1 Week Down!

Man, time is flying and I feel like I'm not going to be able to keep with this! So much has happened in the past week already. I arrived at a great time because the first 5 days was pretty much just a huge party, one right after the other. It worked out to my advantage because I was able to meet a majority of the missionaries. I also had the opportunity to go to one of the once of month meetings where all the different ministries met together to go over legistics. Helped me get a pretty good idea of what exactly SIM does here in Jos. I had no idea how far it reached with involvement in medical, education, construction, video evangelism, and more. There was also the once a month party and night of worship where I was able to again meet more missionaries. I have no idea where they all live because the majority of the time your the only white person on the street.
Friday I went to a "send off" for one of the missionaries who had been teaching in Gero (kids school) for the past 4 years. There was a bit of that I'm new here and everyone else is getting real emotional awkwardness but it was touching to see how the kids loved Jane (the missionary). Yes I'll admit it, I got a little teary-eyed myself. How could you not when a little girl can't even get out a goodbye because she is sobbing.
Saturday morning I played some ultimate frisbee; it was nice to have a bit of familiarity. Except I didn't realize Jos was at a fairly high elevation, about 5,000 ft I'm told. I definitely felt it and the lack of running hasn't helped. I've gone a couple times in the morning with a friend but I have to run the trail 4 times to get 3 miles. Getting up for a run around the block in the morning is definitely out of the question and I would not even think about running at night here. I do some stupid things sometimes but even I can see that is so not a good idea....
Sunday I went to church with the Camiolas which was an interesting experience. The service might have been more fulfilling had I been adjusted to the thick accents but alas I only caught things here and there. I noticed they like to repeat things they say, especially in songs. So if I didn't catch it the first time I would the second, or third or fourth. The service lasted almost 2 and half hours, and we were crammed in! Even outside the church cars were completely blocking off the entire street because there was no parking lot. Missy and John weren't kidding about dancing up the offering. Everyone had to go up and give some money. Normally I'm up for a good dance party but I kind of stuck out like a sore thumb, so again a bit of an awkward experience. Oh, and greeting people is a HUGE thing here. If you pass someone and only say "hello", you are considered very rude. So I'm learning some Hausa lingo but typically they just laugh because I mispronounce it.
Missy showed me around the market one day but I haven't had to buy anything here yet, not even food. Either people have brought me food or invited me to their house for dinner. Everyone is really kind here but I guess that's how it has to be. Everyone needs the support to get through the rough times.
Sunday afternoon some of the other other singles and I drove out to a Fulani village to visit one of their friends. Fulani is a Muslim tribe in the north, very conservative and not so much in tune with Christians. Oh, and their animals are of more value than their women. The couple we stayed with, though, were converted Christians, outcast from their tribe. We slept on a cement floor and peed over an open hole in the ground. It was legit. They also showed us around a Muslim market. Every place we stopped we would get literally surrounded by a group of Fulanis and they would just stare at you, not even talk sometimes. At one point we ventured over to the area they were selling cattle. We saw some people running and were like, what's going on. Well turns out there was an out of control bull coming toward us. We were cornered, hot coals and a fence behind us a truck to the right of us, and people everywhere else. The thing was bucking and jerking it's horns literally 10 ft in front of us. Luckily we got out ok but not without getting some "mud" in the mouth first. Ah, the interesting times keep coming!