The ABCs of Another Steppe Into Adventure!- Last Africa Ch. + World Showcase Pt. 2

[docsoliday1]

** A word of caution. This update contains some not-so-nice content with a side of potential controversy. Please read with an open mind and be reminded, I'm trying very hard to give an honest report with a bit of natural bias and personal conviction thrown in. And while I invite discussion and differing views, be like Thumper- "If you can't say sumthin' nice, don't say nuthin' at all."

C is for: Conferences and Coconuts
Sierra Leone- Day 3

​

Today was to be an early day, but not a particularly taxing one compared to others coming up. We were awakened at 7:30 for another breakfast of fried lunchmeat and eggs, white bread, unrefrigerated mayo, and…

no coffee other than instant crystals. To be perfectly honest, I was less upset about having to drink that, than I was about the fact that I’d brought what I needed for a good cup, and it was pilfered, or lost, or whatever. As ungrateful as it sounds I was in need of just a touch of “comfort food” and broke out a mini packet of honey almond butter that I’d brought to spread on my bread. I tried to be very discreet, which was not that hard given that the locals really weren’t eating with us. I don’t know if they felt uncomfortable with eating with us or were told not to or what the reason was, but in general, they did not eat meals with us.
​

You keep using oxymorons in your post. "good cup" doesn't belong in regard to coffee. No coffee would not be a problem at all for me, but I'm sorry you had to go through this. Especially since you had planned so well.

So, a word about what had been put in place for us: Before we’d arrived, our host had arranged for a few of his relatives, or relatives of his staff, to cook and clean and generally keep us set up. The house was constantly filled with youth and young adults coming and going and we really had no idea who they were per se, nor were they ever really introduced to us. They made sure we had buckets of water for rinsing off and flushing the toilet, would run out for bottled water for us if we needed it, and cooked the meals that we were home for. Occasionally, they would tidy our room by sweeping, cleaning the bathroom, or making the beds.

So Queen Steppe had a staff. What's the issue?

This was all fine, except that our door’s lock did not work and there was no way to secure our things. I was fairly uncomfortable leaving my passport and camera unsecured, so always took those with me. The other things that were vulnerable, such as charging cords, the tiny amount of cash I had, and flashlights, I ended up putting in my aunt’s room as hers locked. I didn’t notice anything that I didn’t come home with except the French press and the charging cord that I’d spent $40 for in the airport on the way there in Washington because I was a moron and couldn’t find mine in a timely manner at one point. I really miss that cord. It was a nice one like this:

Oh!

But that’s a rabbit hole… moving on.

Mmm...rabbit stew.

So, we had breakfast and, unlike other days, we were out of the house by 8:30 or so. Today we’d be attending, as mostly observers, a seminar our Foundation was hosting for disabled people. Its purpose was to bring the representatives and leadership from various disabled communities- colleges, universities, clubs, etc... together to hear how they felt our NGO could best partner with them through future endeavors.

Sounds good

It took the standard hour and a half to get to the venue and we arrived about 10:00.

Yipee...not!

By then it was all set up for the seminar. We’d rented the space of another NGO called “SENSI” whom we partner with at times and it worked out well. While rudimentary, the hall was an open-walled, spacious facility with a kitchen area and toilets in small bathrooms. A smattering of terminals was setup and colorful murals with inspirational sayings were painted on the walls. There was plenty of seating and best of all…

Mickey bars??

There was Wifi!!! Boo yeah!!!!

Oh, no Mickey bars. Guess wifi is good too.
But you didn't say it was FREE

When we got there, approximately 10 people, most missing arms or legs and bearing crutches were seated and waiting; others trickled in over the next hour or so. I knew there was no way things would start on time, and honestly, it didn’t really bother me. I took the time to explore the views from the venue and talked with the other American who lived in SL and was working for that NGO. They focus on Tech Training giving skills in network and server set up, web page building, MS Office skills, and the like. Job training and empowerment through practical skills is a HUGE need there. Because it was more than an hour late in starting, they decided to serve the tea meant for a later break. Which was nice- I was hungry. The little cookies were a nice pick-me-up while we waited.

So, did they give you Mickey bars for your snack later?

Eventually, the seminar began. Every event in SL begins with prayer- meetings, gatherings, seminars, every single event begins that way- first “in the Christian way” and then “in the Muslim way”. Someone offers to pray one way, everyone stands respectfully, and then another prays the other way. What a concept- living in harmony despite differences in beliefs. No kneeling or other forms of protesting, no getting offended, no killing. Just praying.

This is quite interesting...and surprising.

I won’t go into all the details I could about the seminar itself and just focus on some of the more important highlights. After some introductions, including who our foundation is and what its goals are for our work in Sierra Leone, we listened to 2 motivational speakers. The first was a woman about 30 years old who is a disabled professional soccer player. When she was 10 years old, she stepped on a landmine during the Civil War and miraculously didn’t die. She was determined to stay in school and learn all she could, and committed herself to never giving up on her dreams. She emphasized that everyone has worth and value and has something to offer even with disabilities.

That's pretty impressive. Is it that there's a disabled league or she was good enough, even with the disability, she was still able to be in a professional league?

The second was a young man who had polio (we saw a lot of that- so here’s a not-so-subtle reminder here that vaccinations do work and polio is a pretty fricken’ horrible disease) and was now crippled. Despite this, he focused on his education and working hard and followed his heart to become a journalist. Remember, Kids, Stay in School!

I've never doubted vaccines work, but I honestly wasn't aware they didn't have them there. I realize it's a much poorer country, but I would expect they'd have vaccinations since they're (relatively) inexpensive.

After these messages, we had a lunch break of spicy fish and cassava leaf stew over rice and fruit juices. While tasty, it was the meal we’d have pretty much every day from then on. I’m glad it was something I liked because that was also many days the only meal we’d have for the day.

I would have to have supplemental rations or just decide it'd be a good time to fast. I don't like spicy food, don't like fish and not sure about cassava...would have to try it. It would be reminiscent of Korea...they kept trying to get me to eat kimchi. I told them I don't like spicy food, I don't like cabbage...why would I like rotten (smelled rotten - I know it was just fermented) spicy cabbage?

