Crazy White Lady

In a previous blog I mentioned that episode where I had been complaining that my phone didn't ring when I received incoming calls - only to have it ring just fine when they came to check it out. I think at that point- they started to suspect that I was a little loopy.

Well, I recently bought a vase from a potter on the side of the road. He charged me the equivalent of 75 cents- which was probably a horrible rip off - but I generally feel bad to argue prices on that scale. Anyway- when I came back to the hostel, I asked the men at the front desk where I could buy some flowers. They looked at me with a puzzled expression and said- there are flowers outside. I said yes, but where could I buy some and motioned putting flowers into my vase. They said - there is not a shop for flowers, but there are flowers on the lawn. I asked, surprised - I can pick them? They then decided that I was quite dense and the security guard came over and motioned for me to follow him outside.

We went out into the yard and he starts showing me how to pick flowers from the bushes. Once we had a nice bunch we came back inside and he tried to explain to me (this is all through hand motions) that I needed to put water in the vase. I nodded, but I think he was worried that I didn't get it because he set off to get a some water. While he was gone, I took the flowers out of the vase so that I could better arrange them. He came back and poured water into my vase and then tried to explain to me that I needed to put the flowers in the vase. I can only imagine how dense he thinks I am! Earlier today, I went out and picked more flowers to freshen up my arrangement and when I walked back in with them he smiled and nodded at them with a look that I think might have been pride. She's finally got it!

There are tons of stray dogs here. People rarely own dogs as pets and the strays are not treated kindly so they are usually rather afraid if you try to pet them. Actually- most people just ignore them. It is like they exist on a different plane - which seems rather odd to me. Anyway- I have started carrying cookies around in my purse to feed strays in an attempt to make friends. I was talking down the hall of one of the faculty/classroom buildings today and happened upon a cute little black dog. I should probably explain here that everything is very open so dogs wander in and out of buildings, birds fly around and nest in the corners of hallways, etc. So anyway, I'm down on the floor in this hallway holding out a cookie to this dog when along comes one of the faculty members I've been working with. She recognized me (I do stand out a bit here I guess) and said, Vicki? What are you doing? - with this tone in her voice like this is the craziest thing she has ever seen.

So, all in all- I think I'm earning quite the reputation for myself here!