Tuesday was not a very eventful day. As I said in the last blog I woke up a bit late, but other than that the morning was easy. I walked up to the lodge after breakfast to check emails and try and post yesterday’s blog. Once I arrived there I struggled with the internet being very slow. I was able to pull up email and send a couple but getting on the WCIM website just wasn’t working. I sat and had some coffee while I wrote. As I sat one by one people were coming to the patio to visit with me. The first being Guy who owns the farm. We had some business to discuss regarding the building project so we sat and talked about materials and logistics. He called Paul who is the main builder here on the farm to come and talk with me. Paul and I made a plan to meet Wednesday morning to drive to Adziwa and look at the site where the learning center and playground will be built. Shortly after that Jessica arrived wearing her new With Change In Mind T-shirt, all can imagine that made me very happy. She said that she loved it and had already had compliments on it this morning.
At 11:30am I was picked up by the driver to go to the airport and pick up the first of the volunteer teachers. Liz was arriving a day earlier than the rest so I wanted to be there when she arrived. As Peter and I drove we noticed police lining the street in town. Every few kilometers there would be an officer tucked up beside the road. Peter said he believed the president was flying home from Egypt today and that’s why they were all out. Sure enough when we arrived at the airport there was a lot of commotion. I wanted to go upstairs to the viewing deck to watch the plane arrive, but the man there told me the deck was closed for 10 minutes while the president got off the plane. By the time I used the ladies room and walked back I was allowed to go up. When I looked out over the air strip I could see both planes parked and then the presidents plane. There were hundreds of local people in traditional dress waiting outside his plane. There were long red carpets laid out and even a marching band playing.
I purchased some internet time hoping that it may work better than it did at the lodge and I would be able to post the blog I had written that morning. As I sat I was able to see the presidents motorcade driving off of the air strip. There must have been 30 cars with lights flashing and the car that had the president had people walking beside it as it drove out. Once all the commotion was over the two commercial planes that had been parked were finally able to let their passengers get off.
I hurried to get my blog posted and went back down to wait for Liz to come out of the baggage area. Peter was picking up another woman who was staying at the lodge and she emerged first. They both went to wait in the car while I waited for Liz.
Shortly after Liz did come out smiling with her big backpack. I was happy to see her and we hurried to meet the car. The drive back was nice and we all chatted and got to know each other. I let Liz know that the afternoon would be easy and not much was planned. She was tired as was to be expected. Flying for over 24 hours really takes the life out of everyone.
Luckily it was a gorgeous day and when we arrived back in the village the sun was shining and we were able to sit in the quiet and enjoy a little lunch.
At around 4pm Tovia arrived with baby Long to meet with me shortly. I had some gifts for the baby and also an iPad to give to Tovia. I hope the iPad will help her with her emails to me and being able to take pictures and send them right from there. She has struggled using a camera and then having to transfer photos to a laptop and then email them. The iPad will also make all of her reports easier. She was very happy. I took Long and carried him down to the volleyball courts where I met up with Liz and some others.
On Tuesdays the staff here plays volleyball. This is their practice day where they just get a few games in before Saturday’s tournaments. Liz and I watched them play and then had dinner with the two Danish volunteers who are here. It was nice to get to sit and get to know Liz and just have a quiet evening. It’s kind of the calm before the storm because all the rest of the volunteers will arrived Wednesday and the program will officially be underway. Liz was tired and went off to bed about 7:30 or 8. I stayed up and met with Sai to go over a few things.
Then it was off to bed for me! Finally I slept almost through the night 🙂 I was up about 2am and stayed up for an hour or so and then was able to sleep until 6:30. I’m eating now and will wait for Paul to pick me up so we can go look at the building site. Then it will be back to the airport to meet the other volunteers. I’m ready to get started!
Hopefully I can post this while I’m at the airport this afternoon.