It’s A Habit I’m Going To Break

My internet connections are spotty over here. The download time is fast but the upload time is quite slow. (Satellite?) So I apologize for the infrequent postings. Plus, they’re keeping us busy teaching; about 6 hours a day is spent demonstrating Word and Excel. The sad news for me is I’ve spent so much time on the computer, I actually know a lot on how to use them. The good news, for them, is that I know more than they do.
This evening, after class, we went to the Coffee Lodge Hotel which is a 10 minute walk from where we’re staying in the Catholic Guest House. It’s on a large coffee plantation, is super fancy and has a free wireless connection. (In fact, it’s so fancy it doesn’t even have a sign. Being a little tired of this guest house, we asked about the rates. Lowest rate is $450/night. Maybe next week.) So while we had a beer and ordered some food, I uploaded some photos to yesterday’s posting. And then the computer ran out of juice and I didn’t have the right kind of 220v adapter with me. C’est la vie as Lisa would say. Basically, I get about 30-45 minutes a day to check emails and post.
Speaking of beer, reminds me of the experience at this Catholic Guest House trying to buy beer. (OK, why I thought Nuns would sell me beer is too long to explain.) The first evening we’re here, Barb & I think it would be great to sit outside in the cooling breeze and drink a toast to our trip. We had been told it’s a long walk to the store and not safe after dark. So I search out a Nun or Novitiate (I think that’s the right word for a beginning Nun.) The 1st one leads me all over to locate a 2nd more senior one. She leads me to another building to explain my problem to a 3rd. Who takes me to another room where a 4th one says “Maybe the Sister will get you beer.” OK, I’m done. No beer for us tonight. A habit I should break anyway. A major sin, probably. Ten minutes later there’s a knock on our door and two beers are handed to us. Later, a school staff member who’s lived in this Guest House for two months told us “You can’t get beer in here.” (Well the Good Lord provided to us.)
Just finished the 2nd day of classes showing Word and Excel to the teachers. I told them the two main rules about computers and software, “It’s complicated and it always changes.” There are 9 of them and they are at such different levels of expertise, it’s a struggle to make progress. Plus, half of them are using 2003 software and half are using 2007. So every screen looks different. Tomorrow we’ve prepared a test for them and then we’re done teaching. For awhile. We are still scheduled to teach compass and navigation and then First Aid. (Holy Cow, Sisters, keep the beer flowing.)
This afternoon was the first time we saw one of the two big mountains here - Mt. Meru (about 15,000 feet high.) It’s been so hazy, only the first 1-2000 feet of any mountain are visible. Some teachers told me Mt. Kilimanjaro is the “Shy Mountain” because you can so rarely see the summit. Can’t wait to see it pop out of the clouds.
For breakfast, we eat at the Guest House. Which is instant coffee, PBJ and half an orange. Lunch has been at the school and that’s rice, beef stew, bananas, cooked greens and fried plantains. And soda pop. The first night’s dinner at the Guest House was the same as lunch at the school. But the 2nd day, at the fancy hotel, we had great pizza and burritos (I know, an African staple). And two beers and a bottle of water. And great bathrooms. And good wireless connection. And the whole bill was $20.
After our classes end Friday, we’re preparing for our excursion into the mountains on Saturday. Barb and I are taking about 8 students on an overnight hike. There is one school staff member going with us. This will be something to see. Apparently the students will carry all of our stuff on their heads – (Headpacking is much more popular worldwide than Backpacking. And it’s way cheaper than buying some fancy-shmancy pack. Which you have to fit, just so. And then the straps dig into your shoulders. And then you have to load it properly. Just get a big bucket, wrap a cloth around your head, set the bucket on top, put stuff in it and you’re participating in the exciting sport of Headpacking.)
La la salama (good night.)