Are you gaining weight?...Good for you!

In Ghana it is apparently a compliment when someone points out that you have gained weight. Mostly, this is based off the idea that you have enough money to feed yourself (and well, at that) and that you are happy with life and enjoying its benefits. As we all know, though, this does not have quite the same affect in the United States. Luckily, I have not had this happen...yet. Tell, on the other hand, has been told approximately 10 times so he asked me to do something about it. So, in true Jenna fashion, I wrote a workout plan for him. We started today.

Tell and I woke up and went to the track (which reminds me quite a lot of the Shepaug track- so essentially, dirt with a worn path). I did an old track workout with Tell in the heat of the morning and we were beat. We have also decided to give up starches (mostly just eat meat and fruits and veggies) for a few days. Our hope is that seriously watching what we eat for a few days will help us begin to eat healthier. You can only eat rice and beans and yams so often.

Before we began this hell diet, though, Tell, Avra and Duncan surprised me with a homemade Mexican birthday dinner. Monday was so busy with all the parents leaving and everything, they decided to do it a night later. We had the most amazing chicken fajitas (with cheese!) and for dessert I made an African rendition of a killer cookie. I heated up some of the peanut butter brownie Mr. Rice brought me and we added vanilla fanice ice cream drizzled with melted chocolate. It was an amazing way to end the birthday celebration.

The rest of my day was pretty normal. I went to drumming and then played basketball. I was on my way back when I met Raia (another international student). Raia was planning on running on the track, which is right next to the courts, so I decided to wait for her so she didn't have to walk alone in the dark. While shooting around a boy came over and started to shoot as well. His shot was, well, not really a shot as much as a chuck. So, I spent the next the next 30 min. trying to teach him to shoot. Though you could see improvement, there was only so much I could do- especially because he had limited English. Things like these, though, do remind me that I am most definitely on the correct career path. It sort of made my day :)