WALLE LAN!

Here in Peace Corps Senegal, we learn languages. Thus, we have language trainers. These aren't like just any teachers. We spend way too much time with them-- struggling through dark hours and hours every day, in a class of about four. Now, the program here has changed so that instead of the DEMYSTIFICATION (a few days in a current PCV's village in your first week in country), they had most people live in a village homestay from the start (not the cool Pullo Futa's since no one speaks it up here) and go on a 10-day "community-based training" after a month of language training and with our classes and trainers. So it sucks if you don't like your trainer. I don't have that problem.



Houssay immediately proved to be awesome. She's a great teacher-- resourceful, in tune, smart, and perhaps most importantly PATIENT with our bumbling. We liked her right away. There are two Pullo Futa classes in our stage, so sometimes we switch with the other and get Lamine as a teacher. He talks fast, mumbles, and doesn't always know why things are the way they are. -Which is forgiveable, but it makes us appreciate Houssay all the more, and stare wistfully after her when Lamine comes in. Or, in the case of a certain classmate, curse hime loudly without realizing he's behind us...

But Houssay is great and we all laugh a lot. Past stages diagnose her with narcolepsy, and would apparently sneak out after she'd nodd off. But I guess we're too fun for that to happen to us. She's also a complete diva-disquette, always styling and gorgeous. But one of the greatest things about her is how she laughs when other people fall. She admitted it before we even saw for ourselves, and was unable to tell stories without crying from laughing about people we've never met tripping.

Do to this and her diva-ness, we've been excited for a while to see Houssay ride a bike on this trip. It was hard and hillarious to even picture it before, but the thought doesn't even compare to the reality. Houssay trying to ride a bike was possibly the actual funniest thing I've ever seen. I hesitate to attempt to describe it because YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

It started when she couldn't get the bike through the fence. The little kids (possibly my future siblings?) had to do it for her. Not wanting to appear unsupportive, I did my best to swallow my laughter. Then she tried to get on.

She fell. We had to laugh. The kids helped her and she tried again. She fell again. We took out the camera and she took a break. After more sweat from all parties involved, she finally got going. And fell. The little kids followed for 1/4 mile to hold the bike for her again and again. We started pulaar/ french/english lessons about pushing off the ground and continuously peddling forward. She continued to sit, peddle 1/2 a turn and sit expectantly like it was a motercycle.

Maybe it sounds mean poking fun of her like this. But it's not. She was an amazing sport and laughed along the whole way. Also, may I remind you, this is a QUEEN DIVA who cries with laughter at the mere thought of other people falling and injuring themselves. What also made my world on this "ride" were her exclamations throughout:

"WALLE LAN!" (HELP ME-- which we'd just learned)
"MI RONKI!" (I'M TIRED-- we've known this one for a while...)
"Bip Bip Bip! I coming!" (on the few occassions when she'd maintain balance and was on a down-slope. Since she never figured out the breaks, she had no control over speed and was afraid she'd crash into people 20 feet ahead... usually this was followed by flying into the bushes. Imagine it in a japanese accent because for some reason that's how she said it).
"WHYYYYY?!" Houssay doesn't really speak much english so when it came out on her way to a wipe-out, it was extra-funny. Ko fii hondun= Pulaar

The other funniest thing that has happened also stars Houssay. We were giggling with her on a bed we pulled outside, lit by a zillion stars and the light of the town's one TV in front of which about 50 men sat rivetted. Then commenced an inpromptu language class in which we taught Houssay to say "I-Cut-A-Bitch." It took some prompting to coax it out at first (we pretended to be her and went down the line saying "filito?" "Mmm-HMM!") but once it came out, it kept coming. Icutabeesh! HILARIOUS. She knows what it means too. I think. Earlier, the guys had been trying to get her to say, "To the bat-cave!" but this is SO much better. Now she says it all the time and makes us snort up food and bleach-water. Most recently she's turned it into, "OK, Icutabeesh-you." I haven't decided whether or not I want to correct her.