sometimes it's not so fun here

For the most part I like Senegal, I really do. But sometimes I just don't. Living with three little brothers sometimes makes liking Senegal really hard. The way that they discipline the kids here is very different from home (or at least my home). Here they use their hands and some loud words to get their point across to kids, and it can be very hard to be around. Not to say that I have ever seen anything that I feel is out of line, children are just really dealt with in a different way here. And it puts me in a tough spot because there are moments when I want to discipline the children (for going into my room without asking or for crawling all over me when I'm not in the mood) and it is very hard because I am used to using my words and asking children to stop, but nicely. It doesn't work like that here and the kids don't respond to that, so I have to talk more firmly than I'd like to.
So it's a challenge to figure out how to deal with things, but I think I am making a bit of progress, and I cannot fault the kids for being curious about all of the things I have in my room (like a flashlight). They don't have a lot by way of toys here, so they don't have a whole lot to etertain themselves beyond wrestling. It's a part of the culture that I don't plan to embrace, but that I do have to learn how to adjust to. The kids are well intentioned for the most part, and their mother has her hands full so everyone else helps with raising the kids. Things just get so insane (and loud!) somedays- so I go into my room and just chill out. Fortunately my family is ok with my personal time and never tries to get me to come out. I've done a lot of reading since I've gotten here- and I just got a hold of The Kite Runner, which I'm really excited to dive into!
It's all part of being here, of being in the homestay and living someone elses life.
Not always easy, but then there are the amusing moments, and the ones that put things into a different perspective- like walking out of your front door and seeing a very large cow tied to a post. The cow has been there for two days now, I think he's getting slaughtered this weekend for a baptism. I'm in Africa and that happens here and it's my (odd) life for now.