Je m'adapte

I'm getting used to it here. I realized this was definitely true this morning, in a haze at 6:30 when I woke up on my roof. I've been sleeping on the roof for a while now because it's too hot in my bedroom. Outside, especially on the roof, you can get a breeze and you've already escaped the cinder-block oven that's still 90 degrees minimum at night. Anyways, this morning it was 77 degrees with a slight wind, and I was cold underneath my sheet. I guess I'm used to the 110+ temps every day.

I also can't wait for my work day to be over to drink sweetened spiced coffee and eat grilled corn on the cob. Or go get a bag of vanilla-flavored milk. Constantly restless in College Park and Columbia, MD, I've gotten used to sitting around doing absolutely nothing. Spending a weekend day sitting in the same spot for 6 hours is completely normal, accounted there's a bowl of food and tea at some point. I read some here but staring off into the distance is another favorite pastime.

I actually figured out just now that pastime = pass + time; not past + time. That was a revelation.

Anyways, one thing that's definitely taken some getting used to is intimacy here. Husbands and (up to four) wives don't embrace in any way. Not in public anyways, because with as many kids as there are here there has to be some kind of embracing if you know what I mean ;) .... But yeah, Senegalese will change the channel on TV if there's a scene with a couple laying in bed, and of course the 7 year-old from the family I hang out with switch it if there's anything close to kissing. That might be universal for a 7 year-old boy. Girls have cooties everywhere I guess. So, maybe that's the reason intimacy is so different between males here.

In an African Muslim country, where homosexuality isn't a possibility, there are some customs here that would make young American males feel awkward. Homophobes beware, men here will hold your hand for quite a long time while greeting you, or take your hand while walking down the street and not let go. Not strangers of course, but it's not unusual to see two guys walking down the street hand-in-hand or with arms draped over shoulders. And this is no Castro.

I wanted to make another blog post before too long, so here it is. Other than that not much is new. I've been sick a couple times, but feeling better now. Not testing the unfiltered water so much anymore... There's been a lot of people here visiting, including the Spanish NGO Médicos del Mundo. I'm trying to create a partnership with the local Peace Corps volunteers. And figuring out new vacation plans, because going hiking in the Fouta Djalon, Guinea, fell through. Take care, and I'll update again soon.