IST has come and gone, and now I feel that I have a wealth of knowledge ready to impart! I had 11 days of intensive technical training where I learned everything from organic (and chemical) pest management to erosion control to seed saving. It was fascinating, yet quite exhausting. My brain definitely hurt by the end. But I did counteract that by hanging out with my amazing friends in the down time. At one point we decided that our cuddle sessions weren't adequate in a small bed, so we pushed two bunk beds together, tied the mosquito nets together, and had a bunk bed fort! This made cuddle time soo much cooler!! Also, at one point we played in a seemingly abandoned old Beetle that was sitting in the middle of a field. When we came back by 10 minutes later, the car was gone! So I may or may not have accidentally broken into someone's car... These are mere samplings of the amazing times we had. After spending 2 months together during PST many of us became very close, only to be placed in various parts of the country that are quite far apart. So we went a little crazy with how much time we spent together.
But now I'm back at site, figuring out how to get involved in projects. It is a little bit difficult because of the upcoming election. Everyone is waiting in anticipation to see what happens. There have been a lot of riots in the major cities as people protest Wade's candidacy. Don't worry, Kaffrine has been very mild. We have had a lot of presidential candidates come through on their campaign tours, but they have remained peaceful. (Though when Wade came through, there were a lot of riot police around in case something happened.) The first round of elections happens on Sunday, February 26th. The results should be released sometime that night or the next morning. That is when I anticipate things going crazy. Right now we aren't allowed to travel to any regional capitols until after this wave of the elections are over to see how people respond. So I'm putting most everything on hold until then too. I still retreat to my lovely garden everyday and that has been delightful. I love seeing things grow! Oh, I also had my first sleepover in a hut! The other day I biked to my friend Christi's village, which is about 5km south. We went around and greeted most of the village, danced a little, ate two dinners, and carried a basin of water on my head across the village! (This is a lot harder than you would think...) She doesn't have electricity so we lit some candles and chatted late into the night, while also listening to the birds that have built a nest in the rafters. It was quite romantic! The next day after a lovely breakfast we filled tree sacks and planted some lemon trees. All in all, a successful trip that I will certainly cherish.
I'm heading into the bush again tomorrow to help my friend Sarah celebrate her birthday. Yay for 20+ km bike rides through the bush! I love the adventure!
P.S. I was stung by a scorpion today. It was intensely painful but is getting better slowly. Right now half of my hand is numb... so typing is interesting. But rest assured, it isn't lethal. And I did consult medical staff. So really, all in a day's work. Bismillah!
