Today we made ameliorated porridge. It’s made with corn powder, millet powder, peanut powder and another powder….lime juice, salt and plenty of sugar for calories and taste. It is supposed to be for underweight/malnourished children. The big fat babies that showed up today certainly did not need this porridge. But like in the states at a pot luck at work, people flocked to the free food. There was probably 30 mothers with multiple children with them there. We made a HUGE caldron of this stuff…after explaining how to make it in bambara. They just laugh at us when we speak in bambara. Whatever. They liked our porridge and they’ll be talking about it forever.
After lunch I had a test/evaluation at school. It is to get us ready for the big evaluation next week when we leave for camp. We are about half way through training and our language level should be intermediate by now. After 4 weeks we are about a semester done with bambara. That’s a lot of language lessons. I read over my notes during lunch and totally kicked ass during my evaluation. You can study so much and feel like the more I know, the less I know. Today I felt like I remembered everything. I was awesome. I’m not going to brag about it too much because I may forget it all my tomorrow. But today I had a total moment of clarity. I felt good.
After school I sat under a big tree on a rug just hanging out. We were going to study but it is so hot it’s hard to do anything. We went to the boutique and bought “cold” (not so much) sodas. By the time we walked over to the tree they weren’t cold anymore. It is hot. It is 9:25pm and it is probably still 90. Hot season is here. The weird bugs are out, lizards are big and abundant and it isn’t cooling off at night. Next week when we go to camp we find out where our permanent site is. As much as I was hoping for the full back woods remote experience then, I am hoping for electricity, running water and internet now. I need AT LEAST a fan. I’m roasting and I’m not getting much sleep. I’m going to get cranky any minute now.
I’m going to read for a little bit and then try and go to sleep. I wanted to get in bed before anything attacked me. I need to get up early tomorrow…laundry day. I really need to get out there by 9 and done by 10, before it starts getting hot.
3 more days until Tubaniso…electricity, internet…new site information. I miss the boys.
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| Starting the fire to cook the porridge. Cooking isn't as easy here as it is in the states. |
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| Now that's a pot!! |
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| This smoke isn't helping my hair. |
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Keep stirring and stirring!! |
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| POTLUCK!!! |
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