Gba. Tuckla duja!

I walked out of my hut and sat on the big root of our central tree
while I drank buille. It's funny because my family gives me this
HUGE bowl of this mush stuff and tells me to drink all of it. No one
else gets as much as I do. I always try to get someone to come eat
some of it, but they always quickly decline saying, "No, Emily you
need to eat all of it!" But the latest joke goes like this. They
taught me the word for 'selfish' in Nanjgere. Right after they
bring me my huge bowl, they say, "Oh, Emily is so selfish." Then,
they all laugh. I quickly fight back, "No! I'm not selfish! Here,
eat some!" And everyone says "No, no, you are selfish." and laughs
again. They frame me every time; make me look so selfish with my big bowl! :)
Another phrase that has become a wonderful source of laughter sounds
like this, "Gba, tuckla duja!" It means, "Come, fight me!" Mounden
puts up his stickish arms (he is always hungry because he's growing
alot right now) and challenges me. If I can keep from dying....of
laughter, I put up my fists and tell him he doesn't know what's
coming. I tell him he's afraid and rub his head with my
knuckles. Then all the little kids come up with their fists, "Gba,
tuckla duja!" Wrestling is so good.
So much love is growing at my house. This morning, I climbed out
from under my hole-filled mosquito net and pulled on a pair of
scrubs. I went outside and sat next to Esther. After a bit, I
felt the seams of my pants and realized that my pants were on
completely inside out. My family already has fun laughing at alot
of the things I wear and I stood up and stated, "This is not
good." They all started laughing so hard and shaking their heads
saying, "Emmmmiillllioooo! Ca ce pas bon!" I explained to them that
it's dark in my hut in the mornings and that it's hard to figure out
what I'm putting on. It reminded me of a moment that would take
place in my own family at home.
After finishing the buille, I saw the boys cleaning out their hut
and I decided that my hut needed a deep cleaning too. I carried my
things outside. Everyone decided they wanted to help me. I moved my
suitcase. Four, big, drowsy, and dehydrated-frogs came hopping out
and all the kids screamed! No one wanted to touch them and we made
Tony carry them out. Then we moved my other suitcase and ants had
burrowed a hole into the ground....what a mess. The floors are
dirt so the first step was to sprinkle water all over the floor. I
don't know why I never thought of this before because every time I
sweep I can hardly breathe! These Africans are so smart. So we
swept it clean! Oh, it looks awesome! Then, Izeedor started
flipping through my calendar that hangs on the wall and as he did, a
little scorpion scurried down the wall! Not comforting. I think
all the bugs, frogs, ants, and scorpions are out now. I'll sleep well tonight.