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

[Steppesister]

I also find (<< oh look I used one!) it hilarious that I have no idea what fully 25% or more even mean!

 

[docsoliday1]

I also find (<< oh look I used one!) it hilarious that I have no idea what fully 25% or more even mean!

25% or more means if you have at least 1/4 of the quantity.
Come on Liesa, math 101.

Oh, you meant the words.


I looked them up initially on my dictionary on my computer, but it was over 400 words and over half were acronyms, so decided to go the scrabble words route. I never said I knew what they meant, just putting the list out there for ya.

 

[Steppesister]

25% or more means if you have at least 1/4 of the quantity.
Come on Liesa, math 101.

I suck at math.

Oh, you meant the words.

I did, I did!

I looked them up initially on my dictionary on my computer, but it was over 400 words and over half were acronyms, so decided to go the scrabble words route. I never said I knew what they meant, just putting the list out there for ya.

So like FIFA and FEMA? LOL!

 

[pkondz]

Well someone's got to do the hard work around here!

Might as well be you!

At least I had them! (and they weren't still between ME and my room.)

They can pack cars AND remember everything.

Remember what?

You have BUILT them?!

Oh, sure.
First one was for the Niagara Falls trip.
I wanted a smiley that showed what would happen in the tunnels
if you stuck your hand
into the tons of falling water.
Of course I couldn't find one, so...

I made this:

....for folks like me!

And me!

I need a vomit emoji stat!

Oh, the old "try and walk in the dark" trick. I know that one!

Nope. In the garage. Slipped while rushing to start the car before shoveling the driveway this morning.

No, that little piggy would go to the market with me.

Wait.
Let me guess.
In your purse.

They HAVE to be fresh and done just right.

Okay.
So Alison can make me French toast and you can make me potato pancakes.

My breakfasts are set!

I'm thinking I need another F&W Walk-about.

Ditto!

I like a well-timed/placed bagpipe.

Actually... so do I.

So, maybe a diver at The Seas? I can see you doing that!

Well, I have done it twice already.
Dang that was fun!

Very
much.

Thank
you!

I have a Tale of Mockery coming up....
Your ideas are lightyears ahead of the current state of affairs there.

Oh, I know. The stuff they have in there is....... lame.

Well...

Oh?

I would say without a doubt both "fugu" and "forb" are... questionable!

You don't know what fugu is? really?
Want a hint?

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

After all, not only had she been all the way to Mars and back by 11:00, she’d also flown around the world, and built a mediocre car, if you’ll recall. That tends to make one hungry.

And your arms will be really tired.

Brace yourselves for a disgusting showcase of gluttony- with an oink-oink here and an oink-oink there… Here a pig, there a pig…

Mmmm...bacon...

Don’t let the name fool you; this kiosk had nothing really to do much with BBQ per se.

Dang it. I was getting all excited.

I don’t like to be surprised with my food.

I'm totally with you on this! Which is why I'm such a non-adventurous eater.

The fact that it was another sweet-over-savory deal, like chicken and waffles, was… let’s just say that Steppe does NOT do chicken and waffles. Ever.

Well, nobody's perfect. More for me, I guess.

He knew the agony it would cause parents worldwide of getting almost to the front of the line of Dumbo and their 3-year old saying, “Daddy, I gotta go.” “I’m sorry Sweetheart, there wasn’t a potty nearby. And then there’s Steppe”, he said to himself. “I’d better put one every few yards.”

Walt knew parents well.

Beer is disgusting. (Flame all you want.)

All generalizations are bad.

I think some beer is disgusting. Mostly the hoppy, extremely bitter kind. I do enjoy more malty, less-bitter beers like stouts and porters and lagers.

Sad. But look, this salad looked good and sometime in the next day or so, all this food was gonna have to, you know… find a way out. Salad might be just the thing to help er, umm… move things along. Besides, it tasted GREAT! I really loved this one. The combination of beets, feta, beans, glazed nuts and vinaigrette was lovely.

You and I would make a good combo here. I'll take the chicken and waffles, and you can have the rabbit food.

This nice bird gave Steppe the stink-eye and tried in vain to warn Steppe of her fine example of over-indulgence, but she listened to it about as well as she listened to her patients that rate their pain a 9 while they laugh at memes on Facebook.

Oh, like that ever happens.

