8/5/2010
…wasting time.
I feel a lot like Otis Redding right now.
Anyway.
Last night, Tor invited me to the guesthouse where he eats dinner to talk with the woman who is in charge of the HIV unit at the hospital. I kind of just wanted to curl up in my tent and go to bed at 8 (it was one of those days), but I decided to man up and I went.
It was actually a really good time. There were only a few people there and the guesthouse staff was all very nice. The guesthouse itself was off the beaten path and had all kinds of gorgeous flowers and a rose arbor and was quiet and incredibly peaceful. The HIV woman stopped by, but we didn’t talk about HIV, which I was sort of relieved about. We ended up drinking beer and playing Egyptian rat screw and listening to underground hip-hop and old blues songs on Tor’s computer. Sometimes it’s just a relief to have some sense of normalcy. I’m always bracing myself for the usual stares and questions whenever I go anywhere outside my campsite, but going to the guesthouse was like I had stepped into my “past life” from 7 weeks ago (although it feels like a year since I’ve been home, honestly). I didn’t have to try and explain myself and my strange American tendencies, or deal with people shouting “MZUNGU!!” at me every 10 seconds. I was just a white person playing cards and drinking beer and for once there were no eyes on me or on what I was doing; I was anonymous. Being unnoticed has never felt so good. It was just what I needed.
We’re going to Bujengwe again today on the boda-boda (which is now back from the repair shop for the second or third time…), but I have some time to kill before we go. Therefore, I thought I’d make a list of things I’m glad that I brought with me to Africa and things that I’m kicking myself for bringing now that I’m here, just FYI in case anyone reading this is thinking of making the trek out here.
I’m SO glad I brought:
–A flashlight. The power here goes out at night sometimes, which makes nighttime latrine trips pretty scary because you can’t see your way there and you’re not sure where all the spiders are hanging out. Plus, the paths in the camp are all very dark, and there are no streetlights anywhere outside the camp either.
–Hand sanitizer. Seriously, bring it, and bring a LOT of it. It might not be as effective as soap and water, but there is honestly not a lot of soap and water here. And it gives you peace of mind to know you can use it after you’ve just shaken hands with a guy who most definitely had poop all over his fingers.
–Face wipes. Wasteful? Maybe. Convenient? Yes. It definitely beats trying to wash your face with a pitcher of water. I don’t use these babies in the states, but they’re a luxury that I’m glad I allowed myself to have here.
–Hiking boots. I love, love, love my hiking boots and I’m so glad I splurged on them for this trip. I have been hiking in the mountains more times than I can count at this point, whether to visit communities or to get a little exercise. The rocks in the soil here are very loose and the grips on my boots have saved me several times from falling while going up and down steep hills.
–Fleece zip-up sweatshirt. It gets really cold here in the mountains at night. I’ve worn this thing pretty much every day at some point. Comfy and durable.
–Books. I’ve never read so much in my life. I brought three books and was done with all of them about 4 weeks in. Luckily I was loaned other books to read by various people. Cheap entertainment, and a nice little escape when you need it.
–Clif bars. I actually only brought enough to last me two weeks and I really wish I had brought more. Perfect for situations when you don’t feel safe eating the food somewhere, or when you get stranded without food somewhere, or when you just want something that reminds you of home and kind of tastes like a cookie (I haven’t really seen many baked goods or desserts around here in general.)
–Laptop. Of course, I kind of had to bring it for my internship, but I would have brought it anyway had I not needed it for work. Internet access, pictures of all my loved ones, music. Duh. Bring it.
Things I brought that I really don’t need after all:
–Toooo many clothes. I brought about 5 different skirts, several varieties of pants, even dressy clothes, which I have NEVER worn. I wear two pairs of pants pretty consistently with the occasional skirt and a rotation of about 6 or 7 shirts. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
–A fanny pack. Yes, I brought a fanny pack because I figured that’s what you’re supposed to wear here. They’re small, convenient, functional, blah blah. The truth is, the tourists who do bring fanny packs look ridiculous. You don’t NEED a fanny pack here. I carry around a regular purse/bag with a long shoulder strap. The area around here is pretty safe and nobody’s going to try and steal your stuff. Tor and I were also talking about how hilarious it is that the tourists all come decked out in visors and special zip-off pants and extreme rain gear, whereas the locals are out working in the fields wearing button-up blazers. People in Africa don’t wear all that safari crap; don’t bring it. Bring functional things, but only if they’re absolutely necessarily. You can get by with a lot less stuff that you might think.
–Running shoes. I tried running here once and I don’t think I want to try it again. I ended up swallowing TONS of dust and almost wiping out several times on the pointy rocks sticking up out of the ground everywhere. Not to mention the hills and the potholes and the boda-bodas zipping around every corner. I think I’ll stick with hiking until I get back to the states.
…So, just kidding, we’re not going out to Bujengwe after all. The bike is still broken.
I guess I’ll watch the cows walk by or something.
Still missing everybody. A lot.
the mzungu chronicles. 