I'm not soft
A couple weeks ago I went to visit my friend Lisa's site in Northern Province. Beautiful. Scenery a dinosaurs would be fond of. She has a river 10 minutes from her house. She goes swimming every day. I am jealous. She also has a waterfall 16k from her house so we rode bikes and went swimming. I was so happy frolicking about in my scivies that I was negligent about my sun protection and got a fierce burn on my back. A blistering burn. Which I showed to everyone once back home so they would understand. Before when I would move into the shade or wear long sleeves saying "sunburn" everyone would say "yes it is very hot." No burning. like a fire...
I showed the mini bus driver to explain why I didn't want to carry my back pack and he just clicked his tongue and said "ah you are very soft." NO! I am not soft! I am not weak! I am just...fair.
Though I am soft. I get blisters just from touching a hoe. When I showed Mrs. Zulu she told me I was soft and then showed her own hard as stone palms. "But Junior. He gets blisters?" No he doesn't. Maybe because, though he has his own minifarmer hoe, he spends most of his time playing in the dirt while his grandma and aunts weed. Junior's minifarmer hoe is the one they give me when I ask to borrow one...
I came across Mrs. Zulu shelling groundnuts and sat down to help. Because I think it is fun. But she said "No you can't" and rubbed her thumbs reminding me of the time I tried to help them shuck dry maize and sliced both thumbs open. I can shell peanuts though. I know how.
I also went cliff jumping with Lisa off the waterfalls. I am embarrassed about how long it took me to jump. It wasn't a very big cliff but I kept thinking of that singer we use to listen to who was paralysed from diving into a shallow pool. After about the 20th time of asking Lisa where I was suppose to jump and where EXACTLY was the rock I was suppose to avoid and should I run or not she said "Lots of volunteers have done it. I promise." But the problem is saying lots of Peace Corps Volunteers have done it does not really make me feel more at ease...I know lots of Peace Corps Volunteers.
It was fine. I am not paralyzed and can live proud and free knowing I didn't back away from a cliff.
I am coming home for Christmas. If you want to see me plan to have a plate of food between us. And cheese on that plate.
Cheesecake. Hamburgers. Cold drinks. Margaritas. Hot water without a fire. CLEAN for two weeks straight! Hard matresses! movies! MY FAMILY! MY FRIENDS! SNOW! CHRISTMAS! oh my god I am going to pass out.
I showed the mini bus driver to explain why I didn't want to carry my back pack and he just clicked his tongue and said "ah you are very soft." NO! I am not soft! I am not weak! I am just...fair.
Though I am soft. I get blisters just from touching a hoe. When I showed Mrs. Zulu she told me I was soft and then showed her own hard as stone palms. "But Junior. He gets blisters?" No he doesn't. Maybe because, though he has his own minifarmer hoe, he spends most of his time playing in the dirt while his grandma and aunts weed. Junior's minifarmer hoe is the one they give me when I ask to borrow one...
I came across Mrs. Zulu shelling groundnuts and sat down to help. Because I think it is fun. But she said "No you can't" and rubbed her thumbs reminding me of the time I tried to help them shuck dry maize and sliced both thumbs open. I can shell peanuts though. I know how.
I also went cliff jumping with Lisa off the waterfalls. I am embarrassed about how long it took me to jump. It wasn't a very big cliff but I kept thinking of that singer we use to listen to who was paralysed from diving into a shallow pool. After about the 20th time of asking Lisa where I was suppose to jump and where EXACTLY was the rock I was suppose to avoid and should I run or not she said "Lots of volunteers have done it. I promise." But the problem is saying lots of Peace Corps Volunteers have done it does not really make me feel more at ease...I know lots of Peace Corps Volunteers.
It was fine. I am not paralyzed and can live proud and free knowing I didn't back away from a cliff.
I am coming home for Christmas. If you want to see me plan to have a plate of food between us. And cheese on that plate.
Cheesecake. Hamburgers. Cold drinks. Margaritas. Hot water without a fire. CLEAN for two weeks straight! Hard matresses! movies! MY FAMILY! MY FRIENDS! SNOW! CHRISTMAS! oh my god I am going to pass out.
posted by Keli at 3:33 AM
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