Africanisms and learned nuggets

Africanisms and learned nuggets 

Beware of stairs. It really doesn’t matter whether your at someone’s house or a hotel, restaurant or

steps to church stage

Hotel stairs

just walking the streets. A set of steps or stairs can be an obstacle. Normally you’ll find the center section of a set of stairs fairly regular, that is with the steps and riser in the same proportion. But at either end can be a difficulty if you’re not paying close attention. The step may be 2” high or 10”. And I can almost guaranty, first few time you navigate a set of these that you’ll either trip going up or nearly fall forward very hard when coming down. It will be the same all over East Africa, with the exception of the very best hotels. You’ll also find stairs with longer or wider treads, which will throw off our normal rhythm, beware of stairs.

Our driver has been having trouble with the bank for a period of time. They have messed up his paperwork then when going back to get it resolved they were out of the forms he needed. I know how frustrating it can be when dealing with government agencies. But when I asked him if he had gotten the issue taken care of, he said, “no, the thing is disturbing me even up to now”.

For some reason the lights in hotel rooms are very dim. There may be only one or two lights in the room and those will be of a very low wattage. The bathroom is especially bad. If you want to see when you shave then carry a decent flashlight with you. And there will be no electric outlets in the bathroom so if you use a plug in electric razor you may be out of luck. Even in the hotel room there may be only one outlet, so you must prioritize which device you want to charge in what order.

The traffic can drive you crazy and/or scare you to death. I do not know why there aren’t bodies lying everywhere. Lane marking are only suggestions, as are any traffic control devices. 

Drivers will come up behind a vehicle they want to overtake and you can see that it is clear to go around, but instead of keeping up their speed and pass the vehicle, they will slow down behind and then pull out and try to regain the momentum they have lost. Most vehicles are underpowered for the loads they are carrying so trying to build up that momentum again is difficult and takes a lot

Bad Asphalt 

more road length. It can be frustrating for you sitting there in the vehicle and not being in control. It seems they will follow a vehicle all the way across a nice straight and flat piece of road just to wait for the next blind corner to pull out and pass on.

Always have bottled water with you. If you are low buy more before running out. Use the bottled water for brushing your teeth. You just never know how or if the water coming out of the tap has been treated, never trust it to drink. Bottled water is cheap and can be the cheapest insurance against a nasty stomach problem. Don’t be like most of us that have had to learn this lesson the hard way. Another important reason to always having water with you is to stay hydrated, the sun is intense near the equator and it is a dry climate. Your body will require a larger amount of liquids than normal. You will need to drink, drink, drink, do not wait until you are thirsty. You should be taking in 2 or 3 liters minimum every day.

Bring high SPF sunscreen with you and use it. Again the sun is very intense here. A wide brimmed hat is also a good idea. I use a high SPF lip balm, if I don’t my lips will blister and become very painful. Bring a small medicine kit; Advil or Tylenol, antibiotics, anti nausea meds. Don’t forget any of your normal medications that you take. It is also a good idea to bring a copy of your medications and eye glasses prescription. A good pair of sunglasses is a must have item. 

If you do have a medical issue your normal insurance procedures will not work here. You will have to pay with cash and then try getting reimbursed from your insurance provider when you return to the States. Of course it would be a good idea to inform your insurance agent that you are having problem and get their suggestions. Another good idea is to purchase travel insurance prior to leaving the USA on your trip. Many places offer travel insurance, if you belong to AAA they can arrange it for you. Travel insurance will not only cover the cost of your tickets if you have to cancel your trip but also will cover Air Ambulance in case you should need to be medivac’d to a hospital or back to the USA.

It is a long plane ride from the states to Africa no matter which airlines you use. Some are better than others and over the years we have used most of them. Like airlines so also there are huge differences in airports. Some of the airports in Europe are like maneuvering through a very large shopping mall. They can be places you look forward to flying into to spend a lay over. Others, especially in some of the African countries are not so nice and in my opinion I will avoid them if at all possible costs. It may make a difference to you which airline you would prefer to fly on based on what frequent flyer program you belong to. You have to look for their partner airlines. 

I have a theory on jet lag, besides just saying it sucks. I try to maintain my sleep pattern according to my destination. I will try to stay awake during daylight hours and sleep over night. That sounds simple but airline schedules do do fly on our sleep schedules, so I use an enhancement. If I’m getting on an overnight flight, I wait until we have wheels up, then take a sleeping pill. This does not work for everyone, but it seems to work for me. 

As example the flight from the US to Europe is over night so I will take a pill when we take off and

sleep most of the way there. Then the next flight from Europe to Africa is during the day, so I will try to stay awake. Then when I get to my destination I will take another pill that night and maybe the next night. I have found that I have very little negative effects from jet lag using this method. A word of caution, do not take the pill before your plane actually takes off. There are just to many times when flights are cancelled or delayed, and you do not want to be walking around in a fog trying to figure out what you’re to do next.

Children are very interested in Muzungu’s, white folks. The further away from a city you get the

more interested they become. There are very few whites on the Nakivale Refugee Settlement Camp. So some of the babies will actually be terrified of you and your white skin. But most of them will be yelling at you as we ride by, just announcing your presence, some will ask for money, but all are very precious. When you get out of a vehicle many will want to touch your skin or hair and hold your hand as you walk along. 

As I have said about the children wanting to hold your hand, when you greet elder members of a church or village group, many men will shake your hand but not let go. It takes awhile to start to feel comfortable standing talking with a man and he is holding your hand. It is part of their culture, so be careful not to offend them buy feeling uncomfortable and pulling away to quickly. It is not odd to see two men walking down the street talking and holding hands.

That is but one of many observations you will make that is foreign to you and our culture. Always give people the benefit of the doubt, many people you meet will seem gruff or a little hostile, that feeling almost always is the wrong impression and as soon as you speak to greet them their whole countenance changes. They are warm and welcoming if you are. Do not expect an American experience, expect the unexpected and enjoy the African experience and participate in their culture.

Be ready to have many of your senses invaded with different sounds, sights, and smells. One of the

Bags of charcoal forsale

first things you may experience on your arrival is your eyes burning and watering. The vehicle

Road dust

exhaust in traffic can be especially challenging and combined with all the wood smoke and charcoal fires it can be a real assault on your eyes. Carry a supply of eye drops or eye wash and wash your face when ever you get to your hotel. Also pack a few bottles of hand sanitizer and use it frequently.

This project is far from being completed. This is only the first phase and we are thanking God for the provision of this water. But we need to continue the project in order to get the water up the hill to the school and clinic. That will require a solar pump, piping and a water storage tower. Please continue to pray for this project and consider what your part may be in helping to bring this project to completion.

I have given information on how you can help below, but you can also further designate your gift to specifically helping the water project. On your check or in the comments for Palpal or Egiving, write in “Send It Ahead Project - Water” or Teachers or Food. That way your funds will go totally in

support of the project of your choice.

Remember that you cannot take it with you, but you can “SEND IT AHEAD”.

If you can help we have a way for you to donate to these children’s needs. Go to www.watchtherefore.tv click on the donate button at the top of the page and please make sure you designate your tax deductible donation to the “Send It Ahead” program. While you’re at the web site please click on the Send It Ahead button at the top of the page to look for more updates and photos from the school.

I am hoping to update these posts with photos when I get home. So come back often and check for any updates. Thank you for praying for and financially supporting these children. Good health and a good education can be the step out of poverty for these children.