free time!!

You gotta love it when your supervisor tells you to "get some rest" for a period of 2 weeks. You see what the work load was for us during the month of June. Volunteer teams are great, and I love having them come. They are such an encouragement as well as an inspiration for us the workers living here. But many long days and laughter add up to short nights and much energy spent. I've taken the last week to rest up for our last group who comes so that I may be strong for them. And I can't let these kids out energize me!

So what have I done? Sleep? Not really. It's 100 degrees in my house at night these days. I just can't seem to get it cooled after the sun shines on the house all day long. What I have done, though, is read. I'm on book #3. I read a James Bond book and I read a John Grisham book already. This book that I am on now is the Borne Identity. It's been a surprisingly good book. For those of you who never have read the book but seen the movie, it's NOTHING like the movie. Honestly the only similarity is the 2 characters and that Borne has no memory of who he really is. Everything else is so much better! There's more action, more twists, and of course more detail. I highly recommend this book.

I've also gone to Dakar to spend the day at Goree Island. You can read more about Goree here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gor%C3%A9e
The short story is that it was once a slave trading site where ships would come and take slaves to the Americas (both north and south). They have a slave house that is open for touring. It's amazing how small the quarters were for the people to sleep. And it reminds the tourists that those slaves who didn't die during the voyage arrived weak and malnourished. Goree is a very popular tourist site in Senegal with many sellers offering paintings, jewelry, cloth, and musical instruments to would-be buyers. They have a few museums there (I really enjoyed seeing the museum today) a school, a few government buildings, and many other attractions. Mom and George, I apologize for not taking you guys to see this. From what I saw the first time I visited, it wasn't worth the trip. Today after getting to see it, I was more aware of all that it offered.

I've also got good intentions to still do a few visits with neighbors and friends. I haven't visited much so far this week (just 2 villages), but I do want to get out tomorrow and friday to see some good friends here in Mekhe. One person wants me to play the guitar for him and his family. When all this is done, Saturday I'm taking a weekend vacation to Saly, our beach not too far away. I will go there with the intent to read, swim, and listen to the NASCAR race online.

So that's what's been going on these last few weeks. I do feel rested up and don't want to overdo it before the next group comes. I'll be ready for them!!