these pictures are old - they're from training. i dont have any yet from my new site...









though my life might be lacking some luxuries that are essential to American life, substitutions are not too far for the truly innovative.

skin exfoliation: biking during a sandstorm

digestive system detox regime: gastrointestinal "issues" (for example, some popular regimes have included bacteria, amoebas, e. Coli and giardia)

mud bath pedicure: walking around in flip-flops after the rains

pore/skin detox: sweating profusely, which can be achieved by doing anything, even breathing, during the hours of 11am to 3pm

air conditioning: i can't take credit for this invention. i'll just have to recount what i saw... after finishing his lunch, a fellow volunteer leaned forward in his chair, hung his head over the ground in front of him and pour the rest of his glass of water all over his neck and head. when we laughed at him, he said "what? it's village air conditioning. you just have to wait for the wind." thus, village air conditioning. viola!

vegetables: (didn't know that vegetable could make it on to a list of luxuries, huh?) seriously, folks, I live in the desert. so, when i go to the market and ask around for veggies, people point to onions. bah! i can't wait for the harvest to come in!

brain teasers: learning, in French, how to count money in Fufulde, which is by a system of five. for example, to communicate the price of something that is 50 CFA, one says "sappo", which is 10 in Fulfulde.

exercise: doing laundry (which is by hand, by the way) *added bonus if you do it between the hours of 11am - 3pm!