She's Gone (to a new) Country

Day two in the village and I'm still kickin' :) Actually, I really like the peaceful, slow pace of the village. I've always loved living in the country, and this is certainly the country – just a little different than I've always envisioned it.

Some of the highlights from today:

I learned my first three words in the language I will be speaking. First word learned today was coffee or Cawa (sp?). This is a very important word to learn since they drink lots of it here! Second word I learned was one of their words for God - Goshta (sp?). I would say that this is also an important word to know :) My third word learned after my third cup of much needed coffee for the day was akdulen, which means “of the finest quality,” as in, “that cawa was akdulen.”

A surprising highlight of the day was found in the food I ate for lunch. I had lamb tibs, which is lamb fried with onions, pepper, and egg and it was yummy! No more injera for me - this stuff was good :) As it turns out, they cook much of their food with lots of butter – so much for losing weight! My appetite has certainly been good since I've been here. Good thing I get to wear elastic waist skirts, huh?

Not only is the coffee here good, but it is also cheap! The four of us drank a cup at a restaurant named Dallas (yes, Dallas) and our total bill was less than 60 cent! Coffee here would be called espresso at home and it is very strong and served in espresso size cups. We ordered macchiatos which as far as I could tell was espresso with cream and sugar. It would rival anything ordered at Starbucks, and at 15 cent each, I think they've got Starbucks beat!

I also got to use my first “squatty potty” in country today. We had the opportunity at training to use the one available, but I somehow managed to evade that opportunity :) No more evasion here. Nothing but two spots for your feet and looking down into a concrete hole (and those are considered nice ones). I hear that there is a skill to this, but not sure I have managed it just yet. Although most would consider me to be a “country” girl, I really never did pride myself on going to the bathroom outside....thankfully. I am sure I will learn the tactics quickly and will be a pro at it in no time – not that I really have a choice either way :)

I took more pictures of the grass huts and what I like to refer to as an “African hayfield.” I would post them, but the internet is not really cooperating. Hopefully later!

You won't find this at home people....

Well, I made it! And although I was a little worse for wear - you know ... greasy hair, greasy face, a little stanky :) after 32 hours of traveling (17 of it in the air), I am happy to be here! My supervisors picked me up at the airport and we spent the night in the capitol last night and ran a few errands this morning. Needless to say, I slept like an absolute brick last night, but the coffee I had when I woke up (something this area is known for) was enough to get me kick started for my day!

We ran lots of little errands this morning and then the part that I have so been looking forward to ... we started our drive out to the countryside! It was about a three hour ride out from the capitol, but the view was unbelievable! Basically, the ride was through the foothills and valleys of the mountains with nothing but farmland all around...and y'all know how much I like farmland! So, everywhere you look you have gently rolling hills covered with haystacks (not bales), herds of goats and cattle, and grass huts, not to mention the people walking through the villages carrying bundles of sticks on their backs or riding on a cart pulled by a donkey. I have got to get you guys some pictures of this – maybe tomorrow! To have to stop in the middle of the “highway” for a herd of goats or cattle, sometimes being driven by a child about the age of 5, was not anything unusual. I really just couldn't believe most of the things I saw – it was like what you see in books or watch on TV and it was also beautiful! If I hadn't of known better though, I would have thought I took a step 150 years back in time – things are definitely a little primitive!

We made it to the village in late afternoon, so I didn't see a whole lot of it, but will see more tomorrow. On the way down, I learned tons about the people we will be working with and the work we will be doing, so for all of you that were concerned that I didn't have answers to all of your questions, you can rest easy now. I asked about 2,182 questions today and am glad I waited to be here and see things in context, so I would even know what to ask in the first place!

Hope to be giving more info on the people and the project soon! Thanks for thinking of me and joining me on this journey!

"Are You Excited?"

If I have been asked that question once in the past six months, I think I have been asked a thousand times.  People have asked it with the best of intentions, but my first thoughts when asked that question are "Would you be excited?  Would you want to leave all of your friends and family and everything that you know and love and move to a new country where you know and understand nothing?  No, I don't think so.  So, quit asking me ignorant questions."  Note that I said that was my initial thought, not necessarily my response.  Instead, I usually respond with a really weak "Yeah, yeah, it should be interesting" or something along those lines.

I think for a long time I wondered what was wrong with me because I didn't feel "excited" and people kept asking me that question as if it were an absolutely inherent emotion attached to moving to a foreign country.  But, after some heart searching, I realized maybe "excited" wasn't necessarily the emotion I wanted to feel anyway.  Although I wouldn't use the term "excited" I did (and do) feel a calm, sure, peace about what I feel the Father has led me to do.

At the risk of sounding too pessimistic, I know that these two years will most likely be the most challenging years of my piddly 26 year life up to this point (does it really get more challenging than teaching high school students?).  I know that there are going to be days when I want to be anywhere but Africa and when I probably won't like anything about the country where I will be living.  I know there are going to be days when I think I might scream if I have to hear one more person speak a language I don't understand or if I have to eat one more meal that I am not really sure I will be able to stomach.  There will be days when I just want to be back in America, sitting at my parent's table eating my mama's cornbread and living the "American Dream." However, with all of that said, I also know that the Father's hand has been sure on my journey to this point and will continue to be as I leave to go.  Although I may not use the term "excited" to describe my emotions at this point, that doesn't change the certainty of what I am called to do or my desire to follow my Father down this new path.

Excited? Not necessarily.  Ready and willing to follow the Father's leading?  More like it.

Dixieland Delight

Can I just say that I love South Georgia and my home?! Dana and I left Richmond Thursday night and made several overnight pit stops along the way until I finally arrived in Moultrie (exhausted) last night.  All along the way down from Richmond, I got to visit with friends and say some final goodbyes, which warmed my heart, but by Monday I was a little anxious to get on home!

The dinner table conversation last night revolved around the local pig show and the local football team that just made it to the State championship game - both very fitting topics :) For those of you who don't know my family, we like to live somewhat simply, which includes not really using heat in the winter time, but using a fireplace (which really only heats one room).  So, while it is sub-zero outside - which is not that normal for Moultrie - I got to snuggle into my bed in the back bedroom.  I knew there was a reason I invested in that down comforter a couple of years back - it is definitely paying off now.  I do remember waking up at about 4:00 in the morning and not being able to figure out where I was (five different beds in five nights will do that to you).  But, I love the feeling I got when it dawned on me that I was home in my own bed :) Kenny the Rooster started crowing at some ungodly hour, I am sure, but I didn't have to hear it until about 7:00 this morning, which made for a much needed good night of sleep for me.

Well, there's about 1000 tasks I need to get accomplished today. Instead, I am posting on my blog.  I'll just call this my transition time :)

Community

I have been so blessed over the past 8 weeks to be surrounded by some great community.  Above are a few of my favorite people from my time at training - I am grateful for the time I had to be with like-minded people.   The Father allowed us the chance to bond during our time together and I will miss each of them as we all go our separate ways.

Training was an intense time of class and preparation.  Now, as I prepare to head home I am excited to see my hometown again and each of the friends (and family) I left behind there!