Happy New Year! Okay, it’s definitely mid-January, but a few people still said “Bonne annee!” to me today in the streets. I’m now back in Maroua to go to the bank, which of course involves using the wonderful wi-fi at the transit house. I also had a brief meeting with someone who works with UNICEF, and we talked about a possible Peace Corps collaboration project in the Far North.

For New Year’s, I decided to stay at post rather than to travel go to Maroua to celebrate with the other volunteers. My New Year’s Eve was pretty quiet. I hung out with some neighbors until about 8 pm and then went back home. I watched “Love Actually” on my laptop (yes, I realize that I’m a week late.) Then, I did some midnight cleaning. Huh-zah!

When I was applying for Peace Corps, I remember hearing about people say that Peace Corps is really what you make of it. I worry that I am not doing enough, but I really have only been at post for just over a month. But, nevertheless, I’ve come to a conclusion: I love Kolofata.

I’m starting to feel a real sense of community, one that I so desperately hoped for in my Peace Corps experience. It reminds me of growing up in my neighborhood and playing with the other kids. Or being a first-year in college, when I would just walk down the halls and hang out with my friends at all hours. I love being able to just wander around my village and visit with my neighbors, who are always happy to see me and to share their love. I’ve gotten more comfortable with just being with them and not feeling the urge to fill every moment of silence with words, as I might’ve done when hanging out with people I don’t know too well back in the US. So, kids still say, “Bonjour, nassara”(“white person”) to me, or they call me by the name of the previous volunteer…but I’m starting to feel like I belong.

My friends crack me up. Yesterday at the hospital, one of the health promoters, Malloum, asked me if I’ve had measles. He does vaccinations at the hospital on Tuesdays, so I assumed he was asking if me I have been vaccinated. But he actually thought that I had the disease, because of the marks on my face. Um, no, that’s actually just my acne. Oh, goodness. At least my two year old neighbor likes to say “Catherine est belle!” Also, a nurse asked me to marry him earlier this week. And a patient asked for me for my phone number (In case you’re curious, I refused. In both cases.). So my self-esteem is still firmly intact.

I’m starting to get more into the swing of things at the hospital. I’ve continued to observe rounds at 7:30. Still helping with baby weighings. I also have been observing pre-natal consultations. The biggest thing is that I have been doing more animations. This past week, I did one on diarrhea, as well as a soy animation! They both went really well. People liked my presentations and they also enjoyed the soy milk. It made me happy.

So, Falta, my counterpart, does vaccinations Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays en brousse – meaning in the smaller villages that surround Kolofata. I started going en brousse with her every so often. I give animations in French, and she translates my French into Kanuri. The first time, I shared a moto with Falta and the driver, which was uncomfortable for all of us. So, the other two times,  I rode my bike and met her there. Both times, I managed to go past the villageand had to turn around when I realized my mistake. There aren’t many signs, and I have to ask people for help, who often don’t speak French (By “ask,” I mean, I say the name of the village – “Gadero?” and point - and they will in turn point and say something that sounds like they’re affirming or not) At least it’s good exercise!

On Sunday mornings, I go to the market with my neighbors, who help me make sure that I get fair prices – not nassara prices. Plus, some of the vendors don’t speak French. The market in Kolofata is tiny. I’ve been buying the same four things every week: potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and oranges. It makes me yearn for the grocery stores in the US, but I guess it’s not so bad. It just makes Maroua that much more exciting when I am here – today, I bought papayas, avocados, lettuce, eggplants, carrots, and an apple! Anyway, a lot of my neighbors regularly go to nearby towns, including Banki in Nigeria, to buy groceries and other necessities, and people often give them money to get them stuff. So, I think that I might find someone to buy me groceries as well.

Back to Kolofata tomorrow! I’ll be in Maroua again in about another month.