I'm in Abidjan again. Got up at 5:30 this morning, caught a cab at 6am and was on a bus by 7am. Got to Abidjan by 9am. Not too traumatic today. This trip was a long time coming, or at least seemed that way. I spent two weekends in Taabo. Both weekends (and the week in between) I was sick with a head cold. Nothing serious... the usual Kate cold with a terrible cough and fluid in my ears. But it makes for a long weekend when you're sick and away from friends and family and hot and cranky and etc. I'm looking forward to eating burgers and pizza, speaking English, and shopping in a real grocery store this weekend! Ahhh...the finer things in life!!!
I did manage to pull myself together last weekend a bit and got some work done. There's so much paperwork that I got during training, and I finally sorted and separated it all. I have also become quite the handywoman with my bike - adjusted the seat, handlebars, and brakes. No one can believe I (a woman) can ride the bike, let alone putter around with it like that. You should see their faces when they see me on the bike!
I have been guiltily noticing how much more trash I create than my neighbors. They don't use canned food like I do, and they don't throw out (or use?) kleenex, papers, magazines, etc... This was underscored to me when I took stacks of paper out to the trash heap. Immediately I was reminded that all that could be used for paper airplanes by the kids next door, who scooped it up and had a great time playing with my trash.
Work has been rolling along at its usual slow pace. I am frustrated right now with all the red tape and slow changing attitudes. If I understand culture shock correctly, I am definitely in the worst of it... that point comes four to six months after you get to a country... things that were once fun or cute or charming are suddenly not. That's how I feel. The good news is that the experts say this passes, and within a few weeks I will be more accepting of the stuff that's making me crazy now. I hope so!!! It helps to remember why I'm here... to make a difference and challenge myself in ways I have not done before. It would be too easy to come home now. I feel bad for people who get to this point and give it up. There's so much to be done here and the effects of my work can be so dramatic!
I had the maintenance staff digging in a field the other day, and they came upon two scorpions. These were the largest scorpions I've ever seen! As long as my hand from my wrist to the tip of my middle finger! Laila - Please tell Melissa M. of this, as she and I freaked out over a scorpion in Key West that was about two inches long. I swear, these two were the size of small lobsters!