You Can't Always Get What You Want...

But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need~

As I am preparing to take off for my permanent site, I thought I would extend to you my list of "wants".  My "needs" are now being met by excreting my waste into a hole in the ground while squatting; fetching drinking water from a well pump, carrying it on my head, filtering it, then bleaching; fetching bathing water from an open well, carrying it on my head; bathing out of a bucket while sitting on a concrete block; eating rice three meals per day; sleeping under a mosquito net; and seeking shelter beneath a roof that is made of sticks and corrugated tin, and a ceiling made of rice bags that rats run along all night.  Thus, I have acquired a strong desire for material things that I might not otherwise be attracted to.

"Wants" include any type of makeup or beauty products (i know, i know).  Because my feet stay a nice shade of dirty at all times, nail polish helps me to still feel like a woman.  I can always use antibacterial bar soap, facewash, and chapstick/lip gloss as well.

Next is food; ANY type of food.  Candy, junk food, processed cheese, drink mix, soup packets, spices, summer sausage, dried fruit, trail mix, and any granola bars, power bars etc. (i love luna bars and cliff bars)

There is a pretty stellar collection of books circulating here, so I have been keeping busy reading anything from the Kite Runner to chemistry text books (yes, I'm a nerd).  However, the Peace Corps community here gets pretty stoked about celebrity gossip/materialistic american culture type magazines, so feel free to send any of those!  (think cosmo, people, us weekly, etc.)  But any issues of something like National Geographic, New Yorker, or The Sun would be awesome!!

Music, music, music.  Cassette tapes, cd's, whatever!!!  Gambians love reggae, hip hop, r&b...I love anything.  Lately I have been craving old Madonna and early 90's alternative.

Movies.  Any copied dvd's of anything (there is a tv at the volunteer transit house).

Pictures of you!!!!  My family loves to look at pictures of America and of my friends and family, and I do too!!!

And lastly, letters from you!!!  I want to hear about your life, what I'm missing out on, has Courtney Kardashian had her baby yet, is Oprah really retiring, does the job market still suck, and how fast your kids are growing up!  I miss everyone terribly.  Hearing from you and knowing that you are supporting me really helps me to keep truckin' on!  I promise that I will get some letters out soon as well!  Don't forget to mark anything you send as Airmail!!

P.S.  I REALLY enjoy receiving phone calls and text messages as well!  Thanks so much to those of you who have been calling,  you are amazing!  I have really good reception here so you should be able to reach me whenever!  :)

This is me with my favorite PC Driver, John, who is taking me to site.