Good times

The photo of crazy people jumping is of some of my friends - trainees - at the beach a couple of weekends ago when we went to blow off some steam. Second from the left is "Ablai Jaxate," he is the other trainee living in my village outside Thies. That's, from left, Jared, Jen, Kay, Patrick, and Brittany. Good times. This day and a half at the beach, and night, was so much fun, we really had a blast and got to know each other better during this time. This helped for friends to lean on when we were on our intense Demistification experience.

Then we have a shot of my two fav kids in my homestay family (although I love everyone in my family here!). From left, Mamarem, Fatembouge and Fama, are kids of my "aunt" and "uncle" here, although families are massive and a lot different than they are in the West. They live in the same compound as I (there are 3 houses in the compound, maybe about 25-30 people living here in all). Fatembouge, the one in the middle, is my soul mate in mini form in Africa, I think we knew each other in a different lifetime. It is impossible to explain but we have this special connection. Even when I couldn't speak a lick of Wolof we had it - go figure! Sama xaarit ("sama harit" - my friend), Fatembouge. The family all says "your friend missed you today" or "your friend is coming" when Fatembouge is coming up to me when I come home from "work." It is really sweet. I like it!