My night guard told me a story last night. He said that early in the morning right in front of my house he saw a monkey on the back of a pig. The pig was freaking out and running real fast and the monkey was just laying down relaxing. I wish I would have been there to see that.
On another note, this week I start a new schedule with my language learning. Monday, Wednesday, Friday I will continue to go to my same language teacher, but on Tuesdays and Thursdays I will go to a different language teacher. This teacher is supposed to be real good on pronunciation, and if you remember, that was my biggest problem that I had on my test that I took last month. So please continue pray for my language learning. Please also pray for my classes with my new teacher that I start on Tuesday. You need a lot of patience to be able to teach me. Also, please pray that our relationship will start out on the right foot. Pray also that I will remember the real reasons on why I’m trying to learn this language and I will be able to spend an ample amount of time studying both the Word and Pulaar and that I will also be able to share stories and the things that I learn with my friends and neighbors.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
A COUPLE OF SOUVENIRS
I’ve been back “home” in Kolda for almost 2 weeks now and I must say that my transition was not what I expected. I thought that all my African friends would give me a hard time for being gone for over three weeks but that wasn’t the case. I had not prepared myself for the shock that I would get from hanging out with English speaking believers for three weeks and then going back to Pulaar speaking non-believers. The problem wasn’t with language, it wasn’t with the people here in Kolda, it was all me. I guess you can call it culture shock, but I’m getting back into the rhythm. Before I know it, I will stop focusing on learning the language and my schedule will change again!!!
I did want to show you one of my souvenirs that I got during my time away from Kolda. It's made from the wood of an actual African tree. Perty, huh?
Today I had a real fun experience. I was hanging out with some of the guys my age and they told me to come play soccer with them. I knew that this would be a lot different than the 4 on 4 that we play in the rode in front of my house, but I was ready. We went to a big field and had real goals!!! Well kinda, they were big branches that were dug into the ground and a rope tied to the top of the branches connecting the two and it made the top bar. We get there and we start kicking the ball around a little, and when everyone shows up we start to stretch. Then they tell me we are going to go for a little jog….20 minutes later we stop and then the coach dude tells us to get in a square and we run the short sprints basically chasing each other around the square. Then we did this little sprint drill running back and forth in the shape of a star. Then we did this other drill running just like the star drill but with only one line. After that they spilt us up into teams and we finally started to play, which was fun. Before I knew it, it got dark and we went home. I can remember a bunch of people telling me that African training consists of running, running, and scrimmaging. I guess you never really believe it till you see it with you own eyes. I was told it’s the same way in every sport. You may not be the best ball handler or have the best plays, but as long as you can run, you can do anything! I’ll have to remember that later on.
I did want to show you one of my souvenirs that I got during my time away from Kolda. It's made from the wood of an actual African tree. Perty, huh? Today I had a real fun experience. I was hanging out with some of the guys my age and they told me to come play soccer with them. I knew that this would be a lot different than the 4 on 4 that we play in the rode in front of my house, but I was ready. We went to a big field and had real goals!!! Well kinda, they were big branches that were dug into the ground and a rope tied to the top of the branches connecting the two and it made the top bar. We get there and we start kicking the ball around a little, and when everyone shows up we start to stretch. Then they tell me we are going to go for a little jog….20 minutes later we stop and then the coach dude tells us to get in a square and we run the short sprints basically chasing each other around the square. Then we did this little sprint drill running back and forth in the shape of a star. Then we did this other drill running just like the star drill but with only one line. After that they spilt us up into teams and we finally started to play, which was fun. Before I knew it, it got dark and we went home. I can remember a bunch of people telling me that African training consists of running, running, and scrimmaging. I guess you never really believe it till you see it with you own eyes. I was told it’s the same way in every sport. You may not be the best ball handler or have the best plays, but as long as you can run, you can do anything! I’ll have to remember that later on.
As much fun as I had I thought I would show you a little souvenir from the day. I remember kicking the ball and my toe hurting for a second. When I got home and cleaned all the dirt from my feet I could see that I really had bruised my toe.
Oh well, it doesn't hurt as bad as it looks.
(Cool tan, huh?)
Friday, August 8, 2008
epieniazek@gowestafrica.org
This is my new email address. I've been having some problems with my other email address. The servers see that the email is coming from Africa and it goes to a lot of people’s junk folder, so I'm going to try something new. Would you please send an email to my new address and add it as a contact. I'm trying to get a little more organized. I'm still going to use my old email address as well but I'm going to try to use my new email address for communication between my prayer supporters and hopefuly I will start regularly sending out a short email with my prayer requests and leave my blog for the cool stories.
Oh yeah, all the build up of me trying to get home. Well, I finaly did and the process was very anti-clamatic. I'm glad to be back home. Thanks for the prayers.
And don’t be shy to tell all your friends to send an email to me. You can never have too much prayer. You can send your prayer request to that email accounts as well. I would love to pray for you.
epieniazek@gowestafrica.org
Oh yeah, all the build up of me trying to get home. Well, I finaly did and the process was very anti-clamatic. I'm glad to be back home. Thanks for the prayers.
And don’t be shy to tell all your friends to send an email to me. You can never have too much prayer. You can send your prayer request to that email accounts as well. I would love to pray for you.
epieniazek@gowestafrica.org
Saturday, August 2, 2008
African traveling!!!
My last blog was a little short, so I’ll try to explain while I still have a limited time here on the Internet. My one problem turned into 2 problems. Then one of the problems got a lot less serious, and back to one problem. But then I was back to two problems, if you would call them that. I’m in Africa, a problem is just a normal way of life.
First would have to be a problem with travel. I was told that I might have a hard time getting back in the country of Senegal with my passport but then I was told later that it won’t be as much as big a deal as I first thought. I would have the problem in some of the other West African countries, but when in Africa you never know.
The second problem would be an airline strike!!!! That’s not something that you want to say out loud either. It was a big scare but it only lasted about 24 hours and didn’t affect but about 15 people in the region.
The third, which we are still in the middle of now, is the plane had some mechanical problems. All the people going to Senegal (around 30) waited at the airport a while then they sent us to a hotel in Cote d’Ivoire, where I am right now as I’m typing this. Don’t know when we'll finally get back to Senegal, but I hoping and praying it’s soon. My local flight that I would take to Senegal takes off in like 2 hours so I’m going to miss that one, but that doesn’t bother me. I just want to get back to Senegal.
First would have to be a problem with travel. I was told that I might have a hard time getting back in the country of Senegal with my passport but then I was told later that it won’t be as much as big a deal as I first thought. I would have the problem in some of the other West African countries, but when in Africa you never know.
The second problem would be an airline strike!!!! That’s not something that you want to say out loud either. It was a big scare but it only lasted about 24 hours and didn’t affect but about 15 people in the region.
The third, which we are still in the middle of now, is the plane had some mechanical problems. All the people going to Senegal (around 30) waited at the airport a while then they sent us to a hotel in Cote d’Ivoire, where I am right now as I’m typing this. Don’t know when we'll finally get back to Senegal, but I hoping and praying it’s soon. My local flight that I would take to Senegal takes off in like 2 hours so I’m going to miss that one, but that doesn’t bother me. I just want to get back to Senegal.
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