There's a storm a comin!!!

Elephants and Big Rocks

So I guess I haven't talked about my projects for awhile and some people have ben curious about whats going on with that. For my garden the village has given me a space thats About 50 by 50 meters with plans to expand if we ned more land. Now I have to talk to the well diggers so I can get a well dug inside the garden. This way they won't half to haul water from 1 KM away to water their veggies. I'm also doing a lot of work with trees and reforestation. I would like to help them plant more trees because they play a very important part in the lives of the villagers, but they are disappearing. So right now I am interested in finding tree species that can be planted in and around the farm ground, but wil be beneficial for the farmers even though it takes field space. I'm looking at trees that are nitrogen fixers and trees that have fruits and leaves that can be used in sauces or as medicine. Its fun, but my access to resources here is limited so its also slow and frustrating at times. So thats my "work."

Now for some fun stuff. I came into Sevare about a week ago to get out of the heat because I had developed heat rash all over my back and upper chest and down my arms. And I also wanted to pick up a few things that I needed. It wasn't really suppose to be a long trip and I had every intention or getting in and getting out and back to site. But after a few days a fellow volunteer came in and said he was meeting up with a bunch of people in Hombori to go rock climbing and said I was more than welcome. So I ended up spending 3 days climbing all over rocks. I have to admit its a fun hobby. Illinois needs rocks.

After climbing I went with another PCV and his brothers to a place called Boni

to see elephants. We hired a vehicle and went driving around in the bush for about 2 hours until we finally found them. Once we found them we had toget out of the car and kinda stalk up to him. It was good though, he was very cooperative and we got some good pictures of him. After awhile though he had enoughof us and started to flare his ears and stomp the ground. When they do that its time to go. So thats my most recent adventures. I had spent a lot of time at site so it was good to get away for awhile. Speak some English. In just a few weeks I will be a year into my service.