I remembered the other day that one of the volunteers who spoke to us during PST suggested that we write down a list of things we’ve learned each month to keep us motivated and whatnot. Well it’s not quite the end of the month but I figure now is as good a time as any to catch up on the last four months:
1. Snakes are scary. Really scary. A little 3-year old girl just died of a cobra bite in a neighboring village. It was hiding in the dirt floor under her bed and she stepped on its tail. They say that if you have a dream about a black mamba somebody you know will die. I dreamt of a black mamba last week…
2. Living out of a suitcase is not conducive to feeling at home. But being able to put that suitcase away at long last and start nesting is a great feeling. I was finally able to do this for the first time in January and it’s made a huge difference.
3. Receiving letters and packages and cards from home create a joy tantamount to no other. It’s not even so much about the contents, but having something tangible that connects me to home.
4. I love my computer for so many reasons, but sometimes it’s better to let it have a rest and get out there and just talk to people.
5. I shouldn’t go for my daily, day-lit walks along the tar road because someone will jump out of the bush and rape me, according to several people in the village. Okay, it’s probably happened somewhere but I feel completely safe on my walks and if I can’t get exercise I will go crazy.
6. Achilles tendons are not forgiving. Apparently I did something to my Achilles tendon when I was jogging regularly back in October and I still am not able to run without it hating on me. Hence, the walking.
7. Chips (french fries) in large quantities make me feel sick.
8. I am still addicted to Anthropologie.
9. The term “cold drink” makes a whole lot more sense than “soft drink” “soda” or “pop”. I mean, cold drink describes what you’re drinking doesn’t it? Well, unless it’s not cold, but generally people like to drink soda cold, so then the term makes sense. Where do the other terms come from? How can a drink be “soft”? And what is “pop” supposed to mean anyway?
10. Africa has many creatures determined to dwell in our homes. I found two frogs living in my cupboard, a big giant scary moth thought my lightbulb was his home, colonies of ants continue to spring up all over my room, we found a bat in the bathroom (which caused much hilarity in trying to remove it- haven’t laughed that hard as long as I can remember), and a cobra outside the garage.
Happy Valentine’s Day 
Danke fuer das Deutsch Schreiben Anastasia! Auf Valentine’s Tag muess ich doch sagen- ich habe dich immer und ewig LIEB!!
“Soft drink” as opposed to “hard drink.” I think that’s where that comes from. Pop from the pressurization (my best guess), and soda because the guy who came up with carbonated water (Joseph Priestly, unless I miss my guess) made it in a similar way as you made sodium bicarbonate back in the day, which was also called soda bicarb. Thus he called it “soda water.” From there it’s a short step to soda pop.
I agree that cooldrink makes more sense now, though.
I know I’m a bit late with this comment but only recently discovered your new blog.
Do you find that fries taste better when they’re called chips? Unless of course you eat too many of them.
yes totally! Because then you’re like “well I’m not eating fries, I’m eating chips”, which is a completely new realm of food for us Americans