Books

I knew that I would be reading a lot in Peace Corps, as volunteers often read more during this time of their life than any other, because of free time (one of the reasons I belong in Peace Corps…), and honestly, when temperatures are over 130 what else are you going to do but lie around in the shade? So I brought some books, and it really took a long time narrowing down which ones I would bring with, as books are a little weighty. So half of them were technical books and half were others, which I hadn’t read yet, and thought, Oh great I can read these books I’ve always wanted to but haven’t gotten too. I’m not one who rereads books very often, my motto in life being “so many books to read, so little time.” But funny, now that I’m here, and away from home, it’s not new books I want to read, but the one’s I have already read, the ones that meant so much to me, the ones that spoke to my life and myself. And I think if only I had packed those books, just to have, as a piece of home, to reread, to remember, to pick out quotes and paint on my walls. Walking on Water, Dance of the Dissident Daughter, The Gift of the Sea, Prodigal Summer, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton. Oh why, oh why did I not stick those in my luggage? I’m sure I will find other good ones here, and it’s true the Garoua office library is overflowing with books, 50% of which I would like to read. And family have sent me other wonderful ones. And other volunteers have their own personal books. (Whenever I go to a volunteers house one of the first things I do is peruse their bookshelf.) And those new books will become time markers for this period. But interesting how books become as much of a comfort as other aspects of life, in a way I never expected.
And I really wish I had brought my copy of the movie Sipping Jetstreams too….Didn’t realize there would be such access to movie watching capabilities.