Dearest Friends and Family,
I have a few moments of respite, along with wireless internet thanks to the Sheraton hotel, so I thought I would add an insert to my blog.
This last week has been one of wild sensations- Africa has wooed me, coerced me, horrified me and enchanted me in ways I never expected. I am treated like a queen here, but am extorted for as much money as can be got out of me at every possible turn. I’ve figured out how to live as a westerner- at a rather daunting cost. However, I met some native Nigerians this week who took me out for “fish”- what people seem to eat when they go out for dinner. The restaurant was all outside. You sit and drink Nigerian beer and eat fish that has been grilled and covered in this fiery pepper sauce. According to Nigerian custom, if you invite people to dinner you are expected to pay. If you are invited then you are not allowed to pay anything.
The market (local non-western) is wild. You have to barter for everything, and just about everything can be found there. You hire a “barrel boy” who pushes a wheel barrow around behind you. Yesterday when I went with two other teachers from the school, we had three other me, besides the barrel boy following us around. They took us anywhere that we wanted to go- and divided our tip at the end of the shopping time. It was crazy. I’m starting to get good at bartering- I think I just need to pretend I’m middle eastern and I will be able to get away with lower prices. With the help of our escorts, I was able to find fresh mint, lime, and Bacardi rum- watch out mojitoes here I come. When I asked for mint, they brought me to the meat section- I almost threw up as I was pushing through crowded aisles of fish and goat and steak- it smelled pretty bad. Anyway, I eventually got back to the vegetable stands and was able to smell my way to various fresh herbs.
Right now I am at the pool at the Sheridan- thanks to some kind business me whom we met the other night (ironically, two of whom are from Mexico city). There is a live band playing “Girl from Ipanena” and these wild blue and orange lizards wandering around. I can’t believe I’m here.
My classroom is really nice- It is big and any extra furniture I want I simply ask one of the school carpenters to build. The only problem is the school is not fully finished yet- we will know tomorrow if we are going to have a delayed start. If that is the case, I think my new friends and I are going to take a short trip to Ghana or possible Cairo- an Egyptian dignitary lives in my compound and his wife told me that we just need to hand him our passports and he will get us visas.
Apparently, if you have internet access and a headset, you can use a website called Skyte.com to call landlines. It is free up until December and after that it is only 2 Euro-cents a minute. Expect some calls as soon as I figure out how to use it.
Take care and feel free to write. It is so encouraging to hear from home. I love you all.
Martina