Update

I promised to write on my blog every month and all of a sudden it has been two since my last entry. I haven't written in my journal as much, either. My time here is starting to blur. Time seems to be passing more quickly. Things aren't as shocking anymore so I haven't found the desire to post a blog, I'm just living my life here day by day. I still have many "Africa Moments," like when I'm traveling on a sand/dirt road passing people bathing in rivers, little mud hut and thatch roof villages, and camels crossing the road. Sometimes when I'm in the city I forget that I'm just a toubab (white person) because it has just become my life. But I feel very lucky to be here in the city of Kaedi, I don't know what I would have done if I was out in a little village by myself. Survived, I guess, just like I am here. I'm adapting more and more each day, to my daily servings of rice and oil, to the amount of walking I do, sweeping sand, covering up from head to toe, to the cultural differences, the bathroom situation, and even the ridiculous amount of trash and dead animals I see on a daily basis. Really though, it's not as bad as it sounds... I'm quite happy here.

I feel comfortable enough with my French and I've started taking classes in the local language, Pulaar. Language has been quite challenging so far. Not everyone speaks French. In fact, most people speak local languages most of the time so it has taken extra effort to learn what I need about the city. I'm finding it a lot easier to work with men, something that really surprises me. It might be because most men, unfortunately, are more educated and speak more French than the women. Because most women my age are married, have a few kids already, and stay in the house most of the time, I have found it easier to make friends with guys. However, I'm always on edge with guys here. They fall in love easy, from what I hear and have experienced a little already. Recently, I've made a few female friends at my dispensaire (health clinic) and I'm very excited to strengthen these bonds and make a few more, Inshallah. But, my family here and the other toubabs are my biggest support. Also, there are a few really nice Portuguese guys we hang out with on a regular basis- Eduardo and Pedro. They are engineers here to work on a road from Kaedi to another city in the south, Selibaby. They have a nice little pad with a TV and DVD so we watch movies together about once a week. The spoil us with many imported goods, too. It's like being in a bubble for a little while floating away from Mauritania. It's a nice break with great company.

Most of the time, I'm running around keeping myself busy, just like I did in America. I'm helping organize an AIDS convention next week. I just finished up a unit on FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) with the girls at the GMC (girls mentoring center), which ended today with a field trip for the girls to a nearby village for a joint lesson with the girls out there. I'm teaching health now two times a week with these girls. I've been at the health clinic, trying to learn the ropes and figure out what I can do there. Also, I've been corresponding with a few ONGs (non-governmental officials) who are active in the health field, like the CereAmine project. I've made connections at our neighborhood elementarty school and will start doing integrated lesson plans in the sixth grade science class. There is also something similar to a YMCA, called the Maison de Jeune, who I'm also hoping to work with. See, lots of possibilities here in Kaedi, huh? I could be stuck in a village of 500 people where the only thing that concerns them is having a central latrine (Sorry, Laura. I know you love your village!). However, nothing has materialized into project ideas, which is completely ok right now. I should be taking the first few months to develop my language skills and to learn the needs and wants of the city anyway. I'm just getting a little impatient. I want to save the world already!

And then, the other day, I had quite an eerie experience. I had my fortune read by a women who reads these special shells like we read Tarot cards. She told me I analyze things a lot, that I think a lot about someone in another city a lot, that many men here love me and want to marry me, and that I will find work soon. She said someone will call and I should go to them and they will ask me to travel, educating lots of people and they will ask me to present to them my proposal in the form of a packet of paper. So the whole first part seems vague but somewhat applicable, right? Duh, of course many men want to marry me ;-). But it got eerie when, the next day, the regional director for the Maison de Jeune invited me to go on a mission with him in the month of March, doing sensibilizations on Neem Cream and Malaria. He asked me to submit my proposal to him within two days, that he wanted a packet of paper. I guess I wouldn't have been as freaked out if he hadn't used almost the exact same words as the woman told me! And it just so happens I was looking to do something just like that!

Coincidence? Maybe. Sign? Maybe. Thoughts? Oh, and if you have questions for me, I'd love to hear them- give me an idea for something to write about. So, send me a message sometime, I'd love to hear how you are doing, too. And thanks to those who do keep in touch!

X's and O's
-Linds