I spent a lot of my lunch hour wandering around talking with people and hearing some of their stories. They broke my heart. Some, many, were maimed during the War. Soldiers would raid and pillage the small villages, ruthlessly cutting off the limbs of young children to show power and intimidate. Others lost arms and legs from landmines. Still others had lasting effects from (preventable) childhood diseases, burns, or accidents. It was humbling. When I couldn’t hold anymore in, I took up residence by the side of the venue and contemplated while taking in the sights. This was truly a foreign world to me; I was well out of my league in terms of life experience, and was in desperate need of solace to digest this invasion of my worldview.

That would get me. I can understand war, but that is the act of COWARDS. They will be judged, but there's a part of me that wants to find them and remove a body part (between both legs). I have little compassion for someone that would do that to another human being for no reason.
​

Towards the end, my daughter read aloud a poem my aunt had written to encourage and motivate the attendees. By then, her voice was completely gone, so Rebekah stood proxy for her. My turn came as well and I stood to say a few words, thanking them for coming, etc...

At the conclusion of the seminar something cool happened. Very, very cool. Whenever I thought of W. Africa or pictured what I thought it might be like, I envisioned acapella singing with animated rhythms and nice harmony. I had no idea if I was right or wrong, but this..... this was a highlight for me!

​

Pretty cool.

It was spontaneous, and joyful, and, when I asked for the translation, I was told it was a song of hope and joy and enthusiasm for the future. Everyone seemed to know it and I was, well... this is exactly one of the reasons I was drawn to Africa in the first place. I was mesmerized and it would have been pretty hard for anyone or anything to wipe the wide grin off my face in those moments. Again, I apologize for the poor quality video. I was too slow with my cell phone to get it myself, so credit goes to one of our teammates for capturing it.

Nothing to apologize for. You're sharing with us so ANY quality is better than none.

By the time we wrapped up it was late afternoon and heading towards dusk. The traffic makes it such that it is very common to have a street vendor with food be able to walk alongside your car while you buy something and consume it as you inch your way forward. We chose to get fresh coconuts- filling and delicious! The vendor had a cart of them and a machete and in no time chopped open the tops so we could drink the sweet water. If you have time (i.e. traffic was especially bad) you can also open it up and scoop out the coconut meat/jelly and eat it. Generally, you’d give the vendor the shell back for him to dispose of, but I chose to keep mine thinking I’d eat the meat later that night.

Good plan. I told @pkondz you were pretty AND smart, but he keeps arguing. Not at all true...just poking fun at him.

We saw this in St Croix also. It was amazing to me how the guy could open it in 3 or 4 whacks with the machete.​

For the most part, the drive home was uneventful- the usual chaotic scene of traffic, noise, etc…. I did run across a charming and very typical scene of a sidewalk hair braiding session. But I got scolded for this photo. The kids were all about it, but the adult was not happy… until I gave the kids a dollar for being cute. LOL! WOW, did her frown turn upside down. I was careful however from that point on to be a LOT more discreet in taking photos. I was kinda bummed because I had repeatedly been told there was no problem after asking if taking photos was a-ok of people.
​

She was scolding you because you hadn't paid her. Once you remedied that, no harm, no foul.
Actually, did any of the folks there explain why it was a problem? Maybe she had a secret braiding style and she thought you were going to give to her competition.

Eventually, we made it home and I simply had to lay down for a while. I think I slept about 2 hours; it’s surprising how sapping no sleep, tropical weather, and waning nutrition can be. I woke up and learned that there would be no meal that night, so ate a piece of jerky, a Clif bar, an apple, and the coconut meat I’d saved. I was grateful for the foresight. The evening was still hot, and sitting inside made me anxious; I needed some fresh air so dragged a chair out to our balcony and sat. The air was still sultry, but at least there was the tiniest whisp of a breeze. It was still quite noisy around the neighborhood with throb of music, roosters crowing and dogs barking. There was a constant buzz of a million insects all around me, and the acrid stench of garbage burning made me realize I was beginning to not feel very well. Miraculously, I only ended up with about 10 bites total (the whole trip) for which I was grateful. Even though I was on Malaria prophylaxis, which made my stomach horribly upset if I didn’t eat something first, I was nervous about getting it. I spent a bit of time reflecting on the day with my journal:

After what you'd seen and heard, I would imagine sleep would be difficult. I think I would need to bring a few cases of Clif bars, but on the other hand, I love coconut, so getting one each day would be a good supplement.​

Our CEO had become quite ill about 24 hours after landing, and about 24 hours after that my aunt fell prey to “the bug”. Now, it was my turn to get it and that was about as sick as I’ve been in YEARS. By the next day, I had a raging chest issue that would last well beyond my returning home and severely impact the trip. But more on that later…. By then, I just wanted to sleep.
​

To quote from despicable me 2, "yay", "No yay!". Getting sick is never fun, but getting sick away from home is worse.

And I did... until I was awakened by a child screaming. I heard a dog snarl and growl followed immediately by the sound of what I knew might mean life or death for someone. In a place with no emergency medical treatment, vaccinations, or treatment for a serious infection, or worse, rabies, I felt a horrible dread in my gut. I eventually fell back asleep wondering what the next day would hold.

So the stray dogs were not just smelly. Hope that kid is/was okay.

Here's a nice flower to leave you with...

​

Even in horrible locations and circumstances, the beauty He created still shines through.

 

[Steppesister]

You keep using oxymorons in your post. "good cup" doesn't belong in regard to coffee. No coffee would not be a problem at all for me, but I'm sorry you had to go through this. Especially since you had planned so well.

Mmm, coffee! I suppose I could have had tea, but I just love the taste and smell, and more importantly routine, of coffee.

So Queen Steppe had a staff. What's the issue?

Oh no issue; that was just an FYI (TR filler).

Mmm...rabbit stew.

THe last time I had rabbit (jugged hare) was in Northern Scotland at a restaurant. I was young enough to not have control of my mouth, but old enough to know better than to say (too loudly) "This tastes and smells like rotten urine." I'm sure my parents were highly proud of me in that moment.

Mickey bars??

I think Mickey Bars would have been piles of creamy sweet milk in about 15 seconds there.

So, did they give you Mickey bars for your snack later?

If you closed your eyes hard enough and...

This is quite interesting...and surprising.

I guess there are still some sactuaries of sanity around the globe.

That's pretty impressive. Is it that there's a disabled league or she was good enough, even with the disability, she was still able to be in a professional league?

It was a disabled league, yes.

