Ashley's Arabian Adventure

I made an appointment at the dentist and they called me to change it. So I changed the appointment time and they sent me a letter in the mail to remind me of the appointment time. I showed up early for the appointment and they sent me to the waiting room. Almost an hour later I thought I should probably ask how much longer it might be. I went to the receptionist and asked and she kindly replied that I had no appointment today. Seriously? I got a phone call and a letter telling me that I had an appointment and when I checked in I was sent to the waiting room. You might ask yourself why did the receptionist not tell me when I arrived that I didn't have an appointment? Why did I get a letter and a phone call? Why did they not tell me when they realized the mistake? Why did I sit in the waiting room for almost an hour? In my year overseas I have learned it is better not to ask the "why" question and just go with it. I remind myself that I am not in America and things don't have to make sense here.

I got to take a trip to Amsterdam this week and it was great. I saw the Anne Frank house, the canal, the Van Gogh museum, which by the way does not contain Starry Night. It's in New York at the Met and I was a bit disappointed by that. But my favorite is Almond Blossom and I got to see it and I bought a print. It's lovely. Our hostel was almost in the red light district, so I saw that as well. It was actually not quite as scandalous as I was expecting, but it was pretty bad. I also didn't really think people would be smoking pot everywhere, but they were. I don't know why I was so surprised.

When we first arrived we had to ask for directions to try and find our hostel. The guy we were talking to warned us to watch out for the bikes because they think they own the place. He was right and I now have unnatural fear of bikes. Just kidding, but I really did get hit by one. I was walking and I heard someone screaming and the little bell ringing. I knew a bike was coming at me so I just stopped. I figured she could go left or right if I stopped, but she didn't. She had managed to slow down before hitting me though, so I was able to walk away unscathed. No trip is complete without some kind of incident, I suppose.

I may have posted about this before and if that is the case, I apologize. The souvenirs I see in the shops in London are so delightfully tacky and wonderful that it causes me to wonder who actually buys these things. Several months ago I realized that souvenirs are always tacky no matter what country you visit. As I result of this epiphany, I have decided to embrace the tackiness and purchase the tackiest souvenirs I can find. I have a lovely collection so far and I probably should add pictures so that you can enjoy them as well. However I am too lazy for that, as I'm sure you have noticed by the lack of pictures posted thus far.

Back to the wonders found in London. My personal favorites are the teapots shaped like random London-esque items. You can purchase teapots shaped like a phone booth, a post box, Big Ben, Tower Bridge...oh the list goes on and on. You can also purchase plates or mugs with photos of the royal family on them. Princess Diana seems to be a favorite amongst the tacky souvenir makers. Personally I think it is a bit creepy. Another one of my favorite items you can find in a London souvenir shop is the postcard shaped like the queen's head. I have purchased and sent out a couple of these and the recipients have seemed to love them as much as I do. If you fancy one of these lovely postcards, let me know. I want to share the joy. The only thing that could be better is if they made a teapot shaped like the queen's head. I would defnitely make that purchase.

I found a place near London that sells American goodies that you normally can't get here. I paid $8 for an A&W cream soda and some gobstoppers. It was totally worth it.

So I have now been employed with my company for a year and I get dental benefits. Yay! Anyway, I went to the dentist again this week to get my teeth cleaned (Apparently my first appointment was just a get to know you and charge $300 appointment). As I walked into the lobby of this extremely posh dentist's office, I noticed that there was an array of coffee and tea set out. There was a little note letting visitors know that the drinks were for them. I failed to understand why this was okay. Do the dentists really want to poke around in someone's mouth while they have coffee breath? Gross.

So blogspot is blocked where I was and I wrote a whole bunch and saved it. It's two months worth and it's really long, so feel free to skim through.

3.06.2008
I received a letter in the mail the other day and I had to read it through about three times to make sure it said what I thought it said. To sum it up, my neighbor on a street behind me, about a block away, applied to trim a tree in his yard. The letter explained that if I didn’t appreciate his need to trim his tree and I wanted to fight it, I could. It gave instructions. Seriously? Welcome to England.

