The past few days have been a lot of fun. We got a consultant in the office from the company I like to work with the most. So, it’s been nice having another guy from a developed country around, if anything, it’s just someone who I can relate to a little more. Well that and his perfect English is just less stressful for me. It’s also fun knowing more Lingala than someone else.
What really added to the week though was our company photographer came to take pictures for the Annual Report. We showed him around the community for the Social Department, and the guy was nuts. There are the photographers you have for senior pictures that are generally “this looks great, now move your head slightly to the left.” Well, that would be too slow for this guy. He was more of the “get the f*** out of my shot,” and while on the road “get out of the way *honks incessantly!” All of which was really funny. This is a very peaceful, passive area, and then this guy came in on a mission, and got a lot done in a short amount of time. Taking no prisoners, though, I’m pretty sure his driver was just about to kill him before he left…
We went back to the school where I took my favorite picture, with all the kids feeling my hair, and we got a few more pretty adorable pictures with them. The other guy in my pictures is the consultant I referred to earlier.
Also, I finally ate my first weird thing. Below is a stir-fried grasshopper. It wasn’t horribly disgusting, but it was still pretty gross.
The pile of them to choose from.
This is one of our tree nurseries. We have these to give to anyone in the community whose trees we destroy. So, we give them money for the tree so that they’ll be able to buy their now missing food, and then we give them a new seedling to replant for sustainability.
This is our photographer and a typical family in our area. That bright pink dress was awesome, slightly blinding, but awesome.
This is a secondary school that we visited. The kids weren’t very energetic, and after exhausting what little Lingala I know, they stopped laughing for the camera.
So, we decided to go to this primary school. The kids here were much more excited (and the younger ones, slightly confused).
This is the consultant I spoke of at the beginning.
One of my favorite pictures. They were all grabbing my arms which was funny, and this is right before I bent down for them to touch my hair.
Still pretty cute, and before the hat came off.
And then I dissappear. The hat came off, and I am under all of those little hands. If you ever thought Where’s Waldo (or Preston) would be easy with me and African school children, you would obviously be wrong.
The past few days have been a lot of fun, and it sounds like I may finally get to start doing some development projects. We’ve got a waste management system I came up with, and of course my micro-finance scheme as well. Hopefully we can get started on the WSM sooner rather than later, and if so, it’ll be my first project that provides jobs to the community. I’m pretty anxious to get either of those going.
Thanks for reading. I will be back in the U.S. a month from today.
Tikala Malamu (until later)
Preston
You made our day. We love your post. You are such a gift to us. Look forward to seeing you Christmas. We love you with all our hearts. Love. GPH