I've never doubted vaccines work, but I honestly wasn't aware they didn't have them there. I realize it's a much poorer country, but I would expect they'd have vaccinations since they're (relatively) inexpensive.

NO, they don't. My original intent was to take vaccines over there and do a clinic, but I couldn't locate a source of vaccines. While we were there, we saw signs saying they were launching a polio vaccination campaign. I have no idea how old the signs were or anything. I have also heard that there is an experimental antimalarial vaccination being tested in SL. Again, I don't know the specifics of that.

I would have to have supplemental rations or just decide it'd be a good time to fast. I don't like spicy food, don't like fish and not sure about cassava...would have to try it. It would be reminiscent of Korea...they kept trying to get me to eat kimchi. I told them I don't like spicy food, I don't like cabbage...why would I like rotten (smelled rotten - I know it was just fermented) spicy cabbage?

There was one person on our team who was extremely picky to the point of it just being rude and I think in fact, offensive to our hosts. When someone has gone through the time and expense of making you food out of their generosity, it's just best to tough it out and eat it. Yes, I have my limits too, but this came nowhere neat that. This person was paranoid of getting sick so would always try to hide the fact she wasn't eating. It did not go unnoticed.

But yes, I would agree, Kimchee is in a class of its own. I like it in small amounts and as a condiment to other Korean foods, but a big bowl of it would be hard to get down.

That would get me. I can understand war, but that is the act of COWARDS. They will be judged, but there's a part of me that wants to find them and remove a body part (between both legs). I have little compassion for someone that would do that to another human being for no reason.

Yes, it is. I cannot even begin to understand the mind or soul of a "human" inflicting that on another human, let alone a child. Disgusting. In my mind's eye, they are simply animals

Nothing to apologize for. You're sharing with us so ANY quality is better than none.

There are betting quality (but not much) ones coming later.

Good plan. I told @pkondz you were pretty AND smart, but he keeps arguing.

We saw this in St Croix also. It was amazing to me how the guy could open it in 3 or 4 whacks with the machete.​

Pshhawww... Just doing what I can, where I can.

I'm not sure if this was more impressive or the folks who would peel and cut a whole pineapple up for you in Thailand.

She was scolding you because you hadn't paid her. Once you remedied that, no harm, no foul.
Actually, did any of the folks there explain why it was a problem? Maybe she had a secret braiding style and she thought you were going to give to her competition.

No, they didn't. I surmise I had just caught her by surprise and she didn't like that. Ah well, all's well that ends well.

After what you'd seen and heard, I would imagine sleep would be difficult. I think I would need to bring a few cases of Clif bars, but on the other hand, I love coconut, so getting one each day would be a good supplement.

I ended up eating about 3 of the 10 or so I brought. I left a lot of food behind. If I'd known how much weight I'd been losing, I might have had the sense to eat a few more of them.

So the stray dogs were not just smelly. Hope that kid is/was okay.

Even in horrible locations and circumstances, the beauty He created still shines through.

 

[pkondz]

Today was to be an early day, but not a particularly taxing one compared to others coming up.

Uh, oh...

white bread

You mean squished white bread?

unrefrigerated mayo

Um.... If it's okay, I'll take a pass on that one. I'll let my friends Sam and Ella eat that instead.

I’d brought what I needed for a good cup, and it was pilfered, or lost, or whatever.

Well, that sucks. Good thing you packed it in your personal belongings.

As ungrateful as it sounds I was in need of just a touch of “comfort food”

No. That doesn't sound ungrateful at all. We all need that little connection to home from time to time. Especially when we are inundated with sights, smells and tastes that are completely foreign to our senses.

I don’t know if they felt uncomfortable with eating with us or were told not to or what the reason was, but in general, they did not eat meals with us.

I wonder if that was because they were "staff" and you were "guests"?

The house was constantly filled with youth and young adults coming and going and we really had no idea who they were per se, nor were they ever really introduced to us.

That would go with the "staff" idea.

This was all fine, except that our door’s lock did not work and there was no way to secure our things.

Yeah... that doesn't matter where you are. I lost a really nice kimono that way. It was hanging in the closet of our hotel room. In Canada, not an impoverished country.

I didn’t notice anything that I didn’t come home with except the French press and the charging cord that I’d spent $40 for

Your cord got stolen? Or you simply forgot to pack it at the end of the trip?

because I was a moron and couldn’t find mine in a timely manner at one point.

So... you found it later? Or you left it at home?

Nice. I have a similar one plugged in beside my bed.

It took the standard hour and a half to get to the venue

Ah! So just three blocks away!

Hmmm... interesting name on the vehicle in front of you. Not sure if that would fly on this side of the pond.

There was Wifi!!! Boo yeah!!!!

#priorities

I know some of those people!

Someone (little boy, center-right) is either bored or sleeping. Hopefully things got a bit more interesting for him.

When we got there, approximately 10 people, most missing arms or legs and bearing crutches were seated and waiting; others trickled in over the next hour or so.

Next hour.... I take it time means something different over there.

They focus on Tech Training giving skills in network and server set up, web page building, MS Office skills, and the like.

Very interesting... and good!

Every event in SL begins with prayer- meetings, gatherings, seminars, every single event begins that way- first “in the Christian way” and then “in the Muslim way”. Someone offers to pray one way, everyone stands respectfully, and then another prays the other way. What a concept- living in harmony despite differences in beliefs. No kneeling or other forms of protesting, no getting offended, no killing. Just praying.

Novel concept. Too bad that sort of behaviour can't be broadcast as a lesson to others.

When she was 10 years old, she stepped on a landmine during the Civil War and miraculously didn’t die.

Wow. And.... horrible.

She was determined to stay in school and learn all she could, and committed herself to never giving up on her dreams.

Extremely impressive. I mean that.

She's very pretty, too.

The second was a young man who had polio (we saw a lot of that- so here’s a not-so-subtle reminder here that vaccinations do work and polio is a pretty fricken’ horrible disease) and was now crippled.

My MIL worked in the polio ward. She interacted a lot with people who lived in iron lungs.
I don't understand why you would pick that over a vaccine.

this sector in particular could not depend on the government in any fashion to lift them out of their plight- that it needed to come from their own effort and cooperation. I can with all honesty say I have mixed feelings on this;

That's... odd. And I too have mixed feelings about that.