Please say it doesn't.

Ugh.

Of course, they could, and I invited them to join me. After some idle chit-chat, I learned that they had recently moved to Florida so the man could fulfill a longtime dream of his to become a driver for the Safaris in AK. He waited 6 months to get that exact position and he absolutely adored his job. When asked what the favorite part of his job is, he told me that it’s just seeing the animals do what they would naturally just… do. Eat, play, fight… I was tickled to get to spend some time enjoying their company, and that right there friends, is what makes it all so very worth it to stop and smell the roses now and again at Disney.

Pretty cool. I'm glad he could afford to have the patience to wait it out and that it worked out for him!

Unless you don’t like to shop. Then it’s not “good stuff”, it’s just torture.

It’s always more fun when you can go with a tasting partner! You can try more things and compare notes.

Helps on the budget, too!

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

I counted 12.

Question 4: Did I find my pin before I left the park?

Yes. It's Disney. They had to have pins somewhere.

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

Nah. You survived years in Crapistan. You have an iron stomach at this point.

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

Ah, I see you've been assimilated to the ranks like my wife. Welcome aboard!

I'd go with the loaded mac 'n cheese, since you missed out at the festival.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

Okay I think I’ve caught up now. Except I’m on my phone so too annoying for any detailed comments. I enjoyed your your through food and wine. I’ve actually been to the World twice during the festival but regrettably I’ve always had little people in tow and never have been able to fit much snacking in. My food and wine experience thus far is limited to a Belgian waffle and cheddar cheese soup. But I did enjoy both.

And thanks for the recipe link! I’ve seen a few recipes here and there but never a list.

I’ll try to get some answers in for the contest when I’m at a computer again. Too bad I missed the first round. I can vouch for the awesome prizes

 

[rndmr2]

Nice update, you were brave to try so many things. I would have given up a long time before you did.

The corned beef looks good, not a fan of sausage so I wouldn't have gotten that

Sorry you didn't like the mac and cheese, I LOVE mac and cheese, one of my fave foods, I wouldn't enjoy the chives or scallions on top, though, yes I am picky, LOL


Too bad the Spanikopita wasn't available at the Greece booth, I wouldn't have gotten any of the other things offered. When I went to the Food and Wine Fest in 2014, they had a "Griddled Greek Cheese" that was REALLY good.

The combination of beets, feta, beans, glazed nuts and vinaigrette was lovely. This was a really big serving too, perfect to split, and no, while it was delicious, I didn’t finish it either.

This salad looked really good, I LOVE Beets, I hated them when I was a kid but love them now.

In 2014, the Scotland booth had a seared scallop that had spinach gratin and crispy bacon that was AMAZING. That's the first booth my Dad and I made a beeline for when we were ready to go into World showcase that day.

This looked really good, not a fan of bell peppers but I could eat around them. (one of my many talents in my pickiness, LOL)

I was standing eating at a little round table by the water (the same place where I took the butterfly picture in the last update) and a couple walked up and asked if they could share the table. Of course, they could, and I invited them to join me. After some idle chit-chat, I learned that they had recently moved to Florida so the man could fulfill a longtime dream of his to become a driver for the Safaris in AK. He waited 6 months to get that exact position and he absolutely adored his job. When asked what the favorite part of his job is, he told me that it’s just seeing the animals do what they would naturally just… do. Eat, play, fight… I was tickled to get to spend some time enjoying their company, and that right there friends, is what makes it all so very worth it to stop and smell the roses now and again at Disney.

Nice story! How fun to meet one of the safari drivers.

The cake does look really yummy. Sorry you were disappointed in the cheese sauce.

3) Let’s see how carefully you were reading: How many items did Steppe buy at Food & Wine?
-------------------------12 things

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?


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?
-------------------------------no

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

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-------------------------this
c) Raglan Road Bangers n’ Booz
d) Carrot Ginger Soup from Boma

PM answers for 1 and 2, post 3-6

PM being sent!!

 

[amazingact21]

I was worried I had fallen terribly behind when I saw I had 6 pages to catch up on, but thankfully I only needed to read your second SL day and your food fest update.

Thank you for taking so many pictures and keeping notes from your Africa trip. I have really enjoyed seeing your photos and feel like your words and the images are capturing your experience beautifully.

