October already?

I know I know it’s been way to long…there are no excuses so I won’t type any 

First off I would like to list the things that I have realized I would like sent to me. Please take this as a suggestion but realize how amazing these things would be! Oh and bubble packages are better! Boxes are ok but I have to pay to pick them up!
In no particular order:
Liquid hand soap
Wheat thins/Cheese-itz
Cocoa powder
Cinnamon
Wheat flour
Seeds to plant a garden (cilantro, basil, tomatoes, bell peppers)
Puzzles (you could put the pieces in a plastic bag and take a picture of the cover, or it could be a surprise when I put it together! Ha!)
Travel games
Uno
Sweet-n-low packets (splenda or whatever’s cheapest)
Reese pieces, M&Ms, ANY CHOCOLATE, chocolate chips for cookies
Blueberries, raisins, Oceanspray craisins (the trail mix one is delicious!)
Chexmix
Cake mix, brownie mix, any desert mix
TWIZZLERS (disclaimer: sending a package without candy is like a cruel joke even if you just throw in a lousy tootsie roll it’s better than nothing)
Crystal light packets/ Gatorade/ PowerAde/ Kool-Aid mixes (lemonade, raspberry lemonade, fruit punch, anything fruity and delicious)
Solid color t-shirt from target/ON/anywhere fitted cap sleeves or tank top that’s not revealing or spaghetti strap in any bright solid color orange, red, blue, green, pink, teal, maybe even brown or tan (it would match this tissue I got a skirt made in) Size Large is good or get medium if it looks huge just use your judgment!
CD’s or any current new music
Super large flash drive like 16G
Sunscreen (I like the spray sport one that’s sweat proof)
Things to pamper myself with!
Any other food you think I might miss which is EVERYTHING that can transport well
Soup mixes/packets
Protein powder/bars
Special K bars/ granola bars
Spices you usually live by
Pepper grinder (they sell black pepper kernels here and I know I could smash them up)

I think you get the idea!

So I had a really great past weekend…there was a meeting in Nati so the volunteers in my region came to the workstation and I got to see everyone and hang out with them. It’s really cool to hear what everyone is doing at post and how we are all adjusting differently but we are all going through similar experiences with homologues and neighbors and random people asking us for money or to “start our program” with them immediately. Some people think that we are here just to help them exclusively and it’s always interesting to hear about those different situations. I had a young male neighbor who came up to me and wanted me to help him so I sat with him and talked with him for an hour. I told him I was from Texas and asked if he knew where it was, of course he said no. At the end of our conversation he told me he had always wanted to go to Texas and he was so glad that I was here to help him get there. Anyways I politely told him why I was here and if I could help him I would love to but I need to work with my counterpart first and see what they need me to do.

Speaking of work partner, today I helped distribute school supplies to BEF’s students it was so awesome! Just like back at home when the schools list the supplies needed for every class; we packaged up the notebooks, pens, rulers, erasers, and other things for each student and handed them out at the office. I’m excited to go and meet the students in the next few weeks and see what I can do for them!

Well unfortunately my power went out…it usually goes out 3-4 times a day which isn’t bad. Since my computer sucks and is going to die any day now I need to wrap this up because I probably have about 5 minutes left without constant charge. Oh and I have ducks on my roof….seriously big fat UGLY ducks sit and walk around on my roof; which is made of like sheet metal so its horribly loud and annoying. The first time it happened I thought there was a human walking around on my roof! There’s a little complaining for you!

So far everything is still going great! Thanks to my mom, sis, Tina, Ashley Vaughan (Congrats again on the engagement!), Casey (Congrats on the job offer!) for calling me and making my week awesome! I need to write some more letters to everyone…I’ve been lazy my bad!

I love and miss everyone and thanks for taking the time to read my blogs…I know they are old but I still feel like I should put them up so people know what I am doing or at least have done!

Oh and special shot out to Jonny’s Parents! Don’t worry I will share the candy in my packages with Jonny!!

Also one last thing tonight I gave silly bands to my neighbors children which seriously made them so freaking happy they couldn’t finish their chores for the evening which negatively sparked the reaction of their mother who then wanted to know why I gave the kids presents and not her so I gave her a silly band then the other neighbor with her son came over and demanded I give her a present (in a nice way; Petit Cadeaux are big here) so I willingly obliged and gave her and her son silly bands. Then the first neighbor asked me why I didn’t give one to her 7 month old baby so I tried to explain how it could be dangerous (her son was carrying the silly band around in his mouth and I started to picture the baby choking on it and I didn’t want to be responsible for a babies death, but I couldn’t explain this in French) so I told her to keep it until the baby was older. Then I asked if everyone was happy and you bet they were HAPPY! Isn’t it ridiculous how one tiny plastic bracelet worth $.10 can bring people together! HAHA! Silly bands are taking over the world. I should write the inventor of silly bands and see if I could get some shipped to Benin. I bet $50 tomorrow morning I will have every child (and Mother) in a 3 mile radius at my door asking for silly bands.

A la prochain