The other week, I asked Peter, my daytime guard, what type of gourd he was growing by the wall. It has climbed all the way up the security wall and had several gourds on the vine, all about 18 inches or longer.
So he picked 2 for me. Then he demonstrated that on my property, we are growing loofahs! How cool is that?! I got such a kick out of it for some reason. So he gave me one, and now I have seeds to try this in the USA sometime.
I also have been using my home-grown loofah to scrub my nasty feet at night. Here, there is a proverb, that "you can't wash off the dust of Africa" (meaning the literal washing off of the dusty roads, and also how the place gets under your skin and into your heart)... at least the loofah is helping with one part of that proverb.
I'm pretty sure I'm okay with the other proverb meaning. I don't want Africa and all its people, wonders, places, etc. out of my heart!