Over rivers, farms and statelines

I am a biking fiend. It's twice now that I've biked the 25-30 km from Bouroum-Bouroum to Gaoua; and for someone who doesn't enjoy biking, the ride isn't all that bad.

Theoretically, school should start next week on the 1 st because that's when students start showing up (as they come from neighboring villages). So I'll be there, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, poised and ready to teach math.

Life's been pretty quiet lately. I spend my days painting my house (by the way, the red turned out Pepto Bismol pink, but it's growing on me), reading, lesson planning and hanging out in town. Have no fear for I have been drinking plenty of cokes.

It's interesting because though I'm in "Lobi Country" there's a large Mossi population here in BrBr. But the groups are very divided--the Lobi hang out together on one side of the road, and the Mossi on the other side. I try to hang out with both, and there's this one woman, Ilene, on the Lobi side who I enjoy talking to; she's a bit of a firecracker which is probably why I enjoy her company. Most of my neighbors are Lobi, but most of them never come visit me at my house.The Lobi are very much an isolated and independent people. Others may perceive their behavior as unfriendly, but I haven't found that to be so. They saluer me just as often as everyone else in my village, but they keep to themselves and to their own families. I think this behavior is more "American" and therefore much more familiar to me.

I've been given a Lobi name! As the third child my Lobi name is Beni. I like the sound of it and I believe it means 'blessing.' Well obviously my name means 'blessing'; the world did become a better place on the day I was born. Hee!

I was washing my clothes yesterday and gave up in the middle of it. I hate doing laundry in the states, so having to now wash them by hand makes me want to cry. I think next time Florida brings me water, I'll ask her about ajoutering washing my clothes. She's such a nice girl, maybe 19. She's married, has a little girl and she failed her BEPC last year. The BEPC is similar to a middle school exit exam. She told me that she's going to take a year off and then redouble, but I'm not so sure that she'll follow through. At least I'll be around at the time she's intending to go back, and so I can encourage her to do so. I'm wondering if some of these students would pass their exams if only they had extra instruction through tutoring. Undoubtedly I'll have to wait to see how my own students perform, but I think it likely that I'll designate 'office hours' to anyone who wants more help.

I visited Mikey, another volunteer, last week in Kampti which is about 65 km south of me. Kampti's a bit bigger than BrBr, and there I bought baskets to put crap in and cool pagnes to wear. And Mikey also made me delicious American food—tacos, cereal and Kraft macaroni and chesse!

Pictures! Okay, it'll be a while before I'll be able to post pictures because often times the connection is so achingly slow it takes 5-10 minutes to load a page. Count on me posting some within the next couple of months.

But I would dearly love to have some pictures sent to me. In the process of setting up my house I realized that I didn't bring nearly enough pictures with me. So friends and family, if you'd be so kind as to scan through your photos, past and present, and print them out for me and then send them down yonder (CHECK OUT MY NEW ADDRESS!). Family functions, outings, random photos—I'd love to have them all! And I wouldn't mind some more dark chocolate M&M's, and peanut butter.

I'm so excited for October. Halloween is probably my favorite holiday. Hmm, I wonder if the people in my village will think I'm even more odd if I dress up in a costume for Halloween.

Remus, watch Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire! And Hocus Pocus!