6.06.2008
Headed to Africa
I flew into the capital city on Thursday morning and repacked and flew out country the next morning. Friday morning was a bit crazy. We needed to be at the airport at 5:30 to make sure I could get on a flight. I had a standby ticket and we weren’t quite sure that I would be going that day. Anyway, the taxi driver didn’t show up until after 6:00 and we were hurrying to get to the airport. When we were walking in this man in blue camos said hi. I said hi back as I passed by him and he said hello, hello…passport! Oh, so this guy wasn’t just trying to talk to me. He needed to see my id before I could go into the airport. Oops. So then we go through security with all of our luggage and the girl I was with had some imported twizzlers. The security people thought it was drugs. Hmm, I can see the confusion. So they held us up for a while and then we finally made it to the ticket counter. My partner’s flight was leaving in about 20 minutes at this point. She is going to be out country for about 7 months, so she packed a lot. She was like 60 kilos overweight and both of her bags were over the maximum weight. We are trying to get everything moved around and the guy is getting mad because her flight is about to leave. After frantically moving things around to get those bags underweight and making our carry-ons extremely heavy, we had to go pay for the excess weight. To end this story quickly, they held the plane for her and I got on the next flight 2o minutes later. It was a crazy morning and we lost a bag on a direct flight. How does that even happen?

7.06.2008
Today was kind of an orientation day. I went to the grocery store and to the market. Anything somewhat American is super expensive, but you can get like 3 kilos of fruits and vegetables for about a dollar. I guess I know what I am going to be eating for the next couple of months.
We also went by the orphanage and the women’s hospital we are going to be working in. I haven’t spent too much time with nationals yet, but they seem really sweet so far. The family’s house worker tried to teach me a few words in the local language, but it is a bit more difficult than any other language I have attempted. The word for thank you has six syllables, but I finally got that down.

8.06.2008
I spent the day kneeling at the porcelain throne and lying on the couch watching JAG. Day four and I am already sick. Arg.

9.06.2008
I still took it easy this morning, but by the afternoon I was feeling better and almost had my appetite back. Thank goodness for a quick recovery!
This afternoon we went to the hospital and played a story for the ladies. The hospital fixes injuries caused by giving birth at a really young age. Usually the ladies will be there for about two weeks before they are ready to go home. Most of these ladies are from the deep countryside. Soon after we started the story this crazy guy started causing a huge distraction. It definitely took the ladies’ attention from the story, but one old man scooted right up to the tape player to listen. That was exciting to see that someone really wanted to hear it. About half of the ladies looked like they were still trying to listen while the rest were focused on the distraction.
It was great to see what the hospital was doing for these ladies, but it was also kind of sad to see the primitive conditions in which this was taking place. Many of the ladies had a catheter and they were carrying buckets for the urine to go into. But then again, culturally it probably isn’t a big deal to them. In America that would never happen, but here it’s a different story I suppose.
The lady I was with told me that these ladies are in danger of being robbed on the way home and they have to be really careful. Because they are coming from a foreign supported institution, it is assumed that they have something of value. The hospital only gives the ladies a dress and some shoes. They would probably do more if it weren’t for the danger of being robbed. That was really sad.
I also had a chance to take a walk along the lake here. It was really beautiful! I am told that there are monkeys and hippos in that area. I didn’t see any today, but hopefully I will see them next time!

11.06.2008
This morning we went to the orphanage where we will be teaching English. We interviewed the kids to see where they were with their English already. I asked a lot of questions that would get them to talk so I could see if they made sentences and such. Well I am pretty sure I asked an orphan to tell me about his family. That was a retard moment for sure.
Later we went back to the women’s hospital to play with the dogs with the ladies. They really seemed to enjoy playing ball with the dogs. I guess that isn’t something that people really do around here. The staff at the hospital said that it is the only time they hear the women laughing.
Later my partner and I decided to do some shopping. I found some amazing things that had my name all over them. I found a shirt with the old emperor’s face on it and an ottoman type thing made out of hairy cowhide. Good finds indeed. I also bought some silver rings for super cheap. I love shopping in Africa.

