I’ve been bad about blogging lately. What’s new. Sorry
everyone, I’ve been enjoying lots of time in my site, getting to know new
people, etc. I have also finished 3 ½ seasons of West Wing and the book War
and Peace. So obviously, getting
things done. Anyway, today I am feeling
inspired to make a short list of things that have made me feel successful
and/or like an awesome person/real PCV. Or something.
1) Finished a grant application. My first one. And
it was pretty hard and definitely tedious but it’s done. Hamdullah. Now I will
just chill and wait for it to get accepted, inshallah.
2)
Perfected a spice cake recipe.
3)
Fasted. Mostly.
4)
Killed 5 cockroaches in one night. With my bare
hands. Ok, that’s actually a lie. I did kill a bunch, but it’s because of this
chalk that you draw with on the floor. It’s from China and probably full of a
super large amount of chemicals that are not legal in the US but it’s really
effective.
5)
Started learning the Arabic alphabet.
6)
Watched shooting stars with my host kids.
7)
Got chased by a dog while riding my bike at
night. I almost lost. Then my bike seat broke off, for the win.
8)
Made a chocolate cake that everyone liked
(harder than one might imagine…baked goods just don’t go over quite the same
here as they do back home).
9)
Told a joke that everyone thought was
funny. It was related to having a “food
baby” after breaking fast.
10)
Reinstalled Microsoft Office on my computer.
Open Office just doesn’t cut it. Also, OneNote is the bomb.
11)
Cut my own hair.
12)
Managed to acquire a drum, headband, earrings,
cup and saucer and Berber doll house. I wanted none of these things, but it’s
basically impossible to say no…
13)
Paid my first water bill. Hard to say if it was
for one month or maybe three, but I was impressed with the existence of a receipt.
14)
Decided to learn how to do henna. Prompted by my
ugly henna-spotted toenails, a design which one of my friends decided to test
on me...needs fixing now…
15)
Rediscovered my love of fresh figs. If you’ve
never had a fresh fig (and you probably haven’t), do it. Fig Newtons (my only
previous experience with figs) are like the lame older sibling that still lives
in your parents’ basement compared to fresh stuff. Downside: ff (fresh figs) do
not travel back from the city well and fig mush isn’t really so tasty…
