First month at site...Success!

And by success, I mean filled with highs and lows. Obviously.

Been at my site for a month now and approaching my 4 monthiversary of being in Guinea. Site is good. I like my town a lot and have made a few crucial friends. There are a couple of missionary families in my town, so they have been INFINITELY helpful and just reassuring to have around. One is a Doctor (Dr. Pepper- no joke) and both families have just been so great and they definitely spoil me when I stop by.

Some of my friends came to visit for my birthday weekend, so that was really good. We killed a chicken and fried it in old bay and made old bay fries (is there any other way?) the chicken was, well, lots of skin and little meat. But that's because chickens in Guinea walk around and eat whatever they find. We should've bought it a couple weeks earlier and had it sit and eat fattening things so we could've gotten a little more meat off it. But at least it was fried with old bay, right??

Thank you so much to all the birthday letters and packages that also made my birthday lovely! I can't say I didn't have a minor meltdown the day before my birthday reading about all of your shenanigans in America, but this life comes with the highs and lows, am I right? But, yes. Thank you all sooo much.

So school started. It isn't the anomaly we all thought. Though, I still wake up every morning finding it hard to motivate myself to be on time when I know no matter what time I get there, I'll still beat most students and most teachers there. But, nevertheless, classes have started and are going pretty well. The biggest frustrations I think come from the education system (lack thereof?) because there are still teachers that don't show up- so where is the motivation for students? Anyways. I show up and I teach and that's the most I can do on that front. Classes are ogood tho and people are motivated to learn English so I've already started a couple informal review sessions with some girls in my classes (and some that just want to learn).

When school didn't start the day they said it would, I was obviously frustrated. But, Erich was in town and we set up to teach a group of women and a couple men how to build a solar dryer and how to make jam so they can conserve products for when the season passes. And that was probably one of the most rewarding experiences so far. The group was so motivated to learn about it and their minds were totally blown with the fact that once you put the jam in a jar and seal it, it can last up to 3 months. Really cool to see Guineans motivated to better their own standings. Really really cool.

So, site is good. I'm in Labe now for Halloween (party tonight) and then a meeting Saturday. Hopefully I can find a ride back to site Sunday... transportation and communication in this country leave a little to be desired, to say the least.

But, I'm doing well. I of course miss you all terribly and can't wait to get some updates! I've been starting to bike more (to neighboring towns) so thats been cool too. Keep me posted on your lives and sorry I couldn't load pictures this time, I forgot to bring my camera cord when I left the house this morning!!

LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU

HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEN!!!!! And keep being the amazing people that you are!! <3