12.06.2008
Today I watched a movie that explained what the hospital is all about and what services they offer for these women. It was a very low budget film and that made some parts kind of funny, but for the most part it was really sad.
In the village most women are married off really young, maybe even before they turn ten years old. They will then wait until puberty to consummate the marriage. Because of this, some girls are having children way before their bodies are mature enough to handle childbirth.
During delivery serious injuries can occur. These rips and tears can cause an inability to control urination and other embarrassing problems. These problems then create social problems for the girl and her family. Sometimes these girls are sent away and shunned because of the smell.
When they go to the hospital, former patients and doctors who specialize in these problems care for them. The hospital takes care of feeding and clothing them as well as the surgery and recovery. The ladies are also offered classes and other activities to keep them busy for the weeks while they are there. The best thing for the ladies may be just spending time with other ladies with the same problem.
It is a life-changing thing for them. At the hospital there are ladies of all ages. Of the ladies I have seen, some of them are as old as 60, I think. That means that they have probably been dealing with this for most of their lives.
There has recently been an emphasis on education. If people know what early marriage can do, maybe it can be prevented. I don’t know how much of a difference it will make because of the culture and tradition way out in the countryside, but hopefully things can change.

15.06.2008
I went to church this morning and it was much like I expected. We had to cover our heads and walk slowly all the way there. It was extremely ritualistic and they don’t understand most of what they are doing. The mass isn’t even in the local language; it is in the dead language. Some of the people kiss the church and they all do the bowing and crossing thing. There was a guy holding a cross for people to kiss as they left. If the people knew the meaning behind it all and were truly worshipping, I wouldn’t feel so negatively about it.

16.06.2008
I got pooped on by a bird today. I didn’t know that actually happened in real life.

17.06.2008
This morning we got up and went out to the islands in the lake to see the monasteries and churches. I learned a lot about the local faith and I even got to see a hippo for about three seconds. It was really fun and the islands were beautiful.

18.06.2008
The electricity has been out about every third day here, but usually it comes back on by 9:00 or so. Last night it was storming, so we didn’t have it during the night. I was reading by candlelight until I realized having a candle on my bed was probably a bad idea.
I have also decided that the Pepsi here tastes like it has alcohol in it. Gross.

19.06.2008
Today we went food shopping, which includes going to the market for fruits and vegetables and going to the small grocery store for non-perishables. The choices are pretty much limited to onions, potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, and mangos at the market, but it is cheap. Being white at the market isn’t too much fun. I always feel surrounded and like everyone in a one mile radius is staring at me. The kids and the people with mental problems seem to follow the foreigners around. At the store it isn’t too bad because mostly just foreigners go there anyway. Everything is pretty expensive there, but I found some things that I couldn’t even find in England. I will be stocking up on a few things to take back with me. Syrup may cost five dollars a bottle, but at least I can get it. They also had barbeque sauce. That is really exciting.

20.06.2008
The other day I almost stole bread from the bread store. It seems easy enough to get around when you only speak maybe five words of the local language. As long as you know how much stuff is, it usually isn’t too bad. Anyway, I went to buy regular bread and this local sourdough bread. At the bread store, which is more like a shack, I got the bread and asked her about the local stuff. She pointed to the next shack and then I tried to pay her for the bread and she pointed again. I went to the next shack and got the other stuff and tried to pay for both, but he gave me so much change that I knew I still needed to pay for the bread. I pointed at the bread and he said “no matter.” I thought it was strange that he was trying to give me this bread for free, but I wasn’t going to force him to let me pay. As I turned and started to walk off, the bread girl came running after me. I quickly realized that she just didn’t have change for my large bill. I didn’t know how to explain, so I just paid her and hurried home. It was quite embarrassing, but that’s normal when you are a foreigner.
Today, we were at the hospital playing a story for the ladies and we ended up staying around for a while afterwards. I had my camera in my hand for something else. I didn’t think they would want me to take pictures since they were in their gowns, so I didn’t ask. I kind of tried to keep my camera hidden in my hand, but they asked about it. They all wanted to have their pictures taken, so I obliged. They posed strangely and it was pretty funny actually. I took a picture of my partner making a funny face and they all loved that, so they started making faces for pictures. I think I may have introduced these people to stupid face pictures and I got some good ones for show and tell.

