So I have officially seen my first scorpion in my house, well ever actually. It was big and I dont know what Im going to do when im in my own house. They say (and Ive heard animal planet says the same) that the little ones are worse than the big ones because they are more aggressive. Bit still, this thing must have been 3 inches long!
This is a pic of one of the many olive tree groves. The village has aprox 10 thousand, and most of the olives are pressed for oil. They are a major source of income in the village.Ive been thinking I should try to include small tidbits about daily life here that maybe Ive adjusted to but you all might still be interested to hear. So I think today is a good opportunity to talk a little about bugs. Ive heard that mud houses are far superior to cinder block because they reglate temperatures much better, but the bug factor is a drawback. Mud house are not as, humm whats the right word, tightly sealed, especially around the roof. So critters are very common. Anyone who has lived with me knows that while I understand the importance of these critters I have never been ok with them in my house. Its all well and good outside but not in my house... Yet another thing I am having to adjust to. I often see lizards, spiders, and millipedes. I have to say I really appreciate the mosiquito net provided by the med unit. First for the mosiquito protection (I had approx 100 bites after the first week) but there is also something exceptionally comfprting sleeping inside my little net. Really, its nice.
This is a picture of the primay school for my village. Its about 2K from the village itself.Another bug story... My host dad has bees but the first time they told me the bees were in the walls I didnt really believe them. Until I was sitting in my room and heard them. Seriously, the bees are in the walls! The entrance to their hives are outside obviously but there is cardboard covering the holes in the wall where the hives are. I havent seen the harvest yet but I would assume its going to happen through thoes holes inside our house. I guess these arent sealed really well because every night a dying bee flys in my room and tries to fly at the light for, well until i turn off the light. They are loud, slow, and dumb when they are about to die. And its really irritating! Then when I get up the next morning I have to be careful where I step so I dont step on the dead bee.
This is a cool picture...if you look close you can see the moon rising just above the mountains.This last story relates to both the bugs and mud houses. So...another side effect of living in a mud house is that dirt falls from the ceiling regularly. Ive become pretty accostomed to it but a few nights ago enough was falling to wake me up. I dont know what was on the roof or my ceiling but it was causing quite a stir. When I got up the next morning there was so much dirt I had to sweep my rug even though I had done it the previous afternoon. Luckliy it hasnt happened again in the past several nights. Hopefully it wont.
Work on my house is continuing. There are now three defined rooms doorways and window openings. in the picture the three rooms are on the bottom and far right. The front door is in the middle of the wall on the right and the remaining space will have a bathroom and opean air cortyard. My host dad still says a kitchen too but I dont think there is space, one of the other rooms will become the kitchen. Other materials are accumulating like the front door, windows, large pieces of wood for the roof. Well I think thats enough for today. If you have anything that youd like me to post about daily life send me or my mom an email. As I said before, I will try to put a little 'day in the life' in my posts from now on. Hopefully you all dont find it too boring.
By the way, its been about 100 all week and they dont even consider June summer. I thought that I would be spared from the intense heat of summer by being in the mountains...apparently I was wrong. Ive been told it can get to 50 celcius...thats 122! Mom, Im melting!Enjoy your air conditioners.
I hope you like all the pictures. Im learning that which computer I used determines my ability to download them:)