I did find it… odd… that a former government worker was saying that they can’t depend on said government to lift them out of the dismal situation that the disabled face in that country.

Yeah... I noticed that too. The government saying the government isn't going to help you.

I like that! Disability is not Inability.

After these messages, we had a lunch break of spicy fish and cassava leaf stew over rice and fruit juices. While tasty, it was the meal we’d have pretty much every day from then on.

Hmm.... I have no idea what cassava leaf tastes like, so I really can't comment. I might like it... I might not. No idea.
But... I can say that it all sounds tasty.

They broke my heart.

Awww...

Soldiers would raid and pillage the small villages, ruthlessly cutting off the limbs of young children to show power and intimidate.

I knew this. I remember when it was going on and was practically an epidemic. Just horrible. And completely senseless.

Others lost arms and legs from landmines.

Again... so senseless. Mines seem to only hurt civilians. Maybe the odd soldier (whom, I presume, you are targeting) but surely the cost outweighs any perceived reward?

When I couldn’t hold anymore in, I took up residence by the side of the venue and contemplated while taking in the sights.

Oh, man. I really feel for you.
I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you. For anyone seeing that.
Everyone has a certain capacity for empathy and pain... I am not surprised that you were filled to capacity. One can only take so much and beyond that, you either react or you are not fully human.

This was truly a foreign world to me; I was well out of my league in terms of life experience, and was in desperate need of solace to digest this invasion of my worldview.

This is, in a small way, similar to your needing your honey almond butter. You need a rope to hold onto to keep from drowning. Retreating for a bit is a very good strategy/necessity.

Love that shot. Very pretty. And yet...

I also love this shot, for very different reasons.

Holy crap! How can she do that?!?!?!

As with all brainstorming sessions, some ideas were good, others were worth exploring, and others were not very feasible.

But that's the point, isn't it? There are no bad ideas. And sometimes... once in a while... you find a gem amidst the rubble.

As you can see from the poster (sorry the quality is terrible!) ideas of soap making, training in tailoring and technical training came up.

Not sure which poster you are referring to?

My turn came as well and I stood to say a few words, thanking them for coming, etc...

How was that? Considering the emotional toll this took on you?

At the conclusion of the seminar something cool happened. Very, very cool. Whenever I thought of W. Africa or pictured what I thought it might be like, I envisioned acapella singing with animated rhythms and nice harmony. I had no idea if I was right or wrong, but this..... this was a highlight for me!

Okay... that is cool!!

It was spontaneous, and joyful, and, when I asked for the translation, I was told it was a song of hope and joy and enthusiasm for the future.

Love it! Wish I could've seen that in person.

I was mesmerized and it would have been pretty hard for anyone or anything to wipe the wide grin off my face in those moments.

That's great! Just the thing you needed to help lift your spirits again.

Again, I apologize for the poor quality video. I was too slow with my cell phone to get it myself, so credit goes to one of our teammates for capturing it.

Oh, no! Not at all! Thank you so much for sharing that with us!

The traffic makes it such that it is very common to have a street vendor with food be able to walk alongside your car

Makes me wonder... is the traffic slow because of all the vendors?

We chose to get fresh coconuts- filling and delicious!

Okay... You know what I'm going to say... except I'm not going to.
I have never had fresh coconut. Maybe it tastes (and smells) differently? Or differently enough that I might be able to have it?
I won't say "no" until I've had that opportunity.
Perhaps I will say "I can't eat coconut unless it's fresh."

The vendor had a cart of them and a machete and in no time chopped open the tops so we could drink the sweet water.

Okay... that's pretty cool. I've seen people trying to open those (on TV... otherwise I would've tried it! ) and it doesn't look easy.

Noticed something. Were you at a standstill all this time? Or was he walking backwards?

until I gave the kids a dollar for being cute.

A dollar each? Or a dollar to share?

LOL! WOW, did her frown turn upside down.

Money can buy happiness!

I was careful however from that point on to be a LOT more discreet in taking photos. I was kinda bummed because I had repeatedly been told there was no problem after asking if taking photos was a-ok of people.

Well... like anywhere, people are individuals. Some won't care. Some will be pleased. Some will be angry. You never can tell for sure.

Eventually, we made it home and I simply had to lay down for a while. I think I slept about 2 hours; it’s surprising how sapping no sleep, tropical weather, and waning nutrition can be.

Yes, I believe you.

I woke up and learned that there would be no meal that night,

Really? What happened to all those relatives and staff?

It was still quite noisy around the neighborhood with throb of music, roosters crowing and dogs barking. There was a constant buzz of a million insects all around me,

You paint a very vivid picture. Thank you for that.

and the acrid stench of garbage burning made me realize I was beginning to not feel very well.

Oh, no...

Miraculously, I only ended up with about 10 bites total (the whole trip) for which I was grateful.

"only".....

Even though I was on Malaria prophylaxis, which made my stomach horribly upset if I didn’t eat something first, I was nervous about getting it.

Oh, man. I would not want to catch Malaria. Nope!
I would be worried about each and every one of those bites.

Now, it was my turn to get it and that was about as sick as I’ve been in YEARS.

Oh, geez. I'm really sorry to hear that.

By the next day, I had a raging chest issue that would last well beyond my returning home and severely impact the trip.

Ugh. Not good at all. Again... sorry to hear that.

And I did... until I was awakened by a child screaming. I heard a dog snarl and growl followed immediately by the sound of what I knew might mean life or death for someone.

Good Lord. And really nothing you can do about it unless you happen to be right there.

In a place with no emergency medical treatment, vaccinations, or treatment for a serious infection, or worse, rabies, I felt a horrible dread in my gut.

I believe that.

Here's a nice flower to leave you with...

Bit of a jarring finish... but... it is a pretty photo.

 

[KathyM2]

Wow, what an experience so far!! I'm not sure how I would have dealt with all that you saw, plus the exhaustion and not feeling well and sparse rations...but I guess it is a good way to get even a tiny sense of what it might be like to have to survive in a place like that.

 

[Poolrat]

So I finally can reply and the dang DISboards give me attitude!!!!!

I finally can reply and the DISboards give me attitude. First it won't Quote so I hit the +Quote and then the whole thing quotes but never gave me a chance to put anything in. Had to change browsers to get this......

F is for: FoodFEST!
​

And then there was that one time, Steppe overdid it.

