The Ritz

I live at the Ritz! Madina Ritz is the name of the area where my homestay family lives, and I take a Tro-Tro from Ritz Junction to school. My Auntie Abigail told me she has lived there 20 years, because it is very difficult to get a loan from the bank to buy a house, so once you have one, you just stay put.

Joe, you will appreciate this: last night my cousin Kester (13) asked me what kind of music I listen to, so I was playing some for him. After he left I decided I would listen to one song I like: Mango Tree played, and Joseph, I will have you know that I do in fact have a mango tree in my backyard, but I do not have you standing next to me. I also have a pawpaw (papaya) tree, several plaintains, and what I call a Monkey Puzzle tree... when I asked Auntie what she calls it she said, "That? That is a Christmas Tree!" and so that is what it is.

I learned how to wash my clothes by hand yesterday, and my knuckles seem not to have forgiven me for it! Kester helped me. He is Auntie's brother's son, and he grew up in London. He wishes he were back in London, but he's going to school here for a year because he got bad marks, he says. "They cane you here," he warned me. I have yet to be caned.

Aunt Cookie, I don't know if you're reading this, but I learned how to use a "chewing stick" to clean my teeth yesterday, too. It's just a piece of wood that you suck on until it gets soft and you chew on it a bit to make the end a bit bristly, then you scrub it around on your teeth until you can't stand the slightly bitter taste of it any longer.  A relative who dropped in said it was very good for your teeth, and if everybody did that and brushed, they would all be better off.

My Auntie and Uncle had four children, all grown up now, but one died within the last two years or so. I've met two of them, now (and one grandaughter, who was really shy). One just recently got married, and I met his wife and looked at their wedding photos and saw their wedding video.  It was interesting getting to see how weddings here are done, but it was definitely a very Christian wedding, with only slight differences from weddings I've seen here.

Every day I eat fresh papaya, pineapple, banana, and avocado. They feed me lots of vegetables in the sauce (carrots, green beans, onions, cabbage). They are happy that I like things spicy. Oh, I have to get back to class.. I will write more later if I can.