OK OK..I think I finally Get it!

A couple of nights ago I think I finally "got" Africa.
It had been storming and raining like crazy and I walked through it a long way from "the spot" to home. The air was sweet smelling and the clear (the smells not yet having the chance to set in).
Just beautiful!
I said goodnight to the Malian guys sitting by my front door. (my French seems to improve dramatically after a couple of beers--oh dear)
And the next morning, the kids were singing as they swept every inch of the dirt in the compound....everybody was fresh and happy.
Apparently I have noticeably "slowed"--my speech; my gait; my frantic "do it and do it now" attitudes have gone. Thank God!
I believe that people come to these places, not to "help the little children" but for reasons of their own---largely to mend their own psyche or steady their heads, or even, sadly, to atone for their Western Guilt.
It doesn't really matter WHY. And, while you are here, slowing and calming etc... if you can be a bit helpful along the way...then why not?
But it's clear, both from my observation of my friends and myself, that amidst all the dirt and the poverty and the grinding difficulty to survive day to day of the people here---their generous good nature and acceptance "rubs off" on silly Westerners and we benefit in ways we never could have imagined. And because we are totally and imeediately immersed --after the initial and rather severe shock---changes happen quickly for us too!
I'm grateful for the changes and I'm grateful for the good humour shown to the Obroni!

some of my year 5s...why wouldn't I be having fun? Trying to work out how to smuggle them home!!!