that's life

It’s hard to believe it’s June 1st already. Where has the time gone? In less than a week, I’ll be back on U.S. soil. It is interesting to reflect back and see how many things have become “normal” here. Here are some highlights from the past two weeks that have reminded me that I indeed live in Africa:
*We got a small fridge last Saturday. It is nice to be able to refrigerate our food again although it was not as hard as I thought living out of a freezer. I guess if I had to do it all the time, it would get old.

*Roaches have taken over our microwave. They have climbed into the panel and made a nest, and we cannot get them out. Unfortunately that means more and more roaches in our cupboards. (I look forward to a bug-free house in the U.S.) I am afraid we are creating a new species. One of our staff members says that roaches are probably the only things that will withstand a nuclear disaster. Haha (I think it’s a joke anyway.)

*My students made ABC books for geometry. Many of them had the world as their representation for a great circle or hemisphere. It was interesting to see that all of them had Africa at the center. That makes sense because Africa is their home, but I’m so used to seeing the Americas as the featured drawing.

*I was helping one of the missions cook food for their reception and there was an electric stove in the kitchen. It is the first electric stove I’ve seen here. It was a great cultural lesson observing the two MKs figure out how to turn the oven on and off. We figured it out so all was well.

*I am a junior class sponsor next year which means I have to help plan the big banquet. Another sponsor, a couple class officers, and myself were out looking at reception places when we saw an interesting site. This man was standing in the middle of the road by a round point (not unusual), but he threw a bucket full of something at a passing taxi. The bucket bounced off the taxi and got stuck under our grill. We were behind a bus (remember there are men who hang off the back of busses) so they kept pointing at our car. We quickly pulled over and I dislodged the bucket before the man could catch up with us.

That’s it for now…thanks for reading.