​

Of Course

Let’s begin with a hollow belly here:



It was near the front of WS, or on the way to WS Proper anyway. Honestly, I have no idea, and truly don’t give a crap. It was food, and I was there to eat. Remember, Boys and Girls, repeat after me:

We went there too and had a couple of things I believe it was also the first stop. Right near club cool.

​

I tried the piggy wings I think I was afraid for the corned beef- not much of a fan and too many ingredients for me.

I like the Australian motifs on this!

Next Steppe had her Mates throw another shrimp on her plate. I like shrimp. It’s much better than beer and when tossed together with pineapple, bell peppers, snap peas, and a spicy sweet and sour sauce, well, oink ‘er up!!! Not one I’d likely get again as I can make it at home anytime, but it was decent and I’m glad I tried it.

I think I tasted a shrimp here. Good but spicy.

Holy Kilted Clansmen!!! Sing me a bagpipe tune and stuff a few more of these in my face.

Nom, nom, nom….

Missed that one!!!!

They both got a fork and fed you????

The Contest​

Only 5 of you decided to play, but it’s NOT TOO LATE to join in at any time. The prizes for Steppe’s Contest are pretty awesome, and it’s more fun to play than not play.


Here are the next round of questions:

1) I could ask about 4-letter “F” words, but will refrain. Instead, how many CAPITAL letter F’s can you see on this sign?



2) Mystery Photo. I'm in a generous mood. Where am I?


(Remember, every Mystery Photo is from a place on Disney Property. It is an attraction, a place, or name of a food or something along those lines.)

3) Let’s see how carefully you were reading: How many items did Steppe buy at Food & Wine?

4) And now a little side story: I have a little tradition of collecting a pin or two from each of my trips. Something that represents a highlight or big event of my time there. This year, F&W was a fun event, along with the Christmas Party and Dapper Day. So, I began to search for a pin very early on in the day. I stopped at several locations beginning with the place right at the beginning of WS (that I don’t know the name of) and was told they had NO pins for F&W?

Here:



Huh? That seemed odd. They told me to try Mousegears or Pin Traders back by The Electric Umbrella. Okay, sure, I could do that on the way out. Which I did. Neither place had them. I was pretty worried I was not going to find my pin for this trip and was very sad! Question 4: Did I find my pin before I left the park? [/quote]

Right by the fountain!!!! Or the festival center. I hope they had some left, being the last day!!

5) Does Steppe get ill later that night from her debauchery?

I hope not!

6) I got an Instant Pot the other day. What delicious Disney food should I make in it next week? (In case you’re interested in cooking stuff from Disney, did you know A complete list of Disney recipes existed?)

a) Loaded Mac n’ Cheese
b) Le Cellier Cheddar Cheese Soup
c) Raglan Road Bangers n’ Booz
d) Carrot Ginger Soup from Boma

PM answers for 1 and 2, post 3-6

Going with b

Might get you a pm, but it may not happen since making this post look somewhat NOT like train wreck might take me all night.

 

[Poolrat]

I am leaving that one up for giggles^ THAT is what happens when the DISboards DO NOT WANT TO PLAY NICE!!!!!

I had to go the old fashioned way with dividing up the big quote and I did not change or choose any font, color or size of font. Yikes that was harder than it needed to be but this is what I meant to post.....

​

Of Course that is the objective!!!

Marv may have had the corned beef, I tried the piggy wings. They were okay - it was also our first booth, right behind the character connection and a bathroom right inside!!

They moved this booth but kept the lamb chop!

Next Steppe had her Mates throw another shrimp on her plate.

I think we had the shrimp and I picked out one to try.

I wasn’t about to give up, and being this far into calorie debt, why not pack on a few more inches with this delicious little beauty?

Missed that one -

Oops! That looks good!

So they each got a fork and fed you ?

3) Let’s see how carefully you were reading: How many items did Steppe buy at Food & Wine?

12

4) And now a little side story: I have a little tradition of collecting a pin or two from each of my trips. Something that represents a highlight or big event of my time there. This year, F&W was a fun event, along with the Christmas Party and Dapper Day. So, I began to search for a pin very early on in the day. I stopped at several locations beginning with the place right at the beginning of WS (that I don’t know the name of) and was told they had NO pins for F&W?

Here:



Huh? That seemed odd. They told me to try Mousegears or Pin Traders back by The Electric Umbrella. Okay, sure, I could do that on the way out. Which I did. Neither place had them. I was pretty worried I was not going to find my pin for this trip and was very sad! Question 4: Did I find my pin before I left the park?

Pin Traders by the electric umbrella or the festival Center should have had some IF any were left on the very last day.

5) Does Steppe get ill later that night from her debauchery?

I hope not.

6) I got an Instant Pot the other day. What delicious Disney food should I make in it next week? (In case you’re interested in cooking stuff from Disney, did you know A complete list of Disney recipes existed?)


a) Loaded Mac n’ Cheese
b) Le Cellier Cheddar Cheese Soup
c) Raglan Road Bangers n’ Booz
d) Carrot Ginger Soup from Boma

Going with B



Hopefully this will look "right" but of course I am done. Maybe back to reply to SL update. I am reading but as you can see this time at least, replies are hard.

 

[Steppesister]

You mean squished white bread?

LOL! Correct.

Um.... If it's okay, I'll take a pass on that one. I'll let my friends Sam and Ella eat that instead.

Took me reading that twice to get it.

They swear it's safe. I wasn't taking ANY chances. Nope.

Well, that sucks. Good thing you packed it in your personal belongings.

Sigh... that will be the last time my stuff is messed with. Next time, I go with cash to cover stuff like that on my own.

No. That doesn't sound ungrateful at all. We all need that little connection to home from time to time. Especially when we are inundated with sights, smells and tastes that are completely foreign to our senses.

Very true.

I wonder if that was because they were "staff" and you were "guests"?

That would go with the "staff" idea.

I think you are right. Perhaps there was a line drawn that we didn't know about and that was one of the unspoken rules.

Yeah... that doesn't matter where you are. I lost a really nice kimono that way. It was hanging in the closet of our hotel room. In Canada, not an impoverished country.

ugh! People astound me every day.

Your cord got stolen? Or you simply forgot to pack it at the end of the trip?

