my week in review

This past week has been a full one but fun. Sunday we (all but Jeremy and Haley because they were still recovering...they were both pretty sick for a few days) went to Beach #2. It is a really nice, white sandy beach about an hour away. Really it should only be about 20 minutes away but the roads are so terrible that it took well over an hour to get there. We were told this road was similar to the road we will be taking next week to go upcountry on our retreat. Woohoo! The beach was gorgeous and I hope to do more exploring the next time. I just sat on the beach and read this time. I heard up the river empties into the ocean right there and you can walk up the river and see hundreds if not thousands of crabs. What I saw was beautiful and I felt fully relaxed after our afternoon soaking it all in. Then Monday was a Muslim Pray Day....the day after Ramadan (sp) is over. The schools are out on this day. We had Lighthouse, which to get to we walk through Victoria Park every morning. This particular morning Eric and I walked into the park and right into the middle of the start of the morning prayers. The ENTIRE park was full of Muslims and they were just getting ready to pray. We went one way thinking we could find a way out, getting yelled out and pushed to move faster, we were stepping on mats and getting lots of dirty looks. A police officer had to help us find a way out of the park, but standing up and walking on one of the planters. It was CRAZY! We finally got to the youth center for Lighthouse. The pictures that I posted on my bubbleshare account are from the opposite entrance as prayer was over and people were pouring out of the park. Lighthouse was casual and fun that morning. We took lots of pics and goofed around. Then most of the kids went to Cami and Faye's house to hang out for the day. My friend Foday made some really spicy fishy groundnut soup which we ate for dinner. I had to run back to the house we were staying at while everyone ate and when I got back, he had saved me a bowl. :P I didn't get out of eating it. It turned out to be really good, it just took me a bottle or two of water to get through it. The kids sat in on our Krio class and it was fun because they asked us questions and we had to answer in Krio. It was the best Krio class we have ever had! We then watched Amistad and ate cookies and popcorn and had fun. Amistad is a heavy movie that I had never seen. It is about Sierra Leonean slaves. All the kids new the local language being spoken in the background and by the main character. It definitely brought the movie to life in a way that never could have been done had I not watched it with my friends...it was too real. Tuesday was a good day full of walking and internetting (yes, that can be a verb). That night I had dinner with my Lighthouse friend AbuBakar. I heard what Lighthouse is to him and his dreams for the future and some of his pains of the past. It was a sweet couple of hours that I think made my week! Yesterday was a busy day, as all Wednesdays are...lots of tutoring and then Krio class and dinner with the Zizers. Now here I am today. Got up early and came into town. Went to the markets to buy material and then on a walk with my friend Usman. He showed me his house. It was up a steep hill...pretty sure he was trying to kill me. But alas, here I am. It was great though to spend time with him and see his place that he pays for himself. He was very proud of it and I was happy to be there. Now, here I am interneting again. It is a beautiful sunny day here with a cool breeze. The weather today was/is perfect! So, I know this is a little more narrative than usual but I wanted to share my week with you because I have SO enjoyed it. I also have posted a lot of pics from the beach and from our Lighthouse fun day. Hope you enjoy!

http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/72473.fb200f95e93