Yo my bad.

So sorry about the lack of updating. So, in no particular order, here is a summary of recent events:

1. Angelica has been asked to leave because her English isn't good enough. I've spoken to several people about it, including her, and there are many parts to this. The first is simple; on her application, when asked how well she speaks English, she wrote "more or less," and it's definitely "less." Her inability to communicate prevents her from being able to help the villagers when they ask questions and inhibits interaction in general. Also, according to the other co-worker in her house, she doesn't make a lot of effort to interact with everyone and stays in her room most of the time. I feel bad for her, because I think she didn't quite realize what she was getting herself into--she wouldn't have been able to read any brochures Botton sent her, and I guess she could have used an online translator for the website, but those are pretty unreliable. Anyway, she's going home on Monday.

2. Howard, one of the villagers in the food centre, didn't know my name, so he just called me Magdalena because he absolutely loves Magdalena, and her name. He says her name at least two dozen times every morning. But I told him my name several times, and now he calls me Obby due to his speech impediment.

3. I had four co-worker things this week. Tuesday morning was part I of the Induction Essentials that I missed since I came late, and Thursday afternoon was part II. We watched this really awkward movie about abuse that I think is supposed to make you feel uncomfortable. The thing is, abuse only really happens villager to villager or villager against co-worker (some of them can have outbursts and potentially harm someone). On Tuesday night we had our usual co-worker supper in the coffee bar, and then an incredibly boring talk about Gerta (sp?) science. The topic was presented as "What Kind of Science do we Need Today?" and i thought it was going to be about global warming and alternative energy, but it was totally wack. This lady talked about how we need to be able to talk to plants and how plants have personalities and characteristics like people, and we were supposed to discuss this stuff as a big group, so I spoke up. I said something about how things like religion and math and laws of science are human perspectives and creations and there is math in the structure of the plant because WE deem it so. And she basically said I was wrong. Ya know how i sometimes complain that I have way too many thoughts? Well I'd been suppressing them for a while because they got so friggin annoying, but this stupid lecture brought them all up again! All this shit about humans and brain function and nature and biology and Buddhism and how these thoughts are just part of my being human and they are stupid and humans are stupid and the earth doesn't want us and we are so arrogant and self-absorbed as a species. Blech. On the way back to the neighborhood I vented to Luis and he was like...whoa you DO have way too many thoughts. Then the next morning we had Foundation Course stuff and at tea break I hung out with Mycha, who is officially nice, and Nastia and Luis and several others, and they totally agreed that the lady who gave the talk was a little nuts. Turns out most people thought it was going to be about science, not a doctrine.

4. Rufus is so funny, every time I say "Good morning Rufus," or "How are you Rufus?" he goes "MOoooooouuhhHH!!!" I think he loves me. Molly is cute as ever, Sybilla and White Bean are my favorite cows, and White Bean's calf is due in three weeks, so that's exciting. Also today Justin tackled a sheep and fixed its foot with some blue spray-on anti-foot-rot stuff.

5. My fingers constantly smell like silage, and it is gross.

6. The apple juice we have been making in the food centre somehow fermented, and now Magdalena and I are secretly making cider (in England cider means alcoholic and what we think of as cider is just apple juice)...shh don't tell!

7. I miss Lucy so bad. Cats are just not dogs.

8. I am so sore all the time. Eff pitchforks and pulling out fences.

9. I had a really bad ingrown toenail made worse by the amount of walking I do every day, and it started to pus but instead of going to the health centre I operated on it myself and fixed it up all nice. I told Phil about my mad operating skills and then at lunch Paule asked if I had gone to the health centre for my toe and Phil said don't let her go in there she'll start cutting people open!!"

10. Anthony has something wrong with his leg, I think with the tendon behind his knee. He came limping into the kitchen when Paule and I were preparing supper and he was almost in tears because it had started hurting on his way back home from the woodwork shop and he could barely walk home! I felt so sad for him! He is such a lovely person, always saying "Here you ah my deah!" when passing things at the table and "You certainly may my deah, by all means!" And he calls me "Luv" which is just so precious. Oh! And for those of you who watch the Simpsons, if you're wondering what Anthony looks like, he is literally the identical twin of Smithers (I think thats that guys name, I can't say I watch that show a lot...)

11. OMG!! I guess I saved the best for last. Luis told me today that Tracy, his house mother, had told him that there are big rumors flying around the neighborhood about us. Obviously, we did not underestimate Beth. Apparently, Tracy said, someone saw us kissing! Which is a TOTAL LIE! These villagers will do anything for entertainment. John Chatham ("Chatty") who makes us our tea for tea break on the farm, has Down syndrome, and therefore an incredibly creative and fantastical mind. He loves to tell me that I am his daughter and today he gave Luis permission to marry me. I asked him if he would walk me down the isle and he said of course, but we must all drink lots of coffee and whisky after the ceremony. Anyway I'm sure he has a part in these rumors as well...I'm thinking it might not be such a bad thing since the men seem to be leaving me alone now...they must think Luis will beat them up or something.

I think that's about it. Tomorrow Luis and I are gonna walk to a nearby pub. By nearby I mean it takes like an hour to get there but it's really pretty and you walk on the top of the dale and get a nice view....except the only time we are both free is like...9:00 at night. So it'll be...actually probably a little dangerous, and certainly treacherous, but also very very fun.

Ta.