Local Preschool

Before my friend tried to find me a bus, she took me to a local preschool. There were children ranging in age from 7 months to about 5 or 6 years. I am not sure what the purpose of our visit was, but I know we played show off the foreigner. I went into each of the 4 classes to say Hello, and so all the children could see me. Then if any of the children knew any English, they would be encouraged to tell me what they knew. Usually, “Hello! What is your name?”

 

 

Does this bus go to the Ag College?

I was out with a local friend when I decided to head home. My local friend insisted on trying to help me find the bus home. After asking several people where the bus to the Ag College (where I live and study) left from, she took me to the bus stop. I tried to explain that I was pretty sure the bus dropped me off here coming FROM the Ag College, but no, they were sure this bus goes TO the Ag College. I got on the bus figuring that I had been to a lot of new places recently and maybe this bus really was going the right direction. I rode the bus to the end of the line, and sure enough I never went to the Ag College. I got off the bus and back on one going in the opposite direction.

 

 

Mattress Delivery

I bought a new mattress for my double bed. The one that the landlord had left was literally about an inch thick, and I think it has some sort of straw or something of that nature inside. All that to say that I needed a better mattress. I bought the mattress, but they wanted to charge me for delivery since I live on the 6^th floor and my building has no elevator. Since they wouldn’t negotiate on the price of the mattress at all, we insisted on free delivery. I am sure they told us what free delivery would entail, but we didn’t understand. First, the delivery guys were about an hour late. Second, when they did arrive there was only one who came not in a van, but on a bicycle cart. This one guy was unable to carry the mattress up to the 6^th floor by himself. (I can’t imagine why not!!!) So one of my fellow Americans and I helped him carry it up to the 6^th floor. We would help him to go around the corners and get it up the first few steps then he would carry it to the next floor. It worked pretty well after we figured out what to do, but who thought we would moving a mattress to the 6^th floor.

 

  

Buying Chairs

I went to the store with 2 friends who have been here longer and bought 4 new chairs for my dining room. We couldn’t take the chairs on a bus or a taxi and the store would not deliver the chairs, so we paid the store worker to help us hire a van. He found a lady beside a van who said her driver would take us for the agreed amount. We sat down outside in the chairs that I had just purchased while we waited for her driver. Her driver was expected back a few minutes. Finally, another van pulled up. This was her driver. I still have no idea whose van we were sitting by. So the 3 of us, the 4 chairs, and some others things I had purchased piled into the van. The van only had 2 seats in the front, so my two friends took 2 chairs each and sat on them in the back of the van. I am sure it wasn’t a great ride home, but it was also better than sitting on the floor.

 

 

Rose Petals

My first 4 nights here I stayed in hotel. For some reason, every day after they cleaned the room, they would put rose petals in the toilet. I am not sure why, but every day when I came home, they would be there.