bIG aFRICAN yELLOW bAT CAVE

November 10th-14th

babyC

(In this Peace Corps world of acronyms I created one for myself, as I told myself I would never do. I had to... )

My new home is alive and well. I cleaned it up but the bats are too smelly to be allowed to live with me. Don't worry, they are in the roof. I only notice it when I return home and after the first night I slept fine amidst their loud banter.

It is in the middle of a cornfield where the 'cowboys' roam with the cows. I have heard they play flutes. I have tasted their sweet milk and it is Fine. Fried cheese curds too (a gift from Tamale). Heavenly...

The elders greeted me with their sandals off and their smocks on. (that's for the jokers).

The moment I arrived to the community I was faced with a somewhat big decision - they were afraid that I would be attacked by bees if I lived in babyC. That's right, there are some bees too, though I have only seen three. At least it was an odd number- Barnes would be happy. I chose to be with the supposed bees, after all- the more yellow the better.

The other reason they didn't think I could live there is because there was no bathing room (A room with a hole for the water to go as you pour it over yourself.) We agreed that one could be made and it turned out better than I could have imagined. Within hours they had constructed a small hut from a few wooden branches and a thick straw that they arranged in a spiral- allowing entry and coverage. It's super cause I don't live in a round mud hut with straw roofing like everyone else so I get my babyC and hut too. Oh - but no roof - so free surround star viewing.

I have a lot of windows - front and back - east and west - so the round sun goes up and down in view. The sun down is different - it is misty because the harmaton winds are coming. That is what I bought that big purple sweater for (at the last moment) - we will see just how cold the mornings are. And everything should be covered with dust until Feb or March.