Housewarming

July 29, 2011

I’m wearing a sweatshirt, drinking hot chocolate, and wrapping myself in a pagne right now and it’s probably 75 degrees.  The rainy season has brought a mini cool wave, and it’s very welcome.  Oh and I’m doing all of this from my…new house in Pehunco! I moved! The switch happened last Saturday when a big truck (not like a pickup truck, more like what you’d fill with apples) pulled up to my concession in Tonri.  Two guys loaded everything, I jumped in the front seat with them, and we jumbled (big truck, bad road) the 10 kilometers to Pehunco blasting Bariba music on the radio.  They unloaded everything fairly quickly and then I got to unpacking.  The move was a long time coming but I pretty immediately felt like I had made the right decision.  I feel happier here, more comfortable, and more optimistic.  I really like the family whose concession I’m living in – the dad is the director of one of the ecole primaires in Pehunco and the mom always has a smile for me and speaks to me in Bariba even though she speaks French to teach me new words.  They have, I think, seven or eight kids, ranging from adult to the three year old, Mouba, who is incredibly cute and has sparkling, baby of the family eyes.  There are three teenage daughters who have all been welcoming and accepting of all my Batoure weirdness. 

This morning I went to the centre de santé in Pehunco and helped with the free infant vaccinations they do every Friday.  For some reason coming to the health center to get your baby vaccinated is an occasion to dress to the nines, babies included.  Mamas wear fancy modèles (top and skirt in matching tissu), excessive jewelry (rings on every finger), and the snazziest shoes they own.  Babies who won’t walk for another year wear socks and shoes to complement their ruffled dresses and denim outfits.  I had gone with Dave before so I generally knew what was going on.  First, the women drop off their carnet de santé (health booklet), and then I help match the carnet to their health record sheet.  After this is done I go over to where all the mamas are and hang out and eat while we wait for the vaccines to be counted and prepared.  The food at the centre de santé is another draw.  To start with there are gateaux – not cake, but fried sweet dough balls – and pâté – fried dough balls that taste like bialys.  Then bissap and citron juice.  Pâte rouge with jus (tomatoes and onions).  Also something that looks a lot like yogurt and is served with crushed ice, sugar, and sweetened condensed milk.  I was really excited the first time I had it, thinking I was eating something that was at least a little good for me and getting some calcium and protein. I couldn’t quell my curiosity about where this dairy was coming from so the second time I had it I asked the mama.  I wish I hadn’t.  It comes from corn.

When everything is ready I help read off names and give the women back their carnets so they can get in line to have their baby stuck.  Reading names is a fun game.  First, I live in Baribaland so most names are on the lines of Barikissou, Fousseina, and Hawaou.  Second, there’s the handwriting to decipher.  And lastly, this name reading is being done in a small room crowded with women and crying babies.  Today the vaccinations ended around 1 pm, just as the rain was starting.  I jumped on my bike, picked up bread on the way home (I can eat this every day if I want to now), and went home to make a PB & J sandwich and watch the Wire on my computer.  Not a bad afternoon.  I’ve been hanging out in my concession in the evenings; I usually bring a book out and read or talk to whoever’s there.  Tonight after pâte (with good sauce and meat!), we watched a DVD of a DJ Arafat concert.  Pretty entertaining even though we watched the exact same thing last night.  Catching myself falling asleep, I said my bonne nuits and that was the day.   

Below are pictures of my new house!

Living room, front door to the right

Back shower/kitchen area

Living room, hallway leads to bedrooms and back area