Welcome 'Home'!

Hello all- I have been at my site since the 2nd of August- that's about 5 weeks that I have been living the rugged jungle life. The way to our sites was rough, as it was the day after swearing in and we were all a bit worn out from all the festivities! (And we were all nervous and antsy to get to our villages!) After about 4 hours on the dirty Afobaka road, and our selves and belongings getting covered with about an inch thick layer of red dirty- we made it to our 'drop of spot'. (After a drive on this red road, everyone is always a nice shade of orange that can be mistaken for a nice yet mis-colored tan!) There were boats there ready to take us to our separate villages- I was so nervous- I didn't want to leave my friends and go off on my own! I just kept thinking "This is it!". A lot of us had people from our villages there to help us unload our stuff and load the boats (I should mention when I say boat I mean a rugged wooden boat with a simple motor slapped on the back). So I am in my boat with 2 people from my village on the way to my new home. The ride is short, and pretty, and I just keep thinking "What have I gotten myself into?" The boat pulls up to the village and I am so nervous I kinda feel like I'm going to be sick. A bunch of kids meet me at the river to help me carry my stuff to my new "home" a 25 year old wooden house (zinc roof= one hotttt sauna), about 20x40 feet, two rooms, a washhouse, durotank (no running water in these parts!), a latrine that is unbelievable full (still working on getting a new one built) and enough huge spiders that I have to just let a lot of them be- and ignore them- bc they are endless- Sometime I will put up some picks of them and you will see how hard it is to ignore them!(note- the tarantulas did not get ignored!!!)
I get to my house after walking uphill on little wandering dirt paths that I still have yet to remember- we all know how I am with directions/locations. I've tried explaining this to the village how I always forget how to get place- and my family gets frustrated with me!- so when I was walking around one day and had to ask where my house was, I heard about it from most of the villagers. Haha. Back to day 1- I have bags and bags of groceries/supplies/belongings, and there are about 75 pairs of eyes starting at me though my windows, whispering and talking about me. I pretty much just pace from room to room for who knows how long bc it is so overwhelming to have all these people you can hardly understand looking at you and sizing you up. Eventually I got a lot of my stuff put away in meat buckets- huge tubs that they store meat in at the market- luckily I am replacing a volunteer so I didn't have to clean these out myself. (After watching some other new site volunteers clean theirs out, I can see why they didn't want to eat for awhile after that! ). Some of the women bring me coconut rice for my first meal, about 2 pounds of it- I eat a bit, but it is coconutty, and well, it's not really one of my favorite things-that and coffee. Too bad that it's their main additive in this country! I finally make it to bed and am exhausted. Welcome 'home'!
P.S.-I got your 25 lb box dad, g'ma, and everyone- it was kind of awkward lugging it through the streets of the city- but worth it!! Nic and Beth and Emily #1 and #2- I got all the bday packages from you all- Finally!! I love everything! Thank you for thinking of me!!! I miss you all- Uncle Marty and Aunt Rosemary- have a fun anniversary party and Amanda- have a amazing WEDDING!!! Wish I was there to see you all- less than a year!! Love you!