so this slacker fumbles through another day.

November 13, 2009
Scene:
Nicole arrives at the buvette.
Sam is already ½ a beer deep.
It’s 9am.

Sam: So, how was your week?
Nicole: Meh. You know, I did a whole lot of nothing.
Sam: Yeah, just another week at the office.


November 14, 2009
Today was my girls soccer team’s big tournament. We went to Wassarbo, a nearby village where another volunteer has a team too.

As soon as I told them the date of the tournament, 2 months ago, the village couldn’t stop talking about it. All 30 girls would regularly show-up for practice. We played nearly everyday. On the weekends they demanded that we play twice a day. “Nous devons gagner Wassarbo Nima” They wanted to win real bad.

Twenty-five of us crammed into a van early this morning. A few fans stowed-away on the roof. There was so much excitement in the air. Some of these girls have never left Kéméni. The ride was filled with lots of singing. It was all in Kotokoli so I didn’t undestand much. But it was jubilant and they kept repeating my name in the songs. I made a game out of guessing what they were saying. “Nima is awesome. Nima is the best. Nima has such pretty hair.”

It was a very hot day and I was proud my girls survived. They played their hardest and I was happy to provide them the opportunity. Even though we came in last, the ride home was filled with more songs and yelling out the windows and proudly displaying the certificate for participation. I couldn’t have been more pleased to call my little village home.