Jeepers, creepers...

African masks are fairly intriguing. As far as I know, they are usually for use in ritual ceremonies, and represent spirits of both humans and animals, good and evil, deities, mythological beings, etc. Many of them look amazing--except when you are alone in a house at night for long stretches of time. I am not an "afraid of the dark" sort of person. But if S.'s house didn't have such a comforting, welcoming feel to it, I would be scared out of my mind here. There are masks, statues, and paintings in the living room--which is also often the darkest room in the house. Tonight was the fourth time I've jumped out of my skin upon seeing my own reflection in one of the large windows with gauzy curtains.

Let us not again go into the fact that I am terrified of being alone in a house, but perfectly comfortable about traveling around Africa. There are no horror movies that start with a girl traveling by herself to Africa. But there are plenty that start with a girl alone in a house, and a couple that involve creepy (but ornately carved) masks.

Anyway, Fundza! I spent my first day sitting in on a meeting of CANGO members (the Coordinating Assembly of Non Governmental Organizations), attending a meeting for Fundza and talking about the recommendations for the Sexual Abuse & Domestic Violence Act that Sarah had me working on for the Embassy earlier. Then I went home and finished working on the website.

And have I mentioned that my co-worker's driving in the government car scares me? Waaaay more than the masks. We got to near the bus park (which is like... 1/4 of a mile from the Ministry of Education), and "suddenly remembered" that I needed to pick something up from the Mall. I wasn't lying, I did need to pick some foodstuffs up. And then I took the khamby home. On the bright side, I think I will be getting a lot of exercise with this job.

Anyway, here's a fun Fundza fact: apparently I joined Fundza just in time for it to be facing a lawsuit from one of the former directors who is angry that she didn't get paid for/re-hired after her 9 month hiatus. She decided to just suddenly stop drop all the work when she got pregnant, without really telling anyone. I'm pretty sure no one noticed that she was gone for a few months. I will have to get the full story. But I'm not sure what she expects to get, since Fundza has virtually no money.

I am not especially "wowed" by this job yet, but it is something to do, and for a good cause.

Would write more, but am being dive-bombed by unidentifiable insect intent on biting me.

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