Mango Wealth

-It took forever to get these pictures here... and resulted in a cyber-worker having my email and copies of all the pictures.. so I hope you like them! If anyone has any idea how I can turn them right-side-up, let me know! The first is MAMADOU, then my henna, my neene (they made me hold up my hand every time..), and lastly Amadou. I have more pictures but who knows when I'll be able to get them up.

-There was a moment in the 2-hour henna process of which I had a picture. My sisters Dienabu and Binta working on my pinky and

pointer fingers and neene on my thumb. It already looked cool with the grassy mush, tape strips, and finger bags. But then my crazy poetic soul imploded when they took my multicolored toubab hand in theirs and pulled it into the ASL sign for "I Love You." I know I'm cheesy, but you love it.


-I tried to teach Amadou and Khady how to juggle with fallen mangoes in our "yard." Am not yet discouraged.

-I gave out werther's candies and they regretted it because they threw the wrappers EVERYWHERE and Aissatou handed one back to Ami after it fell on the ground and was completely fuzzed over with dirt. Oh well...

-Mamadou's newly shaved head makes him look a bit like a Christian Children's Fund ad because he keeps getting sores to which the flies are drawn. But I probably shouldn't talk as it's a daily goal not to look like one of those kids myself. Not sure I'm succeeding...

-I was jealous of the beautiful tile patio at the place of the Pet Semmetary Baby. They were clearly better-off than my family. Posh, spacious, gardened... But my family stays cool with our sweet MANGO TREE and we LITERALLY get closer to each other as we have to sit on top of each other (to watch brazilian soap operas..) so HUMPH.