Production?

Maybe. I feel like I got a lot done today. The chairman liked the agreement we wrote, just has to be ok'd by the rest of council then we're off!! We also agreed on a 50/50 split. It's so much easier to negotiate when both sides objectives are NOT solely for themselves or their company, but for the greater good. As Eric said, what does the percentage matter, all 100% will go to development!! Some in community projects, some to generate jobs. Both are needed.

Why must the world be so selfish?? If this project means anything, I think that is it... a model that shows two business people putting others in front of themselves and making deals - COOPERATION!! Everyone wins... We will show them that this can be done!! Show the world!!

I also finally got some pictures up on the website here, on picassa, and a link on facebook to them. Somehow seems like the most fulfilling thing I've done yet since being here. Sad that it would seem so, but a connection to home keeps me moving. I am doing this as much for everyone there as for me. And words only go so far... Did you see those rural schools? Benchs under a tree?! Wow!! I'll work at taking more pictures now that I can get them up. That is one drawback of the phone/camera as one though. It's perfect, except the battery lasts only about half a day!! Lol!! Stupidest "smart" phone ever!!

Pause... Big occurrence here, they turned on the generator and then PUT A LIGHT BULB IN MY ROOM!! We've got light!! Seems like such a pleasant thing right now, like a huge weight just got removed from me, from the perma-squint on my forehead. Usually home is a sanctuary from the craziness of a day. Here it is the opposite. Lots of people, someone else's house, culture, holed up under the mosquito net once darkness comes. Light just seems to bring freedom to my head, eyes and mind. I can see what's around me, relax. Odd how such a simple thing for us in the west is such a luxury here. Light!!

I also keep teaching the kids hello and goodbye in other languages. It seems so fascinating to them. They're so interested, yet so sheltered. I have never seen children so keen to learn. We take it for granted in the west because we always have it, and we can always find a way to survive, a school to get into, a second chance. Here, education is a very scarce commodity and is sought be everyone...

So I'll take my leave as I listen to them try to pronounce "arivadercci", and "ni hau"!! I obviously can't spell them, but isn't that all the fun of it!? ;)

good day...

Case in Point

So here is a micro case study of issues in Africa/Sierra Leone. We are sitting outside chatting, dusk turns to dark. I get up to walk Yapo out of the compound. It's dark, I don't have the "cat's eyes" people here seem to develop. Someone called my name, I turn and step towards them and smack!! My foot goes straight into a big rock, I stumble over it, down to my knee and my hand. It's dark I can't see anything. I pick myself up, brush off, start walking... Ow!! I've cut up my toe, of course I don't know this yet, there is no light. It is nothing big but several spots, its bleeding, not just a scratch.

I only know this once I pull out my mobile phone and use its light to see. How else do you see it, there are no street lights, no house lights, nothing. I go inside to dress it. But what about clean water? What about first aid? They recommend salt. I have my stuff, but what would they use? And how do you dress it in the dark? By flashlight...? I sit down in the shower floor, head lamp putting a little light on the situation. But sitting there next to me is the inch and a half cockroach that's been there on its back all day. The floor is grimmy dirty, the water is from the well and been sitting in a bucket all day, but there is the roach "helping" me. At least I have my first aid stuff. They would have just salt - which is not bad.

Point is, we wonder why life here doesn't statistically add up to the West. There is no light so easier accidents. There are only the most basic first aid methods. There is no light to dress a wound by, and there are unsanitary environmental conditions. Power, clean water, medical supplies... all tied up into one stubbed toe. Welcome to Africa... I'll be fine, but what if it was more? And how many people didn't get better? Time to get to work!! :-/

Gear

So just about all of my gear has now arrived.  In the last few days I have gotten the solar panel and my new headlamp, as well as most of my clothing.  I have a pair of lightweight quick dry pants that zipper into shorts.  I also have gotten a microweight wool T-shirt for hiking and and a lightweight wool hoodie to keep me warm as needed.  These items will be my staple for the trekking part of the trip (i.e. the stuff to get all sweaty!!).  Today my water purifier and sleeping bag arrived as well.  The sleeping bag is a bit tight (i.e. as a mummy bag should be...), but super light and small.  

All-in-all, I'm pretty much all set.  I have everything I need except for a fully functioning stove.  This is still a bit tricky as I want to use the aluminum can stove but I can't get it to work just right.  I would hate to have to buy a stove, as the one I'd need to guarantee it would work was over $100.  So I'm just gonna keep trying...  ;)

This is gonna keep me warm late at night!!

But fact of the matter is that most all of my gear has arrived now.  I can now really start thinking about the last little things and how I want to pack everything up for the trip.  Someone asked me yesterday if I was ready to go, I was iffy on answering.  I would say unequivocally now - not 18 hours later - that yeah, I'm ready to go!!   

What!?!?

Just not sturdy enough...