As I was reading about all the food you were sampling at Food and Wine, I couldn't help but think...she's stockpiling for her upcoming trip. Because you never know what foods you'll be stuck eating in a new place. Hopefully, new and delicious dishes, but that's not necessarily guranteed.
Which reminds me...smashed white bread? That was an interesting carb choice for breakfast...

That beet salad you had at F&W looked amazing!

Ahh, I was bummed to see they had moved your mac and cheese item; I remember you really wanted to get that again! Instead you had to make do with mac and cheese in a cone...

All right, I'm usually terrible at these contests because I never remember to give my answers, but I'll give it a shot:


3) Let’s see how carefully you were reading: How many items did Steppe buy at Food & Wine?
Oh dear...let me do a quick count in my head. My brain is only coming up with 10 things but I feel like it was more.
I'm going to say...12.


4) Question 4: Did I find my pin before I left the park?
Hmm, I'm going to say yes.
Thinking optimistically...

5) Does Steppe get ill later that night from her debauchery?
Nah, you mentally preserved and continued to enjoy your Disney time.


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?)

d) Carrot Ginger Soup from Boma
Since I've got flurries out my window and love to eat soup when it's cold out, I'm voting for the soup.

 

[Steppesister]

Might as well be you!

So, just like home.

Remember what?

LOL!

Oh? not that funny?

Oh, sure.
First one was for the Niagara Falls trip.
I wanted a smiley that showed what would happen in the tunnels
if you stuck your hand
into the tons of falling water.
Of course I couldn't find one, so...

I made this:

WHOA!! You DID that?!



I wouldn't even know where to start learning HOW to do that. <is duly impressed>

Nope. In the garage. Slipped while rushing to start the car before shoveling the driveway this morning.

OUCH!! How is it now? Getting lots of snow up there?

Wait.
Let me guess.
In your purse.

Well... yeah. It's super cute!!

Okay.
So Alison can make me French toast and you can make me potato pancakes.

My breakfasts are set!

Sure, and dinner's on you!

Well, I have done it twice already.
Dang that was fun!

I really enjoyed those chapters of yours!

You don't know what fugu is? really?
Want a hint?

See?! Told you it was a dirty word.

 

[Steppesister]

And your arms will be really tired.

I was a hot mess. Legs tired from pedaling my car and arms tired from flying!

Dang it. I was getting all excited.

Of course you were!

I'm totally with you on this! Which is why I'm such a non-adventurous eater.

sigh... I"m not sure we'll ever 'cure' you. LOL!

Well, nobody's perfect. More for me, I guess.

<hands Mark all the ruined chicken>

All generalizations are bad.

I think some beer is disgusting. Mostly the hoppy, extremely bitter kind. I do enjoy more malty, less-bitter beers like stouts and porters and lagers.

Okay, fine. Confession time. I'm sloooooowly learning to like a bit of beer things. I've kinda learned to like the grapefruit beer like this:

And am trying out some porters that are okay. I don't love them, but can drink one if someone asks to share. Bitter, hoppy? Just no.

You and I would make a good combo here. I'll take the chicken and waffles, and you can have the rabbit food.

Yummy! Unless its barf...er, broccoli.

Oh, like that ever happens.

Please say it doesn't.

Ugh.

Sadly... there are a lot of people who don't understand the pain scale at all.

Pretty cool. I'm glad he could afford to have the patience to wait it out and that it worked out for him!

Me too, but just goes to show, there's a lot of interesting folks out there, and it's nice to take some out to hear the stories.

I counted 12.

Yes. It's Disney. They had to have pins somewhere.

Nah. You survived years in Crapistan. You have an iron stomach at this point.

Ah, I see you've been assimilated to the ranks like my wife. Welcome aboard!

I'd go with the loaded mac 'n cheese, since you missed out at the festival.

All noted!

And for the Intant Pot- it's a blossoming love affair. Mmm, French dips!

 

[Steppesister]

Okay I think I’ve caught up now. Except I’m on my phone so too annoying for any detailed comments. I enjoyed your your through food and wine. I’ve actually been to the World twice during the festival but regrettably I’ve always had little people in tow and never have been able to fit much snacking in. My food and wine experience thus far is limited to a Belgian waffle and cheddar cheese soup. But I did enjoy both.

Hey there, Jeff!