23.06.2008
The ESL classes are getting better. I was dreading it each time for the first few classes, but we are getting into the swing of things and it’s getting better. Maybe I will start looking forward to them soon.
We made tacos for dinner tonight and they were really good. The house worker made tortillas from scratch and they were great. I think I appreciated them more than ever here. There aren’t so many choices for food here if you don’t want to eat the local food. It’s not that the local food is bad really, but I got sick the first time I ate it. Since then I haven’t had much of a desire to try it again.

26.06.2008
Today at the hospital I saw a lady sitting on a bench with urine leaking everywhere. It was falling on the ground underneath her and running down here legs into her plastic shoes. At one point she slipped them off enough for me to see that there was a puddle of urine in each and her feet had become pruney from the urine. She was an older lady and these injuries usually happen to mothers who give birth too young. That means she has most likely been dealing with this for a long time. So long that she probably doesn’t really notice it too much anymore.

27.06.2008
I went shopping in the market and I found some yellow corduroy converse looking shoes. They look to be a Japanese version of Levis or something, but they are pretty sweet. We went out to dinner with a group that is here for a couple of weeks. Lonely Planet said the restaurant had an “ambitious” menu and though I’m not quite sure what that means, I have to agree. My club sandwich had chicken jerky and fried eggs on it. Yuck. After that we went to see some cultural dancing at a bar down the street. It was a lot of drums and shoulder action. We didn’t stay long but it was really fun.

29.06.2008
So today was a touristy day and it was pretty much amazing. On Sundays we normally go to this restaurant and eat French toast. It is outside and it has a beautiful view of the lake. It’s great. This morning there was a monkey hanging out in the trees and I got to play with it. I tried to feed it my French toast crust and he took it from me, smelled it and handed it back. I was like “Did that really just happen?” Then it crawled on my shoulder and up on my head, but it was really cute. Their feet are really soft and it’s weird. I think that made my trip.
After a lunch of fish and chips of all things, we went to go see the waterfall. It was wonderful! I absolutely loved it. I felt like I was in The Land Before Time. Other than getting harassed to buy things or to give money to the people hanging around, it was a great experience.

30.06.2008
Last night we hung out with the Canadians and tonight we had volunteers over for dinner and a movie. I think as long as your social needs are met, you can live anywhere.
I am getting into the groove of things here and I finally kind of know my way around this town. I might even be able to navigate a taxi by myself by now. Anyway I am leaving this city in about a week and I will be headed back to the capital. That is a little sad, but the shopping is much better there. I think that more than redeems the situation. It is amazing what you can find in a third world country.

06.07.2008
Yesterday we went to the falls again with another group. We took the walk instead of the boat this time and it was way better. We even saw some baby monkeys playing.
Today we went to see the castles up north. They were absolutely amazing. They were even better than any of the ones I have seen in England so far. I got lots of great pictures and I bought a really fun purse in the gift shop.
Off to the capital tomorrow.

07.07.2008
We got a flat about two hours into the trip, so that was fun. We all stepped in cow poo on the way out of the car. The nationals laughed at me when I used a wet wipe to clean off my foot. They walk around barefoot out in the countryside so I guess it would be funny that I was worried about my foot being gross. Every time I turned around there were more people watching us. We drew quite a crowd actually. A bunch of white people broken down was quite amusing, I suppose.
The best part was the amazing view around the mountains. There really are no words to describe it. It was probably the prettiest thing I have seen in my life. Oh, and I saw a baboon. Can this trip get any better?

08.07.2008
I had to eat local food at a national’s house. I had flashbacks to puking my guts up. I really hope I don’t have to eat too much of it while I am here. There are lots of great restaurants here. Some examples include The Olives Garden and Burger Queen. They also have a coffee shop that is a lot like Starbucks except it is super cheap and they serve the best French toast on the planet. I think I am really going to love my time in the capital.