I believe so. I was so sure I'd packed it, but when I unpacked it was not there. I'm wondering if somewhere between the house and my own home it was pilfered. Sigh... off to Best Buy this week.

So... you found it later? Or you left it at home?

No. Never did find it. Pretty sure it was stolen between the house (there) and getting home.

Nice. I have a similar one plugged in beside my bed.

They are really nice. I loved it. (And am replacing it soon!)

Ah! So just three blocks away!

LOL! It was a bit further than that.

Hmmm... interesting name on the vehicle in front of you. Not sure if that would fly on this side of the pond.

We saw a lot of really odd stuff on the backs of those. And lot of "God bless" or "Allah be praised" and the like.

#priorities

Well, YEAH!

I know some of those people!

Peekaboo!

Someone (little boy, center-right) is either bored or sleeping. Hopefully things got a bit more interesting for him.

The son of the woman next to him. He slept through most of it.

Next hour.... I take it time means something different over there.

Oh yes. Very much so!

Novel concept. Too bad that sort of behaviour can't be broadcast as a lesson to others.

It's too bad some people are too full of themselves to be respectful.

Extremely impressive. I mean that.

She was very inspirational.

She's very pretty, too.

And yes, pretty too!

My MIL worked in the polio ward. She interacted a lot with people who lived in iron lungs.
I don't understand why you would pick that over a vaccine.

sigh.... I don't either. I think the wake up call won't come until the diseases make a comeback (which they will (and ARE!)). Meantime while the side effects of the shots are small (or non-existent as proven over and over) there is fear. Meningoccocal has taken off at OSU where my daughter goes and has now spread to the middle school. I wonder if seeing your kid with a 106 degree fever and the very real threat of death or probable brain damage was better than the vaccine? Dunno. My intent wasn't to get into this debate, but it was a pretty harsh picture I wish more people could see.

Yeah... I noticed that too. The government saying the government isn't going to help you.

Ironic, no?

I like that! Disability is not Inability.

I'd not heard that before, but love it!

Hmm.... I have no idea what cassava leaf tastes like, so I really can't comment. I might like it... I might not. No idea.
But... I can say that it all sounds tasty.

Kinda like spinach. Just another leafy green.

I knew this. I remember when it was going on and was practically an epidemic. Just horrible. And completely senseless.

And it continues in other African countries all the time. When will the madness stop?! (Yes, I know the answer, but DISRules kinda cut the conversation short here.)

Again... so senseless. Mines seem to only hurt civilians. Maybe the odd soldier (whom, I presume, you are targeting) but surely the cost outweighs any perceived reward?

You'd think, but then again, I think it's more to intimidate and subdue the Civilians.

Oh, man. I really feel for you.
I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you. For anyone seeing that.
Everyone has a certain capacity for empathy and pain... I am not surprised that you were filled to capacity. One can only take so much and beyond that, you either react or you are not fully human.

Good take on that. I'd have to question someone without any ability to feel empathy or pain for another human.

This is, in a small way, similar to your needing your honey almond butter. You need a rope to hold onto to keep from drowning. Retreating for a bit is a very good strategy/necessity.

Yes.

Love that shot. Very pretty. And yet...

I got so very few artistic shots, but this was one.

I also love this shot, for very different reasons.

Quite a contrast. Mere feet away from that ^ one. See? Beauty amongst the squalor. such potential there... and so wasted.

Holy crap! How can she do that?!?!?!

That, by far, was the most impressive example I saw.

But that's the point, isn't it? There are no bad ideas. And sometimes... once in a while... you find a gem amidst the rubble.

Yep! I hope they our team will follow up with them and some of them can come to fruition.

How was that? Considering the emotional toll this took on you?

Not too bad. I was wholly unprepared not knowing really what the seminar was all about, the target audience, or format. Just went with some generic encouragements to follow their dreams and to give back to their country and others their full potential.

Love it! Wish I could've seen that in person.

It was sooooo cool! But wait! There's more!

That's great! Just the thing you needed to help lift your spirits again.

It was delightful, and yes, it did make me smile.

Oh, no! Not at all! Thank you so much for sharing that with us!

You're welcome!

Makes me wonder... is the traffic slow because of all the vendors?

Vendors, the motorcycles, the jaywalking peds, the other cars and sheer amount of them, everything. No traffic lights, stop signs, no nothing.

Okay... You know what I'm going to say... except I'm not going to.
I have never had fresh coconut. Maybe it tastes (and smells) differently? Or differently enough that I might be able to have it?
I won't say "no" until I've had that opportunity.
Perhaps I will say "I can't eat coconut unless it's fresh."

I think it's good to keep an open mind and make yourself try anything once. You never know!

Okay... that's pretty cool. I've seen people trying to open those (on TV... otherwise I would've tried it! ) and it doesn't look easy.

I think the key is very sharp machete.

Noticed something. Were you at a standstill all this time? Or was he walking backwards?

Mostly a standstill. But every few minutes, we'd inch forwards and he'd come along with us.

A dollar each? Or a dollar to share?

A dollar to share.

Money can buy happiness!

HAHA!

Well... like anywhere, people are individuals. Some won't care. Some will be pleased. Some will be angry. You never can tell for sure.

And that's why if they saw me with my camera from then on, I was careful to ask.

Really? What happened to all those relatives and staff?

I have no idea why it was decided that no one was cooking for us?

Oh, man. I would not want to catch Malaria. Nope!
I would be worried about each and every one of those bites.

Well, our leader stayed behind after us... and he did. I don't think he was taking any sort of prophylaxis, which IMHO was very foolish. It's NOT expensive, he had plenty of Western medical opportunity to get it before leaving, etc... Malaria kills a LOT of people every day, so... ? I just don't get it.

Good Lord. And really nothing you can do about it unless you happen to be right there.

No. I did actually contemplate getting dressed and going out to see if I could help, but by then they must've run home? Was a super good reminder to us though that going out after dark was a stupid idea and that dogs there are NOT pets (AT ALL!!!!) and approaching one might be suicide.

Bit of a jarring finish... but... it is a pretty photo.

Yes, again, beauty amongst the 'hard'. Remember, no matter how hard things get, there is always something good to be found if we look for it.

 

[Steppesister]

Wow, what an experience so far!! I'm not sure how I would have dealt with all that you saw, plus the exhaustion and not feeling well and sparse rations...but I guess it is a good way to get even a tiny sense of what it might be like to have to survive in a place like that.

