Being in Site

You know when you think of Peace Corps that its like this idea of living in some bush village in the middle of nowhere, with witch doctors, straw huts, half naked people, and bugs for breakfst? But then many are dissapointed when they are are set up in a real cement house with running water, electricity, a cook and cleaner? Well.... I'm somewhere in between: my house is made of mud and cow poop bricks. We have one spigot for the neighborhood (20 liters of water cost 25 francs, about 2 cents). The sun is up at 5:15am and down at 6:30pm, (that's my light!) then we use a gas lamp to eat dinner by. Everything we eat is harvested by my host family: potatoes, onions, tomatos, beans, peas, carrots, avocados, and bananas. That's what we eat. Every day.

So, I'm supposed to have my own little house but its not ready yet. For the next two weeks I'm living with my landlord and his wife (my school's secretary). Their house is on the same compound as my little house, so I get to look at my little house every day, but not move in to it yet! There's a cow (she makes 9 liters of milk a day!) and she has 2 babies; two teenage boys that have been sent by their families to live with and work for my host family; and we have a garden in the front yard.

Ok, Bungwe (say it boong-way) is my village: literally just the top of the mountain crest, running the entire length of it. One road across the center of the crest and a row of houses on either side of it. I'll be teaching English in one of the 2 high schools, giving lessons to the primary school teachers, nurses, and locals. I was thinking about helping them start their library: they're getting it built, but have NO books. (Want to donate some? Just send them over!;) )

Its really cold, so good for making cheese (I made some last week!); we only cook by charcoal and/or wood, so it warms me up; and its GORGEOUS in Bungwe. Fields, trees, all kids of vegetation on the mounain sides, 30 minute walk to Uganda, 9,000 ft elevation, (oh, that reminds me! the other night I watched lightning roll in... to the valley BELOW us! Lightning was at my eye level, we're so high up!) and so far so good.

I don't know what that nun was thinking of!