SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

Street Side Store Through Taxi Window

October 8, 2012.  This morning Alpha and I will take a trip to the Super Market.  It is to open at 8:00AM and we agree to leave in a taxi then.  I tease Alpha and say it is 8AM American time not African time.  He laughs.  We leave a little before 8 and arrive at 7:55. There is little traffic at this time of the morning.  In just a few minutes after we arrive the streets are packed.  He asks a worker sitting outside and is assured the store will open at 8AM

It is cooler today.  Alpha tells me that this time of year is the start of the drier and cooler season.  Cooler is all relative.  He thinks it is cold, I am thinking it feels wonderful, but could be even cooler.

Two nights in a row we have had huge rain and wind storms.  I love the fact it is at night only.  A bit like Camelot.

Note Little Traffic

While we are waiting I watch the activities on the street in front of me.  We are in the center of town now and there are some taller buildings.  Alpha points out the huge cottonwood tree that is visible to the left at the end of the street we are facing.

Tree Is Visible At The End of Street

Fruit Bats -Photo by Grey Sample 2011

I recognize that! It is where we watched the fruit bats last year, looked at Freedom Plaza and entered the museum.  I tell Alpha about how I loved the exhibit of the Mende 

women’s masks.  He tells me he is Mende.  We chat about many things while we wait and wait and wait.

General Merchandise Store

At 8:35 the doors open - African time!  Today I am armed with a list of items to get for my trip Up Country.  We are the first customers in the store. I am done in a jiffy my box of items loaded in the taxi and we are on the way back.

Earlier in the morning my electricity suddenly went out.  Evidently I have my own meter which is “loaded” with a certain number of somethings and they had run out!  They promise me they will “top it up” later in the day.

No meeting today with Michaela.  She is exhausted from her trip and needs to go home and rest.  I encourage her to find something I can help her with tomorrow.  I am feeling a bit useless at the moment, but I know the duties will come in their own time.

I just hope I don’t eat up all my “snacks” before we leave to go up country. :-)

Much Love To You All,

Mom/Grandma/Sara