Hi All,
Sorry for the hiatus. Things were crazy while Jess was in the states, I am just now getting caught up. The semester is rolling and we are still adapting to our new lives here. We have been quite busy, which is why we have not updated the blog. We will try to be better.
Well what is new...WE BOUGHT A CAR!!!! Life here is too tough not to have your own vehicle. The transportation schedule is sparse and unreliable. With two wee ones it is too difficult to be dependent upon the shuttles. I looked at a few vehicles (they are super expensive here). I looked at Hondas and a VW Beetle. The beetle was fun to drive and cost less than $500.00, but would have been too unreliable. We decided to go with an 89 Honda Civic for about $2400. I am sure we got ripped a bit, but not matter what being Batturi (European) I think this is inevitable. Its a simple car and there are plenty of parts for it around here.
Here is the Bug. Addie and I took it for a test drive. It was rough and had no gas pedal, rather a nub that stuck through the floor.
Here is our Honda. Please keep your fingers crossed and hopes up that this car will last. No AC which is tough here, but it runs solid.
Driving is something else. It doesn't compare to driving in Kampala, but it is an adventure. Pot holes and chappas (motorbike taxis) everywhere. It takes getting use to. Turn signals and mirrors are not often used. When you pass someone you honk the horn to make them aware of your presence. The motorbike drivers never use their mirrors and rely on drivers to honk, they really take their lives and their passengers lives in their hands. If you are here and need to use a chappa it is best to try to find the oldest one you can...his continued existence is the best indicator of "safe" driving.
Here is another fish we got. I finally discovered the real fish market. Mainly fish from Cameroon as there is a large dam there. The mystery fish last time was a Nile Perch (Lates nilotica). Quite a notorious fish in Africa for many reasons. This is another specimen, the photos give some sense of its size. The tail and fins were remove from this specimen.
I am still getting my head around aquaculture here. I met with some profs at the Federal University of Technology Yola (FUTY). Quite a sizeable university. Reminded me of Makerere in Uganda. They have a lot of equipment which is idle, but may be put to use here soon. It could be a fruitful collaboration. I have been calling on some of my good ol' Auburn advisors and colleagues for advice, which has been priceless.
In other news, the pool at the club is up and running. The girls love it! It is great as it provides the girls with an outlet for their energy. It is also a needed relief from the heat. Our ACs in our house do not work so we look for any relief. Here are some pics of the girls enjoying it:
Not too much else to share. Went to market yesterday with the girls and got the necessities. We have been only eating fish, but today I picked out two chickens in the market. About $12 and ten minutes later they were cleaned and packed...FRESH! I made some fried chicken, which was yummy.
Well that is all for now. I am currently uploading some footage of driving here. Once it is up I will post it.
Cheers
-Harvey
