13:45 31 December 2008
Two out of three of my host sisters and two out of three of my host nieces have returned for the New Year’s celebrations at home. It’s nice hanging out around my youngest host sister as her English is quite good and she is just overall a funny girl that reminds me a lot of my sister back home. In the preparations for the New Year, we have slaughtered two geese and a sheep- which reminds me, our sheep have returned- more on this later. Unlike Christmas in the states, the tradition here is to put up the Yulka (Christmas tree) very shortly before for the New Year. Oddly enough, after nearly twenty-two years living in the primarily Christian countries, the first experience I had putting up a Christmas tree was in a Muslim country. It was still a fun experience with little kids running around and I broke out the chocolate chips I had sent to make chocolate chip cookies- they came out well and my family loved them despite the absence of brown sugar in this country. I’m looking forward to a fun and festive night with my family.
About my sheep. Sheep are hilarious. They are the dumbest animals I have ever had the opportunity to interact with. We have about twenty of them (since they came three new lambs have been born) and watching them and working to feed, water, and tend them has left me both amused and somewhat disgusted by them. I think earlier I considered sheep somewhat cute animals, but after being around them and their disgusting habits this is changing- though I have to admit the lambs are still really cute. The sheep are also creepy- whenever I come around they all stare at me with a combination of mortal terror and hope that I will give them food. Sheep are a bit nimble, they sometimes jump the fence of their enclosure and will be found munching illicit hay (goats are even more impressive, while we don’t have them, it’s not uncommon to see them scale things improbably- they seem slightly more intelligent too). Whenever they have escaped, I try and chase them to jump back into their pen, which has resulted in the following hilarious occurrences: they try and run through a chain link fence, when this proves fruitless, they become confused, back up, and try again; a mother ewe kicked her recently born off-spring into the air in an attempt to flee me- the lamb was dazed but unharmed and got the special service of being picked up and placed back into the pen; sheep trying to jump over the fence but jumping to early and face planting into the trough in front of their pen; sheep jumping correctly, but not quite high enough, and having their legs catch on the top of the fence so that they land on their face in the pen. All of these incidents have convinced me of the supreme idiocy of these animals but also the value of watching them for humor.
Anyhow, after rambling on about sheep, I really just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year, I really appreciate how many of you that seem to read these and as always I love getting your questions and feedback. Best of luck to all of you in 2009.
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1 comment:
happy new year to you too. I really enjoy reading your blog. I love how courageous you are to try new things and also how yousee the humor in so many unique situations. i am sure we will be talking about you at book club. Your mom gives us briefs on your latest adventures - and reminds us to read the blog.
My sister was in the peace corp in honduras and lived in a hut. she also had many amusing stories inlcuding the toilet in her home drained directly intothe river/creek behind the house; the poisonous snake that moved in above her icebox; the theft of her clothes off her clothline and the subsequent sighting of half the women in the tiny village wearing her clothes but denying they were hers - another neighbor had to intervene to get them back; and of course her attempts at starting and aerobics class and a women's health class for the village women.
When i read about the situtation you are in it sounds more unique however when I see the pictures I an reminded that people are the same the world over. They just want to enjoy their families and friends, put food on the table and be healthy and safe - which is my same wish for you for the new year.
Take care and keep writing -
be well, carla sherry
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