Recent Happenings

It is hard to believe June is almost over.  Living in a place that feels like perpetual summer, I still find it difficult to notice the passing of time. 

Over the past few weeks we have been busy with life and some extra events!

Compost bin

I've wanted to try composting for awhile as the dirt here seems to have a very clay like consistency.  We finally got a suitable container and are finishing our second week!  I'm sure I, Erin, as women, looked pretty funny to our neighbors drilling holes in this big container.  One neighbor asked if we had an animal inside because of the holes and rock on the lid. 

 

Our small garden.  From the left: lemon grass, basil starters, then chili at the far end.

 The real reason I wanted to start composting was out of a desire to grow a small garden, particularly vegetables or herbs that are difficult to get here, or that I rarely use.  Lemon grass and small chili peppers are very abundant here, but whenever I buy them at the market most of it goes bad before I can use them up.  I’ve also wanted to grow basil for the longest time as dried basil does not exist here in Barat.  Fresh basil can be found at the market but I’ve only ever seen lemon basil.  A nice neighbor cut off some springs from her plants after I asked where I could buy the plants.  It is lemon basil which will do until I find regular basil.  Green peppers are next on my list, again not available here.  We have some seeds Caedmon is anxious to plant, but I’m wanting to wait for some good compost first!

 

The filling in of our backyard has been finished, making a decent playing area.

Our picnic lunch on our bench in front of our house.

                                                     Caedmon finished kindergarten! 

Now it's summer vacation, though I'm not sure what that means as they've been playing outside all year and school was only ever two hours a day.  Never the less it was an achievement we celebrated first with a picnic of hot dogs.  We found some good sausage and I made buns.  Later we invited the neighbor kids over for cookies, ice cream, and a movie.  We used a big screen and projector in our front room.  It was great fun and something special for everyone, though the neighbor kids got a little bored as we didn't have any movies in their language. 

 

Our picnic lunch was joined by neighborhood friends!  They liked the hot dogs too, though not all of them liked the ketchup.

 

Caedmon riding the length of our street on his second day of being able to ride a bicycle.

 

The neighbor girls have bicycles that both boys have been interested in.  Caedmon spent a couple weeks riding the small bike with training wheels, then set his sights higher.  After about a week and a half of pushing with his feet and occasionally trying to pedal, he has learned how to ride a bike!  And now another item has been added to his birthday wish list. 

 

  We have also had the pleasure of attending multiple events: a baby naming party, a circumcision party, and a graduation parade. 

Folding banana leaves for a desert to be steamed inside. 

Preparations the day before for the baby naming party. 

It is a custom here to name your child at a special party at least 7 days after birth.  Many people wait longer than 7 days until they are financially able or have the time.  Our neighbors had the party about a month and a half after their baby's birth, at which point the name was made public and began to be used.  The day before the party family, friends, and nighbors all gathered to help with preparations.  I joined them, pealing shallots and garlic in the morning, then folding banana leaves in the afternoon. 

The actual event started the next morning with cutting of the baby's hair and placing it in a coconut.  They then read various prayers and served a meal.

 

A nurse, on the far right, preparing to circumcise the 12 year old on the bed. 

It is the custom here that boys are circumcised between 10 and 12 years.  Here in Barat you just have it done in your home, by a nurse.  Our host family's son had this pleasure last Saturday.  John and the boys went early to watch the procedure, which is not a very private event.  We then took part in the celebratory meal afterwards. 





Graduation Parade

John was invited to a small town about 20km away.  The town was celebrating children who had graduated from kindergarten and also those that finished learning to read Arabic with a parade.   All the children dressed up in either tradition dress or other costumes.  Those that finished learning to read Arabic rode horses.  There were over 80 horses. 


Girls decked out in tradition dress. 

Just graduated kindergarteners, also decked out in traditional dress.

 

Teaching our house help to read. 

On a more daily basis, I, Erin, have been teaching our house help to read.  She is from village south of us, but has lived here since her marriage.  She is in her twenties and never graduated elementary school.  It has been my pleasure to spend about 15mintues most days teaching her to read the national language.  The national language unfortunately is her second language, but the letters and sound system are the same.  It has proved a little humorous at times when there is a word she reads that neither of us know!  It has been exciting to see her light up when she understand the words on the page and see her begin to refer to herself as 'just a little smart.'

 

And more kids!

