Let's see... yesterday... I stayed in two compounds for like an hour. One was another Touray compound branch (same as my surname) and it was only occupied by women and kids by the time I was there so they fed me roasted peanuts and they were delicious. I successfully expressed that I forget names if I don't write them down and I was trying to learn the adults first which they understood - glorious. This is an especially proud moment because this is all done on the spot. Of course they asked me to teach them English but I told them I have to get a grip on Serehule first and they understood, but dammit what I really should've said is just go to the English school. NExt time. They also really wanted to show me a video/TV they had and I looked around - they had a huge satellite dish and a pretty legit looking chicken house thing. I didn't stay for long or the video and went to the next compound.
This compound I passed the other day saying I'll chat later since I was tired as hell from the monthly clinic. It's the compound behind the second bitik/shop - Fofana compound, and the head just happens to be the head of the Village Development Committee (who is kind of a big deal). I was surrounded by kids of course - most of them scared - and they were kind of obnoxious trying to come close to me but then backed off and the cycle repeated. One of them women didn't know it was the monthly clinic the other day but now I'll know what to do in future months - spread the news like wildfire. I wrote down some names again and saw a woman who just gave birth to a baby girl. It was pleasant and my softspoken friend sat with me + another one of the older women. They then invited me to the baby's naming ceremony! It's on Saturday. I sat outside, shelled some peanuts, and left. I went to take inventory of the bitik in front - one of the girls were fine but the other one had a terrible attitude so I didn't tarry for long, haha. I tried to sit in on one more compound but didn't feel very energetic and the people in front were all teenage boys and a very weary woman so I just left. Not much happened aside from that but I was fed up with being so bloated from rice that I told my family I'd like to switch it up and eat breakfast and dinner with them but cook lunch for myself. I have no idea why but the rice here bloats me up in five spoonfuls and it feels like I can't stop eating because I don't feel satiated. It's highly uncomfortable and tires me out. I also tried preparing coos for dinner which involved mashing it up with a large, metal laddle in two huge wooden bowls that look more like basins by American standards. I'm trying to do a little bit of everything to show effort that I'm trying.
Anyways, today, as promised, I woke up early to go outside and sit with the family. I thought I was suppose to wake up and sift but they didn't start until 9 AM. I ate porridge (of course, CHO loaded but it was coos ... I had two big heapings of sugar to make it bearable but it was better than rice), went to a part of the house that I never ventured to before - the washing area in a HUGE trash/waste land next to me. Well, it's on the other side of where my hut is on the left side of the compound while I'm on the right, but that doesn't make me feel much better. I set out for the day by first heading to the bakery. I sat there forever, collected some more names, and the baker's a very nice hard working guy but he only speaks Pulaar. I got a piece of bread - it smells so wonderful when it's right out of the oven - unfortunately, it's all white bread. A woman sat there for awhile talking to me but I think she was more laughing at me than really being a nice soul. She kept on insisting America was better and that I take her there. You can tell I gave up with her and kept on saying I didn't understand. I tried telling her education was important and if she didn't go to school, America won't accept her. I also said it was very individual based - which is opposite of their communal-society. I mean no harsh feelings but do these people understand I've only been here for 2.9 months. I know I shouldn't take any of this seriously but what really gets to me is when they don't understand that I'm in the process of learning. Anyways on the bright side, I really like this girl at the baker's - she's going to be 19 and came from Nigeria. I like her demeanor + she's going to school! She can speak English and Serehule and translated some of the conversation with that woman.
I went to HM's from there and unfortunately he was still in Basse but I called him and he said he would be back tonight. Good, because I need to go to the carpenter's to look at my table. I took the time instead to talk to the Alkaloo's younger brother - he knows English quite well - and he wants to go back to school. Seiku, his name, was taken out of school by his parents at grade 9 and he really wants to go back but needs money to. I gave him ideas to acquire some money - business related, I asked him about his skills and how that can be turned into a money generating thing. Hopefully I incepted him and planted a thought. I bought four bananas from a girl and ate them on the spot. I then purchased a bean sandwich from a girl who sells them near HM's place - Isatou, I've talked about her before - and she's very nice towards me and can understand me to some extent. She's probably somewhere between 8-10. She sells sandwiches every day and her younger sister tags along sometimes. Her name's Isatou and she's very sweet - her younger sister is quite sweet, too, sometimes when I read and the wind picks up, my pages will turn but she'll reach over and hold them in place. I sat with her for awhile until I said I was tired and she asked if I wanted to rest. I said yes, then somehow I agreed to go to her compound. I guilt tripped myself - it was legit right behind HM's and I should talk to one more compound before I called it a day.
I greeted her compound and Isatou led me to a room - it had a huge queen sized bed and she's like, "Rest." I said.. I was okay, hahaha. The kids were all around me and it's not like I would do that anyways, just lie down in some random person's house. I joked with her dad, said hi to her mom, her sister next, then I collected some names and chatted a bit outside - it always feels weird being inside people's homes. I told the boys not to call me toubab and the adults backed me up but I had a feeling the boys weren't really listening. They were three very rowdy 12 year olds... bleh. I had another pleasant conversation about why Gambia and US are have both good and bad traits and that Gambia has plenty of good too, it also has work, you have to look for it. The special part about this conversation was that it was in Serehule and of course I'm speaking in mad broken Serehule but the mom was able to decipher what I said - especially when I talked about chicken coops and how that generates money since Kulari doesn't have one. They were very nice and offered me half a sandwich which I declined and said I ate one already, complimented Isa because she really is a hard worker sitting out there every day. I did accept their small juice-mix as a gift, however. Isa walked me halfway home in jeans, a shirt, and make up, and I hope they don't think I'm going to take her to America but the other time she visited me she also dressed up. I hope that's not the case... So the 4 bananas really took a toll and bloated me for the rest of the day. Operation do not bloat didn't work out at all and I ended up not having anything to eat for the rest of the day, felt terrible, didn't go out until evening, skipped dinner, and opted for half my bread from this morning and tea. When I went out and said I wasn't feeling well, my mom promptly took my bucket and filled it up from the well for my shower. My warm and fuzzy feeling quickly dissipated of course when my younger sister, a new bride who's visiting for a week before leaving tomorrow, opened my door (screen door closed) with her damn friends and I got annoyed and said, "What? I'm bathing." And she's like, "Now?" And I'm like, "Yes, now." And I reach over and shut the door in her/her friends face. Clearly she hasn't been here since anyone else would knock. I was going to tell her not to do that again but she's leaving tomorrow and I don't want to make a scene. Aside from doing nothing, I did wash my panties today and sat out with my family for an hour. I held the flashlight while one of my moms peeled kasava and talked to a relative I never met who lived by the capital. In other news I have rats in my backyard - I thought all those scurrying noises were from lizards/geckos...nope. They're pretty ugly, too, ugh. This is Africa, I have to get over it.
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