Bonjour mes amis!
The post with all of the pictures the other day received a lot of good attention. So I decided to make this post a long one. In return, feel free to write a comment on my blog or FB page, as the weekends are actually quite boring here, that is, until I can find some people to go hiking/canoeing and all around adventuring with.
To begin, today was great! The Executives and the Board were in town to look at the mine, have a meeting, and give their quarterly report. Both the CEO and the head of my department talked to me independently and could not have been nicer. They were very supportive of my trying to come up with solutions for extreme poverty (which has been my goal since shortly after going to college), and implied that this could be a very good place for me to be long term if I wanted. Every single person I work for is intelligent, nice, and works really hard. I’m incredibly lucky, and hope to add value as soon as possible.
Also, a very good friend of mine was able to send me Rosetta Stone French levels 1,2 & 3, which will prove to be a lifesaver as my cousin’s we’re able to get me 1 and 2, but I was an idiot and forgot 2 at home. So, between having some amazing friends, and amazing family, I should be speaking French by Christmas, if not sooner (let’s hope).
Okay now on to the pictures:
Today was induction for one of the villages. We were taking them in busses from their old village ‘Gatanga’, to their new one in Kokiza.
Yes, I finally made it into a couple of pictures. One of the camera men was nice enough to take a couple candid shots for me. I’m getting a bit scruffy, but I’m not famished like some of you were afraid of.
This is their old school
The buses picking them up
Yes, that is correct. That is an ice cooler balanced on top of someone’s head! This is the kind of stuff I see every day and I was finally able to catch it on camera without being too obvious. So awesome, easily my favorite picture.
The new Gatanga community
A new kitchen
And yes, for the Nix family, African versions of those ‘squat and shoots’ that we were oh so fond of in Europe.
I know that is a strange picture to end on, but we left for camp after this. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but these homes are so much nicer and better than what they were in before (the huts on the previous pages), and even having stalls for bathrooms is a huge improvement. They were all very gracious about it, and loved to practice their English on me. I said ‘hello’ in Lingala,’ my name is Preston’ in French, and ‘nice to meet you’ in English, haha.
I’ll try to do a food post in a couple days, as I have gotten a few questions about what I have been eating. This is easily my longest post so far, hope that is okay with you all!
Au revoir!
Preston
We loved seeing you in the pictures. The posts can never be too long for us. It is the highlight of our day to hear from you.
Glad you have the French Rosetta Stone. Good Friends are a treasure for a lifetime. We love you so very much.
What do the people do for a living? How do they get around?
I love the long blog post. I love getting a sneak peak into your life and the lives of the village. Thanks for sharing! Love you 🙂
Love the pics and that your favorite is of someone balancing a cooler on their head. It’s funny how something so normal for group of people is so weird for another. Glad you’re not famished! Love you!
i like how you reawrd our “good behavior” of response with pictures. i see what you are doing here
Love your reports and pictures. You are creating a priceless memory for yourself and all of us. We are so proud of you.
Love, Aunt Virginia
LOVE the pictures!!! Keep them coming!
me and mom were laughing at the balancing on the head thing last night — it is just so crazy
We all miss you soo much!! Hope you are learning more French now that you are actually there and are forced to learn it finally since u didn’t at all this summer haha
still can’t even believe you are there. so unreal
we were saying last night how it looks like you were Photoshopped into those pics lol
only 5 months until Christmas!