11.10.01
I'm killing time before I go back to the hostel. I want to eat some dinner, but I'm not quite hungry yet. How wonderful to have fast computers and decent prices at a Middle Eastern restaurant... very convenient!!
Here's a question........... do birds at the equator migrate? If so, which direction?
I went to a store called The American Food Store. I had heard it didn't have much to offer. But, since I was in the neighborhood and I was hoping it would be air conditioned, I checked it out. Well, imagine my luck! The marine commissary closed recently and The American Food Store bought out all their stuff. I saw pop tarts, Oreos, deodorant brands I recognized, salsa, pickle relish, canned frosting, and loads of other stuff I haven't seen in five months! All of it was triple the price you pay in the US... therefore, I bought only pop tarts (over 5 dollars) and brown sugar. But just seeing them... foods I haven't really thought about since before June... made me both happy and homesick.
I hung out with my mentor's daughter today. She's in high school here in Abidjan... I think she's 18, but she still has 2 years left before college. She and I went to the tourist area to find something lovely for my sister Diane's birthday.
The country director here lined up nearly 60 American families who are willing to host peace corps volunteers for Thanksgiving. Isn't that nice? I will sign up for a family during the All Volunteer conference Nov 18 - 20. That might also be the time I send home some small trinkets for Christmas. It's so hard to go to the tourist places, because you know you're getting ripped off. I had to really talk myself into going today... and even then, Diane (the daughter) did all the bargaining. She's such a nice girl. You all might get to meet her if she decides to come to the US for college in a few years.
I got back pictures today of the trash collection in Taabo. Also on that roll were photos of my house and my neighbor kids. I will send those with Diane's package for her to get to Laila for the site. There's one of me holding the rooster from the village - I definitely don't look comfortable! And then there's one of the rooster... uh... ready for the boiling pot. Poor fella. It's enough to make anyone a vegetarian...
I received two fall leaves in the mail from Lisa Keller's daughters. How fabulous is that!? Jennifer Nagel emailed me one that she scanned last month (while she was in labor!!). Hard to remember it's fall there. Especially here in Abidjan, but also in Taabo, it's still over 90 each afternoon. After the sun goes down it's really pleasant.
Did I tell you I learned how to say "I think I blew a fuse" in French? Yes, these are the things we learn out of necessity! It's kind of cute, actually, they say you "sautéed your electricity." How's that for 'frying' your electricity? Some things are just much more charming in French, c'est ca?
I am starting, in my French, to pick up the Ivorian accent. It's not too bad yet, but I hear it coming. Ivorians use the filler word "la" all the time, the way teenagers used to say "you know" everywhere. So, I find myself saying things like "I need to find some balloons for the kids-la" or "My neighbors-la are so nice to me." I'm driving myself nuts, but I'm definitely repeating what I hear everyday from the locals!!