Back to the Grind
January 10, 2006
Today is Tabaski, a Muslim holiday. We have the day off. We arrived back in Sadiola on Friday, held school Monday, and now we have the day off.
It’s kind of funny actually (in a sick sort of way), when we arrived here there were tons of goats in the mine village. They were everywhere, bleating, bleating, bleating. Of course they had been purchased for the big feast so today they are bleeding, bleeding, bleeding.
I got to watch part of the Paris to Dakar race on TV the other day. Intense! They race cars, motorcycles, and heavy trucks across the desert in a huge rally. Last year they passed right through Sadiola. This year they started in Lisbon and they are passing through Kayes. A group of folks have put together transportation to go down there tonight and check it out. I’m psyched. It will be really cool to see the vehicles up close.
When we left for break, I put the school vehicle in the shop for some minor repairs. When we returned it was still there as no work had been done. I had to call the head mechanic and tell him to release the rig to Mohammed so he could come and pick us up. Saturday we went into the village to do some shopping. We returned after dark. As we pulled up to the guard gate, the car died. Carrie restarted it, but when she turned the lights on, smoke started pouring out of the dash. The guards made us get out and wait for the mechanic to show. Of course nothing happened when the mechanic fired it up.
Now it’s at home with the dash removed and the bare wire disconnected (it’s only the headlights). I told Mohammed the car was out of commission and he said, “Can you fix it Mr. Mark? If we take it back to the shop we will never get it back.” Now I just have to scrounge up the parts to make the repair. It’s amazing how the simplest tasks become complicated. There is no Big A Auto Parts to run to for everything I need. I have to turn to my friends at the mine for the pieces I need. It also helps drive home the idea that if you want anything done out here, you have to do it yourself. Of course that would be easier if I had any tools at all.
Oh well, the weather is awesome, almost cold. We had a low of 69 today! If it were like that all the time, this place would really be awesome. Unfortunately it will be hotter than the hinges of Hades in no time; all the more reason to enjoy this beautiful weather now.
MJR
Today is Tabaski, a Muslim holiday. We have the day off. We arrived back in Sadiola on Friday, held school Monday, and now we have the day off.
It’s kind of funny actually (in a sick sort of way), when we arrived here there were tons of goats in the mine village. They were everywhere, bleating, bleating, bleating. Of course they had been purchased for the big feast so today they are bleeding, bleeding, bleeding.
I got to watch part of the Paris to Dakar race on TV the other day. Intense! They race cars, motorcycles, and heavy trucks across the desert in a huge rally. Last year they passed right through Sadiola. This year they started in Lisbon and they are passing through Kayes. A group of folks have put together transportation to go down there tonight and check it out. I’m psyched. It will be really cool to see the vehicles up close.
When we left for break, I put the school vehicle in the shop for some minor repairs. When we returned it was still there as no work had been done. I had to call the head mechanic and tell him to release the rig to Mohammed so he could come and pick us up. Saturday we went into the village to do some shopping. We returned after dark. As we pulled up to the guard gate, the car died. Carrie restarted it, but when she turned the lights on, smoke started pouring out of the dash. The guards made us get out and wait for the mechanic to show. Of course nothing happened when the mechanic fired it up.
Now it’s at home with the dash removed and the bare wire disconnected (it’s only the headlights). I told Mohammed the car was out of commission and he said, “Can you fix it Mr. Mark? If we take it back to the shop we will never get it back.” Now I just have to scrounge up the parts to make the repair. It’s amazing how the simplest tasks become complicated. There is no Big A Auto Parts to run to for everything I need. I have to turn to my friends at the mine for the pieces I need. It also helps drive home the idea that if you want anything done out here, you have to do it yourself. Of course that would be easier if I had any tools at all.
Oh well, the weather is awesome, almost cold. We had a low of 69 today! If it were like that all the time, this place would really be awesome. Unfortunately it will be hotter than the hinges of Hades in no time; all the more reason to enjoy this beautiful weather now.
MJR
posted by Bronx to Timbuktu at 3:41 PM
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