Yay for Bababe!

Hey all!! So.... I thought I would spend the first three months in Kaedi but it turns out that they split us up into surrounding villages. I'm staying in Bababe, a town with no electricity but lots of fun. First, there was a "miscommunication" and I was placed with a Moor family, where the father didn't speak to me and I ate a separate meal with the women- by women I mean the two wives. They found out about the booboo and now, I am with this wonderful Pulaar family that has six kids from 6 months to 14 years old. The family is awesome and they treat me so well. We all sleep outside together, I get to sleep next to my 14 yr old sister and I often wake up with our legs or arms intertwined (in the friendly way- don't get the wrong idea guys!). Her name is Mariam, which is also the name my family gave me. I am Mariam Tchiam here. And, my host mom seriously rocks.

The family helps me with the languages, too. We all eat out of this huge bowl together. The food is pretty decent with this family. I manage to get at least one vegetable a day.... Also, the dinners are really late, I don't eat dinner until 10pm most nights.

It's freaking hot here, I've gotten used to the sweat... sort of..... The town Bababe is supposed to be a nice town, minimal trash, some trees, a little market. It's still dirty, but not as bad as here in Kaedi, where I am spending the night tonight.

Anyway, here are some cool stories:

A cow ate my French homework the other day while we were eating dinner in the front yard *sand. Its a good thing that we were only eating a few feet away from the cow and were able to stop it in time. Cows and goats and chickens roam the streets and yards freely here. Its still cracks me up to hear the farm animal noises!!

I asked my sister how much henna was so I could paint my nails with it like they do. She had a friend that came over and did this completely elaborate marriage design on both my hands and feet. That's one example of the amazing Mauritanian hospitality.

I watched a goat get slaughtered the other day. I had second thoughts before eating the intestines that were thrown in front of me that night... And then I ate them anyway.

I haven't gotten sick yet; my stomach is holding up somehow. It's amazing because my family doesn't have soap in the "bathroom," which is coincidentally the same room as the "shower." I often take care of business with the cockroaches and frogs. The makaresh thing really isn't so bad. I usually take my own soap in with me. Its like bathing yourself everytime you use the bathroom!!!

I've lived through two sandstorms, one at night. The one at night was intense. All of a sudden the wind picked up, and I here, "Mariam, Mariam!" I wake up and and hit my sister (which is how they wake kids up here) and yell, "Mariam, Mariam!" We scramble inside, dragging matts and matress pads, and run around the house shutting windows. Instead of going to our respective rooms, mine or my parents, we all cram into the living room, and listen to what sounded like the end of the freaking world hurricane, while my dad ran around looking for leaks in the tin roof. An hour later, the rain died, and I fell back to sleep. Sometime in the night after that, I woke up with a frog on my arm and, for some reason, that didn't bother me at all....

My only complaints are that it is really hot and the food really lacks variety and nutritional value. The good news is after I swear in and move to my site, which I will find out where exactly that will be August 1st, I can prepare my own food. They do sell fruits and veggies here, they are just a bit pricy. But from these complaints that I have, I've developed some ideas for health projects and will go into those in another blog.

Anyway, Most of the other PCT (trainees) are really great and I've made a few good friends. My cell phone does work, you just have to try a few times if it doesn't go through at first. Plus I hear it is better if you call later in the day, like around 6pm. 011 222 754 81 96 if you want to call and pay and arm and a leg. I can call the states but it is one day's allowance for each call.

Thanks for the email circulations, Ang and Mom. I really appreciate it!!! I miss my friends and family back home and thank you for support and updates. Keep me posted- write letters and emails. I miss US gossip! Love you all!!!