So much has been going on in the last two weeks but I’m not sure how to convey just how much it has been. Nothing huge has been happening but I’ve been doing so much observing and learning so it feels like so much more has been going on!

So my second week here was orientation week. Most mornings we would spend just talking about and learning how to live here, where things are at in the dorm, what’s easy to cook here, how to stay healthy, etc.
We went into town and tried to get familiar with where things are and which markets are where. There’s a whole market just for pagnes (which is basically just fabric) and on Tuesday I bought my first pagne!
Then on Wednesday Kelly and I got moto-taxis to the vegetable market, bought groceries and got a moto-taxi to another part of town to meet Alyssa all without the help of an interpreter! That was definitely a confidence boost.
In the evenings we spend most of our time going to people’s houses to greet and visit with them, which I love doing. Even though I can’t speak to them very well yet, I just like sitting around with people!
And during that week, there was a conference being held here for film making so there was a group of nationals on campus and most nights before dinner we’d play soccer or volleyball with them which was really fun!
On Saturday, there was a kid’s day at church from about 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. It was so exhausting! But the kids were awesome and I’m glad we stayed the whole day to help out with what we could.

As for the third week, Monday was a holiday so we relaxed all day! It was great! Almost anything I do here tires me out because I’m so out of my element and I have to think harder about everything I do. I’ve been sleeping great though!
On Tuesday we went to an orphanage to “help”. And I use the term help very loosely because there’s not a ton we can do without speaking French! We mostly just sat with the kids and played with them but it’s hard to help get them to behave when you can barely talk to them!
Wednesday morning we went to the English club at the university and did some visits with people.
Then we went to the orphanage again on Thursday morning. After lunch we went to the tailor and I’m getting a dress made and a pagne. I’m very excited for them to be done in about a week! And every Thursday, all the Journeyers that live in Bouake come to ICA for the night so we got to hang out with them.

So that’s what’s been going on these last two weeks! Lot’s of learning, learning, and more learning! It’s like I’m having to relearn everything but it’s almost been a nice break being like a kid again and having to be helped with everything. But in time, we’ll be able to speak French and know our way around and what to do so I know things will get much easier!