Feb 23, 2010

I just thought I would share one of my days in Africa with you.

Yesterday I took Cory and Tony on my new scooter that Jamie recently got me, to Lia. It is the closest town from here. Usually it takes around 20 minutes to get there. But when you leave here that is when the adventure starts. One of the reasons I wanted to go was to take Tony cause he has never been anywhere before. It is hard for me to think of the little town of Bere being my life and that is it. So anyways here goes the three of us on the scooter in the sand. We start out well and then a little less than half way there our tire pops. We pull over and try to think what in the world are we going to do. Well I of course call Jamie. He tells us to flag down another motorcycle and see if they have a pump and if so try to get to Lia then get it changed. So we did and the first guy didn't have one. The second guy didn't either but had a better solution. First of all the guy driving was a mechanic and the guy on the back was the tailor at the school that is making all the uniforms and he recognized Tony. Thank you Jesus! They were headed back to Bere and said that they would get me another tube and the mechanic would come back and put it on for me. It took him a while to get back and I told the boys that he may have made his quickest 2000F and kept the money or that he is just enjoying a nice cold coke in the market as we sit here out in the middle of literally nowhere. They laughed! I gave the guy 2000F to get me another tube in faith that he would come back. He did! He changed the tire and we were on our way again. Once we got into Lia I got stopped by the police. I thought ok here we go what do they want. I knew that I had all the papers I needed to be legal. We have only had the scooter for about 1 1/2 weeks and have been stopped two times already. Let me explain, if you don't have all their proper papers then you get charged for each piece of paper you don't have. I had confidence cause I knew already that I had all the right papers. I did know that I kind of went through my first stop sign coming into Lia. I am not use to stop signs anymore and whoop there one was. Anyways I think the boys got a little shook up but I didn't. Thank you Jesus again cause I think it came across that way too in the way I dealt with them. So he wasn't stopping me cause I went through a stop sign so, he stopped me cause I am not suppose to have 3 on a scooter. Now if I was a regular motorcycle then it would be ok. So I told them that I didn't know that rule cause the scooter was new. They talked a lot among themselves and kept asking me questions. They finally got to the question about where I worked and if I worked for the hospital in Bere. I told them no but that I was a teacher at the school and that my husband worked at the hospital. Something like that piece of information is very good information to share. As they were trying to decide what to do with me cause they were telling me that I had to pay 3000 F for having three people. I sent the boys on to the market and I told them I would meet them there. Right after they left they told me that they were going to let me go without a fine. Esp. since we are from the hospital. Yeah! I got to go without a fine. As I am driving the scooter toward the boys near the market I thought to myself. "I cannot believe I am doing all this." I promise 6 months ago I would never leave Bere alone. What was I thinking? What would my mother think if she could see me now? Well we got to show Tony around Lia and do a little shopping. We had a really good time after all the drama. It was fun to see Tony "out in the world". I could tell that he was a little out of his comfort zone but I think it is good for him. I am still not use to the market in Bere and am out of my comfort zone. And most of the people in the market are Arabic and Tony does not know a lot of Arabic so he could feel what we feel everyday at the market in Bere. One outfit, one mat, one pump for the scooter and some limes later we were on our way back to Bere but not all three of us. Cory took a "klondo" a motorcycle taxi back to Bere. He was really afraid to do it but when we saw him in Bere he had faced his fear and was happy he did it.

It is just one adventure after another here. You never know what one day after the other is going to bring you. That is surprisingly one of the things I like about this place. I feel like I am really living! This has really been the best experience of my life. Yes, I have been out of my comfort zone and yes, I have done things that I never thought I would but that it part of the fun. To look back and say yes, I did it! I look back at everything we all have experienced here and it is just an amazing thing. Not easy that is for sure and yes, I have shed a lot of tears but nevertheless it has all been worth it.