10.07.2008
We did a lot of shopping today and we stopped for ice cream. I have never tasted ice cream that was so good. We also hung out with national friends and danced. They taught me how to do this shoulder dance they do here. It was so much fun! After that we had Korean food. I love being able to afford to go out to eat here.
So it is pretty normal to get proposals and such here. They want to go to America, so some guys will propose to any white girls they see. One time my friend and I were walking down the street and a guy started walking with us. He said “I lika the white woman. You lika the black man?” Hilarious.
In case you were wondering…I have black boogers everyday. Pollution is pretty bad. I tried to run one time, but it was rather unsuccessful. Between the altitude and the pollution, I thought my lungs were going to explode before I finished one mile. Maybe I will wait until I get back to the UK to continue my running.

21.07.2008
Last week I was out in the middle of nowhere helping with a goat project. I got to play vet and it was really fun. I gave shots, did ultrasounds, and drew blood. Yes, I gave shots and drew blood without even getting lightheaded. I was rather impressed with myself. The baby goats were stinkin’ adorable.

22.07.2008
Asian tourists are my favorite. Last night we went to a cultural dancing thing and it was a lot of fun. The Asian tourists at the table next to us made it even better.

23.07.2008
I was thinking today about my leaving in a week. It sure is going to be nice to get back to consistent electricity and water, but I am going to miss having a house worker. It has been nice having someone to clean the house and do my laundry. Oh, the joys of living in a third world country.

26.07.2008
I woke up super early and couldn’t get back to sleep. I remembered seeing a doughnut recipe in the living room, so I decided to give it a try. They actually turned out really good.
Yesterday we went to the movies and it was pretty great. We saw Meet Dave and I forgot I was in Africa until the movie stopped in the middle and we had to wait for them to get it going again.

30.07.2008

Leaving on a Jet Plane

A lady I work with once told me you never get over having to say goodbye and that she cries every time she gets on a plane. It is so easy to get attached to people and places. I am going to miss it so much. I really feel like I learned a lot though and I am ready to get back to the UK and put it into action.

I often see people who look a whole lot like my friends in America. I usually do a double take and then think to myself, "I should facebook her and tell her she has a British twin." And then I think that my friends probably don't care. So I don't. So if you are reading this, I have probably seen someone over here that made me think of you. There. It's out of my system.

I really like that show. A lot. I finally found a website where I can watch it easily. I have quite a bit to catch up on, so I was watching an episode this morning as I was getting ready for work. The episode was about being bored at work and Jim was trying to find games to play to kill his boredom. Michael was out for the day, so he set up the Office Olympics. It was a great episode.

Anyway, today is one of those days. I am terribly bored. I would like to set up my own version of the Office Olympics right now. I have been imagining it for a while now and I just thought I would blog it out. Hm. That just wasted about 2.3 minutes. I am pretty sure I will be sneaking out early today.

Yesterday I spent the day in London doing some stuff for work and then I went to church. I had a couple of blog-able moments to share from the day.

My coworker and I were hungry for some lunch and we had decided on Subway. She knew where one was, but that required getting back on the underground. I decided that it would be better to ask and just hit the closest one because I was ready to eat. So I walk over to this guy selling souvenirs in front of a tube station entrance and ask him where the closest subway is. He looks at me like I am totally retarded and points behind me. I turn around and my coworker is cracking up and I realize my retard moment.

We get to the Subway and I have another stupid moment. We were in an Arab part of town, so there were signs saying that the meat was halaal. Well I order my favorite chicken bacon ranch sub and then I get it and the the bacon looks really iffy. Well duh, they aren't going to serve pork in a halaal restaurant. It tasted alright though.

We went to my favorite shop on Oxford Street to look for some skirts to wear while I am in Africa this summer. My coworker pointed out a very cute, yet very brightly colored skirt. I told her that I thought I should stick to neutrals because I don't want to stand out. She then reminded me that I am white. I guess I don't have to worry too much about what color my clothes are because I am going to stick out anyway. It's true.

This is not a retard moment, but still hilarious. I was coming out of the Westminster tube station and I saw two homeless people with guitars yelling at eachother. As I got closer I realized they were arguing over territory. It reminded me of one of those movies where prostitutes throw down over a corner. Nice.