GOING UP COUNTRY

Friday, October 5.  My shower is working - hooray.  I hop in turn on the hot water and wait, and wait, and wait.......  Hey, it’s hot here so a cold shower will feel good.  The truth is counterintuitive. Take a hot shower when it is hot because then your skin is warmer than the air when you get out and you feel cool.  Conversely, take a cool shower when it is cold so your skin is cooler than the air when you get out to feel warm.  And, no the water never got hot :-)  The bright side is it is so hot here the cold water is kind of lukewarmish.  

Sign Outside of Freetown Office

Michaela arrives from doing work in the provinces this morning.  It is wonderful to finally meet her after all the emails back and forth to get me what I need to be here.  According to my conversation with John yesterday, I am to meet with her and him this morning.  John said 9, but this is Africa and it is already 10:00.

Action Across The Street - A Cafe

At 1:00PM John rushes in to say good-bye(he is off to America) and that he has met with Michaela who will fill me in on going to Kono District next week.  What? Wait!!!  HMMM-guess-they didn’t need me in the meeting.  No biggie I’ve spent the morning checking email, blogging, working to outfox Yahoo by opening another account and inputting my contacts. 

Michaela and a young man whose name is too difficult for me to attempt to spell come into the conference room where I am situated.  He is the program coordinator.  I will be going to Kono District next week where Michaela has just been training the women in the new project related to their role in achieving a peaceful election next month and again in December for the follow-up election.  The stay will last at least a week. 

In the past women who ran for office or even women who tried to vote have been intimidated, harassed, and even assaulted.  Through the newly established Peace Mother groups in 5 of the 12 districts, women are finding a voice and a strength that is changing their lives and their communities.  So far there are 150 such groups.  Fambul Tok is engaging these groups to take an active role in the upcoming elections as well as identify key women from areas where Peace Mothers groups are yet to be established. 

The first thing Michaela asks is if I can handle rough roads.  I explain the roads in Tanzania by throwing myself around in my chair.  She said yes like that. Inside I’m cringing, but outside I am saying “no problem”. 

The meeting is more about what I should bring in the way of mosquito protection, brand of water, snacks etc. than what I will be doing. I am told the days will be long starting at 5AM and getting back to wherever I am staying (TBD) at 7PM.  The way to the chiefdoms from the district office is long.  It is harvest time so we must get there very early to catch the people before they leave to go to the fields.  I will need the snacks since there will be no time for breakfast and we won’t really eat until dinner when returning to the place we are staying.

On Monday she will meet more extensively with me and go over the information John has already given me about the project.  I may or may not learn which day I leave and where I will be staying. That might happen on Tuesday.  It’s Africa and I love the mystery of it all. Whenever it happens I will be ready.

All I can say is I am VERY excited about serving the women in the villages, relating to them, learning from them.  Goose flesh is all over my body as we speak.  The details are not important because all will be as it should be.

Thought you might like to see pictures of my apartment.  Oh, I did confirm.  There isn’t supposed to be any hot water in the shower. Thus the bucket and electric kettle.  I can rinse my body with warm water by pouring warm water from the bucket over my head and body!!!

Kitchen - Sink Is Across From Frig

Much Love To You All,

Mom/Grandma/Sara

    

Living Room

Dining Nook

My Bedroom Looking From the Bath
Easy Chair is to the right

Guest Room

The smallest second bath is off the entry hall (not shown). The guest room is the largest room with the largest bed and closet.  My room is the smaller room with a smaller bed but has the larger bath en-suite. I chose it for that reason.

View Off My Verandah

Please note the ocean in the background above the trees. I have a partial ocean view!!!