a convent, girls empowerment, and garth brooks
hey guys, so just a brief update..oh but before that...if anyone sends me a package, which i think is defined by a box as opposed to the padded envelopes, please pay customs upfront...not because i am so cheap (which i realize i am) but but because the post has the right to open to package to assess the cost of your custom tax if not paid in advance. and since this is done out of your presence, not ALL materials seem to make it to the volunteer. i know if i opened a box and saw a bag of reese's i would take it...sorry but soem things are just to hard to let pass by!
so i just spent the last 5 nights at this great convent. solor powered showers, permaculture farm, and beautiful grounds oh and most importantly CHEESE...all different types! we had this girls empowerment camp. each volunteer takes three students (about 5th grade equivelent) 2 girls and one boy and then we spend 4 days doing trust building, HIV/AIDS lecutres, low rope activites, sing songs, watch movies, eat good food, and meet people from other villages, see electricity, see life outside the village. this is a great conference on many levels. not jsut seeing friendships build or confidence levels rising, or when boys realize they too can carry water, but just to have the space for 4 days of thier life they are worry free children that are allowed to run and play without all the daily responsibilites that are usually such a large burden at thier age. it was great. the kids were amazing, after about 2 days, the shells started to slip off and they became comfortable and the last night they started a singing/druming/dance session that lasted for hours. i don't have the time right now to go into why there is a need for a girls empowerment confernce and do it justice...but expect that rant to come soon. to my neices and nephews...i think it would BLOW YOUR MIND to see how kids here live. especially the girls. thier lives are hard in the villages. and yet they smile.
also i think i have my first "jigger" which is this worm like creature that enters into your feet and lays an egg sac that must be cut open and removed. (not to be confused with the tick like creature common in the states) i am only in day two. i noticed it yesterday that is, and i have been adviced to let it sit for a couple of days to let the sac get larger, which makes it easier to remove. luckily i am going to another volunteers house this week to help her prepare a wedding cake and she will be able to help me remove it. there is slight chance it is not a jigger since my feet are still covered in blistered from being sunburned so much. but i know that it is prime jugger season. oh the joys of africa.
ok well i better head out...got some shopping to do while in the city. i made brownies this past week on my firewook. and they are DARN tasty if i say so myself. i FINALLY got my cook book and think i might spend the week trying to takle making a pizza. i baught some italian sausage (made from rabbits) and some cheese from the convent!!!! i need to pick up some yeast and eggs (which i am sure after the 2 buses, taxi and 4km bike ride back to the house will be in great condition!!)
well keep the letters coming, i will get them eventually! oh i almost forgot the garth brooks refernce. so i was in a cab ride back from the convent to town, and the cabbie was kicking "ive got friends in low places". so the the five volunteers started singing garth brooks at the top of our lungs. just thought i would share one of the random moments with you. never did i think i would be shouting garth brooks from the inside of a cab in africa!
love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!
love
jane
so i just spent the last 5 nights at this great convent. solor powered showers, permaculture farm, and beautiful grounds oh and most importantly CHEESE...all different types! we had this girls empowerment camp. each volunteer takes three students (about 5th grade equivelent) 2 girls and one boy and then we spend 4 days doing trust building, HIV/AIDS lecutres, low rope activites, sing songs, watch movies, eat good food, and meet people from other villages, see electricity, see life outside the village. this is a great conference on many levels. not jsut seeing friendships build or confidence levels rising, or when boys realize they too can carry water, but just to have the space for 4 days of thier life they are worry free children that are allowed to run and play without all the daily responsibilites that are usually such a large burden at thier age. it was great. the kids were amazing, after about 2 days, the shells started to slip off and they became comfortable and the last night they started a singing/druming/dance session that lasted for hours. i don't have the time right now to go into why there is a need for a girls empowerment confernce and do it justice...but expect that rant to come soon. to my neices and nephews...i think it would BLOW YOUR MIND to see how kids here live. especially the girls. thier lives are hard in the villages. and yet they smile.
also i think i have my first "jigger" which is this worm like creature that enters into your feet and lays an egg sac that must be cut open and removed. (not to be confused with the tick like creature common in the states) i am only in day two. i noticed it yesterday that is, and i have been adviced to let it sit for a couple of days to let the sac get larger, which makes it easier to remove. luckily i am going to another volunteers house this week to help her prepare a wedding cake and she will be able to help me remove it. there is slight chance it is not a jigger since my feet are still covered in blistered from being sunburned so much. but i know that it is prime jugger season. oh the joys of africa.
ok well i better head out...got some shopping to do while in the city. i made brownies this past week on my firewook. and they are DARN tasty if i say so myself. i FINALLY got my cook book and think i might spend the week trying to takle making a pizza. i baught some italian sausage (made from rabbits) and some cheese from the convent!!!! i need to pick up some yeast and eggs (which i am sure after the 2 buses, taxi and 4km bike ride back to the house will be in great condition!!)
well keep the letters coming, i will get them eventually! oh i almost forgot the garth brooks refernce. so i was in a cab ride back from the convent to town, and the cabbie was kicking "ive got friends in low places". so the the five volunteers started singing garth brooks at the top of our lungs. just thought i would share one of the random moments with you. never did i think i would be shouting garth brooks from the inside of a cab in africa!
love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!
love
jane
posted by Jane at 12:28 AM
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