November 6th

So, today had an interesting start. Since Karen was gone getting
Tom and the other strangers Rebecca and I had to fend for
ourselves for breakfast. After eating I was doing the dishes and
had just finished up and went to rinse out the sink, I grabbed the
little knob that you turn and I hadn’t even applied enough
pressure for it to turn and it came off in my hand and water
started spewing out of the now broken faucet. I stood stunned for
a few second as the water got all over, and then I remembered the
shut off valve just outside the window so I ran and turned it off. I
went to find Samuel, who is an accountant, though he seems to
handle managing the employees and making sure a lot of the work
gets done around the hospital. He arranged to have the plumber
come by later so I went for a bit of a walk because it was nice and
cool this morning, part of the way downtown Samuel came by on
his motor bike and asked me if I wanted a ride, not that it was very
far or anything. I almost said no, the roads are pretty iffy and I was
afraid that if I got on one we would wreck and having no helmets I
figured it would be safer not to ride. But then I decided to suck it
up and ride, I spend so much time being afraid and worrying that I
decided I was sick of it and I just got on. It was fun, though we only
went a few hundred yards. I wandered the market a bit trying to
get over being annoyed about the whole faucet thing. I found a
nice dress shirt which was good, the two I have just weren’t
enough with how hot it is. Anyway, I was just grabbing some bread
for Rebecca and I to have for lunch when Samuel showed back up
and gave me a ride up to my house because he said the plumber
was there and needed in. It was fun but a little nerve-wracking in
places where the road has ruts the whole way across, but I
obviously made it safely. It was fun; I actually look forward to
getting to ride again. Abdul says he wants to teach me to drive
one, and Tom says he’s going to teach me to drive standard
because all the cars here are standard. After that I spent a few
hours working on school stuff, grading a quiz I gave and some
math assignments. While I was doing this Osman came by and
wanted me to play with him and his friends. He also brought me
four or five limes. I told him I had work to do so he left, but not
for long, about an hour later he was back and sat there with me
while I finished grading. After completing that Osman and I went
for a walk. I met his mother, Marion, his elder sister and saw his
younger sister who was apparently terrified of me because she did
not want to come near, speaking of terrifying, when I was at the
market earlier this little kid came up to me and asked “Matthew?”
I said, no, Ryan. And he immediately began bawling and ran to
hide behind his mom. Apparently there is a little kid who was
terrified of Matthew, who was 6’2” and before he left the kid
started warming up to him, but apparently a new white man was
too much for him. Haha. I felt bad that he was crying but I hadn’t
really done anything. Anyway, Osman’s mother is a nurse and is
trying to transfer from where she works in Freetown to here in
Kamakwie so she can be with her kids. She also had pretty grand
plans to build a house, but it’s going to cost a lot of money.
Anyway, from there Osman and I went to Pa Kanu’s to get a cold
Vimto, though cold doesn’t strictly apply in this case, it’s more of a
not warm. After that I sent Osman on his way and headed home,
where Saidu was waiting for me, he told me he would be there at
four to take me down to the field where they play soccer and he
was. So Rebecca, Saidu and I all went down there, I didn’t play
but I would like to sometime, though I will be absolutely awful
compared to them, since they play ALL the time. Rebecca and I
came back up to the house at about 5:30 to await the arrival of
Karen, Tom and the guests. We waited till nearly 7 and decided to
call, which was good, Karen gave us instructions to prepare food
since they wouldn’t be in until half nine as Rebecca would say
(9:30, it’s apparently a British thing). I always though half
*whatever number*, say 5, meant that it was half of five as in 4:30
but I was mistaken. It was fun getting to meet the work team who
have come to build bunk bed., Jeannine, Jessica, Bud, Judy, Carol,
Don and Jim were all over for dinner, apparently there is a man
named Todd but he wasn’t up for dinner. Anyway, that’s about it
for today’s adventures I hope things are going well for you all.

Greetings from Kamakwie,
Ryan