Day of Days (early January)
Day of days. Beautiful. Missed a meeting, but I needed to. Got some work done that has been weighing. Bike ride like butter. Sweet heat. Tchouck waiting. Random people mentioning the work I have been up to. Girl with the blue eye cadeaus me. Lovely greetings roll right off my tongue. The blood is calm in my veins. My feet are beneath me.
Amazing how much you can get done in one sweep; things one puts off for months. The time was ripe. Healed some scabs; Madeline and Victor. Her and I on the bench. We talked of my departure and it was sad. I know it will be incredibly difficult when the day arrives. Excited for the next chapter. Breathing easy, knowing that I will not know but that it will be everything I need it to be. My self is so whole, so ready to expand and rest easy upon the wind. My eyes are soft and ready to see. I will myself just to be me.
…..
Another fantastic day. Had youth club this afternoon- record attendance, over 50 kids!! Felt awesome and we had a really great time. Things are beginning to come together again. It is exhausting, and lovely.
Had dinner at Madeline’s house tonight, looking to make it a weekly thing. We agreed to forgive her debt in this way. It felt like family; sharing a bowl of pate and sauce, kids running around chickens and kittens. Dirty as hell. I love that none of this bothers me. I feel at one with my existence here.
Camp organization is coming along, as is the school proposal. Both too massive to digest. I think though, while stressful, they might be easier to manage than the work I do in Atalote. How you say? The beauty of collaboration. People on the same page, a wondrous thing.
On another note however, I have confirmed that someone is stealing from my house. Someone is stealing my tortillas. I made them in the morning, left them on my counter while I went to market, when I came home they were gone. Like I wouldn’t notice. Anyone that knows me knows you can’t mess with my tortillas.
I know that it is my host family, they have a key and Maman said she’s misplaced it. Uh huh. Nothing of consequence; a jar of mayonnaise, half a bottle of tapioca. I thought I was going crazy. Maybe I am… Going to change my locks tomorrow.
The longer I am here, the less I know. All I know is that I am willing to try new approaches. Seems that some of my hard work has paid off. There is a slow web of motivated people interconnecting through my conduit and we are arduously working, whether they know it or not, towards a common goal.
I miss friends and family. The comfort of the known, or rather, better known. On the other hand—what awesome people I have inducted into my life circle here!! Togolese and American alike, I have met and forged bonds over this last year that will last a lifetime. So many beautiful souls and vibrant spirits. Yeah, I’m in a good mood today.
It is bloody FREEZING at night right now. Jesus. Do I dare say it? I am looking forward to hot season.
People ask: WOW! How much do you think people have changed since getting here? How much do you think you have CHANGED?
My response: I am not sure people have Changed necessarily, I just think they have become more themselves since arriving. That being said, of course people have changed. Do we yet know how? I would say probably not.