Thanks, Kathy! This trip took me a long, LONG way out of my comfort zone, but I think we made a very small difference in our going. Lots more to share, so stay tuned!

 

[Steppesister]

So I finally can reply and the dang DISboards give me attitude!!!!!

I finally can reply and the DISboards give me attitude. First it won't Quote so I hit the +Quote and then the whole thing quotes but never gave me a chance to put anything in. Had to change browsers to get this......

Ugh!!! What a pain. Sometimes the DIS DOES act up. I sometimes have to completely exit out and try again.

We went there too and had a couple of things

Eating is easy at F&W.

I think I tasted a shrimp here. Good but spicy.

Yes, I remember it was on the spicy side.

They both got a fork and fed you????

LOL!!!

Right by the fountain!!!! Or the festival center. I hope they had some left, being the last day!!

Honestly, I have no idea.

I hope not!

Answers coming soon.

Going with b

Might get you a pm, but it may not happen since making this post look somewhat NOT like train wreck might take me all night.

Everything is noted, but will wait for PM.

I am leaving that one up for giggles^ THAT is what happens when the DISboards DO NOT WANT TO PLAY NICE!!!!!

I had to go the old fashioned way with dividing up the big quote and I did not change or choose any font, color or size of font. Yikes that was harder than it needed to be but this is what I meant to post.....

You crack me up!

Of Course that is the objective!!!

Why yes. Yes, it is!

Marv may have had the corned beef, I tried the piggy wings. They were okay - it was also our first booth, right behind the character connection and a bathroom right inside!!

NO idea. Just, you know. Come to a booth, eat the stuff and move on. (And take notes.)

They moved this booth but kept the lamb chop!

That looked to big and rich for me.

Missed that one -

It was so good. I need to find a recipe and make it.

12

Pin Traders by the electric umbrella or the festival Center should have had some IF any were left on the very last day.

I hope not.

Going with B



Hopefully this will look "right" but of course I am done. Maybe back to reply to SL update. I am reading but as you can see this time at least, replies are hard.

All noted!

I hope you'll be back more often! We miss you!!!

 

[pkondz]

LOL! Correct.

Yummm.... squished bread. The perfect accompaniment to go with squashed fish.

Took me reading that twice to get it.

They swear it's safe. I wasn't taking ANY chances. Nope.

You know, this is interesting. I went shopping yesterday and went down the condiment aisle and...

There are all the mayo jars all lined up on the non-refrigerated shelves...


So.... just because they're not open... is being refrigerated that important? Unless the may was home made with real eggs...? And even then?...

Sigh... that will be the last time my stuff is messed with. Next time, I go with cash to cover stuff like that on my own.

I think you are right. Perhaps there was a line drawn that we didn't know about and that was one of the unspoken rules.

Maybe? I dunno! I wasn't there!

ugh! People astound me every day.

And yet.... sometimes they astound me in very good ways.

I believe so. I was so sure I'd packed it, but when I unpacked it was not there. I'm wondering if somewhere between the house and my own home it was pilfered. Sigh... off to Best Buy this week.

No, I meant the original cord that you originally replaced with the one you bought for $40.
Where was that one?

No. Never did find it. Pretty sure it was stolen between the house (there) and getting home.

Well, that sucks.

LOL! It was a bit further than that.

Of course! Three and a half blocks!

We saw a lot of really odd stuff on the backs of those. And lot of "God bless" or "Allah be praised" and the like.

Those I can see.

The son of the woman next to him. He slept through most of it.

Not quite as exciting as playing with your friends.

It's too bad some people are too full of themselves to be respectful.

Isn't it though.

I think the wake up call won't come until the diseases make a comeback (which they will (and ARE!)).

Yes. I know. Stupid.

Meantime while the side effects of the shots are small (or non-existent as proven over and over) there is fear.

Too many gullible people out there.

"I'm not getting my child vaccinated!"
"Why not?"
"My cousin's friend's brother's boss's mother in law's neighbor had their child vaccinated and he died!"
"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry to hear that! Polio?"
"No. Car accident. But he'd just had his shot three years earlier."

Meningoccocal has taken off at OSU where my daughter goes and has now spread to the middle school. I wonder if seeing your kid with a 106 degree fever and the very real threat of death or probable brain damage was better than the vaccine? Dunno.

My intent wasn't to get into this debate, but it was a pretty harsh picture I wish more people could see.

Yeah... but... see above comment.
You can lead a horse to water...

I'd not heard that before, but love it!

Me too! My eldest DD just had a job interview and she was asked about special needs kids and I mentioned that quote to her.

Kinda like spinach. Just another leafy green.

Hmmm... spinach doesn't like me, but I don't mind it with other things (not by itself. Boring.)

And it continues in other African countries all the time. When will the madness stop?! (Yes, I know the answer, but DISRules kinda cut the conversation short here.)

Understood.

You'd think, but then again, I think it's more to intimidate and subdue the Civilians.

Really! That had not occurred to me.

Beauty amongst the squalor.

Yes.

That, by far, was the most impressive example I saw.

I should hope so! That's.... pretty incredible.

Not too bad. I was wholly unprepared not knowing really what the seminar was all about, the target audience, or format. Just went with some generic encouragements to follow their dreams and to give back to their country and others their full potential.

Glad you were able to do that.

It was sooooo cool! But wait! There's more!

Yuusssssss...

Vendors, the motorcycles, the jaywalking peds, the other cars and sheer amount of them, everything. No traffic lights, stop signs, no nothing.

Yup. That'd do it alright.

I think it's good to keep an open mind and make yourself try anything once. You never know!

I think the key is very sharp machete.

And yet....

How would you react if you saw someone walking down the street with a very sharp machete in your own home town?

And that's why if they saw me with my camera from then on, I was careful to ask.

Not a bad policy when shooting an individual.
And I have no idea what rights you would have in SL... but I suspect photography is not high on their list of enforced issues.

I have no idea why it was decided that no one was cooking for us?

Weird.

Well, our leader stayed behind after us... and he did. I don't think he was taking any sort of prophylaxis, which IMHO was very foolish. It's NOT expensive, he had plenty of Western medical opportunity to get it before leaving, etc... Malaria kills a LOT of people every day, so... ? I just don't get it.

