Yesterday I was crouched in the wrong position and missed the tiny poop hole I use as a toilet. Without a second thought I picked up the stick that I keep in my bathroom and scrapped my pile into the hole.
This got me thinking about all the weird things that I do now that will be unacceptable when I return to the States.
• I’d say keeping a poo scrapping stick in the bathroom is one example.
• I regularly pick my nose and am not ashamed. This sand carrying desert wind is brutal. I am constantly plagued by those hard buggers that hurt if you squeeze your nostrils together.
• I hiss at people to get their attention.
• I opened my jam jar to find that ants were enjoying the sugary lid. I rinsed off what I could and proceeded to spoon it straight into my mouth.
• Every household has a ceramic pot called an “ndal” where they store drinking water. A communal plastic cup sits on top of the ndal and everyone, family friends, random community members, and snot-nosed children, use the cup. When I first got to Senegal I was both filtering and bleaching my water. Just the thought of brushing my teeth with water not from my nalgene gave me diarrhea. After a few days in the Barkedji heat I was sucking down the snotty ndal water without apprehension.
• If someone asks me to do something that I have no intension of doing, rather than refuse, I agree, but slap an “Inshallah” (God willing) on the end of my agreement.
• My douche is my one sanctuary away from the constant "what is the white girl doing now" surviellance. I regulary retreat to my douche in order to crouch over and destroy a mango. I feel like Golum.
Please love me.
July 01, 2010
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Well, I started to read this as I was eating my bagel with peanut butter an quickly realized that I needed to finish eating before I continued. I almost ot sick in my mouth a little reading some of your normal rituals now. HA! And yes, you will have to alter those things when you come home. Definitely unacceptable behavior so enjoy them now. Love reading about your experience. Although it seems you're not being very productive so GET ON IT or they're gonna name you lazy and crazy white girl. How would you say that anyway? JK. Try to stay as cool as you possibly can and take care of you! Love ya girl!
ReplyDeleteAng
So reading this while at work and taking a big gulp of water was a mistake... the immidiate laugh that ensued caught me off gaurd, one of those spit all over kind of ones that you have no control over. I love you despite your disgusting habits. You were adopted into a family of filthy mwanafunsi 4 years ago, you are making us proud with every drop of sweat and perma-dirty socks that you attempt to wash.... oh BTW what kind of celestial seasonings tea?? a care package must be properly put together.
ReplyDeleteI do so love this list, but I was not actually that grossed out by any of the things you're doing. A clear indication that I am ready for the Peace Corps myself.
ReplyDeleteDid you get my card? There should be one coming your way! I'll get to work on another one.
Miss you loads! Stay hydrated!
it's me mari bop. i don't think you're being lazy. i love you and i can't wait to lay around in bed with you. hopefully they've scheduled time for that in thies. otherwise, we'll make time. it's two in the morning i'm sitting in my stupid "courant dafa coupe" room with no fan on. i wish you were here. my family would LOVE you. oh my god would they love you. i love you more though. see you soon.
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