Categories: uncategorized
Date: 05 October 2007 12:30:15
The director of the orphanage arrived back this week from a month long fundraising/holiday trip in the Netherlands and Germany. Within days of him arriving, the electricity which had been cut off for the last 2+ months has been returned. I can charge my phone whenever I like and have my light on BUT the water is back off again. We have yet to arrange any fans for our rooms but maybe we will get around to that when the wet season is over and the heat increases.
The wildlife continues to fascinate me. There is a bird which has the most bright red/orange feathers I have ever seen and another bird that has a tail almost 3 times that length of its body. It seems to struggle under the weight of it's tail as it flies, quite amusing to watch and makes me wonder about the purpose of it's tail in the whole natural selection process. I was also the first person to spot a metre long yellow-bellied snake the other day which the kids then threw stones and beat with a stick until it was dead and then they put it on the road. In addition, we saw a very large (thankfully dead) black scorpion. Probably about 15cm long. I have never seen anything like it.
This week I went to a funeral. We were invited by the director of the orphanage because it was being held at his village. Most of the public events I have been to seem to be a good excuse for a party. I have read that the longer the person lived, the more they celebrate their life. This person was a quite elderly man so there were bands playing (multiple bands all playing at the same time), people dancing, some drinking and lots and lots of hand shaking. We were sitting in the front row so I shook about 200 hands before somebody sat in front of me and the responsibility passed to them. I made sure that I washed my hands thoroughly afterwards. It was a very interesting experience and I am glad that I went.
I also attended a baby naming/engagement ceremony. Again, lots of music, dancing, drinking and hand shaking. I was a bit of a spectacle when I danced (often being introduced to the crowd by the DJ because the 'white' person was dancing), which made me quite self-conscious but I had a good time anyway. Still getting used to their way of dancing. Often when I was dancing at this party, I was sandwiched in between two guys. Strange experience but I had fun. We left pretty early because there were a lot of drunk people and we found out later that a huge fight broke out with knives and lots of people being arrested and being taken to hospital. I thank God that I left when I did.
The blisters are now healing which is nice.