Txeu Kusas

Hello Family!

Well, it's been quite an eventful week. Now that we're almost all trained in the office, we've been able to get out earlier and start working. We've been knocking a lot of doors and talking to a lot of people. I love it when we find people that I know have been prepared for this message.

The driving is pretty great. Thanks so much for getting all my license stuff together. Elder Barker and Elder Ryan have been very patient teaching the Sisters how to drive. I'm sure they have a lot of faith in the protection that we as missionaries have... :)

Elder Barker and Ryan are also teaching us how to speak Kriolu! They're great. A lot of it is making a lot more sense with the few key words that they've been teaching. Some Kriolu is just like grammatically incorrect Portuguese and some of it...I have no idea where it comes from. But it's a lot of fun finally understanding what some people we teach are saying!

'Nu sta prendi txeu kusas!' = We're learning a lot of things...I think.

Let's see...my bed broke this week. It's been coming along for a while now. I've been using this bed for five months (today) now and the whole time, apparently, it's been missing some important parts like support beams underneath the mattress. But it's all right. I'll get it fixed eventually. Now that we're in the office it's easier to get replacements for things. But we did get it on video (I tried to ease on to it and make it last a few more nights) and when you watch it in slow motion it's really funny.

Well...we've been out of water for a while; it's been coming and going for a week or so and apparently all next week (maybe longer) the city of Praia won't have any running water. I'm not overly excited, but I am getting very efficient with bucket baths. And I can wash my face with less than a cup of water and even less to brush my teeth!

I still haven't eaten any lobster, Sammy, but I have had squid! Sister Banze made us squid one day for lunch. I can't say it's my favorite, but it was definitely interesting. But that was my exciting food for the week.

Oh! We went to the giant tree again today! We had an awesome office activity with the secretaries and Elder Adams. We climbed up the tree, squeezed down into the tree and then out the back. Then we squeezed back up through the tree and 'slid' down the outside. It was awesome! I also think that learning how to drive here has helped my car sickness problem in the Hiaces. Now sitting in a full van with some strangely scented strangers and listening to Kriolu rap is a whole lot of fun!

And for the record, my FLU is completely recovered and I haven't had any problems since. Unfortunately Nusco (this chocolate hazelnut spread that everyone loves) makes me a little nauseous to think about since I had that the morning of the incident. :)

A mi ka pode skrebi mais. Mas nu ja perde tudo kusa pal modi nu era kassabodi. A nu ka tem nada e a nu era ku txeu medo pal modi es tem uma faka grande.

I'm not translating that because it's probably totally wrong. But if you figure it out, just know that I love it here and I appreciate all your prayers!

Kookookachoo,

Sister Brooks

No, that's not Kriolu. You 'Crush' fans should recognize it from Finding Nemo.