Day 13

This morning might have been the busiest morning yet. Normally I only wake up for a few minutes while the roosters cluck and goats bleat but this morning kids were screaming, goats bleating, roosters clucking, chicks chirping, women sweeping, radios on full volume, and pots clanking. Normally I would be very annoyed but here it comes with the territory. The phrase T.I.A. comes in handy during situations like this. Despite not being able to fall asleep last night until 1, I woke up at 6:45 with so much energy. I worked out in the patio for 2 hours. I have a Nike Fitness Traning App on my iPhone that I completely forgot about. It has the best workouts ever but for most of them you need a medicine ball. I really want to do the full workout so I grabbed a big stone from the garden and have been using that for my weights. It probably doesn’t weigh more than 5 pounds but it works! After my workout I stayed outside and began from the beginning of The Hunger Games again. I’m resisting the urge to finish it all today. I then began my wash. I have never been more thankful for washing machines in my life. It took me close to 2 hours to wash my sheets, clothes, and towels. It’s physically exhausting especially because I was in the sun doing it. I don’t do it exactly the way they want me to, which takes much longer, so I do it when no ones looking to avoid the extra hour of washing. I have never been more grateful for AC, washing machines, dryers, microwaves, ovens, stoves, fridges, Wi-Fi, toilets, showers, running water, electricity, and cars. It’s amazing how much I have taken for granted. This does not even begin to list the amazing inventions that have simplified my life and made it so comfortable. I didn’t realize how grateful I was for these items until I didn’t have them anymore. The saying “you don’t know what you have till it’s gone” is a HUGE theme of this crazy adventure. I am amazed at how happy the people of Wiamoase are without any of these technological advances. I realize that they’ve never experienced them before so they don’t know what they’re missing. I hope I will never forget this lesson that I have learned here. Mainly it’s don’t take things for granted. I would do so much for a bowl of cereal with milk in an air-conditioned room. It’s the small things in life that mean the most. I am thankful that I do have a stove and fridge for personal use and a mosquito net to keep me safe at night. I am glad that The Mormon church has made it’s way to Asamong so that it is so easily accessible. Tomorrow is General Conference for West Africa!