Yes, phone quoting just... doesn't work. I get that!

And I also get that Food and Wine touring is tough on the families with little ones. But of the 2 you went with- I've only tried one, and it was pretty good. (the soup)

And thanks for the recipe link! I’ve seen a few recipes here and there but never a list.

You're welcome! I'm anxious to try some of them out to tide me over until my next trip.

I’ll try to get some answers in for the contest when I’m at a computer again. Too bad I missed the first round. I can vouch for the awesome prizes

Don't worry! There are plenty of chances coming up to tie up the score! Glad you liked the prize!

 

[franandaj]

Okay.
So Alison can make me French toast and you can make me potato pancakes.

My breakfasts are set!

And where am I making you this French Toast?????

 

[Steppesister]

Nice update, you were brave to try so many things. I would have given up a long time before you did.

It was a nice challenge for myself.

The corned beef looks good, not a fan of sausage so I wouldn't have gotten that

The sausage, surprisingly, was the best part of that meal!

Sorry you didn't like the mac and cheese, I LOVE mac and cheese, one of my fave foods, I wouldn't enjoy the chives or scallions on top, though, yes I am picky, LOL

Me too! But this wasn't very creamy. Just kinda dry.

Too bad the Spanikopita wasn't available at the Greece booth, I wouldn't have gotten any of the other things offered. When I went to the Food and Wine Fest in 2014, they had a "Griddled Greek Cheese" that was REALLY good.

Mmm! That does sound good! But, nope. Not available.

Holy cow, griddled cheese? I'd have totally gotten that!

This salad looked really good, I LOVE Beets, I hated them when I was a kid but love them now.

\
Proof that tastes can change- as I told Mark, I am starting to be able to drink beer a little. I think it's good practice to keep trying foods every now and then; you just never know.

In 2014, the Scotland booth had a seared scallop that had spinach gratin and crispy bacon that was AMAZING. That's the first booth my Dad and I made a beeline for when we were ready to go into World showcase that day.

I adore scallops! Yum!

I need to find that recipe and make it at home!

This looked really good, not a fan of bell peppers but I could eat around them. (one of my many talents in my pickiness, LOL)

Everything in that dish was pretty big, so picking around it wouldn't have been too hard.

The cake does look really yummy. Sorry you were disappointed in the cheese sauce.

Too salty. Ick. Ah well, now I know for next year.

PM being sent!!

PM rec'd. Answers recorded.

 

[Steppesister]

I was worried I had fallen terribly behind when I saw I had 6 pages to catch up on, but thankfully I only needed to read your second SL day and your food fest update.

Nope, not too far behind! But another update coming up very soon!

Thank you for taking so many pictures and keeping notes from your Africa trip. I have really enjoyed seeing your photos and feel like your words and the images are capturing your experience beautifully.

You're welcome. Writing the TR for it is like a journal for me. It's good to reflect back on things.

As I was reading about all the food you were sampling at Food and Wine, I couldn't help but think...she's stockpiling for her upcoming trip. Because you never know what foods you'll be stuck eating in a new place. Hopefully, new and delicious dishes, but that's not necessarily guranteed.
Which reminds me...smashed white bread? That was an interesting carb choice for breakfast...

HAHA! Yes, the food dept in the Africa part is about to take a nose dive.

I don't think the bread was intentionally smooshed, but just not handled very carefully.

That beet salad you had at F&W looked amazing!

I want to make it at home. Ummm, I'm going to go on a Disney food themed week here pretty soon.

Ahh, I was bummed to see they had moved your mac and cheese item; I remember you really wanted to get that again! Instead you had to make do with mac and cheese in a cone...

Me too! But, this gal has a new Instant Pot and Imma so doing that one soon!

All right, I'm usually terrible at these contests because I never remember to give my answers, but I'll give it a shot:


3) Let’s see how carefully you were reading: How many items did Steppe buy at Food & Wine?
Oh dear...let me do a quick count in my head. My brain is only coming up with 10 things but I feel like it was more.
I'm going to say...12.


4) Question 4: Did I find my pin before I left the park?
Hmm, I'm going to say yes.
Thinking optimistically...

5) Does Steppe get ill later that night from her debauchery?
Nah, you mentally preserved and continued to enjoy your Disney time.


