Ants in my pants

As everyone should know by now I decided to go ahead with my first head shave. Never done it before in my life and figured now was the best opportunity to try it out. What do you think? It could be my look for the next year or two. Makes hair cuts less complicated, less shampoo, less water to lug to the shower, cooler…I just have to keep it from too much sun.

My family cuts their hair by taking a fine blade and placing it together with a comb. The blade edge rides close to the tip of the comb’s bristles so it’s not a direct shave, but just as close as electric clippers might get it. Long story short I got curious how they cut their hair and thirty minutes later there was nothing left. However, the blade technique didn’t work too well on my hair so the buzz was achieved with a sole pair of scissors. I figure it was a good bonding experience with my family (of course they were delighted as they watched) but needless to say I had to go back over it with someone’s clippers to even things out a couple of days later.

Had my first go riding passenger of a motor bike today! I know I’ve already mentioned this but motorbikes are the most common mode of transportation here. They’ll whip around at quick speeds and at times really load them with people. The other day I saw 4 grown men on one motorcycle heading out the dirt road to the fields for work. My spin was short today but enjoyable nonetheless. No doubt it will be something I become quite accustomed to.

Funny thing happened today with a friend of mine. We had been forewarned about the ants here and how they can become very abundant and unfriendly at the same time, though we had not yet experienced it. Sometimes you can walk along the road and see a fine line of large ants marching across the road, but I always just step over them and continue on my way. Well today as we walked through a path we had the misfortune of happening upon an infestation of red ants. At first I was curiously interested by the millions of ants that I just realized I was standing on, but as my friend (who was in front) shrieked and bolted past me I felt the first couple bites! Man! Those things swarmed our legs in a hurry and we spent a good five minutes trying to rid ourselves of them all!

I’ve been feeling sorry for my house mom. She’s been suffering from a terrible toothache the past couple of days. She’s gone to get medicine but I’m not sure if she has any intention of making a trip to a dentist of any sort. Their pastor came by tonight to see how she was doing, but you can still tell she’s having a hard time of it. I wish there was something I could do besides offering a cheer for “du courage”. From the sounds of it she needs to have a tooth pulled. Reminds me too of the Nigerian soccer player I met back in Lome. The poor guy made his living playing soccer, but had hurt his knee. Neither he nor his team had the money to get him a good doctor and the fate of his career and livelihood was basically left to chance that things would heal up for him. It’s another reminder of comforts most of us back home are privilege to.

Time to wrap up again. I’ll be up early for exercise with Jera and I know he won’t let me out of it. 5:15 we’ll be at it. Push-ups on bricks, pull ups in an orange tree and a jog to the tall Capocier tree every other day (Shimmying one of the Papaya trees, optional). Hope everyone’s doing well! A plus!