Day 1: Saturday, November 7th
I went to the market with a colleague. I needed to get off the compound as the initial shock over the living conditions were getting to me. After pulling up, I decided it was best not to bring in my camera the first time there - seemed a bit hectic. So unfortunately, I'll have to share some images of this amazing market with you at a later time. It is quite large - there must have been over 100 sellers!
So we are wandering around, I am checking out the produce and other products I've never seen before. After a few minutes a man in his early twenties dressed in a worn out SPLA uniform comes up to me, puts out his hand and says "Bonjour. One pound." I just laughed and asked why I should pay him one pound for bonjour. He kept speaking nonsense to me and getting very close. It was a friendly tone, but definitely inappropriate and he knew it. I backed away and made a sound to let him know is words and actions were unwelcome. His "friends" (friends? who knows, but other people at the market who knew him) started laughing and he left. Canadian colleague and market escort, Mel, just made a comment about it being weird and we continued on our hunt for garlic.
About ten minutes later I felt someone grab my side and I let out a very loud shriek (this place coupled with my overall jumpiness are not going well together). It was some kid, maybe 10-11 years old, who seemed to have a mental disability. Mel pushed him away and told him he was being naughty (he speaks both Arabic and some of the local tribal language - Zande). We walked on. The kid then came up behind Mel and punched him in the back!!! The kid then proceeded to follow us through the market asking for money and trying to grab at me (which Mel stopped from happening). He followed us all the way back to the car. I hopped in, and then decided to lock the door. 1 second later - he tried to open it (nice to know I sometimes make good decisions). Mel told me he had NEVER seen anything like that here and he has been in Sudan on & off for about 15 years! When we came back to the compound and told the others (what else do we have to do around here but gossip and tell stories?!?!) - everyone was genuinely shocked. Hopefully my next visit to the market will be uneventful.
Day 2: Sunday, November 8th
I saw my first wild dung beetle!! (I say wild, as they are common "pets" for elementary students in Japan.) They seem to be pretty common here (I've already seen about 4). I hope to someday capture a photo of one actually rolling some dung. We all must have goals, yes? But for now, this will have to do.
Later that day, I was relaxing in my room with the window shudders and door open. My room is quite sunny and can get a nice breeze going. This is when I heard "clack clack clack clack clack" and saw something moving in my peripheral vision. I turn around and see a glimpse of a lizard. He was scurrying about my room in quite the frenzy. I think the sound his feet were making on the floor were freaking him out just as much as me. I ended up trying to escort this poor lost lizard out of my room. That took about 10 minutes, with me shrieking and jumping around the entire time! I was warned by the "locals" (long-time UNICEF compound residents) to keep my door closed.
Day 3: Monday, November 9th
When I went back to my room after dinner, I was getting ready to shower. To get to the bathroom, I have to pass through a common area. to the bathroom. When I opened the door, I saw a bat flying around the room!!!! I tried to leave my room through my other door that leads directly outside, but it was locked from the outside. The only way I could have left was by going through the bat room. A prisoner in my own room, I texted Mel, "Bat Please help." He and Samuele (Italian guy working with ICRC) came to my rescue. They let me out of my room and helped the bat find his way out. He kept flying around, clearly unable to find an exit. At one point he was so exhausted, he kind of just laid down . . . poor guy! He did eventually find his way out.
When I went back to my room after dinner, I was getting ready to shower. To get to the bathroom, I have to pass through a common area. to the bathroom. When I opened the door, I saw a bat flying around the room!!!! I tried to leave my room through my other door that leads directly outside, but it was locked from the outside. The only way I could have left was by going through the bat room. A prisoner in my own room, I texted Mel, "Bat Please help." He and Samuele (Italian guy working with ICRC) came to my rescue. They let me out of my room and helped the bat find his way out. He kept flying around, clearly unable to find an exit. At one point he was so exhausted, he kind of just laid down . . . poor guy! He did eventually find his way out.
Day 4: Tuesday, November 10th
I was heading out the door for breakfast. I had to freeze mid-step when exiting my room. Right under my foot was a giant tarantula!!! After running out of the building via the shared room, I decided I better go back to get a photo of this guy - I mean, seriously. When will I ever see a tarantula in front of my bedroom door again (oh, I hope the answer to that question is NEVER!). At breakfast I tell everyone what happened and show the photo - again SHOCK. Only ONE other person had seen a tarantula in Yambio, and that was after a local staff pointed it out in a field or something . . . No one could believe my luck! Here he is ready to eat my big toe!
Hopscotch Mafia wanted to post this image as a response to my last post . . . but really I think it is perfectly fitting for this one!
4 comments:
While reading this post I had to pull my feet off the floor just in case something crazy was crawling around. I screeched as I felt my pants brush my foot...Thanks for the post!
Are you there doing public health work or Entomology?
Fact. I love not camping.
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