Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!

My holiday break carried me down 345 km of twisting and turning, well-worn and poorly maintained road back to Kedougou. It was a painless trip that I made in record time. Yes, I use the chrono function on my handy watch for everything. For the first time, I even got to sit in the somewhat more comfortable front seat of the 7place/car, which is usually reserved for fragile old men.
It's a lonely road lacking  the structure of reflective lines and mile markers. The simplicity doesn't distract from the orange clay landscape of towering (or recently burned to the ground) grasses, grandfather trees, and the occasional troop of baboons or monkeys. I prefer my daze tied to nature rather than our tar and tin attempts to civilize it. The ecology of Kedougou is quite different from my Casamance region. It is the furthest inland region and the differences can't even be from from the car. The clay clings to every traveler's stained heels and bristly hair, the thorny trees are a little more rugged and will gladly offer scratch to take home, and the remaining wildlife is just abundant enough to offer an exciting glimpse. 

I got into town just in time for Christmas festivities. *Wooh* After tag teaming for Skype time home with a few other volunteers, we nestled right in and shared the holiday with all the things we can't do in village. First things first, we knowingly binge ate pork stew from market fresh ingredients, desserts from much appreciated home-sent packages, a classy Christmas brunch that lasted all day, and lastly appropriate beverages.

More family time was spent popping corn (without a microwave!), projecting movies outside at night, and exchanging the oddest collection of While Elephant gifts imaginable. Mine was hot dog hand puppet that I couldnt pass up at the thrift section of the market. Oh I can't say enough how comforting the little things are when everything is turned upside down. I don't get weekends to sleep in and do a lazy load of laundry. I don't even get cozy nights at a home separate from my work site. I'm working at all hours and representing PC in all my actions. With just a peek into this, maybe you can understand how wonderful it is to escape just far enough to be your nearly forgotten self, or at least part of it.

Ive gotta dash back to site because the guilt is working on me and the day is creeping by, but an update on the best Camping weekend is soon to come... includes: biking, a crocodile, waterfall  swimming, open flame cooking, food shortage, and a bush fire.