work? searching for "clients"

sorry it has taken awhile to get this posted. so there are a couple cybers in my town that are not the most reliable because of power and internet connection but they do the job for the few times i will use it. i am doing well and i am making friends. work here is difficult. if i am ever asked if i am a self starter in a future job interview i can tell them that i have been a self starter for the past two years of my life. i am at times jealous of the english teachers who have their schedules laid out for them before they step in the town, although i wouldnt want to teach children.

i have been trying to find additional ^^work partners. i see potential but it comes with time. everything takes four times as long to get done here. this morning for instance the bureau had told me they were meeting at my house to discuss my schedule of formations for the future months. i will be teaching accounting, marketing, and computer skills to the artisans of 6 different arrondissments. I will be teaching 2 or possibly 3 arrondissments per month.

I am also looking for other projects ideas with the groupments helping them in agrobusiness: planting new vegetables, teaching accounting for illiterates==a program using symbols to teach accounting to those who cannot read/write; maybe teaching farmers about composting; maybe teaching cooking classes of foods other than pat and red/green sauce with fish (i cook for myself alot). I am trying to research the benefits of the merenga plant; not sure i am spelling it right but the search results pop up with the dance not the plant. Anyways i am hoping to have our village do a formation on merenga and maybe work with the health center to plant the trees. Maybe the health center could sell the merenga in the city.

Lastly, (but really it should be first), savings and loan groups will hopefully become a main project. The treasurer of the arrondissment of the neighboring town worked with the previous volunteer on this and it was sucessful i think. I am going to try to pursue savings and loan alot. It is a system where women get together to save money. They will give a sum each week that the group decides on and also after the money builds up can loan money to other group members at a cost. they will end after a year and the benefits will be divided out among the group. This is very rewarding for them emotionally and financially. Many times if a women makes money she will use it to help her family or her husband will take it. She is often times saving herself from spending it; i guess that what banks are essentially for but her in this colletivist culture based on community the members of groups are able to keep each other accountable as well.

Housing and such, things are well. I recently had my ceiling cleaned and repaired. It is hard to describe ceilings here but there is a space in between the plafonds and the actual roof where various creatures including bats, mice, insects, reptiles.. were living. The guy cleaned it and patched it up. I am having fun trying to learn fon and talking with the neighbor kids. There is another peace corps volunteer in my village and we hang out sometimes as well. Overall i am very content to be here. I know I am where God wants. I have found a friend to go to church with. She is in highschool and keeps telling me she wants to come back to the states with me. alot of people tell me that but she is one who i am dissapointed to dissapoint. Thanks to all for your thoughts and prayers. I love u: a la prochain:

please pray for my grandpa. he had pneumonia and is better but is living in rehab getting his strength (as far as the last conversation with my mom). either way i love him very much. it is hard being far away from family.