Freddie the new guardian

Ever since I moved in here people in Oussouye have been worried about my safety. People here do not live alone, they don't like to sleep alone and its considered bad for you to eat alone. Everything people do here is collective. So for me to be living in "the forest" alone is "dangerous" but I have survived to everyones paranoia and fear. I have always liked living with a dog to guard the house as opposed to an actual human guardian. In Ghana I had both. My dogs were fantastic watch men alerting me to all manner of creatures on the compound. I never had any thieves and they were suspicious of all new people to the house. In Agbogba I had these three guys who took turns guarding the house. They would peak in my windows and take showers in the in yard. It was, well, awkward.

So now I have Freddie. My previous dog due to her status as a girl was sent to Esoute to guard some chickens there. Unfortuately she bit someone and they gave her a distemper shot, which got infected and last I heard she was very sick.

I received Freddie last week. He is a total scaredy cat and hates to be left alone anywhere. The first two days he ran away to the neighbors house every time I went to the toilet. Now he is a little more content and hasn't run away in a few days.

I am praying Freddie lives a long life here at the center and becomes part of the fabric of the place. Knowing all the corners of the compound and that he'll be agressive and discerning in the night and with new people. Long Live Freddie!