Hi Honey, I'm Home!

I've made it to my permanent site! We're down to 80% in our cohort, as one of the boys (Matt) had to go back to the States, hopefully temporarily. Two months in, and two down. I hope this isn't developing into a pattern for us, because we only HAD ten to start with. 

The biggest downer for me was that he was going to by my closest neighbor of the whole cohort. Now the next closest is probably Thomas, who is about 5 hours away. I suppose it doesn't matter all that much, since I haven't heard from any of the others who came with me to Region Nine since we all got dropped off, but it was at least a comforting thought to know one was (sort-of) nearby (3 hours is close, right?).

As for me, I'm probably dying of sun poisoning, but before it actually kills me, I'm having a great time. There are horses to coddle, programs to design, my house needs some setting up, and I just bought a bicycle so that I can explore a bit. My hammock on the back porch, which was the first thing I set up of course, is getting plenty of use. The bike, in the first day that I've had it, has been ridden enough that I think my bum has a permanent indent from the bike seat. No, not the other way around. The bicycle seats here I'm fairly certain are made of cement, and we rode about three million miles today on the only road which is made up entirely of potholes and bumps.

My host family here has about seven horses, and I've already become very fond of one in particular, only to find out he had never been named! They looked at me like I was slightly crazy when I said he OUGHT to have a name, and so now he's Merlin. I'll have pictures of him soon. Maybe after I've given him a badly-needed bath. The family ALSO thinks I'm totally bonkers for wanting to give a horse a bath, but he's pretty badly chewed up by bugs, and has a big open wound on his leg that isn't healing well, so a bath is a good place to start.

Internet will be spotty at best here, but I'll do what I can for pictures and updates. For tonight, since it's well after midnight and everyone gets up around four AM here, I'm merely posting the only two pictures of Region Nine wildlife that I have at hand right this minute:

A beautiful rattlesnake (beautiful because I was out of striking-range)

Proof that Nature hates you and wants you to die of nightmares.

Okay, listen: I know environmentalists are supposed to love ALL of nature, but no. I do not do creepy crawlies. Snakes, sure, as long as they're not in my house and preferably not close enough to bite me. Lizards? Love 'em. Bats? I think they're cute. But bugs are gross, and most of them are trying to kill me or at least drink all of my blood, and they just give me the heebie-jeebies. Giant spiders as big as my hand are things that should only exist in horror movies, and yet here they're in your shower sometimes. Back at my training site, Daniel had bug-duty. Here? I'm on my own. It's the only downside to having my own house.

The local students have been viewing me as some sort of novelty. I've been asked to have my picture taken with several, and they're always calling out to me when I'm outside. I went to town for one morning, and got a chorus of "Welcome back, Miss" on my return. On the other hand, it's a little disconcerting to constantly be the center of attention. Every single move I make is under a spotlight. Remember: it's not paranoia if there really ARE people watching you.