you're so busy these days, rearranging your face

11 February 2009

Am I too busy to update my blog or are things just settling into a pattern of normalcy that no longer elicits in me the desire to expound with the written word?

I have been busy:
A trip up to Sokodé again for a second camp meeting – so much accomplished, so much still to do.
I met a new group of people to work with – they want my expertise on how to improve their farms. Yes, yes go ahead and giggle. As a suburb and city dweller I am approximately the opposite of an expert on such things, but I do have the ability to do research and hook them up with both real live local (or PCV) experts and written guides on the internet and in books. It’s been a fun and educational essai : discovering the root-knot nematode and how to reduce the damage it can cause. I’ve particularly been encouraging the men to move away from traditional pesticides – they are too expensive to buy and ultimately destroy the soil – which is obviously counter-productive. I’m really pushing the compost too. I’m so sick of having my nostrils coated in black ash due to all the burning of dry leaves and other waste. Use those leaves for a better purpose, people!
My peer educator groups are really starting to get going too. I made a mistake trying to create a group with two students from each grade – barely anyone showed up. It’s evened out now that I told the participants to go ahead and bring their friends along whether they were originally signed up or not. We’re preparing a couple sketches to present at the marché on Saturday the 7th of March as part of the International Women’s Day (8 March) celebrations. I’m really looking forward to getting these brilliant kids out there showing off their stuff. Apparently there are HIV/AIDS awareness sketch competitions. I’m keeping an ear out in the hopes that we can enter next year.

I applied for my multiple-entry visa to Ghana today, in anticipation of M’s arrival at the end of the month. I can’t wait to take her around the village. It’ll be so cool to see everything new through her eyes. (I hope it’s not too scary for her!) I’m also really looking forward to taking a week off to play in Ghana on the beach, in the jungle, etc. Awesome

Current reading: Winter’s Heart by Robert Jordan

p.s. heat rash really bites. No matter how much baby powder I use, I'm still covered in it! I'm slightly envious of the blizzards in the UK.