In December my dad and his betrothed Nancy came to visit me. I am pretty sure they had a great time, though I am sure they were sick of watching me run around like a chicken with my head cut off. Sure I know it is their vacation, but I couldn't help but stress. It seems that in Senegal you are always one turn away from total disaster and since nothing works on a schedule planning was especially hard. As for how they faired in the village, one word, spectacularly. So well in fact that I encouraged them to apply to the Peace Corps. They had a great time with the kids and I think they loved their hut. My village asks about them all the time and says that we are all one family now, Benguure Goto in Pulaar. Here are some of my parents favorite kid Golo.
January was spent in and around Kedougou, back at site doing a bit of work. I collected a bunch of tree seed pods for the upcoming tree nursery season with the help of some neighborhood kids.
I let the littlest kid wear my helmet so he wouldn't get wacked in the head with the falling pods.
I think that day I was wearing all found clothing and called my look, The Tennis Mom.
The lunar new year was celebrated in my village. On that day all the girls dress like men and walk around the village asking for money and dance for people. It is kinda like halloween.
And now for a little section I like to call Alexa's Petting Zoo,
Here are some cute ducks
And some lovely cows
And a dead frog I found at the Kedougou Regional House
February brought the West African Invitational Softball Tournament, which was awesome. My team was comprised of 40 insane Peace Corps Volunteers from the south of Senegal. Our team theme was short jean shorts, so we looked a bit like the Dukes of Hazard. The softball was cool, but the parties were even cooler. We partied for 6 straight nights, so by the end I was pretty beat. All the pics are on my BROKEN camera but I will get them up within the next few days.
Now I am still in Dakar for physical therapy. I have tweaked my shoulder pretty badly, not from softball, and am having it taken care of. I am going crazy without anything to do but ice my arm and watch crappy VHS movies from the 90's.
I am gonna head back to the disgusting hostel Peace Corps runs. I will sign off with some random pics that I have yet to publish. Enjoy and Au Revoir
The hut next door to my with my family dog asleep on the porch
The inside of one of the worst cars I have ever ridden in
That's me enjoying a drink at our rooftop bar in Kedougou Le Defii
Me looking pretty
Some boats beached in Poponguine
Water flooding the sidewalks in Poponguine after a big rain
A seriously cool bridge by my village
The Gambia River in Kedougou with a boat crossing it
A woman riding a bike with her baby tied to her back in Kedougou
Me cruising on a canoe thru the Atlantic
A baobob tree
And some funky baobob fruit
A rasta themed truck, notice the "Who Jah bless no one curse"
And finally, a beautiful sunset in my village
Bye guys, talk to you again soon