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?)

d) Carrot Ginger Soup from Boma
Since I've got flurries out my window and love to eat soup when it's cold out, I'm voting for the soup.

All noted...

@amazingact21 - don't forget to PM your answers for 1 and 2.

 

[Steppesister]

And where am I making you this French Toast?????

I was wondering the same thing!

 

[Steppesister]

** 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.

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.

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:

But that’s a rabbit hole… moving on.

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.

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





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…


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







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.



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.

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.



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!



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. Here are a couple of posters from his talk:





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 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.













After reconvening the seminar, the leaders broke the participants up into 3 groups. Each group was to come up with a project or area of disabled community struggle and brainstorm ways they felt our organization could partner with them to find and work towards solutions. 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. As with all brainstorming sessions, some ideas were good, others were worth exploring, and others were not very feasible. A common theme was assistance in raising awareness and normalizing disabilities. As you can see from the poster (sorry the quality is terrible!) ideas of soap making, training in tailoring and technical training came up.













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!

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.

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.







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.



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:



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.

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.

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

​

 

[MeghanEmily]

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.

This would be probably the most difficult thing for me, even if I didn't have any dietary issues to worry about, so I absolutely understand the desire for something your tummy is familiar with. Interesting that the locals didn't eat with you...

and best of all…


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

Woohoo!! What a privilege we take for granted here!

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.

Wow. There are some things that other countries are just doing right. What a novel concept.

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)

What an impactful reminder! We live in such privilege for people to feel so secure in their health that they think they deserve to reject these life-saving vaccines.

Oh my goodness! Amazing!

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.

This is what I would have expected, too, with my limited exposure to Africa from presentations at our church, etc. Glad to see this isn't just something that North Americans glamorize!

Neat!!

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.

I really take food security for granted. It was only one meal, but I would have been concerned about this. (Smart of you to save some things to nosh on!)

Our CEO had become quite ill about 24 hours after landing, and about 24 hours after that my aunt fell prey to “the bug”. 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….

Oh no...I wondered, based on some of the hints in your earlier posts. This doesn't sound good...

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.

Oh boy. Scary!

 

[Steppesister]

This would be probably the most difficult thing for me, even if I didn't have any dietary issues to worry about, so I absolutely understand the desire for something your tummy is familiar with. Interesting that the locals didn't eat with you...

We'd brought a few things knowing a meal or more might be missed. Glad we did! Finding things that are easily transportable and yummy took some doing.

Woohoo!! What a privilege we take for granted here!

For sure!!! It was very hit and miss for wifi over there!

Wow. There are some things that other countries are just doing right. What a novel concept.

Right?!

What an impactful reminder! We live in such privilege for people to feel so secure in their health that they think they deserve to reject these life-saving vaccines.

I just don't get it. I really don't.

Oh my goodness! Amazing!

That was definitely the most impressive one I saw there!

This is what I would have expected, too, with my limited exposure to Africa from presentations at our church, etc. Glad to see this isn't just something that North Americans glamorize!

It's not! And I have more where that came from...

I really take food security for granted. It was only one meal, but I would have been concerned about this. (Smart of you to save some things to nosh on!)

This actually became a pattern and I'll dive more into it as the TR goes on.

Oh no...I wondered, based on some of the hints in your earlier posts. This doesn't sound good...

Buh, buh, bummmm.... cues the music of dread....

 

[Terra Nova guy]

OK, here's some answers for your Food & Wine report.

3. 7 - and I'm being honest and did not go back to count everything.
4. Yes, you find your pin (surely Disney would not miss an opportunity to make a couple bucks, right?)
5. I'll say yes.
6. Raglan Road Bangers and Mash. Just because I kind of had this last night, except it was moose sausages. (Ever eaten moose? Just curious)

 

[Steppesister]

OK, here's some answers for your Food & Wine report.

3. 7 - and I'm being honest and did not go back to count everything.
4. Yes, you find your pin (surely Disney would not miss an opportunity to make a couple bucks, right?)
5. I'll say yes.
6. Raglan Road Bangers and Mash. Just because I kind of had this last night, except it was moose sausages. (Ever eaten moose? Just curious)

All noted!

No, I have not ever eaten moose! I have eaten lots of elk (I think Canadians call that wapiti?) but we are in short supply of moose here. Is it like a gamy beef?