Islands in the Sun

Since the beginning of this year (and it’s only February!), I’ve had lots of traveling adventures and I keep thinking about all the stories I have to tell, though I’ve not had much time or energy to write them down.  Then I was thinking if I should bother to write them down at all. If I inundate the faithful few readers with all the stories at one time, they will likely not care to read them (Yes, even you, Mom). But I don’t care. I want to remember these stories for later, and as I get older (I have a birthday soon), I am getting more forgetful. Someday I’ll be sitting in a rocking chair by the window sucking on gummy bears (because with all the sugar I eat, I’ll likely have no teeth left), and I can look back over the adventures I’ve been lucky enough to have. Or if I’m blind by then from too much computer stuff, I’ll make some poor sucker read it to me because you can’t say ‘no’ to an old lady. This was evident when I spent an hour waiting in line to cash a check and a little old lady in a thobe told everyone she needed to go first because she was sick. Sure…

Anyway, better write this quick before I lose all control over my faculties.

 

We recently started a new project on Lake Chad in the islands. I was pretty excited about this for two reasons: they are islands and thus only accessible by boat and they are supposedly the most dangerous place in Chad. So obviously, I had to go visit.

I took a platonic UN flight to get to the main town in the Lake area. The UN consistently does its best to make sure everything associated with them is as boring as possible. The flight was very uneventful and passengers were told not to take photos, which I would have done anyway if I’d been close to a window because it was really cool flying over the Lake and I don’t like it when people tell me what to do.

We landed, and my team showed me the new office in Bol and the flock of ducks that Herve and the crew decided they needed to buy. Herve was so excited to serve me duck egg omelet for breakfast the next day, but I prefer chocolate on bread, the other staple food of our trips to the field.

After admiring the ducks briefly, we headed off to the islands. Actually, they were going to let me “rest” at the office while everyone else went off to the islands, but I refused. So we headed to shore, picked up a couple of Army guys (for protection), argued about putting on life vests (I lost because of the UN ruining my fun, as always), and we headed out for a 2 hour trip to our island.

Maybe you haven’t noticed, but I love when we have to use unusual means of transportation to access project sites—boats, motorcycles, four-wheelers, horse cart, trudging in by foot—yes. I love it. It makes everything more exciting. Whenever you have to have armed guards with you, increasing the possibility that you will become a target because you have armed guards with you, that is also fun. And it turns out, the life vest was totally unnecessary because we never capsized, but it was a great blanket because it was cold out there. For real. We are lucky that the Lake wasn’t frozen over.

We make these life jackets look good.

It was also good that we didn’t capsize because I was one of the few on the boat that knows how to swim. I told the guards (neither of whom could swim) that they could help me if we came across any terrorists, and I would help them if our boat sank. They thought that was a good idea.

My other interaction with the guards was later after Herve started handing out our boat snack: water bottles and cardboard cookies. I yelled at everyone that whoever threw something overboard would have to get out and get it. My guys all laughed and proceeded to throw their packaging into the boat, which would likely be tossed into a pile by the Lake on our return (but as long as I don’t see them littering, it won’t be on my conscience). The guards were in front of me and didn’t hear what I’d said. They casually tossed the paper overboard and then had to listen to me yell in rage. They turned around, presumably trained to respond to agonized screaming. After hearing the reason for the fury, they apologized to me, to which I responded: “Don’t apologize to ME. Apologize to yourselves. This is your country.” They thought that was amazingly wise, but I’m doubtful they will think twice about littering later, should they happen to be in a boat without a crazy foreigner.

Observe the tiny bench.

 I won’t bore you with details of the work, but we had good meetings with the village communities, I typed out a three page report in Arabic, I trained a bunch of guys who to use tablets for reporting, diagnosed Herve with high blood pressure (was wrong about that), and survived a UNICEF meeting.

Works nicely as a cushion

While on the boat, enjoying watching herds of cows swimming from island to island, camels pacing the shores, and canoes filled with ladies going to market on other islands, I had that feeling I’ve gotten over the years, adventuring around the globe: I can’t believe I get to do this! How did I manage to pull this off? Naturally, this lucky feeling came after I’d transitioned the life jacket from “blanket” to “seat cushion,” so that I was no longer focused on the growing dent in my rear end.  But still, I get that my life is pretty cool and I don't really deserve it, but I do appreciate it. And if you think that my life sounds horrifying and you're so glad it's not yours, that's not bad either because it helps you appreciate the good things in your life like hot showers and consistent electricity and unlimited access to gummy bears. 

It was cold, so Herve bought me a nice blanket
to stay warm. It's funny if you know Herve.

He opted to sit in the floor of the boat instead of the bench.
He took a nice nap on the way back.

Sunrise on our drive back to NDJ because we didn't
want to wait for the flight.

Car loaded up with ducks in the baskets.

The ducks didn't love this arrangement.

Out of order, but I'm too lazy to re-arrange.
This is where I decided to ride in the back of
the truck on our way to the Lake.

Started making origami on the back of a horse cart,
but the owner didn't like it much and made us move.
This photo didn't download right and is making me look stretchy.

I entertained children by making paper airplanes
and origami animals while waiting for our armed escort.

Another Lake view. The other photos wouldn't download.
Sorry!

With my friend Amina (which is also my Arabic name)

Bringing water from the Lake.