Sleepy Saturday

Last night, for the first time I have been here, I got too much sleep. I was drowsy all morning and appreciative that I had ninety minutes in the car before I had to get to work. I got up and had my tea and pseudo shower, then met Yaya to head over to the camp. The roads were still a bit messy from the last rain a few days ago and we took our time. When we got to the camp, I continued with the Teaching and Learning Academy, expecting to get through a little material and answer questions - not being too ambitious on this gorgeous weekend day. We went through some theory and I demonstrated the memory technique for them. They were very intrigued, and despite the language barrier, had better and more complex questions about cognition and neurology than did most of my former grad students. Understanding and loving theory is one thing, sharing it with hungry and appreciative students takes one to the next level!  We finished up and the leadership team planned out next week. I will have to add Sundays to the camp schedule to finish my work - kind of like telling someone I know she has to go to the beach an extra few days while working in Jamaica :)  A tough job but someone has to do it!  A few images from the day:

The Saturday market in a small village on the way to the camp

Hanging around waiting for the chance to sing out "Mbote Mondelay" (Hello White Guy)

It is impossible to describe this road! When I tell Yaya that people in America drive in these kind of places for fun, he just sort of looks at me. More "Pigs in Puddles" - Yaya's favorite new expression

The 2030 DRC Olympic Swim Team - Stopping for a bit while we survey a stuck truck for some sort of detour, we were entertained by these young aquatic angels

Said truck - the kids are down in the creek to the left

A Cleveland fan amongst us in the camp! I had good and bad news for him. He was very pleased to know that the Cavs were doing so well in the finals - a little chagrined by the fact that Shaq was no longer with them

Inching ever closer to that smile from Vasily

On the way back to Zongo, we ran into Yaya's parents on their way to check out some livestock in a neighboring village. Nice family!

One in every three houses here (in town or in the country) appear to have a white carpet in the front yard. In fact, it is a polyurethane material stretched out with chopped up cassava spread on top of it to dry in the sun. They harvest the cassava root, peel it, chop it up, dry it, then grind it into flour.

Behind a slow moving taxi :)

I came home to some leftover chicken and greens, and tonight I will tear into some avocados and mangoes that Julienne left me in the fridge. Things are good here.