Warm and fuzzy

November 15th=1 year as a PCV
November 16th=1 year at site

In honor of that...

Community integration is perhaps one of the most important factors in a PCVs “success” during their service. Even if you don’t have any projects at the time, just feeling loved by your community is the Prozac that gets you through your day. 

There are times I feel all warm and fuzzy when thinking about the villagers and there are times I most certainly have steam coming from my ears. In reality, my village does love me (or at least has strong affection for me...)

Let me count the ways. 

The teachers at my school really do seem happy to see me, especially after I have been gone for a while. I am greeted with a “Oooohhhhh Ashley Rice” by one teacher on a daily basis. 

The Grannies in the village are looking out for my welfare by periodically feeling my breasts and patting my stomach (checking for fertility I assume) and reminding me they do have a son for me to marry. If I decline, they then remind me that my eggs are rotting in my ovaries so I better not wait! I even went as far as to negotiate my own bride price (20 cows thank you, typical going rate is 8-10). 

My neighbor, after his chickens ATE my garden down to nubbins told me he will build me a better chicken proof gate. 

The Kgosi after instructing people to tear down my original garden instructed people to build me a better garden (with the afore mention non-chicken proof gate). 

I have a novel that I keep at school, just to keep me entertained when I am not working. It magically disappeared-I say one thing to my Counterpart and there is a mass school search. Sadly no book has turned up to date...

Its only taken a year, but children and coming over to play! We have a lot of fun between 430 and 6pm on almost a nightly basis! Last night I had a record of 21 kiddos! There is also nothing better than hearing kids running around your yard playing. 

Long and the short of it. People don’t show affection in way that I am used to. Its there.