ok that see jane bitch banner is irritating me, and here it is floating above what i am trying to write. thanks be to scrolling screens.letter to putain_de_merde... (my yahoo group)
so i havent written because i havent been in much contact with computers lately. but also because i feel this responsibility to describe in detail the workings of my marriage to ponge, since none of you (except my mom) had the opportunity to come and since it was different than any of the whole 2 weddings ive been to in my life. however i dont really feel like making my life someone else's cultural experience at the moment - im a little too busy living it. as time goes on here i have less and less interest in writing about my experiences, i think because they just seem ordinary now though are probably not so ordinary to the ordinary american/ maybe i could say ordinary one more time. ordinary. right/for example, i spent the other day on goree island (a major slave trading center in atlantic slave trade days) and a monkey attacked my friend's leg. luckily the monkey was on a chain and my friend had jeans on, so he didnt get bit. we all decided he was hungry and after we ate gave it the remains of our omlette sandwiches. the monkey, however, didnt seem to give a shit about the sandwiches and kept picking them apart - presumabley looking for meat. ungrateful little bastard.
i think when i get back i will continue to write, i will try to cover the things i didnt have time to write about or didnt feel like addressing, and will try to do so in an intelligent manner. this will keep me in practice of writing (since, inchallah, i will be done with school) and will give me space to vent my nostalgie (thats an english word, right?) without annoying everyone around me - after all, one can delete an email or unsubscribe from the list.
so things are wrapping up here, i have three papers of 25, 15, and 3 pages to write and a presentation to give; all about my internship. since my internship barely existed, this will be an excercise in filling in space and a true test of my bullshitting skills. this seems an appropriate end to my career as a U of M liberal arts student.
it looks like ponge will join me the very earliest in august. that makes me sad - it will be really hard to be away from him and i know i will miss him a lot. but the time will pass quickly and he will be there before i know it. anyway what do i know, maybe it will be for the best? maybe its good that we dont have to go through cultural shock together and i can get through some of mine and be a little more stable before helping him through his. plus then everyone i havent seen forever and i can spend some private time together since i have totally turned into a couple; like going to bed early because we want to spend time together before the day is up and still need to get enough sleep for the next day and such.
it will be really hard for me to return, so i hope if i am bummed out or bitchy none of you take it personally. i need to return though, its time to go back. i plan on combatting this by getting involved in shit - taking djembe lessons from my moms instructor if i can, finding something political to do, getting a part time job, (if im lucky those last two things will be the same one), biking, getting back in shape (fatty foods and oppressive heat lead to getting out of shape!) visiting family and friends.
i will tell you a few things about ponge: first, i know many of you must be concerned that he is with me for the VISA. he and i have talked about this depuis longtemps, that is, a long time ago. i was very suspicious of his motives for a really long time, and i told him as much. well, i have no doubt that he loves me for who i am, not what i can get him in life. anyway, you will see when you meet him. he is an honorable person.
second: a question i get a lot is about the religion deal - did i convert, etc; no. i didnt. neither did he. we each have our beliefs and though they are not the same in many ways, on many levels they are. in any case it is not a point of conflict and we each respect the other's way of thought. we have been through this conversation multiple times as well.
third: how will he support himself, me, the kids (hoping there will be some when we are ready)? first of all, who says it will be him that has to be the main financer? i didnt go to school for five years to sit on my ass afterwards. he has no job here (there are very few jobs to have here) and has no work experience. his english is pretty good though im sure the speed of speech will throw him for a bit. but i came here and had to learn two languages and i have done so with a pretty good level of success, im sure he will find it much easier to learn one. he will start from the ground up - ndank ndank (slowly, slowly)he does not have a problem with hard work. he wants any sort of work at all - dishes, cleaning the streets, whatever can earn him some money. i am also explaining to him different options for school; which he can consider after his english is good enough. i am not worried about that aspect. we love each other and have a will to succeed and have a good chance at doing so.
i think thats all for now. i love yalls and i hope to see you soon. peace, k
