A bottle of one and a half liters of water costs about 500 francs. Often, people do not buy bottles of water, preferring prefer to buy bags of water that cost 25 francs for about half a liter. If you buy a bottle of water, you’re really paying for the plastic bottle!
On Saturday, I made a big salad for lunch. Friday was market day, so I bought a lot of fresh vegetables and eggs. I don’t have a refrigerator, so I need to eat my produce quickly each week. Some produce, like carrots, stay good for a long time, but they lose their crunchiness. A fresh salad with crunchy vegetables is always a treat for me!
This week, my neighbors had a big party. They rented speakers and played music non-stop for three days, so I listened to a lot of their music! The music for parties is usually a mix of popular AfroBeats and recordings of some traditional Kabye music.
On Friday, I went to the weekly market in a neighboring village. I usually go every week to buy fresh vegetables and stock up on pasta, oil and other pantry goods. Perhaps you think grocery shopping is a little boring? Well, an open-air market is very different from a supermarket! There are many vendors, and most have their own stalls, but others walk through the market balancing trays on their heads laden with bananas, soap, fabric or whatever they are selling. The hustle and bustle is energizing. Markets are also somewhere to socialize.
