I have stayed in my village, Ndoudiene, for the last month. What this means is that I did not come to the regional house in the last month to use free internet, speak English, and eat at a restaurant. These are the things volunteers do to escape the stress of village life. Staying in village meant that I saw my family every day, spoke in wolof every day, ate maffee (rice with oily peanut sauce) every day, and experienced my first illnesses due to malnutrition. On that note, I know who I can trust in my family and who I can't. I know who has been making fun of me for the last four months because I understand the language quite well now. The food has been and will be horrible for the next year and a half. I pay my family for food but they never buy vegetables and if I buy them I have to buy enough for 20 people. It makes it hard to eat healthy. While I was in village I had Giardia. This is diagnosed by symptoms including diarrhea, excessive gas, sulfur tasting burps, and abdominal discomfort. I had it from Christmas until last Thursday the 10th. The combination of bad food and Giardia really crashed my immune system, thus I have an ulcer in my mouth. Through it all I'm still pretty happy and am now gorging on cucumbers,carrots,and yogurt. I don't think I'll do another month long stitch. It's not healthy and I run out of money because I have no access to a bank or ATM. Three weeks will be my max from this point on. Little miss kitty, Jasmine, was the best thing that has happened in the month I stayed. People are seriously afraid of cats here. The women run and scream fromthis kitten. My little brothers and sisters poured water on her and were trying to post her with a stick so I had to save her. I just couldn't watch that or know that I just walked away while it was happening. Now the kids are afraid to come in my room. Double bonus cute kitty and no dirty kids :)
