a different way of life

Sometimes I get to writing this at the end of a week and think, what have I done? What could I tell you that’s interesting? I think I forget how different life really is here than home.

Last Sunday I went to visit a leper lady with Marlene (housemate who’s lived here for 8 years). We sat on the mat and visited, by that I mean Marlene visited and the rest of us tried to understand. A friend of hers made us coffee as she has only tiny stubs of fingers left and toes that are similar. She has 7 children, lives in a small hut that is kept well. She can no longer make the Tekias (straw walls that people use to make shelter from the rest of the world), that she used to make for money. I think I often forget, even being here, how sad some people’s lives are here. How much we take for granted!

AIDS runs rapidly through Africa. We all know that. I’ve been told that it’s either not talked about here or it’s not as bad but I saw a woman affected by it this week. She walked past me with her stick as a cane, probably no more than 35. She moved slower than anyone I’d ever seen. She has a few, I’m not sure how many, beautiful children that play with friends of ours. Both parents have it and the children haven’t been tested.

I finished teaching my English class this week. I think I’m contemplating whether or not I want to be a teacher or not anymore now. It was so hard to mark the exams and not be sad as a few of them came close to failing. I thought how can I be a teacher if I cry when I mark exams! I’ll have to work on that area. It’s hard when you know they’re trying. I got some redemption though when I had a small party with them on Friday to give them their certificates and give them my congratulations on passing. This included introducing 6 innocent souls to chocolate cake and potato chips. Yes I did say introduce. We had been discussing the vocabulary word “chip” during class and none of them knew what it was in English or French. They’re sold in town but at $4.50 a tube (Pringles) they’re not in most people’s price range. Not really in mine! I think they like my chocolate cake more than the Pringles but they were excited to try something new. If only North Americans didn’t know the word “chip.”

Lastly I must apologize to my fellow Manitobans who may have heard me on the radio (CJOB 68) this week. In my 2 minute live interview I said something about “going to the market and buying small packets of salt and sugar.” I have since become the laughing stock of our team and have some reservations that this confession may leave me in the same state at home. I have not bought salt or sugar since coming to Chad. In fact we buy salt in fairly normal form here. To my aid I must say you can buy salt in rock form in small packages and sugar in a large cone form. It’s funny what your mind comes up with when put under pressure for an answer so quickly. I should’ve just referred them to here where the truth comes out! Really, everything I say here is truth… I think.

That’s it for this week, maybe next week I can tell you about my conversation with my friend on how many wives a man should have. From the desert where the air is heating and the Sahara winds are blowing, Agodu aafe (stay well).