Skudda Munger

So - Im reading over my last blog post and suddenly realise it has been a long time since I wrote it! So much has happened. I am still really loving my time here. The weeks fly by as if they are three days long. The kids are more and more beautiful and the weekends are packed full of fun adventures. I feel like I am on a giant holiday.

It is hard to sum up what happens here, mainly because every day is a bit different. There are times when I realise where I am and it becomes clear to me that life here is 'normal' now.. I have passed the culture shock phase and am just living it day by day. Im so attatched to the kids. It makes me sad when I hear that a family are choosing to move on to another community. It happens a lot. Im losing a student this week actually. I am sad because she was one of the hardest ones to build a relationship with. It took a lot of work to build trust with her, and now she is leaving :(

Today I spent half of my time babysitting a 3 month old baby girl who was given to me at lunch time. Her mum is a lady who works in the kitchen preparing 'soup-soup' for the kids' lunch. This baby was handed to me straight after having a bath, and she was covered in white baby powder.. so adorable against her dark skin. She has a big mop of dead straight, thick black hair. Gorgeous. So the kids just went about their class work while I held this bubba. Good fun.

The kids have been teaching me kriol, so I am down with the lingo here now. They speak to me in kriol after school, because during school they are encouraged to learn standard english. I love letting them teach me. They are amazing. They take me down the river and show me where it is safe to drink and swim. They teach me all about which berries I can eat, and where to find the real sweet ones. They are so interested in me and my way of life - but then SO enthusiastic to show me theirs. I love it.

I have made friends with a lot of the women here. I have also managed to get to know a few people from the next town, and we catch up on weekends. Mainly nurses, teachers, and tradies. I have met a few too many cowboys too! They are funny funny people. Everyone has a cool story. It is like stepping onto the scene of Man From Snowy River.. the typical cowboy. I find it quite entertaining when they waltz into the pub with their flannies tucked into their uber tight jeans and cowboy hats that are broader than their shoulders. Funny funny.

It is a different world here. I could go on for ages trying to describe it. I guess you will just have to come and see it for yourself to really understand.

Corrie.

PS: One thing I am NOT enjoying - frogs in my toilet. They are my fear.. I can deal with all the other nasties.. but frogs.. no way.