Oh, geez. That's a huge, unnecessary risk. Then again, he is from there? Maybe he felt that since he didn't take any before that it wasn't necessary?

No. I did actually contemplate getting dressed and going out to see if I could help

I knew you did. I was sure of it. Except...

Was a super good reminder to us though that going out after dark was a stupid idea and that dogs there are NOT pets (AT ALL!!!!) and approaching one might be suicide.

... based on that, I'm glad you didn't venture out.

No... dogs are not pets in all parts of the world. At least once every few years we get a report of a child being killed by a wild pack up north.... and not far up north.

Yes, again, beauty amongst the 'hard'. Remember, no matter how hard things get, there is always something good to be found if we look for it.

 

[mickeystoontown]

You and I follow many of the same threads so I clicked on your trip report link and am now all caught up. There's simply too much to comment on so I'll just say that I'm all caught up and looking forward to more.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

There was Wifi!!! Boo yeah!!!!

Eventually, the seminar began. Every event in SL begins with prayer- meetings, gatherings, seminars, every single event begins that way- first “in the Christian way” and then “in the Muslim way”. Someone offers to pray one way, everyone stands respectfully, and then another prays the other way. What a concept- living in harmony despite differences in beliefs.

Wouldn't that be something?

The first was a woman about 30 years old who is a disabled professional soccer player. When she was 10 years old, she stepped on a landmine during the Civil War and miraculously didn’t die. She was determined to stay in school and learn all she could, and committed herself to never giving up on her dreams. She emphasized that everyone has worth and value and has something to offer even with disabilities.

That poor woman. She must have been inspiring.

(we saw a lot of that- so here’s a not-so-subtle reminder here that vaccinations do work and polio is a pretty fricken’ horrible disease)

Lastly, a former Commissioner of the Disabilities Dept. and UN Representative for SL spoke about disabilities in general and publicly stated that this sector in particular could not depend on the government in any fashion to lift them out of their plight- that it needed to come from their own effort and cooperation. I can with all honesty say I have mixed feelings on this; there are no easy answers. Perhaps with most things in life, the answer lies somewhere betwixt and between. I did find it… odd… that a former government worker was saying that they can’t depend on said government to lift them out of the dismal situation that the disabled face in that country.

I think as you said, the answer is always somewhere in the middle. Sometimes, government can be a very effective answer to a problem. Sometimes, government is the problem. Sometimes, it's not clear. Much of the divide between conservatives and liberals comes down to where the line exists between the responsibility for a solution falling on the individual or falling on the collective.

I spent a lot of my lunch hour wandering around talking with people and hearing some of their stories. They broke my heart. Some, many, were maimed during the War. Soldiers would raid and pillage the small villages, ruthlessly cutting off the limbs of young children to show power and intimidate. Others lost arms and legs from landmines. Still others had lasting effects from (preventable) childhood diseases, burns, or accidents. It was humbling.

My goodness. So much suffering!

We emphasized that this was not a forum to simply air grievances or complain, but to come up with real and tangible ideas for us to work together on.

Good. Complaining is just that. Nothing productive there.

It was spontaneous, and joyful, and, when I asked for the translation, I was told it was a song of hope and joy and enthusiasm for the future.

Very sweet.

Our CEO had become quite ill about 24 hours after landing, and about 24 hours after that my aunt fell prey to “the bug”. Now, it was my turn to get it and that was about as sick as I’ve been in YEARS. By the next day, I had a raging chest issue that would last well beyond my returning home and severely impact the trip. But more on that later…. By then, I just wanted to sleep.

Uh oh. This sounds awful.

 

[Steppesister]

Replies later, Folks. The dreaded night shift coming up.

 

[MKBekka]

Hello, hello, hello!

Most of you probably know me. The most famousest of Steppe's lurkers. And her partner in Africa! I'll see you around.

Mom, you forgot that most of the soldiers during the Civil War were on drugs and usually high when assaulting children.

 

[docsoliday1]

Hello, hello, hello!

Most of you probably know me. The most famousest of Steppe's lurkers. And her partner in Africa! I'll see you around.

Mom, you forgot that most of the soldiers during the Civil War were on drugs and usually high when assaulting children.

I liked only because Bekka responded Bekka.
I wish I could dis-like as well, because being on drugs makes you do different things, but I can't imagine drugs making you want to hurt people...I think that's already there and the drugs remove the morality of knowing it's wrong. I could be wrong, but nasty drunks are usually nasty people to begin with.
Just my opinion.

 

[MKBekka]

I liked only because Bekka responded Bekka.
I wish I could dis-like as well, because being on drugs makes you do different things, but I can't imagine drugs making you want to hurt people...I think that's already there and the drugs remove the morality of knowing it's wrong. I could be wrong, but nasty drunks are usually nasty people to begin with.
Just my opinion.

Yep, have to agree to a point. But a desire to hurt people has to be there first. I'd say that kind of stimulus would very well pish a person who wouldn't have otherwise acted on the desire. I have lots more thoughts on the issue but if you don't mind I'd like to keep from spamming moms thread. Feel free to message me though!

 

[docsoliday1]

Yep, have to agree to a point. But a desire to hurt people has to be there first. I'd say that kind of stimulus would very well pish a person who wouldn't have otherwise acted on the desire. I have lots more thoughts on the issue but if you don't mind I'd like to keep from spamming moms thread. Feel free to message me though!

No spamming. Spam is horrible in all its variants.

We're saying the same thing...the drugs or alcohol remove the inhibitions of a mean person and the mean manifests itself.

 

[pkondz]

Hello, hello, hello!

Most of you probably know me. The most famousest of Steppe's lurkers. And her partner in Africa! I'll see you around.

Well hello facebook friend!

Mom, you forgot that most of the soldiers during the Civil War were on drugs and usually high when assaulting children.

Ugh... I'm not sure if that makes it worse or not... But the whole thing, with or without being high is utterly horrible.

No spamming. Spam is horrible in all its variants.

I dunno. Go to Hawaii and they swear by it. I even had some grilled on sticky rice wrapped in seaweed for breakfast... and it tasted good!

 

[MKBekka]

You should all ask mom what a spam boat is.

 

[docsoliday1]

You should all ask mom what a spam boat is.

Ummm...she may be mom to you, but she's Queen Steppe to the rest of us.

Or, I could be like the movie "Home" and start calling her "My mom".