it's official.

It’s official.

I have received my new Toposa name.

The people, who can actually pronounce Alyssa very well, are calling me Nyakai, which means “house.”  This is actually a common name, because the Toposa usually name their children based on where they were born.  I don’t know why they have chosen this name for me.  One lady just said Nyakai and it stuck!

Yesterday, I drove the standard truck around the circle inside the compound and successfully started the car without it dying every time!  And I went in reverse and even changed gears!  God is so faithful.  And I just have to have a shout out to my stick-shift driving teacher, Mayra---thank you so so so much.  I could not have done it without you!!!  I’ll let you know how I do on rough dirt and muddy roads soon. 

Let me tell you all some things I have seen/experienced lately:

1. Brushing teeth buddies.  My sink is outside, and sometimes at night when I go to brush my teeth, there are some little friends, mostly big black beetles and ants, that like to swim in my spit.  The sink is curved, and some of these little buddies of mine work so hard to get out.  But they don’t.  I am quite used to them now.  At least I know I will never brush alone and, hey, maybe I am giving them a lovely bath they really enjoy!
2. Camel crossing.  That’s right folks!  And you thought cows and goats and deer were a site to see on the road.  We passed an entire herd of camels the other day.  Just makes me smile. 
3. Camel head for supper?  Same day we saw camels crossing the road in front of us…we also saw a lady carrying a camel head, still bloody and all.  A site I certainly have never beheld!  She found a bag and put it inside, placed it on her head, and went on her way.  I wonder what camel tastes like.  Wait.  No, I’m thinking I really don’t.
4. Marriage proposals.  My count so far?  13.  Yes, for real.  And some of them suggested by women!  For their own husbands!  I have told them over and over that it will cost a million cows and that they have to ask my “apa” who is very big and a very important person in America.  They laughed and then kept trying to plan my marriage, negotiating the number of cows. 
5. Poopy meeting.  Yes, that is right.  I was in a meeting under a fabulous tree with Shannon, Carrie, Whitney (the girl who was a journeygirl in southern Sudan a year ago who wrote the AIDS curriculum I will be teaching and has come to Sudan for two months to train me!), one UN guy, one WFP guy, and two USAID women.  We were meeting with a bishop who is trying to start a demonstration farm to teach Toposa here how to farm different crops that they are not used to.  During our meeting, I felt something fall on my right shoulder.  I freaked a little thinking it was a bug, but it wasn’t.  It was bird poop.  Thick, brown bird poop.  I had to sneakily and with a smile on my face, pretending I was still listening, reach into my purse, take out some tp, and wipe the bulk of it off my shoulder.  It worked, mostly.  It was ok though, I had on a tye-dye t-shirt, and it just looked like I had some brown coloring on my shoulder.  Ha!
6. My chicken.  The first day I was here, the two Reginas came to visit.  And they brought a chicken!  And the Lewis family bought it for me, and named it…Lyssabird.
7. Ultiment Flower Garden.  I also have a wildflower garden now!  Benton helped a lot, and he named the garden and made a sign saying, “Ultiment Flower Garden. Ultimant Flower Garden.”  It is so great.  Can’t wait till flowers spring up!
8. Permanent earrings.  Two Toposa girls, Losuki and Lokuron, put Toposa earrings in my ears, and they burned the ends so they are permanently in my ears!  I can cut them out anytime I want, but everyone here loves that I have them!
9. Thorns.  Crown of thorns has a whole new meaning to me now.  See the picture below of the massive thorns lying everywhere on the ground.  I have had three removed from my feet already!
10. Restaurant in town.  There is a good restaurant in town called Junction Inn.  I have now eaten there twice!  I had rice and beans and chipati (my favorite!).

 Me, Carrie, and Shannon (and Walker) at Junction Inn.

 Lokuron and Losuki and me with my new earrings!

 Camel crossing!

 Giant thorns

Me in my truck!

That’s all I can think of right now.  Off to have a cup of coffee with Carrie and Whitney!!!