Hey Mom & Dad!
I'm still in Bondoukou. In fact, I have another week! It'll be nice to relax without ten million people around forcing me to be sociable :). Why am I here again? Oh. That's right…to help other people :). Good news… I have a good bike to take back with me. I rode it tonight. I forgot how much I love bikes. It felt so good & I was just on pavement! The village will never see me now. I'm going to live with the gorillas! I've been reading a lot since I've been here too. I really like David Baldacci, that guy who wrote the one about the lottery. Saving Faith was good & I'm starting Total Control tonight. I've got another one of his - Absolute Power - in the village. James Patterson is good too. I love reading. And her I have all the time in the world. I know - normally I talk to both of you at the same time…it's a lot cheaper (unless Mom forgets to use the calling card :). But getting to talk to you separately this once was awesome. You two are almost opposites in conversation, so it's nice to talk to you one at a time :). I almost felt like I was at home just hangin' out with you. Paul, the guy from Ghana who kinda lives here at the house, cooks kabons at a maquis here in Bondoukou & they are killer. You're gonna love 'em. And the best part is he chops up fresh tomatoes & onions, & puts this "special sauce" on it. I just eat an onion/tomato sandwich (on fresh baguette bread that we get on the way to the maquis, usually burns your hand because they took it straight from the oven!). Man, I love this place! And it's probably 700 right now & NO MOSQUITOES! I think we definitely need to go into Ghana when you guys come. Sounds like there is some really cool stuff to do there! I can not wait til you guys get here! OK. Melanie (she lives here at the house with her family - they watch the house) is going to teach me how to make toffee! Be back soon :). ~~ That was so easy Þ 1 can sweetened condensed milk & ~ ¼ cup oil (you may be able to use less, dunno…& I don't know about the reduced fat sweetened condensed milk - they don't exist here), cook until light brown, a little "dry", pour onto oiled cutting board & roll into tootsie roll sized rolls & cut into bite size pieces - gotta work fast. It hardens quickly! It is so good. And so bad for your teeth! So, I'm not eating any… Yeah. Right! OK. Just a few…Yeah. Right! You like my new stationery. I do. It's easier to use than those tiny sheets. We had another one from our stage go home - I didn't know her that well. But for some reason, I was kinda sad to hear she decided to ET. Brendon said he thought someone else did too but didn't know who. Actually, that's why I'm getting a bike now, because I'm taking her's. Well, it's getting really late. I think it's 9:15 already! I'm right there with you, Dad :)! I feel your pain! I'll be back tomorrow. Good night & I love you!

June 1

Can you believe it's June already?! I've just finished my laundry and I'm about to head to the market to look for a tape player. I went to the bank this morning. Good Lord. That place is a zoo. Everyone was waiting for the bank to open…When it did, they all rushed to the window…there are no nice little dividers to help organize a line. Hell, people weren't even attempting a line. It's every man for himself. I'm sure there is some "organized" something going on, but I sure didn't see it. Lucky for me I stand out like a sore thumb & the men at the bank like me. So they hooked me up. They could tell I didn't know what was going on. So I took out tons of money because I don't want to go through that any more than I have to. I'm glad you liked the t-shirts. I figured you would get more use out of them than I would too. I'll be back later. Enjoy your morning!

June 3

Good morning, Powder Springs :)! I'm sitting at the house watching ~30 men on bikes scream by every 7 or 8 minutes. There's some kind of bike race here today. It's just like bike races at home except there are people in the streets & the ambulance is an old minivan with "drapes" covering the windows. Hope I never need their services! I talked to April last night for an hour! We had such a good time. It made me miss being able to be with her ever more. She was telling me all about this guy she met. He's from Wisconsin. She's already flown up there to visit him! She sounds really happy & excited about him. You'll have to ask her about him, Mom. Well, I finished Total Control last night. I really liked it. Have you read Honor Among Thieves, by Archer (I think)? I'm starting that one today. Can't wait to talk to you again on Thursday. I think time goes by so fast because I'm always anxiously waiting to tell you guys everything! I'm going to grab some food. Be back later! ~~ I think I'm going to have to have some dental work done before I come home… I think one of my fillings is coming apart. (Don't ever get the tooth colored fillings. Go for the silver. They last longer. I think I got your good durable teeth, Mom :). That toffee we made the other day is what pushed it over the edge. Melanie makes it too hard, but I couldn't just NOT eat it :). Every day I get more excited about you coming here. Right now I'm getting really excited about going back to site. I'll have a mattress and 2 chairs, among other things. I have to wait until next week to get a couple tables, a bench & a book case. Most importantly, I bought a daba & a machete - you know what a machete is…and this one is so sharp I could slice through my Honda. A "daba" (dawba) kinda looks like this {…editors note - Niki drew a "farm tool" that looks like it's about 12" to 15" long with a curved blade at the end…}. It's used for "cleaning up" the ground - anything from simple weeding to basically "tilling". It's not a pick, it's more like a kinda curved metal plate on a piece of wood no longer than my arm, if that…so you're bending over the entire time. It's a good tool, though. And I'm excited because when I get back I'm going to clear a little spot for my own little "field". I get to hack away with my brand new machete too! I'll get nice & dirty then take some pictures - the savage in Ganse :). They are going to be so jealous of my machete & daba too. They are sharp! I think I'm going to try to get them to give me some land near the river - no moutons or goats to eat everything, and water most importantly. I can't wait to see what comes up! OK. I'm off to buy a "finance book" to keep watch over my $. We don't get monthly bank statements. Fortunately, mine is online, so it'll be easy to keep watch over :). Enjoy your Sunday!

June 4

It's just me this morning in Bondoukou. I think there are more people coming in tomorrow. I rode my bike some this morning & this one is in pretty good shape - much better than mine was. I know I haven't been gone that long, but any more thoughts on retirement? Or do you think I'll be back before then? Maybe when I come back, we can all move out west - and I can be your "maid" for free rent :). After all this heat, I may want a cooler climate for a change. Gonna run to the post office. I hope your package makes it this week :).

June 5

I've decided one of the most difficult parts here - especially in Bondoukou - is being a minority. I knew I would be a minority, but I didn't know what it would feel like. It's not like being a minority at home - well, I guess I can't say that, I don't know really - but it's not usually a "prejudice". It's more like a celebrity…everyone just stares to see what you're going to do…or how you will react. The part that makes me so uncomfortable is when I want to go running or ride my bike here in Bondoukou. There isn't any place that is away from people, so you run with everyone staring at you. It's a lot more uncomfortable than I imagined. At home, it's normal for people to just for a jog. Here, I'm white & I'm running - I'm crazy! In the village, I have a dirt road with only the occasional villager going to the fields. I can run in peace without a million eyes on me. I feel sorry for famous people. It sucks…everyone staring at you. Gonna go buy some chairs.

June 7

Good morning! Still in Bondoukou. I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm excited to get back to the village - especially to start my garden! Can't wait to talk to you tonight! In case I forget…I bought a tape player. Dad, will you tape the Kinchafoonie CDs for me :)? That would be awesome. I'm gonna get this in the mail. I miss you. Tell everyone hi, too. I love you. Nik/Rock.