I was going to wait to write this until I wasnt quasi rushed at the internet cafe with a barely functioning mouse, but Im going to go ahead and give a quick update.
Wednesday we were at the dispensary when we heard all the girls coming back from school at 9am. Usually they get back at 11ish, but apparently there will be no school until there is a new president. So the girls were happy and started leaving to go home to their villages. I was not happy to be losing my soccer team.
Thursday I decided to go big and one of the girls, Tatiana, and I went to the market to buy the cloth to make me a fantastic outfit. There are so many people selling a thousand different patterns so it was a little overwhelming and Tatiana is hard to understand so that too was a little stressful. After a while though we found a nice pattern for a good price and headed back to the house. Not before buying an 'obama girl' shirt though. Everyone has that shirt here and since hes my president I thought it was a very necessary purchase for less than 2 dollars. Tommorow we are going to take the cloth to the tailors to decide on a style so that will be interesting.
That afternoon I was talking to the girls and said I wanted to learn how to make fotou. Not sure thats how you spell it but anyway its a paste made from plantains and manioc and they eat it with sauce. The girls have this area where they make their food and one of them was about to make fotou. To make it you use one of those big wooden sticks and pound the plantains in a huge wooden bowl type thing. Not the best description, but think stereotypical village woman. She had already cooked the plantains and so she put a few into the bowl and handed me the stick. Then I found out why the girls are crazy buff. It was so heavy! I did it maybe 5 times and my arms were tired. The girls just sit there and do it like its lifting a pencil. I really struggled and was glad that at home I can cook some frozen food and be done with it. Soon after that one of the girls wanted me to try what she was eating so I said sure and it was in my mouth before I realized it was the skin of I dont know what. Pig or cow Im not sure I kind of zoned out when I heard her say it was skin. Cant say I'd choose to eat it again since the texture was not great, but the sauce on it was good so the taste of skin wasnt too powerful. Not sure what 'the taste of skin' would be but anyway...
After that we were talking about my hair and I said I wanted it done in the same style as one of the girls. I was planning on waiting until the weekend or something, but one of the girls started braiding it and now I have cornrows and a headache. It looks pretty dumb and in any other context it would be unacceptable but I don't feel that ridiculous.
That night was the presidential debate! It was really interesting, but Im not going to describe it in detail right now because I need to go home before it gets dark. I'll have time to describe everything in detail next week since we probably won't have class all week. Quelle horreur.
Anyway hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving! I thought about trying to cook something for the sisters, but decided its best to wait until january and wait until I actually know how to do it.
Ill probably write again soon since there are only 6 girls left and I dont think the sisters will play soccer with me. Theyre not really your stereotypical nuns though so who knows. There might be a secret soccer star among them.
bye!
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