More of the same
So the power is incredibly unreliable but I’ve managed to type this out – hopefully I can get it on line. Apparently I’m a real African now that I spent an evening or two under a mosquito net reading by the light of a kerosene lamp. Definitely have Miranda Lambert stuck in my head after that, too bad I didn’t bring the charger for my music and the battery symbol is already in the red.
I did the whole cold shower thing to wash my hair it’s actually not as bad as I thought it would be. Rather excited since my backpack was brought up from home so I have a much larger wardrobe and all my toiletries (Shampoo!!!!!!!!!) plus they brought the laptop I brought from Ottawa so I now have photos (mainly Europe not home – home are on the iPod which has little batteries) to keep me entertained. Tried to make friends with the night security guard but I don’t think he speaks English very well or else he just really didn’t want to talk to me. There are at least four different kinds of lizards in the camp and a number of really big rats which I try to avoid. Though the other two ladies living at base camp have instructed me not to scream when I encounter rats, cockroaches etc. because it will worry them and the guard that the rebels are around.... I wasn’t sure if they were joking or not so I better not scream when I meet the other residents of base camp. It’s really too bad the guard dogs don’t eat rats – makes them pretty much useless to me, they only are let out at night, they bark like crazy and are a little on the scary side. I hope there are no dogs at the base camp back down at home because then I’m stuck with them every night for the next five months.
Being in a war zone is very odd….The stories some of my coworkers have are absolutely unbelievable at least two have lived through ambushes and others have had family members abducted by the rebels. I really don’t know what to say when they tell me their stories.
It isn’t all in the past though. Apparently, on Friday the director of another NGO was abducted (not in this district but the next one), his car looted and all his clothing taken. He was released unharmed, naked but unharmed. Don’t worry I’ve heard that the rebels have been instructed not to hurt white people because we are ‘ghosts’ or spirits. My co-workers find this really really funny. I guess it’s a bit reassuring. Black humour is a common coping mechanism here I think. I just can’t participate and sometimes I find it shocking which others pick up on and then reassure me they are just kidding or it really isn’t that bad which I totally believe.
On the plus side I have managed to go out alone a couple of times so I think I'm getting more comfortable here - though once a kid decided that I should give him some money. Only I didn’t understand and thought he was just like the other kids that just want to touch the odd coloured girl, the 'muzungo' or something like that – so I shook his hand and then he wouldn’t let go much to the amusement of the bodaboda drivers waiting near by and the women walking behind me. I guess watching a 22 year old try to detach a ten year old’s hand and then practically run away might be pretty funny if you’re not that 22 year old….
Anyways, I better get going. Talk to you all soon!!!
I did the whole cold shower thing to wash my hair it’s actually not as bad as I thought it would be. Rather excited since my backpack was brought up from home so I have a much larger wardrobe and all my toiletries (Shampoo!!!!!!!!!) plus they brought the laptop I brought from Ottawa so I now have photos (mainly Europe not home – home are on the iPod which has little batteries) to keep me entertained. Tried to make friends with the night security guard but I don’t think he speaks English very well or else he just really didn’t want to talk to me. There are at least four different kinds of lizards in the camp and a number of really big rats which I try to avoid. Though the other two ladies living at base camp have instructed me not to scream when I encounter rats, cockroaches etc. because it will worry them and the guard that the rebels are around.... I wasn’t sure if they were joking or not so I better not scream when I meet the other residents of base camp. It’s really too bad the guard dogs don’t eat rats – makes them pretty much useless to me, they only are let out at night, they bark like crazy and are a little on the scary side. I hope there are no dogs at the base camp back down at home because then I’m stuck with them every night for the next five months.
Being in a war zone is very odd….The stories some of my coworkers have are absolutely unbelievable at least two have lived through ambushes and others have had family members abducted by the rebels. I really don’t know what to say when they tell me their stories.
It isn’t all in the past though. Apparently, on Friday the director of another NGO was abducted (not in this district but the next one), his car looted and all his clothing taken. He was released unharmed, naked but unharmed. Don’t worry I’ve heard that the rebels have been instructed not to hurt white people because we are ‘ghosts’ or spirits. My co-workers find this really really funny. I guess it’s a bit reassuring. Black humour is a common coping mechanism here I think. I just can’t participate and sometimes I find it shocking which others pick up on and then reassure me they are just kidding or it really isn’t that bad which I totally believe.
On the plus side I have managed to go out alone a couple of times so I think I'm getting more comfortable here - though once a kid decided that I should give him some money. Only I didn’t understand and thought he was just like the other kids that just want to touch the odd coloured girl, the 'muzungo' or something like that – so I shook his hand and then he wouldn’t let go much to the amusement of the bodaboda drivers waiting near by and the women walking behind me. I guess watching a 22 year old try to detach a ten year old’s hand and then practically run away might be pretty funny if you’re not that 22 year old….
Anyways, I better get going. Talk to you all soon!!!
posted by Erin at 6:29 PM
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