travels

Last week, when Joshua was still here, we visited Dougia and Gouie.
Two tourism sites on this side of the country. Dougia has a huge rock
shaped by the wind to resemble an elephant . We got to climb the rock
as a family and it felt just like old times: Climbing rocks, taking
pictures, and then sitting down for a packed lunch. That is until the
local children realized there were narssara in the area. We could see
them coming from all directions to see the white novelty. The
adventuresome boys climbed up the hundred meter rock just to say
“salut” and sit beside us. There was a crowd of about thirty circled
around our truck when we got down from the elephant and they all
wanted a handshake and a hello.
In Gouie, a local village that has a historical museum, all the
village children (about 40 or so) surrounded our truck as soon as we
stopped. All the schools in the country are on conge (holiday) because
of the 50 year independence celebration on Tuesday, and so they were
all there to welcome the tourists. The museum was really cool, it’s
actually an old sultan’s palace all necked out with Sao artifacts. And
then I bought some local pottery. 4 bowls for the apartment next year.
I also ordered a pitcher for water. Things like that are so cheep
here. It’s the clothing that is expensive.
My brother left on Sunday so he could be back in time for school this
week, and life settled down into some what of a routine. Because my
students are also on conge, I lead an English club this past week on
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. It went really well. The kids
really want to learn, and I’m finding that I might actually turn out
to be a not-half-bad teacher.
Week days are pretty routine, we all get up at 6 and eat breakfast
together around 6:30. Mom and Dad go to work, Hannah goes to school,
and so far I’ve alternated between hitching a ride with my Dad to my
school, and then walking home or staying home and working on lesson
plans. Each day I’ve gotten the chance to walk around the
neighbourhood, or walk to pick my sister up from school. I can now
find my way there on my own.
We have the big meal of our day at around 1:30 or 2. Because cooking
here takes a lot of time (you have to bleach all the food, etc) and
dishes are done by hand in large tubes, along with laundry (not
together though… ), we have a house help who comes week day mornings.
Jean buys the groceries at the market twice a week, cleans, does the
laundry (except our underwear which we wash on Saturday mornings) and
makes us lunch. She’s usually finishing up just as we sit down to
lunch.
And by then we are all so tired we take a nap or play a game. In the
afternoons Hannah does her physics class (all her work is by
correspondence) my dad naps and does some errands, and my mom does
more work from home, errands, or things around the house. So far I’ve
been helping everyone out or reading. Soon I’ll be writing lesson
plans and grading papers.
Dinner is around 6:30 or 7 and is a small meal. Evenings are short,
and so far we’ve read or watched tv shows/movies. Bed time is by 9
o’clock because you are so exhausted. A few times this week I’ve
caught myself asking if it’s bed time yet by 7:30. Life here is
tiring. And then I tuck myself in under my mosquito net before
drifting off to sleep to the sound of dogs barking in the streets. And
up again at 6 the next morning.
Today was a Saturday, so we got to do things a little bit differently.
Mom, Hannah, and Dad slept in a whole hour till 7 o’clock and then
began the Saturday chores (I was supposed to join them, but forgot to
wake up until 8.. opps!). Mom did the laundry while Hannah made
crepes. We had them with neutela-like chocolate spread (imported of
course), local and in season banana’s and homemade yogurt. Pure
heaven. And then we went to the two grocery stores in the city and the
central market (or the grand marché ) to do our own errands. I bought
some fabric to make a whole Chadian outfit. That was an adventure. The
fabric cost me 6,500 CFA which is like 13 dollars USD. The tailoring
will cost around 4,000. So in total it will be around a 20 dollar
outfit. Tonight we’re going to have pizza. Apparently my sister makes
the best pizza. I can believe it, she is a great cook.
It’s difficult adjusting to the family living. For the fast few weeks
it’s been okay because I know that it’s holiday. But now I’m beginning
to realize that I’m not headed back to school tomorrow like the rest
of you. I hope you have extra fun and don’t forget me. Let me know a
good time when I can skype a crowd of you sometime. Remember there is
a 6 hour time difference. And I go to bed around 9.