Everything is delicious. Not tasty, good, but a lot of times things make the amazing list. "This is delicious!" O my gosh, I had brunch there and it was amazing!" "Wow this is delicious. How did you make this?"
We text other Peace Corps volunteers when we have to wait over 2-3 hours for transport.
We one-up others on transport horror stories. The bus was full, but we kept pulling over to pick up more people. There are so many speed bumps on the newly paved road it still takes three hours to get out of my site. The roof of the van had a lot of holes, sheep were tied to the roof and pee dripped down on me through out the ride. The sheep beneath me keep fidgeting and poking me with their horns. Eww why is it wet under my seat? The kid next to me threw up. The kid on my lap peed. The kid next to me had terrible diarhhea and I couldn't breath. The van broke down, we waited on the side of the road for 4 hours. We got a flat tire and had to wait for a spare. It is raining sideways and this van doesn't have a real window. I don't have reception to call someone to complain. AHHH! I've been waiting for 3 hours and the guys keeps saying we are leaving sooni (soon) or sisan sisan (now now)!
In the market we try our very best not to get cheated. We are embarassed to tell other Peace Corps volunteers what we paid for a broom in fear that we were overcharged by 50 cents. Everything we say is expressed with emphasis! Good Morning! How is your FAMILY? Sleep well? How much is this? Two dollars. Eh! O ka CA! A BARIKA! (what! that is too much! Reduce your price!)
We have no shame in calling people bean eaters, referring to their family members as donkeys, telling them they are not real people; in hopes to resolve a conflict, get a better deal on a cab fare, or spark a conversation. Ex: Bar tab comes back and volunteers are overcharged by 3 large beers. Argument ensues. The situation is diffused, because they find out the bar tender is a Coulibaly (common last name everyone can joke with) so he obviously is not smart enough to count and speaks a donkey language. No more problems, basi te.
Every regional capitol house has one show that everyone is addicted to watching and someone is always waiting for a new season to download.
Volunteers have tried many things to get flies out of their nyegens, but there is no permanent solution.
"What was the first thing you ate when you went back to America?" Most popular question asked by PCVs when a volunteer returns from vacation in the states.
Everything is better when cheese is involved.
Ring ring...ring ring..... "Ha-lo, ha-lo. jon don?"..... "Eh n balima ke! i ka kene wa?"......."O ayiwa, d'accord"....."d'accord"........ "Owo!"........."K'an ben."......."Amiina"...."amiina amiina"...."Ka tile h
There is much more to add, but I do not have the time at the moment. K'an ben sooni.
