it would have been a DISASTER. The first few days back were spent cleaning, washing mold that had grown on just about everything I own, and visiting people in the village. Everyone was glad I was back, said that "America was good to you" (meaning I looked like I had gained a little weight) and was happy I had seen family and friends. And of course they asked when Katie (or anyone) will come and visit (seriously Sissy, come and visit!).

It was a really good, though kind of dull and not super exciting, two and a half weeks in the village. Though I wanted a chance to check my email, I actually wasn't quite ready to leave the village (I was REALLY enjoying reading and doing sudoku puzzles, evidently), even to do a little traveling around Senegal. I'm trying to get to Tamba/Kolda to visit the PCVs in that part of the country, including one of my best friends here, but am instead hanging out in the med hut in Dakar with some fun rash, hoping the A/C (and meds) can clear it up. I'm just delayed on my travels a few days and since not much is going on, it's giving me a chance to catch up on email and computer work, as well as fruit consumption (!) and the most recent season of the Amazing Race which someone had downloaded, yay!

Miss y'all!

Also, pictures from the last few weeks are uploaded and updated on Picasa. Check 'em out!