Ten New Things I’d Never Seen or Done Until Now

by Gloria Daniels

1) Sorted beans before cooking to remove the weevil-infested ones.

2) Said “To heck with it,” and proceeded to cook and eat weevil-infested beans.

3) Watched a chicken flap into an internet cafe from out of nowhere and land on my friend’s lap. (She didn’t find it nearly as funny as I did).

4) Personally requested two 3-foot long metal bars to be installed in an ‘X’ shape on a door to my house.

5) Seen a 5 year-old child crush glass with a stone against pavement during playground time…Then witnessed him brushing the powdery shards onto the dirt with his bare hands.

6) Trained teachers (oh wait…that’s my job now! Wish me luck!)

7) Indirectly participated in a bribe by lending someone a substantial amount of Nigerian currency (well, substantial for a VSO volunteer, that is) that he will use to try to buy himself a job (not something I’m proud of doing or will do again, but I had my reasons).

8 ) Eaten an actual cashew fruit! Yes! They are fruits AND nuts! The fruit hangs off the seed (nut) and it is pepper shaped and delicious! I even have a cashew tree (and a mango tree) at my new home!

9) Gotten into the car of a unknown man who pulled over and asked me if I needed a lift somewhere…Reverse hitchhiking! (Not to worry, the circumstances made it okay).

10) Seen an entire swimming pool of all black people. (I know that sounds odd, but I truly had never seen it before – it caught me by surprise!)