Things that can happen when you work in Rural Africa

Last week I had to go to the field, ao campo, to deliver a bunch of invitations for the Workshop training we are having this week. This meant a lot of motorcycle hours logged in for me. We have six different communities or towns that are part of our program and each one has a primary school. I needed to deliver the invitations to the school so they could then distribute them to each of the leaders and for the director himself to be informed of the dates.

Ah, yes the large mango trees

The delivering started off really good with great receptions from the schools and getting three done on the same day. And, most importantly, about 4 more hours of motorcycle hours.

On the last day we had to go to one community that is really, really out in the boonies. Here I am cruising along a sand road when I see a shimmery blue ribbon thing crossing the road in front of me. It's at the last second before I rolled right on over it, that I realized it was a snake so me and my colleague raise our legs as we hit it in case there was any kick back...

We continue riding along when all of a sudden the road test super sandy and I need to gear down and steer into the tracks- this proved to be too much for my brain and I didn't quite make it into the track. Hit the lip of the sand track and slid to a stop. Luckily I had slowed down enough that all I ended up with was a bruised knee, minor cut on my knuckle and a bruised ego. Nothing that won't heal up quick!

Secret paths

We continue along until we get into the real back country, middle of nowhere seen. At this point I let my colleague (this is our first outting together because I usually go with his supervisor, Bruno) Obete, drive because there isn't a road any more it's just a series of sand tracks.

Obete thought he knew the way. Apparently not.

We were lost for about 45 mins to an hour. In the middle of nowhere, only passing "the big tree" or "that part with a lot of sand". Finally we just happen to run into a lady we could ask directions from and she tells us we've gone way out of the way and the best way is to back track. Obete doesn't like that answer so he asks for the hard way that continued forward. She gave us directions to a house not far away (that we probably wouldn't have seen otherwise because they are hidden in the Bush). We find a family sitting around eating lunch, staring at the mulungu on the motorcycle. And although they spoke chope, I imagine the conversation went a little like this:

"Good afternoon,  we're looking for the primary school of Macamo. Do we keep going straight on this 'road'?"

"Ya, go on down this side path here. Hitch a right when the path divides. Keep going until it gets really sandy with the two trees. Y'all will see a house on the left with a blue caniço house if you need to ask"

"Great. Bye"

Mulungu yells from the back of the motorcycle:  "Nhabonga! "

They aren't big on manners or pleasantries here...

After a terrifyingly fast ride on super loose sand we made it, did our work and we're ready to leave after 20 mins. Although we didn't get lost the ride was still an hour half of which I drove and half Obete to get us out of the crazy sand area.

Actually so scared that I couldn't stop laughinh

Getting off so we can get unstuck from the sand

"He said right at the lone tree right? "

Needless to say I was Sun burned and dehydrated but super happy.

Moo-ve cow.