Oh the Heat... and my first big village meeting

So, 8:30 in the morning and it’s already 100 degrees… If today’s like the last 3 weeks, by noon our thermometer will be 120 (in the shade). SIGH, I am slowly learning how to deal with the heat, heat-rash, etc.. basically just jump in the shower fully dressed and then lounge around in wet clothesJ Works great here at the hostel, but I’m still trying to work it out in the bush when I’m rationed to two buckets of water a day!
Anyway, I’ve been at the hostel the past couple nights to write my proposals for my two projects- grain bank (co-op) and chemical fertilizer bank. Though I really enjoy my village, its really nice to take a break in the hostel where there’s showers, fridge/freezers, an oven… So, only been here two days but definitely have caught up on my cooking- made French toast (twice), cookies, chili, and cake! In the bush it’s just so hot to turn on the oven during the day that I cook as small amount as possible- I’ve dropped in on my villagers more often for hura or tuwo (both made of millet- hura a milk and millet drink with pepper, tuwo, a ground millet gelatinous patty with sauce on it) which is really starting to grow on me.
About a week ago I held my first big all-village meeting- it was so nerve-wracking! I will never again complain about any form of public speaking in English; holding a meeting in a language I barely speak with over a hundred people may have been one of the most intimidating things I’ve done. It’s amazing the things you take for granted like ability to communicate. When I first decided it was time to have my first meeting I talked to my village chief and we discussed the day and time- we decided Wednesday at 4- except actually we discussed it as being ‘Foloa’s market day’ around the La’azar (4:00 prayer call). I love time in this country! Because most of my villagers don’t own a clock or watch nor do they even know what time it is ever, all that goes on is explained by the Muslim calls to prayer times (and even then its give or take an hour or so). Anyway, I show up to my own meeting at 4, and it’s only me, my women’s group leader, one of my good friends, and the village second-in-command guy sitting in the room… I couldn’t help but get that ‘nobody likes me enough to come to my meeting’ feeling and I was feeling a bit sorry for myself J Well, by 5:00, our little one room school house was PACKED from wall to wall, it was great! They explained the tardiness that they couldn’t come until the livestock came in from the bush from grazing, duh.. (Silly me, what WAS I thinking!) But overall, I was very pleased with how the meeting went- they understood all my questions and I got my answers, and better yet, I understood all their questions and was able to give them answers, so overall, a success.
For all of next week I’m here in the hostel as the RR fill-in (Regional Representative) while the current one (Marcus) is on vacation. I’m actually kinda excited for the chance to get all my proposals written out and sent in, as well as maybe get some future project proposals written for future projects I have in mind, basically just do a bit of 2-year-planning and get some things started. Either way, I’m SURE I’ll find some time within the next week to write again!