Named after a desert eh? Sounds hot.: Cheeseburger in Paradise.

My cheeseburger made my afternoon. I made one for lunch yesterday and ate it along with my pitiful attempt to make mashed potatoes and carrots. The carrots didn't mash and the potatoes were too runny because I accidently put in too much milk. Oh well, a generous helping of BBQ/Braai sauce fixes that (I really miss A1 steak sauce....). Also didn't have any butter but that was because I made our super-awesome family cookies. They were a big hit and I'm a little sad I blew threw the batch in a week. Julie (another PCV) and I baked peanut butter cookies a weekend or two ago and they too were amazing! Leave it to me to come back from Africa significantly heavier than I left.

I'm very happy I am able to cook what I can. Probably helps with not being that homesick. Many of the volunteers don't have a fridge or stove (even though we're "supposed to/required" to have both). I've offered my place to others as a getaway. It's not exactly en route to...anywhere but it's not too far off the main path. Really I'd just love the company :) But I've been making friends with some of the teachers here so it's okay. And next year, I'll be super busy teaching and doing whatever else I'm involved in so my mind will definitely be occupied.

One of the teachers, Mr. Narubeb, took me to this marriage proposal thing. Very different and at the same time, strangely similar to customs back in the States. In the States, the guy usually buys a ring, does some cool romantic thing (generally involving dinner somewhere nice and more expensive than needed) and drops down on one knee and asks. Ideally he's also cleared all this with the bride-to-be's father/parents before hand and everyone's already considered each other family.

Here, they didn't do it in one/two shots like that, just one drawn out stretch. We went to the bride's house to ask for her hand in marriage in the groom's place. Kind of like sending out a search party. They banter back and forth, asking where she is, they say "she's off at the farm," "ran the 60k to the next town," etc. (all the while she's just hanging out in the house). Then, when they've established she's near (I think), they start asking what the other family has to offer. Like "why should your son/daughter marry my daughter/son?" I hear he's lazy, she can't clean or cook, no he's a hard worker, etc. This went on for a few nights, multiple hours each night. We even had to reset the whole thing because things were getting personal, how this actually happened I have no idea. When we finally started making progress again we got to the point where the groom finally comes in and starts his part or the pleading. They do the same thing then he has to go into the house and find his bride, amongst imposters. This is made a little hard because it's done in the dark. During our "discussions" we had a small light hung up or a candle burning (also the reason I did't take pictures) which also made thigns interesting. Finally he found his bride and asked her. Then he gives her gifts, that's right plural. A watch so she can be on time, earrings to look beautiful for him, same with the ring, and a necklace. Okay, one of those last three has another meaning but I can't remember (Note to my future wife: as it stands now, you can probably just expect the ring...). Then everyone celebrated it being over and partied the night away, I however was exhausted and went home and passed out. Using free internet from 1am-5am tends to leave you with poorly rested nights.

I've been trying to stay busy during the days, as I actually have a lot of stuff I could do....but find myself dragging my feet a little. From what I hear though I've made some good progress. I've completed year plans and other administrative stuff for classes I thought I was going to teach but turns out I won't, and am now in the process of doing the same for the classes I will be teaching next year. As it stands I'll be teaching 7th and 8th grade mathematics and 8th and 9th grade Physical Science (a blend of Physics and Chemistry). Classes don't work here like back in the States, more like how the do in the UK (or so I'm told). Instead of learning a subject for a full year, like Algebra in 8th grade (or whenever you take it) you learn parts of it over all of secondary school. same with the sciences too. Each year they just get progressively more in depth with the topics. Comparing the two methods, both have their advantages and disadvantages. I find myself setting up my schedule mimicing more of how I was taught, grouping topics together instead of just going through the order in the textbooks (though I'm pretty sure every math teacher on the planet does this...or would like to).

I've also been trying to exercise/think of ways I can do so. I've been running on and off but my right knee is starting to hurt so that sucks. I'm trying to get a bike and use it to make the 60k trips to my shopping town. That'll definitely get me some exercise, especially if I'm carrying a huge pack full of groceries. If any of you have some resources for no-equipment/crude equipment exercises please let me know! I also really regret not bringing my yoga mat. I tried using my sleeping pad this morning but just not the same (if you have yoga stuff I would be so incredibly grateful for those as well!!). I'm thinking I can get some of this stuff in the capital when I go back for our training, or at least I really hope I can. Our cookbook actually has a recipe for making weights out of cement. I think I know what I can use for dumbells...but that's assuming I can buy some cement mix and get it back here (the latter being the trickier part). Would be good to so maybe my reaction time might get back up to speed. I've been working on snatching mosquitos out of the air (with large success actually) but lost my encounter with out fence gate. Managed to dodge the rezor-wire portion of it (I was pushing it from behind) but the track bar managed to get the better of me...across the side of my face haha. Oops. A week later, the bump is almost all gone...maybe it'd heal better if it wasn't so hot here. Ah well, it's Africa, shouldn't be surprised. Though it's a little hard to get used to it being 33 degrees (Celsius, which converts to 92 F) in your room as you go to bed, or even wake up in the middle of the night with your windows wide open, and you're sweating like crazy, especially being from CO. Thank you metal roof for turning my house into a large make-shift human oven.

Oh well, count your blessings, not your misfortunes. I'd post new pictures but don't really have any to take, things look the same as when I first visited the place. We'll see, maybe I'll explore some more but for now time for a peanut and jam sandwich! (PB&J).

To add: The wedding was somewhat similar to the states as well. People said some words, sang some songs, preacher spoke, gave each other rings, kissed and danced out of the church. The only difference was the drunk people that came in and danced during the songs....well, I'm sure this happens in the states too in certain places haha. Now waiting for the after party (and secretly hoping for some good food).

Addition number !gam (two): The dinner was a lot shorter than I expected. Just a few songs, then dinner. No toasts, no dancing, place looked really sweet though. Like a Halloween dance actally, everythign was orange and black. So we ate, talked, then went home and crawled into bed.

Here's a picture of the lovely bride and groom (looking baller with his shades on...yep, during the whole wedding.)