Dan?!?!  My REI superman...  was mistaken when he told me that my cookware was titanium, its aluminum.  I am not sure if you know that aluminum is actually not that great to cook on.  Some of the metal leaches into your food, which is of course not good.  So I may have to look at this again.  I also went out running last night with my headlamp and it didn't get the job done.  I got a light weight one from Petzl and the strap doesn't seem to be working well, not very secure.  I tried another one on while I was there and it seemed more stable, so I will probably exchange it.  The way the light worked wasn't really ideal either, so we will see how another one works out.  All told, I will be exchanging much of what I bought, the steripen, the headlamp, perhaps the the cookware (beggars may not always choose...), and even the camelbak bladder I bought doesn't have a valve to shut off the water (which I've already had an issue with on my other one).  The beauty of REI though is that they have the 100% satisfaction guarantee.  Meaning I can just go in and exchange them.  Fabulous store.

My finances are back to possibly being perilous as well, so I need to be careful about everything.  I had been told I would be getting unemployment, however, that may not be the case now.  Back to square one...

On a side note, I wanted to say that it had been a bit since I checked in on Crisis Watch (pdf), which is a great piece of information put out by Crisis Group.  And there it was - no Sierra Leone!  This group and publication specifically tracks crisis and war across the globe, and it has no mention of Sierra Leone at all.  In other words, its not in danger of a crisis!!

Shopping

So I headed out to spend my day yesterday in the Rhode Island branch of REI today.   They had a sale going on right now so it made sense to go today and walk up and down every isle to see what I needed.  I met three outstanding people (who happened to also work at REI as well!!) who were all extremely helpful - Dan, Nate, and Helga.  I spent the most time chatting with Dan as we went through the trip/what I'd need (I was there for over three hours...)  I purchased:

• The SteriPen Classic - which I will take back and exchange for the 'Adventurer'.  The classic was on sale so I figured I'd go with it and do the research when I got home.
• Camelbak 3 Liter bladder.  I now have a 2L and 3L.  They can fit into my pack together or seperately, so it gives me some versatility.
• A cooking pot set-up.  They had the GSI Halulite that is basically one big pot (big in camping terms) and then some other bowls that all pack into the one pot.  It s really light as the pot is titanium and the bowls plastic.  I don't even have to take the whole thing either.    
• I picked up some Sawyer permetherim insect repelant for clothing. You spray it on clothes and it should minimize insect issues.
• A leatherman plier/knife /tool set.
• A Petzl head lamp.  I am a bit sceptical with this one as I sacrificed some comfort for weight and a bit better light.  We'll see REI's 100% satisfaction guarantee makes it easy.  I will try it next thursday I think and if it doesn't sit right, I'll exchange it.  Worried about running with it and sweating - will it stay in place...  
• I also got a little lantern type light by black diamond.
• I finally got some body glide...
• I also got some tiny little containers for spices or something of the sort, and a 2L dry sack for whatever ends up in it.  

It was a costly trip, but I got good deals on some stuff and then the things I wasn't certain about put on my registry:

• Sleeping:  I got into the one Marmot sleeping bag I'd been looking at.  It was really warm, more than I'd want.  I tried out some sleeping mats but wasn't sure about using/carrying them, as well as cultural etiquette when sleeping at someone's house.  I also saw silk sleeping bag liners.  This seemed like a great option perhaps just in general.  If the sleeping bags are to warm (and $2-300) then maybe a $65 silk liner, with maybe some kind of bed pad type thing and another layer may be a more versatile way to use money and sleep well.  More for the same dollar.  We'll see, worth thinking about, but is it warm enough?  I just basically need a solid lightweight blanket!!  Any advice?  
• Solar power:  hhhmmmmmm....  this one is gonna be tricky.  After speaking to both my fathers about the computer and wattage, it seems that the ones they have there just aren't enough.  I need more wattage and then they get pricey.  This is going to be tricky.  I can't spend $2-300 on some giant solar panel that I can't walk with.  I need to learn more and see what I can do.  But if I can't get a solar panel that is functional I might have to use just the phone and keyboard - if possible... 
• I also found a nice pair of Nylon pants that zipper into shorts.  I just couldn't justify buying them yet though.  We'll see.  I have some other considerations for clothing and a lot of this.  I'll get that post written at some point here as well...  

Ok, so that was my day.  I can't say enough about the help I received today.  Dan had actually spent some time in Africa and had some good advice and pointers on what I'd be up to.  Like I said, good people.  

Gear List

So as per my 'Master List' post I am going to start putting together lists of what things have/need to be done.  The best place to start right now is with hiking/living gear as I just went to REI and spent about 2 hours chatting with 'Mark', outdoor extraordinaire...  Only person that might talk as much as I do, but this is certainly a good thing given that I am trying to learn as much of the nuances as I can.  I'll try to get into list form here and update progress as time passes.

Color?