a month?!

Well i realized that I have not been super descriptive. or maybe I have, I don't know, but I decided I shall give you an idea of what my days are like here. If I go on a run in the morning (which has been slightly difficult with the sickness, but i'm feeling better), I wake up at 6am and run to the sea foam green mosque on the main street near my house. There I meet Alys and/or Katie (girls on the program) and we run through the red dust while the sun rises. Then I proceed to do the bucket shower, before I change and meet the SIT bus on the main street. The mornings before class starts remind me of highschool early mornings where we would sit groggily together before class began. But here, we're greeted with a plethora of french bread, tea and coffee, or "lipton"- in a french accent, and nescafe flakes. Sometimes, there's nutella or jam or even laughing cow cheese!
Every week we have an excursion and we've gone to many different places that could potentially correspond to our Independent projects, for example Women's right associations, etc...
After school, sometimes I go to friends houses to see baby chicks, or better yet, little puppies, that actually end up making me more sad than happy. Not too healthy. There is a boulangerie with an assortement of pre-scooped ice cream portions, cool drinks, and french pastries galore! They even have espresso there!! Yesterday we set up shop, did some homework there...it almost felt a little like an afternoon at college...
When I get home I am bombarded with smiles and questions about how my day went. I sit and do homework, do my pleasure reading, watch shitty spanish or australian or american or african soap operas, and often talk at length with my siblings. Now, as it's getting hotter and hotter we are sleeping on the roof most nights, which on the weekends, when I sleep in a little, makes me feel like I'm waking up in the middle of a sunbathing sesh, before I open my eyes, see the mosquito net above me, and realize it's 90 degrees at 9am. splendid.
OH! My oldest brother Ladji asked me last week if i wantexd to pray with hi, mais bien sur!!! We went outside and performed ablutions, washing hands, feet, face, teeth, ears, head in a systematic order. I tried to follow along as he quietly said "bismiallah rahman..." After my younger sister mimi wrapped a pagne around my waist, and they provided me with a scarf to cover my hair and a prayer rug, we climbed to the roof and faced mecca. He told me to simply follow along through the motions.
This is why I came here.
So I am coming closer to solidifying my topic for my independent study. I think i'm going to look at the prevalence of Polygamy and how it is decreasing with the younger generations. I am definitely going to look at how Muslim beliefs both influence and encourage polygamy, and how beliefs are consitent with what Muslim texts actually say.
My health is improving, I think. Its so hard to tell when you're hot and sweaty all the time, but i'm managing. and life is good.