06/17/12-It's A Sierra Leonean Kind of Life

Woke up early today and pitched in on cooking. I was outside mashing the onions and pepper with a giant wooden mortar & pestle in front of the cooking hut. If all you motherfuckers could see me now, lol!!!

After breakfast I went to church with my host family. During my 1st day in Bo, there was a language misunderstanding and I accidentally said "YES" when she asked me if I was Christian......whoops. To be a team player, I agreed to attend service and to just pretty much observe. I suppose it's a good way to meet members of the community even though I'm a non-god fearing heathen. Following a religion is very important to the SLs so as suggested by our PC Staff it's just best to say that you believe but you prefer to pray alone in your room. I may be heading that route in the near future.

My 18yr old brother Simbul was teaching me how to "bruk" (wash clothes) after church. I think I was one of the most exciting events in the neighborhood, everyone gathered around to "watch Kenyah Simbo bruk". I gave everyone a good show, they were impressed, lol. I had to ask my mom to tell them to leave me alone as I was about to start washing my panties. Simbul doesn't understand English very well and I think my Krio accent isn't strong enough so I had a hard time telling him that "I bruk fayn broda, yu de go na os fo wok". Yet he still sat across from me as he put his hands in the basin to help. Oh please god don't get a hold of my polka dot ruffle panties......awkward, lol.

I finally caved and let a neighbor "plant" my hair (cornrows). All the girls always ask me to put my hair down, no it's not a weave, and yes it's all natural, haha. It looks a little "thug life-ish" for me, kinda feels like Queen Latifah in "Set It Off", but I have pleased the locals and they are now calling me an African woman.

We ended the day with watching terrible Nigerian and Sierra Leonean films with all the same plot.......rich city girl, meets poor village boy, they fall in love, girl's father disapproves, tragic ending. I smile and nod, and use this time to be wit mi fambul dem. At least, the SL films helps me practice my Krio comprehension even though the movie sound quality sounds that of an 80s tape recorder in a bathroom, lol.