Semaga Sunset

The tiny village of Semaga could be mistaken for a remote wasteland, but once the sun set it became the most beautiful place on earth.

Basket Weaving

Lately, Siaka's aunt has been teaching me how to weave baskets out of palm branch leaves. The women weave in underground rooms that they have dug out to keep the leaves cool and moist. I've had three lessons so far. One lesson was briefly interrupted be a very large green snake that accidentally slithered and feel into the pit. The women killed it and then resumed weaving.

A Quest for Palm Wine

The local drink is Palm Wine. It is made by tapping Roniers Palm trees and then letting the juice ferment. I've watched people climb up the trees in envy, so I decided my friends and I could give it a try too! It was scary.

Christmas Time

Leslie, my closest volunteer neighbor, came over to my house and hung snowflakes from the ceiling and played Christmas carols on her i-pod. It really put me in the Christmas Spirit, so I painted a Christmas tree on my wall.

Traditional Courtyard in Karfiguela

This photo shows a typical living arrangement in my village. The three small round mud structures store millet, peanuts and corn for the whole courtyard. The supply lasts the family for about a year. The square structure is the bedroom and the larger round structure is the kitchen. They spend most of their time hanging around outside.