Killed a Chicken Today...

Sunday, July 9th.

         ...Ok, truth be told, I did not kill the chicken.  I, in fact, was too chicken to even hold the chicken, and so just watched (and took a few snap shots).  It was a pretty gruesome thing, but not really at the same time.  It was really quick and didn't run around like a turkey. My Make just chopped its head off. We boiled water and poured it over the chicken and the feathers came off easily.  All I thought about the whole time was "Man, we really skip this whole process in America...I wonder what they really DO in those chicken factories.."  and "Holy Sh*t, I'm going to need a glass of wine to be able to eat this thing tonight."
All parts of that chicken were eaten, except the gizzards.  But my Make chopped the whole thing up and i put it in a pot and boiled it, my Make making sure to tell me not to put garlic in it this time (spaghetti incident, but also who knows how an anti-garlic Make and I get along?!?!). I snuck in some rosemary though, didn't tell anyone but everyone approved.
On a side note, I did go sneak a glass of wine.  Drinking in Swaziland is VERY STRONGLY looked down upon.  Anyone who drinks is an alcoholic.  So although this is my first bottle of wine I have boughten yet, I choose to keep it to myself for the time being (not very discreet, putting it on the internet and all,but ahwell).  When I move to my permanant site I will see what the sitch is or explain how one can drink a glass of wine and not be completely intoxicated, but we'll see.  For now, it is mine and the internet's little secret.
Anyway, after cooking the chicken, something AWESOME happened. Who knows if it was my complete and under boredom from only studying (for an hour...) all day, or the glass of wine, but it was pretty sweet.  Well, let me start from the beginning.  Today, I chose to just stay at my homestead all day.  A good choice, but also hard to slow down and just hang to with really not much to do all day.  In the morning my highlight was driving a wire-made car around my yard.  I was really surprised at how fun it was.  And seeing the cars these kids made really showed ingenuity.  Then, one of my happiest moments yet happened.  I made some lilayrisi and emabontisi (rice and beans) and sat on my step to eat it.  My Make had just finished making lunch for my fam and my youngest bhuti came to sit with me while we ate.  He was also eating Lilayrisi and was pumped that we were eating the same thing! (If you're wondering, I could see it in his eyes)  We sat on that stoop happy as larks, and it just made me really happy because it was so cute.  Just by accident we both were in the same sitting position eating the same thing, looking lovingly at each other doing it. Soo adorable!  As you can see, the small things are already becoming the biggest.
Back to after the glass of wine.  I was hanging out and a little girl had a tambourine type thing.  After dancing around with it (I guess it really was the boredom, not the wine) for a bit, I couldn't help myself but see a bucket upside down. I got two sticks and started drumming on that bucket.  Than my 12 year old bhuti showed me up and really started making some beats, but its all good and it was awesome.  My Make, Bandele, and I all just danced around and had a blast.  It was cool that we all got into it so easily, because drumming and dancing is awesome, and lets be serious, I am in Africa here.  It was really cute seeing my Make dance and let loose, and my Babe watched and I'm sure loved it.
I love it here, but am excited to move to my permanent site just so I can feel settled in.  We went to a perma-culture training this week, to get us amped-up for gardening.  It worked, btw. They taught us a lot about composting and watering tips and just some pretty awesome things, but now I'm ready to start working on them.  But, alas, I will not start composting now or stockpiling my rubbish because I just might (and will) find a use for it-tin cans, for example, to start seedlings, or making wallets out of Milk cartons?!?!- but know it will be better to hold off for a few more weeks so that I don't have to lug all my trash when I move.  I am excited to move, but do love this family a lot.  I like it so much when I see my Babe looking at his kids, or Bandelele looking at any of his siblings and family members, and just see love shining through their eyes.  I am happy it wont be too tough to come back and visit here either.
Apparently getting placed in Swaziland is basically 'the shit' too.  This is because here there are grocery stores, electricity, and well, just some development.  I know my service will be touching, and being in Africa am happy to have these amenities, but also do think it is interesting to think about how in other countries on this continent whole towns do not have electricity, verses here some houses do and some do not.  It is just good thing to think about.  My service will be very different than people who really live out in the middle of who knows where (even though trying to find anyplace on a Swazi map is 'who knows where' do to the sloppy geography of most maps made in Swaziland) but I know it will also be interesting and good.