The Copeland Ramblings/

Stowaways

I can’t believe this is our first post since arriving! It definitely feels weird arriving as a ‘new missionary’ all over again. We do thank the Lord though for our three months of experience in Guinea which have already helped us immensely during our first week and a half in Senegal. We were definitely more mentally prepared and weren’t as shocked by many of the differences between Senegal and our home countries. From the date of our arrival we have about three weeks until we start our language and culture course. That gives us time to settle in, un pack and spend time getting to know our Senegalese host family and our neighbourhood. It has been a great time in regards to all those things. We are beginning to feel at home, indeed, Canaan often tells me how much he loves his new home! Our hosts names are: Jean-Lucien and Banna Diatta. Jean-Lucien works at a local University while Banna works at home with their daughter and also sells vegetables in a local market. We get along well with them though there are the inevitable miscommunications as we get to know each other across cultures. I remind myself often that we are not the only ones learning here, they too are learning our culture as we interact.

This afternoon we did some unpacking and found a grueling discovery. While taking clothes out of a box I was smacked in the face by a horrid stench that almost made me gag. I quickly found the culprit: a tiny, half decomposed mouse. I quickly disposed of it only to immediately find a second.  I tweeted my discovery only to find a third, fourth and fifth.

Four the mice were tiny while one was larger. We suspect that a pregnant mouse somehow got in while I was packing the box and gave birth enroute. A very sad tale!

On this day..

• Getting Visas - 2007
• Digital Scavenger Hunt - 2006