Each day seems to bring a new face to our front yards and new challenges as our cultures collide.  Sunday we invited the children of our host family over; the same family we lived with for 5 months.  The younger girl is the same age as Whitman.  At one point in the afternoon she came to me asking to go ‘pee.’  I helped her to the bathroom and told her to sit as I pointed to the toilet.  Apparently I was not clear enough, for just as I feared, she immediately squatted on the floor and peed.  Thankfully she was in the bathroom, but our bathroom is more like a shower with a toilet in it.  I helped her get dressed then proceed to disinfect the bathroom floor. 

A highlight from the weekend though, occurred when two neighbor girls stopped by to ask for a Band-Aid for a small cut.  Apparently we are known as the house with Band-Aids! 

A challenge recently has been to love the kids as we are called to.  There is a group of kids that wander the neighborhood looking for plastic, glass, and cans to turn in for money.  Apparently they can get a nickel for 1 kilogram of plastic.  I have told these kids to always stop by as I will set aside our plastic, glass, and cans for them.  This is the closest I can get to recycling here and it helps these kids out.  These kids have also taken to peering in our windows.  The other day they proceeded to ask for the apples on our counter.  It stirs up different sentiments in me when I am asked to give versus deciding to give on my own, especially in a manner my culture would see as rather impolite.  I am called to welcome these kids, not hinder them, and give to those who are in need.  So I am learning to love them are they are truly loved and look past cultural, social, and economic differences. 

Saturdays

 

Ever since we first arrived in country, we have set Saturdays aside as a family day.  The culture here is very relational and as we take initiative to build relationships and learn language it can be difficult to spend time just as a family.  So, on Saturdays we may stay home and Skype, or go out to an enjoyable and relatively quiet place!  In the big city this usually meant the mall as it was air conditioned, had play structures for the boys, and was pretty quiet on Saturday mornings.  Now in the small city of Barat there are no malls.  There is one city park along the beach.  Though kids are still in school on Saturdays the city park turned out to be pretty busy with fish vendors, many wanting to talk to us.  The beach has turned out to be a great spot.  Sunday the beach can be quite busy, but we have enjoyed it on Saturdays as we usually only see a couple other people. 

My favorite beach from the cliff above.  It is a 30minute walk from our house.

Looking towards the opposite cliff. 

Down on the beach!
This beach is pretty rocky, reminding John more of the Oregon coast than Florida!  The water is clearer, there is less trash, and it is quieter than the other more popular beach. 

 

We still run into locals wanting to chat.

If we don’t feel like the beach, we head to the graveyard.  This isn’t just any graveyard.  It is a historical graveyard where former Kings from the area are buried.  It is larger and more beautiful than any park here or in the big city (not that there really are parks).  The graveyard sits upon a cliff with an incredible view of the ocean.  There are multiple little places to sit and catch some shade, along with a fair amount of open area with grass.  It is also very quiet.  Most people don’t choose to go and sit in a graveyard, even to the extent some are too afraid of spirits to venture there. 

Walking through a neighborhood on the way to the graveyard we are joined by a group of kids coming out to 'see the westerners.'

A well and public bathrooms for those in the neighborhood without water in their homes. 

From the neighborhood we climb up the hill! 

A community graveyard, still in use today.

Entrance to the King's Graveyard

Nice large grassy area with a view. 

 

Historic graves.

More historic graves.

A traditional house within the complex.

Enjoying the shade, a small breeze, and the quiet!

Whitman

Caedmon

The view!
Fishing boats and homes below.

Kids

Most kids are just left to play and wander on their own.  Small children that can already walk usually are left to the care of older siblings.  I’m probably a pretty odd sight as the only adult that follows my children around wherever they go.  The other day the boys wanted to play badminton at tennis courts that are practically next door.  I followed them over there along with at least 8 other kids.  I was the only adult.  The ages ranged from 18months to 13 years. 

One of our neighbors, an 18month old cutie, accompanied to the tennis courts by his 11 year sister.

Sisters of the small boy; the 5 year old is a skilled climber, as her 11 year old sister watches from below1

More neighbors, enjoying the space to play!

On a different day some kids were over at our house playing and reading books with the boys.  When Caedmon and Whitman left to go on an errand with John, the kids just stayed.   The whole time they read the books we had in the national language.  It made me wonder if they have any books at home to read for themselves.  They are 2nd and 3rd graders who seemed, on that day, very enthusiastic to practice their reading skills. 

 

Neighbor kids reading.