commencement

Commencement

20 July
I arrived in Mission Tove yesterday morning- around 10.30. My latrine
is nasty, so I've decided to use it only when I absolutely have to (ie
number 2).
I was initially really worried about my bedroom – it's large, but there
aren't any poles for my mosquito net. Buy my fantastically resourceful
homologue helped me out with finding random nail holes in the cement
walls (and attaching one corner to a chair – a collapsible mosi net!)
It work really well and I've got a ton of room for sitting up in bed
and journaling, for example. It also really improved my mood after
first seeing and smelling the latrine. yuck.
There is no electricity here. Amazing how used to it I got in Agou. I
really had a hard time last night – with only an oil lamp to light my
room, I felt really claustrophobic and sad and I felt like I had to go
to sleep at 7. My headlamp batteries of course were nearly out. I
wanted to conserve the last little bits in case I needed to get up in
the middle of the night (to fix my collapsible mosi net or scare away a
spider or whatever).
So I lay in bed feeling out of control, lonely and blind and then I
had a dream which corresponded perfectly with all those anxieties.
(I'll recount the dream at the bottom of this entry in deference to
those who find reading about other people's dreams really boring).

Today in bullet points:
• woke and did some yoga
• had leftover couscous for breakfast
o nearly in tears trying to get the fire started, nice neighbor girl
helped – MUST learn more Ewe
• went to church with Da E (homologue)
o wore new mixed pagne skirt!
o Baptist church, lots of singing
o celebration of baby (whose twin had died) welcomed into church
o I received a blessing – the Pastor prayed that I would stay for an
additional 2 years after my assignment :)
• big multi-church gathering at public place
o note: good sound system – possibly use it another time? running on a
generator?
• went home halfway through the gathering because I was tired and I
needed to make lunch
• made a guideline for weeks 3&4 of yoga and did the sequence
• cleaned room, took bucket bath
o little girl came to my room and babbled at me in Ewe, it's a good
thing I learned how to say 'wash myself' in Ewe!
• bought some phone credit with Da E
• watched guys playing a game with nuts, didn't quite figure out the
point of it.
• made spaghetti with creamy red sauce yum yum
o Vache Qui Rit, condensed milk, tom paste and some water
o It tasted awesome, but my tummy's not too impressed right now – maybe
too much oil?
• called home, said hi to Ceci, asked her to call me back – I haven't
heard from the, so I guess they weren't successful oh well
• ...
• talked to mom :) went to sleep

the dream:
I am driving a car – the old blue Volvo station wagon from my childhood
– through the parking lot at the Thousand Oaks mall. It is dark, there
are some cars clustered in the parking lot, but I'm trying to avoid
people. I drive past the Macy's entrance that faces the 101 and notice
there is a fountain on the hillside just next to the entrance. But
there is no access to this pretty little spot – a fence blocks the way.
I continue on, heading out of parking lot. As I take a right to get
out, I cut off another car who was going through a stop sign. I speed
up, fearful of the driver behind me and drive right through a stop sign
to take a left onto Hillcrest.
I am on the 101 heading north. I suddenly notice just how dark it is
and I realise that I don't have my headlights on. It is pitch black
inside the car and I can't see the switch to turn them on. The interior
light on the rearview mirror isn't working, I frantically flick
everything and turn the windshield wipers on, spray the windshield, do
everything but get the lights on.
It is so dark that I have no idea where I am until I realise that I
must be on the Camarillo Grade based on the curve of the traffic. I've
missed my exit and I'm heading fast downhill with no lights. I consider
pulling over, but I'm afraid to change lanes and afraid of overshooting
the side of the freeway and plunging down the side of the cliff.
I decide to wait to pullover until I hit an exit – somewhere well-lit,
where I won't be so blind. When I see an exit, there are two police
cars getting onto the freeway at the same time. I am desperately afraid
of being pulled over for not having my lights on, but I'm also aware
how dangerous it is to not have lights.
I am scared and it is dark and I could get into trouble or get hurt
because of something that I desperately want to fix but can't because I
don't know how.

Picture is of the view from my room in Agou Koumawou pretty ain't it?