I wanted to share my sample conversation with Fortune the driver. Accents mean everything!
Me: What would be a good gift be for the village chiefs?
Him: Plantain, potato, cassava
Me: Oh, so I should give food?
Him: You can make chips out of everything!!
Me: Noo...CHIEFS!
Him: Yes, CHIPS!
Me: No chiefs - the people in charge, old men, village elders?? (Trying to think of other synonyms...)
Him: Eh?
Me: The village elders. What should I give them?
Him: Oh...the CHIEFS! Hmm...whatever you have is good.

Yesterday and today I went on fun walks with Mr. Magona. These walks are lasting 2-3 hours. Today we saw black and white colobus monkeys, red colobus monkeys, an almost dead tarantula being eaten by a gigantic wasp, hoof prints from bush buck, duiker and red river hog, and of course awesome plants, trees and birds. I'm lethargic today. I have a cold that won't go away. Oh yesterday I went to greet one of the villages' elders (finally found out that tobacco is good) in Kambama. It went well, I am learning some Mende. Very difficult language! The cameras are all sorted, freshly washed laundry is drying on the line, so except for the sniffling and coughing, I am doing pretty well. No pump water because it is broken but the fridge is going strong - love that thing. I have not been very hungry lately - probably combination heat and my cold (can't smell or taste!).
There are lots of politics dealing with Tiwai. There is a staff of men who work here daily but they all come from Kambama so there is jealousy in the other 7 villages. So I am getting men from 2 other villages further away for the villages will be appeased.