Ma Famille!

I live with Maman, Papa, Nora, and 3 of my nieces, who are the three oldest girls in the picture below. They've been so patient teaching me how to wash my laundry, cook over a charcoal fire, and wrap my bumbahs...Which is the traditional dress that most of them wear-- basically just a large rectangular piece of cloth that you wrap around to form a skirt, then you wear a matching top to go with (I'm wearing one in the picture with the kids, but its kind of hard to see). Anyway, they've been so generous already, and they promised to come visit me at post! My dad is a printer, and I got to visit his workshop the other day. He literally creates copies by taking metal letters and arranging them in frames and then uses a large machine to press ink on the print and then onto papers. It's just like something you'd see in an old-fashioned printers shop from long long ago. It really was amazing to see, and after 25 years, he still loves it.

This morning I read french fairy tales to my nieces for like 2 hours! The youngest one hasn't started school, so she doesn't even speak french, but she was still so excited. They call me "tata kristin" meaning aunt, and gives me lots of hugs whenever I come home from class. For my techincal training we're actully recruiting local kids on summer vacation to come to english class so we can practice, and I'll be bringing my oldest niece. Shes actually a year too young, but shes the top of her class, so I know she'll do great!