Nose pickin

It's more than ok here...everyone does it...full force, knuckle all the way in. While I cringed at first...I have now accidently and quite satisfactorily taken this one on. Men hold hands...no problem there but catches you off guard the first few times you see it. Men scatch "down there" openly...see nose pickin. Utensils are frowned upon...napkins essentially non existent. Road signs...road rules....don't apply to mzungus....
Many people only shake hands with their forearms...think this is potty related but not sure.
I'm going to add to this list but some of my thoughts today!
Peace.
S.

Lighten Up Frances

Whew...just took a big sigh of relief. Our lives have been very full of visitors ( so glad they were here) the porter project...kids school stuff. I feel like I just took the first big relaxed breath in a while. Ahhhh....it's hot sunny, Nell leaves for Safari on Thursday....class field trip ( have you ever?) she has even complained "how many safari's do I have to go on??" Poor thing uh?...Pearl is going to seed farm and sugar plantation. Mama is reading a few books brought to her by the visitors...all is well. One thing I realized through my recent correspondence with the outside world is....it's almost Xmas?! You'd never know here, which is weird in and of itself...no billboards, store decorations, fat WHITE Santa's....just life as usual....chickens, rabbits...and people going about the daily task of surviving. Helps keep it all very real. I have told people recently that I imagine myself in the fetal postion in the toothpaste aisle of Walgreens...Shawna told me she saw decorations in the Amsterdam airpost in Nov??? Hope I can cope...
I am going skiing while home which will help on a lot of fronts...staying outdoors...exercising ( gotta climb that "damn mountain") and being a bit removed from it all. Looking so forward to seeing my family...and all "the cousins" bet they have all grown so much....we've been really really removed. But please bear with us upon reentry....hope it is smooth!!
Love to you all
Peace,
Sarah