How am I?

I am healthy both mentally and physically.

I have not had any health problems except my mosquito bites often become infected wounds that eventually heal. I enjoy the physical work of pounding garlic and peppers, of cooking over wood-burning fires, of sweating as I shop. I do need to start exercising though. Once I get to my new home and become familiar with my surroundings I will feel safer to go on a hike, a jog, or a bike ride.

My diet is probably not the healthiest at the moment. I eat a lot of white bread, rice, and cassava. The sauces often contain a lot of red palm oil, some eggplant, MSG, peanut butter, leaves of the cassava plant, or the potate (not potatoes) plant. Plus I love snacking on boiled peanuts and fried cassava balls (Guinea tater tots). Once I get to village though I hope to do a lot of stir-fries with plenty of veggies. I need to find a healthy grain though.

Mentally I am at a very low stress level. I tend to feel uncomfortable and sad if someone is mad at me or if someone asks me for something that I will not and cannot give, but the nice thing is Guineans quickly forget any emotional conflicts that they may have with you and quickly become your smiling friend again. I have not felt lonely like my first year in Seattle; although, this may change as I move to my little village.

I think my biggest challenge so far is keeping the mosquitoes from biting me and trying my best not to scratch my bites when those beautiful black and blue insects have a nice Jennifer snack. Sometimes I don't smack them as the line up at the blood bar. They just look so pretty.